WHAT ME?WRITE AN ESSAY?Good writing is like a windowpane.

- George Orwell

DEFINITION: JUST WHAT IS AN ESSAY?

An essay is a fairly brief piece of non-fiction that tries to make a point in an interesting way.

Brief means that you can read it in one sitting Non-fiction means that is not an imaginative

story, although it may contain a narrative, or true story.

The point that you are trying to make is your main idea, or thesis.

How do we make it interesting? We use all our writing skill to make it clear and engaging!

CRITERIA: WHAT MAKES A GOOD ESSAY? Ideas that are interesting, original, and focused

Relevant details, explanations, or examples

Clear and varied vocabulary and sentences

Ideas that flow smoothly from one to another

Logical organization: effective introduction, paragraphs that develop the topic, transitions, effective ending

Few errors in sentences, spelling, punctuation

PROCESS: HOW DO WE GO ABOUT WRITING AN ESSAY?

A Analyze the task and Activate your prior knowledge: What is it asking you to do? What do you already know about the topic?

B Brainstorm: Think, Talk, Text, …just get some ideas out about your topic…more is better!

C Chart a course: Plan, Map, Outline…arrange your ideas into an overall framework and figure out where you are going—your main point or thesis.

D Draft: Write out your essay into sentences and paragraphs, using your chart as a guide.

E Edit and Revise: Go back and read it from start to finish and finish to start…fix, change, refine to make your meaning clear.

ANALYZE THE TASK

You have been asked to nominate someone for an “Award of Excellence.” Who would you nominate? Why does this person deserve the award?

Write an essay that convinces us this person deserves the award.

BRAINSTORM

Think of people whom you admire for their excellent qualities. What are those qualities? Think of different awards.

Turn and talk to a partner about whom you might nominate and what sort of award that person might get.

On blank paper, silently capture your thinking: allow time for your brain to “think through your fingers.” Don’t edit yourself! More is better!

Look for related ideas and words; use arrows or lines or webs to connect them.

Do you have a thesis (the main point you are trying to prove or explain)? Write it out in a sentence.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU BUILT A HOUSE WITHOUT A PLAN?

CHART: ORGANIZE OR “MAP” YOUR IDEAS

Working Title: ____________________________

Every Essay has one

Body of the Essay

Every Essay has one

Introduction: Needs a hook and a point or thesis

Main Idea One and Supporting Details

Main Idea Two and Supporting Details

Main Idea Three and Supporting Details

Conclusion: You need to remind the reader about your topic and message.

-Number of paragraphs depends onessay-In a personal narrative, this becomes the beginning, middle, end

DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAP OUT AN ESSAY

MAIN IDEA OR DETAIL?meals

breakfast lunch dinner snacks

Potato chipstoast sandwic

h

Mashed potatoes

oatmealCandy bar

popcornpancakescereal

popsicle

pretzels

Corn on the cob

gravy

syrup

jelly

tacos

pizza

Fried chicken

saladGreen beans

applesauce

Soda pop

apple

juice

milk

DRAFT: SET A GOAL AND WRITE

Use your chart (map, plan, outline) as a guide

How do I begin?

Bill Gates is a man of many accomplishments. He invented Microsoft operating systems, greatly contributed to the invention of the modern day computer, and has made extraordinary acts of kindness, such as donating over 4 million dollars to various charities around the world. He is simply outstanding, and that is why I have decided to nominate Bill Gates for the Award of Excellence. The person who I think is most helpful and deserves an award is my good friend, Meriam Hopkins. She’s always there when I need someone to talk to, she helps me with my homework if I don’t understand it, she helps me catch up in school if I fall behind, and most of all she cheers me up if I’m sad.

Is there sometimes a situation in your household where you can’t help but think, “This feels like a sitcom!”? Well, thanks to a special someone, my family gets that moment a lot, and that someone is my one-and-only sister: Lynn. She is older than me, but I sometimes get the feeling that I’m more mature than she is. A fitting award I feel I can give to her would definitely be The Comedian Award for her contagious laugh and sense of humour.

LEADS OR HOOKS

Short narrative: “Last year I needed help with my science report. I just didn’t understand how all those simple machines worked. I thought I was faced with a failing grade, and then my friend Max came along.”

Example: Look around your house or classroom. You will see lots of books and magazines, but people have not always had so many things to read. In 1454 a man in Germany found a way to print books, and his invention changed the lives of all of us.

Bold statement: A good coach can change your life. Humour: After the wedding cake fell on the floor, I

knew I was in trouble. Quotation: A line from a poem….saying…definition… Question: Have you heard of…? How would you feel…?

TRANSITIONS

Transitions are words or phrases writers use to: Introduce new ideas Tie ideas together Signal a change Make connections

Transitions help readers see the organization and understand what they are reading

Transitions can be obvious or more subtle

TRANSITIONS

There are five reasons why I am proud to be bilingual. First, I can translate for people… Next, I can get a better job… Also, I can help my friends who don’t speak English… Another reason is… Finally, I can get more scholarships…

Harriet Tubman believed in freedom so much that she worked as a nurse in the Civil War, and she took many risks to bring other slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. In the Civil War, Harriet worked as a nurse…... On the Underground Railroad she guided slaves from the South to the North so they could be free….

Obvious Subtle

CONCLUSIONS

Remind your readers of your topic and what you wanted to prove or explain.

Use words from your thesis statement or synonyms (words that mean the same thing).

Do not add new ideas. Keep it interesting by using different kinds of

sentences and different sentence lengths. Leave the reader thinking: sometimes you

will summarize, sometimes you will try to convince, sometimes you will encourage action, and sometimes you will just give the reader a reason to remember.

Like I said before, Bill Gates is a man of many achievements, and when you really look at these achievements closely, I don’t think anybody could come up with a better person to describe excellence.

As you can tell from my words, Meriam is a great friend. She’s easy to talk to, helps me when I fall behind in classes, helps me understand assignments I am having trouble with, she cheers me up when I’m sad, and most of all is just a great friend.

The dictionary says that a comedian is “1. an actor in comedy or 2. a comic person esp. an entertainer specializing comedy.” My definition of the word is different: a comedian should be someone who loves to laugh and makes others laugh, and can do so on a regular basis without a plan or a script or practice. No old jokes used a dozen times over, just real-life stories that you’ve never heard before. Or, perhaps a simpler definition: my wonderful older sister, Lynn.

EDIT AND REVISE

Go back and read it from start to finish and finish to start…fix, change, add, delete to meet the criteria:

Ideas that are interesting, original, and focused

Relevant details, explanations, or examples

Clear and varied vocabulary and sentences

Ideas that flow smoothly from one to another

Logical organization: effective introduction, paragraphs that develop the topic, transitions, effective ending

Few errors in sentences, spelling, punctuation

Writing Checklist Gr. 6 based on the B.C. Performance Standards for Writing

Name: ______________________________________ Date: ______________________ Writing Piece: _______________________________________________

1 2 2.5 3 4

Meaning

Are the ideas clear, focused and interesting from start to finish? Does the author offer his or her own ideas?

Did the author support his or her ideas with enough details, explanations and examples?

Style

Is it easy to read? Are the sentences varied and do they flow smoothly?

Is the vocabulary clear, appropriate and varied?

Did the author carefully choose words to convey fresh, strong images?

Form

Is it organized with a well-developed beginning, middle and end?

Did the author group paragraphs together in a logical sequence?

Did the author use a variety of connecting words and phrases to join ideas together?

Conventions

Did the author check for the obvious stuff? (capitals, indents and punctuation-commas, periods, apostrophes, etc.)

Are familiar words spelled correctly? Are sentences complete and correct? (no fragments, or run-ons)

Is the writing generally free of grammatical errors (eg. verb tenses, word forms)?

(1-Not Meeting Expectations, 2 -Minimally Meeting Expectations, 2.5- Satisfactorily Meeting Expectations, 3-Fully Meeting Expectations, 4-Exceeding Expectations)

Overall Grade