Writing+Strategies

Review the writing strategies that you have been practicing:

‍‍**Before Writing**

 * **Purpose**: decide what the point of your writing will be, what topic you will write about, what questions you will answer, who your audience is, where you can gather your information from, and how you will record all your great ideas. A graphic organizer or mind map can be helpful.

‍‍**During Writing**

 * **Produce** : jot down answers to your questions, main idea statements, facts, details, quotations, and examples. Include illustrations and additional questions that may come up. Remember to record your research sources so you can cite them.
 * **Proceed** : rearrange your notes into a logical format. Use the “Hamburger” model to organize your notes into a topic sentence, body sentences and conclusion sentence. If you have too much information, or some points that aren’t really important, you can cut them out. If you don’t have enough information, you can always do more research to produce more details!

‍‍**After Writing**
= =
 * **Polish** : review your paragraph to make sure it is about one topic only, and that each sentence makes a point about your topic. Every example and detail should help to explain your points. Your paragraph should have a strong opening sentence at the beginning that states the topic of your paragraph. Your paragraph should end with a strong conclusion or summary sentence that reviews the topic and purpose of your paragraph. Include citations to acknowledge all sources of ideas and information you collected in your research. Edit your writing for correct spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure—the fewer errors, the smoother your paragraph will read.
 * =Opinion Pieces=

Writing a series of opinion paragraphs gives you a chance to investigate a topic, organize your thoughts, and present them clearly. The purpose of this form of writing is to change your readers’ minds, altering their knowledge, thoughts, feelings or even actions regarding a specific issue. In this section, you will review and build on your prior knowledge of an opinion piece with respect to its features and structure.

‍Graphic Organizer for Writing a Series of Paragraphs to Express an Opinion
Take a side on the issue and write a statement with “yes” if you agree or “no” if you disagree.
 * Question:**

Thesis Statement (Yes or No):

Because

Reason #1: Reason #2:


 * Go to Paragraph 2**

Topic Sentence: (Write reason 1 from Introductory Paragraph) Supporting statement-example #1 Supporting statement-example #2

Topic Sentence: (Write reason 2 from Introductory Paragraph) Supporting statement-example #1 Supporting statement-example #2
 * Go to Paragraph 3**

Restate Thesis Statement: Summarize supporting reasons
 * Go to Concluding Paragraph**
 * Check connection to Introduction

[|Opinion Piece Checklist.rtf]

‍Vocabulary
Take a look at the following terminology that relates to a series of paragraphs expressing an opinion. 1. Introductory paragraph This paragraph serves the purpose of introducing the topic of your opinion piece. a) Hook This sentence attracts the readers’ attention b) Thesis This sentence states your main idea or opinion, which you are to prove and support throughout the opinion piece. c) Supporting ideas These are the reasons to support your thesis 2. Body paragraphs These paragraphs provide the facts, examples and explanations that support each idea proving your thesis. a) Topic sentence This sentence states what the paragraph is about. It must correspond to the thesis. b) Example This is an item of information that illustrates or reinforcesan idea. c) Explanation This is a detailed description of how the example relates and supports your opinion of the topic. d) Concluding Statement This sentence signals the end of the paragraph 3. Concluding paragraph This paragraph gives the reader a sense of closure. It also summarizes what you have covered in the opinion piece. 4. Audience This refers to the readers of your opinion piece. Thinking about audience influences your style of writing such as vocabulary, sentence structure and the proofs or evidence you use to support your thesis. 5. Informal This is a relaxed style of writing that follows a less rigid structure. It includes a relaxed expression of opinion, observation, or humour. 6. Tone This is the attitude you convey as you express your opinions about the topic. 7. Transitional words or phrases These words or phrases link sentences and paragraphs. They also serve to strengthen the relationship between and among sentences. It helps your opinion piece to flow smoothly and read more coherently. (Examples: in addition, moreover, and furthermore)

=‍News Reports= CHECK LIST WHEN WRITING NEWS REPORTS: Here's a quick "check list" on how to write a Newspaper Article: • The headline should be accurate and in the present tense. • The first sentence needs to be short and dramatic. Surprise your reader! Make them curious. • Be clear from the start – put the facts of the story first. • Remember to use the 5 W’s – who is involved; what happened; when did it happen; where and, most important, why? • Be accurate - get your facts correct. • Use active verbs wherever possible. • Keep the article brief – don’t bore your reader and don’t make it too complicated to understand. Be incisive. • Be fair – there are at least two sides to every story. Let the readers make up their own minds. • Avoid [|clichés] – find new ways to describe familiar people and events. (check out some [|Movie Cliches]) • Search for a special ingredient – make your story stand out from the other

‍Glossary

 * Byline** : The name of the writer of the news report, usually appearing below the Headline. For example, you might see below the Headline or Subheading "Natalie Boss, Staff Writer" OR just "Natalie Boss". This would indicate that Natalie Boss was the reporter of the News Report.
 * Headline** : Display type placed over a story summarizing the story for the reader. For example, this is easily identified as the font size is much larger than the text of the news report.
 * Lead or Lead Paragraph** : The opening paragraphs of a news story containing the answers to who, what, where, when, why and how.
 * News report** : A report of a current happening or happenings or current events in a newspaper by a journalist or reporter. For example, a news report could be about an earthquake or a shooting.
 * Journalist** : A person who practices journalism, the gathering and dissemination of information about current events, trends, issues and people.
 * Reporter or Newsperson** : A person who investigates and reports or edits news stories. A reporter is a type of journalist who researches and presents information in certain types of mass media.
 * Newspaper headline** : The heading or caption of a newspaper article.
 * Newspaper** : A daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements.
 * Forms of informational texts** : Examples include: history book, geography text, report, and essay

News Report Features Organizing a News Report

‍WHAT MAKES A GOOD NEWSPAPER REPORT?
Here are some important tips to consider:

1. Ask these questions:
 * Is it informative?
 * Is it interesting?
 * Is it true?
 * Is a picture needed or available?

2. Information: A newspaper story gives information about:
 * People
 * Places
 * Events

3. Interest – Your audience
 * Who will want to read this?
 * Is there a personal connection?
 * Can the reader use the information?
 * Will the reader want to know more?

4. Truth: When writing reports, ask yourself these questions:
 * Is it true?
 * Is it kind?
 * Is it necessary?

5. Pictures
 * Can you find a picture that will "talk"?
 * It’s been said, “One picture is worth a thousand words”.

6. Edit
 * Proofread.
 * Check spelling.
 * Check capitals and endings.
 * Have stories checked by the teacher.
 * Put pictures with stories.
 * Make stories fit the space.
 * Prepare to publish.

‍ Resources
1. The Toronto Star 2. The Globe and Mail 3. The Toronto Sun

=‍**Writing Strategies:**=

The Writing Process

Summarizing is how we take larger selections of text and reduce them to their bare essentials: the gist, the key ideas, the main points that are worth noting and remembering.
 * Summary Tips**

GATHER INFORMATION 1. What is the main idea of the reading selection? 2. Identify 3 details that support the main idea. The author uses supporting details to expand, illustrate or prove the main idea

ROUGH DRAFT 1. Write a topic sentence that includes the main idea and the title of the selection. 2. Write 3 sentences that include the supporting details. 3. Write a concluding sentence that re-states the main idea in different words.

TEMPLATE

The main idea of (title of reading) is. The author supports this main idea by (3 supporting details/3 sentences). In conclusion, I learned (re-state main idea).

__*Note:__ use connecting words to make your writing flow: first, second, last, also, as well, too, because [|What is a good summary]

Here is another way to remember how to write a summary:

Topic Sentence: The main topic of the composition is stated. Reason/Detail/Fact : Give the reader a main reason, detail or fact that relates to and supports the topic sentence. Use [|transitions] (First,... First of all,... In addition,... Also,...) to start these sentences. Explain/Example: Give an example for the statement made in the reason/detail/fact sentence. Concluding Sentence: The topic is restated to remind the reader what the composition was about. (Begin this sentence with Clearly,... In conclusion,... All in all,...)

Source: []

Writing Information Paragraphs

Transitions and Linking Words h ||  ||