R – Role A – Audience F – Format T – Topic S – Strong Verb Teachers says: If you know this acronym, you can take apart any prompt and your writing task will be much more clear. TTW model the definitions as the students write definitions either on a blank piece of paper or the teacher could create a worksheet that students fill in as the definitions are discussed ( students will use this as a reference later) . Teacher says: What does the word “role” mean to you? It is the who or what in the prompts What is the Audience? This is the people you are writing for….. Format? This is the way that you will be writing. Ask yourself- Will I be writing an essay? Or a persuasive letter? Etc. Topic? This is also found in the prompt and it is important that you understand it in order to stick to the what you will be writing about. Strong verb? Some times the verb is not explicitly stated and other times it is. You have to look within the prompt and underline the verb.

The cafeteria manager would like input about foods to add to the cafeteria menu; write a persuasive letter to her about your three favorite foods, and explain why she should include them as choices.

Put it all together! Role: you Audience: cafeteria manager Format: letter Topic: three foods you’d like added to the cafeteria menu Strong verb: persuade, convince

The cafeteria manager would like audience input about foods to add to the cafeteria menu; write a persuasive format letter to her about your three favorite foods, and convince her to topic strong verb include them. role: you

Brainstorm before you write!

Ask yourself some questions: What should I remember about format? persuasive letter greeting, body, closing, signature, correct punctuation What is my role? I am writing as myself. Discuss questions. Model thinking.

How will my audience affect my word choice and content How will my audience affect my word choice and content? I want to impress the cafeteria manager, so I will choose words carefully and proofread so my message is clear. Am I comfortable with content? Certainly! I love food!

How will my purpose affect my word choice and content How will my purpose affect my word choice and content? If I’m convincing enough, she’ll take me seriously, and I’ll get my three foods added to the menu.

If necessary, create an outline or graphic organizer to plan the draft. (prewriting) What do you have to think about at this point? The three foods you want, the reasons you want them, and convincing support. Example of graphic organizer.

Calcium for strong bones High fiber Alternative to sugary cereal Example Graphic Organizer Soft swirl yogurt Raspberry Granola Fresh spinach Why? Delicious Low fat Calcium for strong bones High fiber Alternative to sugary cereal Vitamin C Folic acid Vitamin D Popeye’s favorite

Write the first draft of the application. (drafting)

January 10,2020 Dear Mrs. Havill,: My name is Jane Smith, and I am writing because I heard you’d like input from students about which three foods should be added to the menu. I would like you to consider adding soft swirl yogurt, raspberry granola, and fresh spinach. Soft swirl yogurt is an excellent choice because it is a delicious treat that has less fat than ice cream. Some yogurts are fortified with calcium for strong bones, too, so students would reap health benefits from this dessert. Raspberry granola is my second favorite food; I’d appreciate it if you’d add this tantalizing, high fiber alternative to sugar-laden cold cereal. The raspberries also contain Vitamin C, so perhaps eating the granola could help our students avoid getting colds. Fresh spinach should be added to the cafeteria menu because if it’s good enough for Popeye, it’s good enough for our school. Spinach is chock full of Vitamin D and folic acid which are other valuable nutrients our bodies need. Thank you for taking the time to consider adding soft swirl yogurt, raspberry granola, and fresh spinach to the school menu. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Jane Smith

When your rough draft is complete, go back to the R.A.F.T.S. components to make sure you accomplished the task. Read your rough draft carefully as you recall each component of R.A.F.T.S.

Monitor word choice to make sure it is consistently appropriate for the audience. Is the writer convincing in his/her role? Is the format correct? Did the writer stick to the topic? Is the author’s purpose clear?

Proofread, and use the checklist provided on the test! (editing)

Practice, practice, and practice some more!

Let’s write!

Prompt: People run for elected office, from President of the U.S. to class officers in school. You are running for class president. Write an essay convincing your classmates that you are the best choice for class president. Who remembers what we do first? Read the prompt more than once. Dissect the prompt. Do it.

Audience: your classmates Format: persuasive essay Role: you Audience: your classmates Format: persuasive essay Topic: why you are the best choice for class president Strong verb: convince Did you get it?

You are running for class President; role write a persuasive essay to your format classmates that convinces them that Audience strong verb you will make the best choice topic to lead the class.

Make a graphic organizer. Plan what to say.

Write the first draft. Check the R.A.F.T.S. again to make sure the objective has been met. Revise to improve. Edit using checklist. And finally…………

Be proud of your work! This is a reference page to use

Writing to Prompts: R stands for ______________________________________________ A stands for_______________________________________________ F stands for_______________________________________________ T stands for_______________________________________________ S stands for_______________________________________________ Step 1: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Step 2:___________________________________________________ Step 3:___________________________________________________ Step 4:___________________________________________________ Finally,___________________________________________________

Writing prompt: Do the steps! You have entered a contest to design a machine that will clean you room. Draw a picture of your machine with captions and explain in paragraph form how it works. If you win the contest, the team of engineers will build your machine. This is an added prompt

Writing Prompt: Do the steps! Imagine you are an endangered flying squirrel living in the forest that is about to be leveled to make way for a shopping center. Write a letter to the construction company president persuading him to find someplace else to build and leave your forest alone. This is the last slide in the presentation all other slides are hidden and you may use them as references

Do the steps! You are the supervisor of transportation for the School District. Write an email to a teacher who needs to know how much it will cost to take a field trip to the art museum, which is 20 miles away. In your message, explain the cost of transportation, and consider the high cost of gasoline.

Do the steps! You are a high school baseball player. A sports card company executive is interested in putting your photo and statistics on a baseball card as part of a series focusing on young players. Predict your home runs, batting average, and runs batted in for the forthcoming year based on last season. Send the information in email form to the executive.

Do the steps! One of your favorite things to do is go to the movies with your friends on Friday nights. However, this week one of your teachers called to inform your parents that you haven’t been doing your homework. Create a list of reasons convincing your parents your should still attend the movies and what you will do to complete your homework.