Bellwork for January 15, 2014 Take handouts from the back. Take out your AoW and figurative language review worksheet. Begin your Caught’ya! for day 17.

Day 17 at the school by the bus port they were joined by another freind jesse jocose who rode the school bus. each of them found their name on lists posted on the doors to the seventh grade wing of the school

Vocabulary for Week 6  jocose- (adjective) playful or humorous:

It’s Time to Write!!! There have been several changes in writing this year from last year, and today we are going to talk about those changes!!

Last year... You read two non-fiction texts and wrote an essay (narrative, expository or persuasive) using evidence from both the texts in your essays.

This year brings new things!! You will TYPE two essays this year in February, in a set time period, just like the 8 th graders ( you will have approximately 2 and a half hrs.). The texts will be Science or Social Studies based. The first essay will be an analytical summary of the text. The second essay will cover information from all texts. The essays will be informational/explanatory and argument essays. What does information/explanatory mean to you? What does argument mean to you? What does compare/contrast mean to you?

Types of Writing Argument essay-An argument is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating that the writer’s position, belief, or conclusion is valid. Explanatory/Informative -expresses information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more closely related purposes: to increase readers’ knowledge of a subject, to help readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept …IT EXPLAINS

Types of Writing Compare/Contrast- you focus on the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (this is the comparison) and/or different from (this is the contrast) one another. This encourages you to make connections between texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere description or summary to generate interesting analysis. When you reflect on similarities and differences, you gain a deeper understanding of the items you are comparing, their relationship to each other, and what is most important about them.

Sample Prompt 1 st essay Please read “ The Woman Called Moses ” by Walter Oleksy and Meg Mims. In this text, the author develops several central ideas. After you have read, determine one central idea from the text and write an essay that both summarizes and analyzes how that central idea is conveyed through particular details. Cite evidence from the text to support your analysis. Follow the conventions of standard written English. Write your essay in the space provided on the next pages.

I can… …create a thesis statement and include relevant facts, details, reasons, and examples that support the thesis. …select the appropriate time-order or transitional words/phrases to enhance the flow of a writing sample. …select an appropriate concluding sentence for a well- developed paragraph. …select illustrations, explanations, anecdotes, descriptions, and/or facts to support key ideas.

Unpacking the Prompt 1.Take a LOOK at the prompt. After you have read, determine one central idea from the text and write an essay that both summarizes and analyzes how that central idea is conveyed through particular details. Cite evidence from the text to support your analysis. Follow the conventions of standard written English. Write your essay in the space provided on the next pages. 2.Circle words that are unfamiliar to you. 3.Underline words that you think are VERY important in order to understand the prompt. 4.Annotate the prompt. 5.Lets talk about these words and their meanings!!

Important Words/Phrases After you have read, determine one central idea from the text and write an essay that both summarizes and analyzes how that central idea is conveyed through particular details. Cite evidence from the text to support your analysis. Follow the conventions of standard written English. Write your essay in the space provided on the next pages.

Central Idea? Task- Determine the central idea Possible central ideas: Write several on your paper.

Finding the evidence... Central Idea: We now need to find evidence to support this central idea. What information from the text explains the central idea?

Evidence Find three pieces of evidence to support your central idea. Now you are ready to write your thesis statement. Your thesis= Opinion/Claim because + three reasons Write your thesis statement at the bottom of the paper.

Exit Ticket Write your thesis statement on your post-it. Underline your claim once. Circle “because.” Number your three reasons. Example: Katinss Everdeen is courageous because she volunteers as tribute, saves Peeta’s life, and survives the Hunger Games.