1. Breaking down Prompts with the PAC (Cornell Note instructions included)

2. Interactive Notebook Set-up
Put your spiral notebooks inside your binder with a divider in front of each.
Put your loose leaf paper in the binder
In your English Interactive Notebook, set aside the first three pages for the Table of Contents, numbered I-VI, front and back
Number all remaining pages (even on the left, odd on the right)
Set aside the last seven pages for the Glossary, ½ a page for each letter A-Z, front and back.

3. Prepare your notebook for Cornell notetaking on the INPUT (right) side of your notebook.
If students have not yet set up their interactive notebooks (INBs), you may need to take a moment to do this:
TOC – first 3 pages, I-VI, front and back,
Number all pages (odd on right; even on left)
Glossary – last 7 pages, A-Z, ½ page each, front and back

4. PAC the Prompt: Take Notes
EQ: How can “PAC-ing” the prompt improve my writing?
Purpose – Why am I writing? To…explain, persuade, inform, compare, etc.
Audience – To whom am I writing? (this will influence word choice, sentence structure and content)
Context (Occasion or Task) – Where am I? In what social, historical, or cultural situation? In what format should I write (essay, letter, speech, etc.)
Allow students to copy the EQ.
Purpose: Why am I writing? To… (explain, givInstruct as students take notes (avoid writing anything but main ideas on screen when lecturing):
e the reason why, persuade, inform, describe, compare, etc.)
Audience: To whom am I writing? (this will influence the word choice, sentence structure, and content)
Context (Occasion or Task): Where am I? In what social, historical, or cultural situation? What are the circumstances? In what format should I write (essay, letter, speech, editorial, article, etc.)?

5. PAC the Prompt
Write a letter to a celebrity that explains why you see him or her as a role model.
Purpose: To explain why I see _____ as a role model
Audience: Chosen celebrity
Context: Informal letter format
Instruct students to copy the prompt into their Cornell notes and list the purpose, audience, and context underneath. This is still INPUT.
Review answers when everyone is ready.

6. PAC the Prompt
Certain TV programs should not be aired on television. Write a letter to a TV producer to explain why you think a certain TV program should be cancelled.
Purpose: To persuade cancellation of a television program
Audience: Television producer
Context: Formal letter
Instruct students to copy the prompt into their Cornell notes and list the purpose, audience, and context underneath. This is still INPUT.
Review answers when everyone is ready.

7. PAC the Prompt: Make Notes
Review your notes and highlight the main ideas.
Confer with a partner to make sure you have the same ideas noted and highlighted:
Add information as needed
Change information as needed
Delete information as needed
Write one higher-level question per main idea in the left column of your notes. Focus on open-ended “how” and “why” questions if possible.
Instruct students to work alone then with a partner to complete the three tasks (task slides usually have more text on them for clarity of instruction).
Circulate and facilitate.

8. PAC the Prompt: Reflect on Notes
Summarize your notes at the bottom of your paper if you have room or on a sticky note if you don’t have room:
Topic sentence = answer the EQ
Developing sentences = answer HOT?s
Closing sentence = wrap up summary with one final statement – can be a concluding idea, an opinion, or a call (yourself) to action
Instruct students to work alone to write the summary.
Circulate and facilitate.

9. PAC the Prompt: OUTPUT Practice
P1. Write an editorial to your local newspaper to persuade local citizens to become more involved in the Red Cross projects in your town. P2. Everyone has a favorite holiday. Think about the holiday you enjoy more than any other one. Tell what your favorite holiday is and explain why.
Instruct students to copy the prompts into their notebooks on the OUTPUT side, then to list the purpose, audience, and context for each.
Circulate and facilitate.

10. PAC the Prompt: Check Your Work
P1 Answers:
Purpose: To persuade involvement in the Red Cross projects
Audience: Local citizens/newspaper readers
Context: Editorial format (letter of opinion)
P2 Answers:
Purpose: To explain why _____ is my favorite holiday
Audience: Academic audience
Context: Essay format; narrative
Review and discuss activity answers.

11. PAC the Prompt: TOC & Glossary
Complete TOC. Add terms to Glossary as needed.
Instruct students to add today’s notes to their INB Table of Contents: Date – PAC the Prompt – Page 3.
Instruct students to add any unfamiliar or difficult terms to the Glossary in the back of the notebook.
On busy days, this may need to be done for homework. It is the students’ responsibility to keep the TOC and Glossary current.