1. Writing Crash Course
English II

2. Explore your classmates reading and writing tendencies
Learning target
Explore your classmates reading and writing tendencies
Recall elements of good writing

3. Wednesday: Autobiography Peer Share 5 Minutes
Your qualities as a reader
and writer
Shared qualities
as readers
and writers
Your partner’s qualities as a reader
and writer

4. Wednesday: Autobiography Whole Group Discussion
What qualities do you share as readers and writers? What are some differences?

5. Wednesday: Autobiography Conclusions
After meeting with your partner and
hearing about other members in the
class, develop an overall conclusion
about our class of sophomores as
readers and writers?
Hint: What did you learn about yourself/your classmates after this discussion?
-On your own (1 min)
-Share with your partner (1 min)
-Group discussion

6. What do you remember?
You have 1 minute – list all things you remember from last year regarding GOOD writing.

7. Thursday: Writing Crash Course Focus
Argumentative thesis statement: What do you know? Argumentative topic sentences: What

8. Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
By the end of our writing crash course, you should have an understanding of the following:
Thesis Statements:
How to answer the question
How to make it argumentative
Including three prongs to support the answer
Making the prongs specific, but not too specific
Keeping it to one sentence
Avoiding second person

9. Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences
Referring back to the prong in the thesis
Referring back to the answer to the prompt
Providing a clear introduction to the paragraph
Providing a focus for the rest of the paragraph
Making the sentence an argument
Avoid jumping into the examples for support
Providing a transition in the second and third body paragraphs
Avoiding simple transition words

10. PROMPT: WHAT IS THE BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME?
Thesis Statements – Look at the different levels of specificity and generality:
The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, is the greatest movie of all time due to the bloody scene where William Wallace kills one of the leaders, the Irishman being so funny, and the love of his life being murdered because of him.
The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, is the greatest movie of all time due to action, love, and message.
The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, is the greatest movie of all time due to its action packed scenes, heartwarming love story, and lessons on loyalty.

11. What is the best movie of all time?
Non-Argumentative:
The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, is a movie with action packed scenes, a heartwarming love story, and lessons on loyalty.
The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, is an awesome movie with action packed scenes, a heartwarming love story, and lessons on loyalty.

12. What is the best movie of all time?
Thesis: The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel
Gibson, is the greatest movie of all time due to its
action packed scenes, heartwarming love story, and
lessons on loyalty.
Topic Sentences:
Argumentative – Braveheart is arguably the best movie of all time due to the action packed scenes.
Not-Argumentative – Braveheart is a movie filled with action and war.

13. Thesis: The Oscar-winning Braveheart, starring Mel Gibson, is the greatest movie of all time due to its action packed scenes, heartwarming love story, and lessons on loyalty. Topic Sentence #1: Braveheart is arguably the best movie of all time due to the action packed scenes. Topic Sentence #2: In addition to the action packed scenes, Braveheart’s heartwarming love story makes it the finest film of all time. Your Turn…write the third topic sentence. Be ready to share. You have two minutes.

14. WHAT TO EXPECT TOMORROW (Thursday)…
You will be given a practice prompt. Before writing a thesis statement and topic sentences, it will be your job to brainstorm answers to the question. After brainstorming, you will write a thesis and three topic sentences using the skills you learned today. After writing, you will go through an editing checklist in order to make sure you are gaining an understanding of how to write effectively.

15. WHAT TO EXPECT ON FRIDAY…
You will be given another prompt. You will follow the same process of brainstorming (5 minutes) and constructing a thesis statement and three topic sentences (15 minutes). This will be your assessment to make sure you reached our goal of mastering the thesis and topic sentences. The assessment will be worth 12 points and listed under the assessment category in the grade book.

16. YOUR TURN…
In your notebooks, write a thesis statement and three topic sentences for the same prompt. What is the best movie of all time?

17. Oh yeah…. you know you LOVE writing!!!!