2. Expository Quickwrite
Number One:
Explain what it means to be a good friend.
For each idea or reason you give:
write an example
explain how it supports your idea or reason
Write a few paragraphs.
Re-read your work.
Edit and rewrite as needed.
After fifteen minutes, freewrite if you are finished
Twenty minutes are allotted.

3. Expository Quickwrite
Number Two:
Explain why it's important to learn how to read.`
Use examples and use your experiences.
Write a few paragraphs.
Re-read your work.
Edit and rewrite as needed.
After fifteen minutes, freewrite if you are finished
Twenty minutes are allotted.

4. Expository Quickwrite
Number Three:
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the position you hold in your family (youngest child, only child, middle child etc.).
Support each idea with an example and an explanation.
Write one paragraph for advantages and one for disadvantages.
Re-read your work.
Edit and rewrite as needed.
Twenty minutes are allotted.

5. Expository Quickwrite
Number Three Part 2:
Now, explain how your life would be different if you had a different position (oldest, youngest, middle, only, etc.)
Support each idea with an example and an explanation.
Re-read your work.
Edit and rewrite as needed.
Ten minutes are allotted.

6. Expository Quickwrite
Number Four:
Describe the best invention of all time and explain why.
Support each idea with examples and an explanation.
Write a few paragraphs.
Re-read your work.
Edit and rewrite as needed.
After twenty minutes, freewrite if you are finished
Twenty-five minutes are allotted.

7. Expository Quickwrite
Number Four, part 2:
How would your life be different if metal and plastic did not exist?
Support each idea with examples and an explanation.
Write a few paragraphs.
Re-read your work.
Edit and rewrite as needed.
After ten minutes, freewrite if you are finished
Fifteen minutes are allotted.

8. Analyze (pick apart) my topics
Which of my four topics was the most interesting to you and why?
Which of my topics did you think was the best overall?
Give all the traits of a good expository question.

9. Analyze (pick apart) my topics
Give all the traits of a good expository question:
fun to answer (relatable)
everyone can answer it, not just yes or no
specific category, challenging, thought-provoking
must be clear, easy to understand
give guidelines for the length of an answer (paragraph, sentences, etc.)
able to give a full, detailed answer
ask to give details
Use “explain” to get an explanation

10. Your own expository question
Write three of your own expository questions. Be sure they require an explanation of why.
Choose one topic that you think is the most interesting to ask a peer. Put a star in front of that topic so you remember.
Share with a peer, and say which traits the question follows.
Improve your questions so they fit more traits. Circle the traits it has!

11. Your own expository question
Use ten minutes to write a couple paragraphs in response to your question/topic.
For each idea or reason you give:
write an example
explain how it supports your idea or reason

12. Interviewing your peers
Ask your question to one student in the classroom.
Write their name and write EXACTLY what they say (you can leave out the “uh”s).
Ask follow-up question(s) to help you understand their answer.
Ex: What makes you think that?
Ex: Can you give an example?
Repeat with two more students who need a partner. *Work with someone you’ve rarely worked with before.
Freewrite
When it is your time to be interviewed:
Think for thirty seconds before you speak.
Speak slowly enough for your partner to write.

13. Analyzing your responses
Next, analyze the responses.
Describe some similarities between all three.
Describe some differences between all three.
Use the three quotes to generalize what Ralston sixth graders believe, think, or feel.
Highlight the words that show this common belief/thought/feeling.

14. Spring Break Quickwrite
Write about everything you want to do over the break, everything you must do, everything you hope to do, and explain the best part of having a break in Spring.
Use examples and explanations for each.

15. Spring Break Quickwrite pt. 2
Write about everything you did over the break, everything you wished you did, everything you would do differently, and explain what the best part of your break was and why. Finally, compare/contrast your break to the Spring Break Quickwrite you wrote before the break.
Use examples and explanations for each.

16. Breaking down the term
Expository Essay

17. Breaking down the term
Expository Essay

18. Breaking down the term
Expository Essay
an essay that exposes

19. To expose = to show or uncover
Breaking down the term
Expository Essay
an essay that exposes
To expose = to show or uncover

20. Breaking down the term Expository Essay an essay that exposes
To expose = to show or uncover
Expository Essay = writing that uncovers meaning for your reader
(helps the reader understand something better)

21. Reading Mr. Gnat’s Essay
Introduction
Locate the following:
Hook
Information about my topic
My topic/question
My response to the topic/question
Claim

22. Analyze Mr. Gnat’s Essay pt. 1
Introduction
Use colored pencils to draw a box around the following:
Hook = Green
Information about my topic = Orange
My topic/question = Blue
My response to the topic/question = Yellow
Claim = Red

23. Analyze Mr. Gnat’s Essay pt. 2
Body Paragraph 1
Use colored pencils to draw a box around the following:
Topic sentence = Green
General information = Orange
Introduce the quote = Blue
Quote = Yellow
Explanation for how it shows the claim = Red

24. Analyze Mr. Gnat’s Essay pt. 3
Body Paragraphs 2 and 3
Use colored pencils to draw a box around the following:
Transition from previous paragraph = Purple
Topic sentence = Green
General information = Orange
Introduce the quote = Blue
Quote = Yellow
Explanation for how it shows the claim = Red

25. Analyze Mr. Gnat’s Essay pt. 4
Conclusion
Use colored pencils to draw a box around the following:
What you notice = Green
Restate the topic = Orange
What is in common= Blue
Generalize about all students = Yellow
Final thought = Red

26. Tip: Don’t draw a sentence or letters, draw the idea.
Terms Into Art
In your teams, draw pictures of the following abstract ideas (taken from our Essay Terms). Label the back of the paper with the idea and your heading:
Hook
Transition
Generalization
Claim
Tip: Don’t draw a sentence or letters, draw the idea.

27. Getting a good quote Qualities of a good quote:
It has an answer and an explanation.
It has more than one idea.
It is easy to understand.
Meet up with your three interviewees, read their original response to them, then ask follow-up questions to make sure you have a good quote. Do this now.
“The best invention of all time is a house because without it you would be sleeping outside in the rain. Even if you used a cave for shelter, there is no way to keep your stuff safe. Houses keep you safe and comfortable.” (Student A)

28. Remember This? “Analyzing Your Responses” activity
Describe some similarities between all three.
Describe some differences between all three.
Use the three quotes to generalize what Ralston sixth graders believe, think, or feel.
Highlight the words that show this common belief/thought/feeling.

29. Making A Claim
Read your responses and write down what you claim to be true about the larger population. My Claim: ___________________________

30. Making A Claim
Read your responses and write down what you claim to be true about the larger population. My Claim: ___________________________ For this essay, the population is all Ralston sixth graders and your claim is about what they believe.

31. Making A Claim
Read your responses and write down what you claim to be true about the larger population. My Claim: ___________________________ For this essay, the population is all Ralston sixth graders and your claim is about what they believe. Later, you will explain how your quotes show your claim is true, so your claim must come from your quotes. For help, refer to #3 of the activity titled “Analyzing My Responses” and the claim in my essay.

32. Compare your claim with others
A good claim has these qualities:
It states what you are claiming to be true.
It shows a similarity between all of your quotes.
It generalizes about the larger population.

33. Compare your claim with others
A good claim has these qualities:
It states what you are claiming to be true.
It shows a similarity between all of your quotes.
It generalizes about the larger population.
Compare your claim with your elbow partner’s:
Does your partner’s have all three of those qualities?
Does your claim have all three of those qualities?
Help your partner improve their claim in some way.
Put a red box around your claim when you are satisfied with it.

34. Preparing your quote
Read the full response and decide whether to use the answer or the explanation as the quote. The one you do not use will help you introduce the quote.

35. Preparing your quote
Read the full response and decide whether to use the answer or the explanation as the quote. The one you do not use will help you introduce the quote.
I chose:
Introduce the quote = the answer
Quote = the explanation

36. Preparing your quote
Read the full response and decide whether to use the answer or the explanation as the quote. The one you do not use will help you introduce the quote.
I chose:
Introduce the quote = the answer
Quote = the explanation
Example:
“The best invention of all time is a house because without it you would be sleeping outside in the rain. Even if you used a cave for shelter, there is no way to keep your stuff safe. Houses keep you safe and comfortable.” (Student A)

37. How to Introduce a quote
To introduce a quote, inform the reader who it belongs to (the speaker) and write important parts of their response in your own words.

38. How to Introduce a quote
To introduce a quote, inform the reader who it belongs to (the speaker) and write important parts of their response in your own words.
“The best invention of all time is a house because without it you would be sleeping outside in the rain. Even if you used a cave for shelter, there is no way to keep your stuff safe. Houses keep you safe and comfortable.” (Student A)

39. How to Introduce a quote
To introduce a quote, inform the reader who it belongs to (the speaker) and write important parts of their response in your own words.
“The best invention of all time is a house because without it you would be sleeping outside in the rain. Even if you used a cave for shelter, there is no way to keep your stuff safe. Houses keep you safe and comfortable.” (Student A)
Introduce the quote: Student A tells us that a house is the best invention of all time because
Quote: “without it you would be sleeping outside in the rain”

40. Introduce your quote
Below your notes, introduce your quote and write the quote all in one sentence (be sure to use quotation marks on both sides of the quote).
Do this for all three of your quotes (the responses you got from your peers).
Use yellow and blue colored pencil to color the parts and label what each is, like we did with my essay.

41. Explain your quote
Introduce the quote: [blue]
Quote: “[yellow]”
Explain how this quote shows that the claim is true: This shows that [your claim] because...

42. Explain your quote Example 1
Introduce the quote: [blue]
Quote: “[yellow]”
Explain how this quote shows that the claim is true: This shows that [your claim] because...
Example 1
Introduce the quote: Ben doesn’t like running, but he says that
Quote: “hanging out with friends is the best part of PE”
Explain: This shows that students enjoy PE because doing activities with friends in PE is more fun than doing them by yourself.

43. Write your rough draft Use my essay as a model to guide you.
Introduction
Body #1
Body #2
Body #3
Conclusion