The Journaling of Hinton 389

Here we grow again. WritingFix gets bigger every year, so that we can become an even more comprehensive on-line resource. Why a class specifically on expository writing? Well, big changes have come to Nevada's Writing Exam. Our eighth grade writing test, which has been historically narrative in nature, will be changing to an expository prompt for 2011. The rubrics will change, and many of our sixth through eighth grade teachers will need to "bone up" a little on expository practice as we find ways to better prepare our students in the face of this change. Our two workshops in 2010-2011 will feature demonstration lessons that are designed to inspire the participants; those lessons are posted below. Each participant in this workshop will also receive a copy of Gretchen Bernabei's wonderful book, Reviving The Essay: How To Teach Structure Without Formula. Energized by both the book and the demonstration lessons, participants will be asked to create an original resource or a lesson for teaching expository writing, and the best of those lessons and resources will be posted at this page for anyone to find and use. Please enjoy and freely make use of the resources found on this page.

If you appreciate the work we're doing at WritingFix, be sure to share our web address with your teacher friends. Have We Will Talk More About Choosing joined yet? Writing Lesson of the Month Network ! Click here to see our list of favorite books. Students create a four-part essay, examining the pros and cons of a job (past, present, or future) they have researched. Gretchen Bernabei's book Revising the Essay: How to Teach Structure without Formula. A truism is a technique for teaching students about writing a thesis. This lesson has students write an essay about a truism discovered in a pretty unique picture book. Students revise a an explanation of how to play a game so that includes more voice. Lesson: What's Your Fifth Element? Students create an essay where three solid reasons are discussed in order to convince the audience of a modern item's importance to the world. Lesson: Where is the Love?

Students create a five-paragraph essay (based on a persuasive argument) about an injustice in the world. Students create an essay (in the form of a this i believe speech) after researching environmental issues related to oceans. This lesson could be used with other topics of research besides oceans. We're looking for additional, original expository lessons to be featured here at later versions of this workshop. Design one that we can post here, and you will asked to present it (for pay) at a future version of this developing workshop. Contact Kim Cuevas, if interested. In Nevada, we've created a set of resources that help our middle school teachers assign and assess three practice prompts from their students during the spring. We encourage teachers to promptly share the data with their students so that student writers can set writing goals for their next practice prompt as well as learn how writing is scored for the state test.

We encourage teachers to, during four or five weeks between the three practice prompts, provide expository-specific trait instruction that will help their students meet their writing goals. 1: We all experience stressful times in our lives. Name three strategies you use to overcome stress and explain how they help you. 2: Friendships are important to middle school students. Write a definition of what your friends mean to you and be sure to include examples. 3: A rainy day doesn't have to be bad. Some people like rainy days. Explain how to turn a rainy day into a good day. In Nevada, we've created a set of resources that help our middle school teachers assign and assess three practice prompts from their students during the fall. We encourage teachers to promptly share the data with their students so that student writers can set writing goals for their next practice prompt as well as learn how writing is scored for the state test. We encourage teachers to, during four or five weeks between the three practice prompts, provide expository-specific trait instruction that will help their students meet their writing goals. 1: Think about a game you enjoy. This post has been generated by Essay Freelance Writersversion!

You reader has never played the game but wants to learn. In a report, describe the game and explain how it is played. Be sure to explain the rules, the equipment, the number of players, and anything else your reader might need to know to play the game. 2: Books, movies, and television can offer opportunities to learn valuable lessons. Write about a lesson learned from a book, movie, or television show that proved to be of value to you. 3: You know a lot about different things. Demonstration Speeches: The Essentials Of Good 'how To', Or Process Speeches on which you are an expert or know a lot about. For example, it could be an illness, a hobby, or a place. Write This Demonstration Speech Ideas Will Help You To Write Your Speech that explains what you know a lot about. Be sure to organize your thoughts into paragraphs. When designing lessons for the expository genre, one of the six traits--organization--stands out as a trait to focus on. Our expository workshop asks teachers to always make sure they are including mini-lessons on organization to help students pick up new skills.