Finding Your Voice
Introduction to Middle School Writer’s Workshop
WRITING TERRITORIES
What’s Important to You?
Writing Territories
Make a list
of twenty
topics or
issues that
you would
like to write
about this
year.
Heart Map
Directions: Using your Writing Territories
and starting from the center, organize your
topics from most important in the center to
less important as you get to the outer
borders of your Heart Map.
Baseline Essay
7th Grade Prompt:
If you could choose
anywhere in the world to
travel where would you go?
Explain why you would
choose that place.
Expository and
Persuasive Writing
Think
Ink
Pair
Share
Expository vs. Persuasive Writing
1.
Sort your cards using the Venn Diagram.
Expository
Define expository writing
Persuasive
Define persuasive writing
Expository Example
Expository writing is
explaining.
– I would include my skates
because I love to ice skate. I
especially love ice dancing, a
form of ice skating in which
you have a partner, don’t
jump or do lifts above the
boy’s head, and are partly
judged on the quality of your
edges and interpretation of
the music.
.
Persuasive Example

Persuasive writing is convincing.
– Some late work counts as 70% credit,
giving kids a C- which is passing.
Some kids are happy because they
think a C- is a good grade. How can we
allow students to turn in all of their work
late but still have a passing grade? The
kids that have C-’s don’t care about
their work because even if they turn it
in late, they can still get a passing
grade. These kids have sort of twisted
the grading system to benefit
themselves. This can no longer be
allowed.
Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.
What are the purposes of
introductions?
Why are
introductions
important?
Discuss with a
partner!
Introductions
 grab
the reader’s attention.
 clearly
imply an
organizational structure for
the paper.
 includes
support that is
specific and relevant and
provides a clear,
connected lead-in to a
paper’s main idea or
thesis.
 includes
a thesis that is
stated or implied.
Ineffective Introductions






I hope you enjoy…
Hi, my name is…
You are going to learn about…
This essay/letter is about…
I am going to tell you about…
There are three reasons…
Effective Introductions
A writer may begin with
– an anecdote or scenario
– a quotation or dialogue
– a brief history or overview
– 5 W’s of situation or issue
– an interesting fact
– a description
– a question
– taking a stand or making an
announcement
– a contrasting situation
– a combination from this list.
Analyze Examples



Form small groups.
In your group, identify strategies in
introductions you gathered and make
a chart of the strategies you found.
Groups should post their charts on
the wall.
– What strategies were used the most?
– Which strategies especially made you
want to keep reading?
The Thesis Statement
A Road Map for Your Essay
A thesis statement is a complete
sentence that contains one main
idea. This idea controls the
content of the entire essay. A
thesis statement that contains
subpoints also helps a
reader know how the
essay will be
organized.
Look at the introductory
paragraph. See
if you can identify the
thesis statement and
subpoints.
Definition
Thesis Statement
When I was young, I always knew that I wanted to
become a teacher someday. When I played, I would
often gather my dolls together and pretend to teach them
how to do math problems or how to read a book. As I
grew older, my desire to become an ESL teacher became
clearer as I did some volunteer teaching overseas and in
the United States. As I look back on my reasons for
becoming a teacher, there are three reasons that stand
out. They are: my love for the English language, my
innate interest in how people learn, and my desire to help
other people .
The thesis
statement contains
the main idea that
controls the content
of the essay.
Subpoints in the
thesis or nearby help
the reader know how
the essay will be
organized
Thesis Statement
Another Example
Psychologists have argued for decades about how a
person’s character is formed. Numerous psychologists
believe that one’s birth order (i.e. place in the family
as the youngest, oldest, or middle child) has the
greatest influence. I believe birth order can have a
significant impact in the formation of a child’s
character based on my own experience growing up in a
family of four children. Birth order can strongly affect
one’s relationship with parents, relationships with
others, and how one views responsibility as an adult.
The thesis
statement contains
the main idea that
controls the content
of the essay.
Subpoints in the
thesis or nearby help
the reader know how
the essay will be
organized
Key Features
Thesis Statement
states the main idea of the
essay in a complete sentence,
not in a question.
is usually at the end of an
introduction.
states an opinion or attitude
on a topic. It doesn’t just
state the topic, itself.
often lists subtopics.
Key Features

Main statement for the entire
essay

Expresses a complete
thought in a complete
sentence

Asserts an opinion or idea

It should NOT be a question.
Key Features
Main Idea in a Complete Sentence
The sport of cross-country running.
This is not a complete
sentence.
The sport of cross-country running has allowed me
to get in better shape and meet some interesting
people.
Why do I want to be a teacher?
Thesis
Statement
This is a question, not a
statement.
Being a teacher is a great profession, because it
allows me to work with students and be
creative.
Thesis
Statement
Key Features
Location
The thesis statement is
often found at the end of
the introductory paragraph
so that the reader knows
the main idea being
presented.
Key Features
Location
For most of my life I have lived with bad health,
smelly clothes, and a chronic cough. My children and
husband begged me to stop the habit that caused
these conditions, but I couldn’t. The habit of smoking
had wrapped its addicting arms around me and was
slowly strangling me until one day I realized I had to
stop. This realization came after three terrifying
events occurred in my family.
The thesis statement comes at the
end of the introductory paragraph. This
sentence tells the reader that he/she can
expect to read about the events that
caused the author to stop smoking in the
rest of the essay.
Key Features
State an Opinion or Attitude
Good thesis statements
often express a writer’s
opinion or attitude on a
particular topic. This makes
the thesis statement more
specific and requires the
writer to explain or prove
his/her opinion in the essay.
Key Features
States an Opinion or Attitude
I learned to play many musical
instruments when I was
young.
This would not be
considered a good thesis
statement because it is
only expressing a fact. It
doesn’t give the writer’s
opinion or attitude on
playing musical
instruments. This thesis
statement doesn’t give
the writer very much to
explain or prove in
his/her essay.
Learning to play many
musical instruments when I was
young helped me to become a
more intelligent and wellrounded person.
This thesis statement is
much better because it
expresses how the writer
feels about the experience
of learning to play musical
instruments. This thesis
statement requires the
writer to explain how and
why playing a musical
instrument made him/her
a better person.
An Opinion or Attitude
Another Example
Cancun is a popular
vacation spot in Mexico.
Cancun is one of the best
vacation spots in Mexico
because of its comfortable
climate and proximity to
some well-known
archeological sites.
This would not be considered a
good thesis statement, because it
is only expressing a fact. It
doesn’t reflect the writer’s opinion
or attitude on Cancun. This thesis
statement doesn’t give the writer
very much to explain or prove in
his/her essay.
This thesis statement is much
better because it expresses how
the writer feels about Cancun.
This thesis statement requires the
writer to explain how and why
going to Cancun is a good choice
for visitors.
Key Features
Subtopics

Include subtopics or
supporting ideas

Provides the reader with a
clear idea of what will follow
in your essay
Subtopics
provide a
roadmap for
the essay.
Key Features
Subtopics
The large influx of people to California has had major
effects on the state.
No subtopics are named in this thesis statement.
The large influx of people to California has had major
effects on the ability of the state to provide housing,
electricity, and jobs for all residents.
This statement names three subtopics.
Can you find all of the subtopics?
Subtopics
Another Example
Inner-city public schools grapple with some serious
problems.
No subtopics are named in this thesis statement.
Some of the most serious problems in today’s inner-city
public schools are the overcrowded classrooms, the low
percentage of trained teachers, and the lack of resources such
as textbooks for students.
This statement names three subtopics. Can you find all of
the subtopics?
Key Features
Review


states the main idea of the essay in a
complete sentence, not in a
question.
is usually at the end of an
introduction.

states an opinion or attitude on a
topic. It doesn’t just state the
topic, itself.

often lists subtopics.
Six Strategies to Support Elaboration






Asking Questions
Recognizing Elaboration
Show; Don’t Tell
Concrete Details vs. General
Language
Using Appositives
Layering vs. Listing
Elaboration answers questions
for the reader.
What
problems?
Teenagers have
problems.
Elaboration answers questions
for the reader.

Teenagers have problems. For example,
teens don’t always have enough money to
buy what they want.
Hmmm . . .what do
teenagers want to buy?
Elaboration answers questions
for the reader.

Teenagers have problems. For example,
80% of teens don’t always have enough
money to buy CD’s, food for after school,
and the kind of clothes they want,
according to Teen Journal.
Oh…now I understand. Teens want
money for CDs, food, and clothes.
Words are like rocks.
They come in all
sizes. Small
rocks represent
small words. Big
rocks represent
big words.
BUT . . .
Rocks are not as strong as
CONCRETE.
Using CONCRETE details will make your paper
stronger, just like CONCRETE makes a building
stronger. Concrete details are SPECIFIC.
CONCRETE details are the specific,
exact names of things.
Elaboration within a
Sentence


Sentences can be expanded by adding
elaboration.
Sentences can be combined to add
elaboration.
TELL
ME
MORE. . .
APPOSITIVES
Appositives

An appositive is a noun or noun phrase
that follows another noun or pronoun that
renames it or adds information.

An appositive is usually set apart from the
sentence by commas.
Joel made the goal.
Joel, the star of the team, made the
goal.
Joel, the youngest player on the team, made the goal.
6
Appositives answer the reader’s
questions.
Mom---Natalya is
coming over
tonight.
Who is Natalya?
Natalya, the girl who
sits beside me in
band, is coming over
tonight.
Add an appositive to a
sentence.
WHO ?




Ms. Ortega, ____________, is my
teacher.
Ms. Ortega, English teacher in room 7,
is my teacher.
WHERE ?
Crystal Lake, ___________, is my home.
Crystal Lake, a lovely town off Interstate
90, is my home.
Elaborate by adding
appositives.
Try adding an appositive with a partner.

My school, ______________, is the best.

That lunch, ____________,was the worst.

Mrs. Dennis, ____________, helped me find a
site on the Internet.

My car, __________, is a piece of junk.
Combine sentences to form an
appositive.
We can combine the two following sentences into one
power-packed sentence and delete unnecessary words.

John plays varsity basketball for the
Springfield Hurricanes basketball team.

He is a senior and the point guard for
his team.
John, the senior point guard, plays
basketball for the Springfield Hurricanes.
Layering Elaboration
A thoughtful writer
layers one sentence
after another.
Each new sentence adds
to or develops the
thought
. . .like the rings of a
bullseye
Each idea is carefully stacked
on the next. . . like bricks in a wall
Each idea is carefully stacked
seems
on thelike
next. . . like bricks in a wall

Layering
. . .or rings on a tall tree.
Every
sentence
and detail
fit with the
rest of the
topic
. . .like a set of nesting dolls.
Listing
Having lots of choices is the
reason why I eat at school. I
love nachos. I like the pizza
at school. Sometimes I order
salad when I am feeling full. I
have some favorite
vegetables.
Layering
Having lots of food choices is the reason
why I like my school’s lunchroom.
I can select my favorite foods for lunch
everyday. I sometimes pick cheesy nachos with
the melted cheese sauce smothered over the
hot crispy chips. If I don’t want anything that
greasy, like nachos or pizza, I can choose a
“made-for-me” salad. This means I get to
choose what goes on it and my favorite
veggies, including olives, peppers, and
tomatoes. The best thing is I can pick a food
that fits my attitude that day.
What are the purposes of conclusions?
Why are conclusions important?
Discuss with a partner.
Endings / Conclusions


clearly connects introduction and body of the paper with
insightful comments or analysis.
wraps up the writing and gives the reader something to think
about.
Ineffective Conclusions





I hope you enjoyed reading my…
In this essay/letter you have
learned…
In conclusion,…
As you can see/tell…
I just told you about
(exact thesis)…
Conclusion
Strategies
A writer may end with
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
an echo from the introduction
a quotation or dialogue
an anecdote or scenario
an interesting fact
a prediction
a question
a call to action
a generalization from given
information
– a self-reflection
– a response to a “so what?”
question
– a combination from this list
Analyzing Conclusions in
Printed Texts


How does the conclusion
connect to the introduction
and the middle of the
essay?
Does the conclusion provide
a satisfying ending?