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PIE provides evidence and reasoning to
support a topic sentence.
It is a “chunk” that can be composed of 1
to 5 sentences. A paragraph has 1-3 PIEs.
It breaks down an explanation or argument
into parts.
It provides a common language.
it asks students to constantly think about
their audience, purpose and topic as they
compose & revise.
PIE is not just a writing strategy
 It is a thought process that teachers
already use in the classroom
 It has increased AIMS writing scores
among schools that use it
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PIE—a chunk of writing in the body
› Point—what I know
› Illustration—evidence for what I know
› Explanation—why I care about what I know
Clearly stated main ideas
supported by
 Claim or conclusion based on the
judgment or the analysis
 Evidence in favor of the
claim/conclusion
 Reasoning to link the evidence to
the claim/conclusion
P = Point (the claim, the set-up/intro, the
“what I think or know”; it is NOT usually the
TS)
 I = Illustration (the evidence, the quote, the
paraphrase or summary, a fact, an
observation, a statistic, an event, step
performed, the procedure used, etc)
 E = Explanation (the reasoning, the “so
what”, the “why”, the interpretation, the
insight, the justification, the connection
between the I and the P.)
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 Prompt
-Technology is in our
everyday lives, especially cell
phones. Do cell phones have a
positive or negative effect on our
lives? Write an essay defending
your position.
 Students--Make a pro and con list
based on the prompt.
Bad for us
-distracting, esp. driving,
even & when having
conversations
-an addiction, can’t stop
talking or texting
-must be in constant
contact
- unsafe (traffic
accidents)
-bad manners by caller
and recipient
-keeps us dependent on
electronic means of
communication (no
more letters)
Good for us
-can reach people anytime
anywhere
-can be safer than ever
before in many places
-can leave messages and
set reminders
-cell phones are more than
phones
-can carry in a pocket or
purse, no spare change
needed
-can find people in a crowd
-can save time & worry
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TS#1-Cell phones are bad because they
cause traffic accidents.
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TS#2-Cell phones are bad because they
encourage bad manners.
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TS#3-Cell phones are bad because they
rule our lives too much.
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TS#1-Cell phones are bad because they
cause traffic accidents.
› Drivers can’t pay attention to the road and the
conversation at the same.
› Take hands off of wheel & eyes off of road to answer
phone.
› Go too slow, become oblivious to everything around
them.
› Conversation is more important than watching the
road.
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TS#1-Cell phones are bad because they cause traffic
accidents.
› Point—Driving is such a complex task, to be safe, drivers
must give 100% of their attention to what is going on
around them.
› Illustration—Drivers can’t pay attention to their
conversation and the traffic at the same time. They
slow down too much or become oblivious to
everything around them.
› Explanation-- Even if the conversation is important, it is not
worth the risk of causing a traffic accident due a driver’s
inattention.
› Concluding sentence—Avoiding traffic accidents is just
one reason why people should limit their use of cell
phones .
Cell phones are bad because they
cause traffic accidents. Driving is such a
complex task, to be safe, drivers must give
100% of their attention to what is going on
around them. Drivers can’t pay attention to their
conversation and the traffic at the same time.
They slow down too much or become oblivious to
everything around them. Even if the
conversation is important, it is not worth the
risk of causing a traffic accident due a driver’s
inattention. Avoiding traffic accidents is just
one reason why people should limit their use
of cell phones .
Prompt: How might Kushite history be different if the Assyrians
had not driven the Kushites far from Egypt?
Outline:
 TS: Kush not as wealthy
 P: Egypt limited Kush’s economic power
 I: controlled trade routes and natural resources such as
gold and minerals
 E: constant striving for governmental and economic
survival in Egypt
 P: 600 yrs. @ Meroe vs. 70 yrs. Control in Egypt
 I: exchanged good from Fertile Crescent along wide
geographic area; great natural resources to develop iron
products for war and trade.
 E: Competitors w/ Egypt/Assyria; left greater civilization
(writing, religion, buildings)
 CS: Kush not as wealthy in Egypt
1.If Assyria had not driven Kush from Egypt, perhaps the
Kushites would not have become as wealthy as they did after
relocating to Meroe. 2.Egypt limited much of Kush’s economic
power. 3.The Egyptians not only controlled the trade routes
throughout the region, but they also controlled the natural
resources of gold and minerals. 4.The constant struggle for
governmental and economic control led to less affluence
among the Kushites. 5.While the Kushites had control of Egypt for
a short period of 70 years, they prospered at Meroe for over 600
years. 6.The area had great natural resources to develop iron
products for war and trade, and the geographic location
allowed them to exchange goods from the Fertile Crescent from
both Southern Africa and India. 7.The Kushites therefore
prospered economically, leaving an even greater civilization
behind with writing, religious temples, and other buildings that
may not have been possible if they had remained in Egypt.
8.Therefore, it was to the Kushites’ advantage to dwell in Meroe.
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TS Poe uses unreliable narrators to add
mystery and engagement for the reader.
P Tell Tale Heart—narrator leads reader on
psychological roller coaster
I “I heard all things in the heaven and in the
earth. I heard many things in hell. How,
then, am I mad?”(1).
E Poe shows the reader an unreliable
narrator by disclosing that he heard things
most people don’t hear.
CS Prompts reader to find clues to what
really happened.
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TS Poe uses unreliable narrators to add
mystery and engagement for the reader.
P Cask of Amontillado—narrator’s pride and
anger lead him to attempt murder
I “He did not perceive that my smile now
was at the thought of his immolation.”(1).
E Montresor is consumed with revenge;
thoughts can’t be trusted
CS Prompts reader to find clues to what
really happened.
Poe uses unreliable narrators to add a sense of
mystery for the reader. In “The Tell Tale Heart”, the narrator
leads the reader on a psychological roller coaster. He
states, “I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I
heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad?”(1). The
unreliable narrator discloses that he hears things most
people don’t hear; therefore, the reader cannot assume
that his statements are valid. In “The Cask of Amontillado”,
Montresor’s pride and anger lead him to attempt the
murder of his friend. The narrator remarks, “He did not
perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his
immolation.”(1). The narrator is so consumed with revenge
that his thoughts cannot be trusted by the reader. The
effect is that Poe’s unreliable narrators prompt the reader
to search for clues in the story to determine what truly
occurs.
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TS: Golding uses the character Piggy to represent
intelligence.
P: Piggy’s intelligence leads Ralph to form a community
I: “We can use this to call the others. Have a meeting.”
E: Without Piggy, Ralph may have continued to wander
the island alone
P: Piggy’s reasoning helps Ralph to lead the community
I: “’That’s what I was going to say”
E: Piggy verbalizes necessities that Ralph needs to establish
order.
CS: Piggy’s intelligence is the education needed to build a
civilization.
In “Lord of the Flies”, William Golding uses the
character Piggy to represent intelligence. Piggy’s
intelligence leads Ralph to form a community. When the
boys are first stranded on the island, he suggests they
use a conch shell as a signal for survivors: “We can use
this to call the others. Have a meeting.” Without Piggy,
Ralph may have continued to wander the island alone.
Later on in the story, Piggy’s reasoning helps Ralph to
lead the community. However, Ralph plays off Piggy’s
ideas as his own “’That’s what I was going to say”.
Although he is not a natural leader, Piggy verbalizes the
necessary steps that Ralph needs to take establish
order. Therefore, it is Piggy’s intelligence that is needed
by Ralph and the rest of the boys to build a new
civilization.
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Choose one of the prompts below
and write an outline with one PIE with
a partner. Please label your TS, P, I, E,
and CS and be ready to share.
› Prompt 1: Technology is in our
everyday lives, especially cell
phones. Do cell phones have a
positive or negative effect on
our lives? Write an essay
defending your position.
› Prompt 2: How does Poe or
Golding use characterization to
support his writing style?
TS
P
I
E
CS
Choose one of the prompts below and write an outline
with TWO PIEs ON YOUR OWN. Label your TS, P, I, E, and
CS and be ready to share.
 Prompt 1: Technology is in our everyday lives,
especially cell phones. Do cell phones have a
positive or negative effect on our lives? Write a
paragraph defending your position.
 Prompt 2: How does Poe use one or more literary
elements (such as characterization, word choice, or
theme) to support his writing style?
Prompt 3: Explain how one of the characters in
“Lord of the Flies” affects the story.
Tomorrow: You can bring in a writing assignment
from another class to practice PIE!
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