Power Writing in Social
Studies
A Formula for
Persuasive and Expository Writing
Why do students have a hard time
writing?
• What do I say in the
introduction?
• How do I start?
• How do I word it?
• When do I say it?
• What do I say next?
• How do I develop my
ideas?
• What do I say in the
introduction?
• How do I start?
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How do I word it?
When do I say it?
What do I say next?
How do I develop my
ideas?
What can I use as proof?
How do I get from one
idea to the next?
How do I write the
concluding paragraph?
What do I say at the
end?
The result of these
obstacles…
These questions tend
to paralyze writers.
Students only have…
• 45 minutes to write their essay.
• They need a systematic way to
approach writing an essay that is
clear and purposeful.
Teacher Evaluations- What
teachers typically say about their
students’ writing
• Topic sentences have more than one
focus
• Body paragraphs are a series of general
statements without proof
• Body paragraphs repeat the same ideas
over and over
• Concluding sentences repeat topic
sentence
• Concluding paragraph repeats essay
Steps- Teach them to
Dance with their Pens
• Why can’t we teach a few
basic STEPS IN WRITING
that will reliably move them
through an expository or
persuasive essay?
The Power Writing
Formula
Body Paragraphs
4 Easy Steps
• Topic Sentence
• General Statement
• Proof
• Commentary
Topic Sentence
• States the SINGLE
POINT that the
writer will prove in a
body paragraph
General Statement
• States the ONE WAY
that the writer will
prove that the topic
sentence is true
Proof
• F= FACTS
• I= INCIDENTS
• R=REASONS
• E=EXAMPLES
• S=STATISTICS=NUMBERS
Commentary
• OPINION about the
proof
The commentary tells the
readers what to think
about the proof
Body Paragraph Pattern
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•
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•
•
Topic sentence
General statement
Proof
Commentary
General statement
Proof
Commentary
Concluding sentence
Topic Sentence
• Topic Sentence:
The term for the President of the
United States should be one six-year
term.
Notice the single focus.
General Statement
In fact, or
As a matter of fact, the current system forces
the President to spend at least two years of their
four year term organizing their re-election
campaign instead of implementing positive changes
to improve the country.
This is one way to prove that the topic sentence is
true.
Proof
For example,
For instance,
When President Clinton was running
for his second term, he spent more
time on the campaign trail than he
did in the White House thus, he was
not fulfilling his presidential
responsibilities.
Commentary
This illustrates,
This shows…
how the current policy of the two four-year term
limit for president actually forces the president
to abandon his/her duties and concentrate on reelection. If the system called for one six-year
term, the president would not be concentrating on
getting re-elected.
Notice how the writer shapes the reader’s
opinion of the example.
Second General
Statement
Further.
Furthermore,
Moreover,
Also,
Additionally,
Likewise, a one six-year term policy for the
President would allow the president more time
to implement his/her ideas for improving the
country. A four year term is not enough time
to implement real change.
This statement introduces a second way to prove that the
topic sentence is true.
Proof
• Consider this incident: President Carter
was only elected for one term and much of
his term was spent campaigning for reelection. Had he had one six-year term, he
could have concentrated all of his efforts
on important issues at the time, like the
energy crises and the hostage crises in
Iran, instead of campaigning for
reelection.
Commentary
• What an inefficient system under which
we live. Imagine how many changes Carter
could have implemented during his one sixyear term that might have solved
important issues instead of worrying about
politics and campaigning. Literally, a one
six-year term could actually save lives,
time, and money.
• Shape the readers’ opinion about the
proof. Make the reader see it your way.
Concluding Sentence
Clearly,
Conclusively,
A one six-year term limit for President would be
better for the country as a whole.
A concluding sentence is one
statement that is true for ALL THE
PROOF.
Body Paragraph Pattern
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Topic Sentence
General Statement
Proof
Commentary
General Statement
Proof
Commentary
Concluding Sentence
Focus
• The focus of the essay is
controlled by the topic
sentences and general
statements
Development of a Power
Writing Essay
• A topic sentence that identifies a single point
worth proving
• Two general statements each identifying one way
to prove that the topic sentence is true
• Proof to back up each general statement
• Commentary that shapes the writer’s opinion
about the proof
• A concluding sentence that adds up the proof and
distills this thought into one sentence that is
true for all the proof
Organization of a Power
Writing Essay
• Argument and Support
• Division and Classification
• General to Specific
Reflection in a Power
Writing Essay
• Commentary requires
students to write reflectively
drawing inferences and
shaping opinion.
Transitions in a Power
Writing Essay
To Introduce General
Statements
Indeed,
In fact,
As a matter of fact,
; (semi-colon)
Transitions in a Power
Writing Essay
To Introduce Proof
For example,
For instance,
Consider the following example,
Consider this fact,
Transitions in Power
Writing Essays
To Introduce Concluding
Sentences
Clearly,
Conclusively,
Certainly,
Obviously,
State FCAT Writing Rubric
6
• Writing is focused and purposeful,
reflecting insight into writing situation
• Organizational pattern provides for a
logical progression of ideas; transitional
devices give a sense of completeness
• Support is substantial, specific,
relevant, concrete
Strategies to Teach Students
How to Power Write
• Paragraph Jumble
Cut the sentences into strips and glue them on a sheet of
paper to form a single paragraph
• Topic sentence
• General statement
• Proof
• Commentary
• General statement
• Proof
• Commentary
• Concluding sentence
Strategies Continued
• Read and Retell
Give the students a single Power Writing
paragraph. Tell them to read the
paragraph over and over again until they
feel comfortable enough to turn the
paper over and recreate it on the back
without taking a peak.
Modeling
• Give students a paragraph written
according to the Power Writing
Formula. Triple space the
paragraph giving the students
enough room to write their own
using the one you gave them as a
model.
Incomplete Paragraphs
• Give students a paragraph that
follows the Power Writing Formula
but omit certain parts. Tell them
to supply the missing parts. For
example, give them a paragraph
that has no commentary. Their
job, then, is to add the
commentary.
Second Body Paragraph
• Begin the second body paragraph by
glancing back to the previous
paragraph and then moving on to the
next point.
• Topic sentence, general statement,
proof, commentary, general
statement, proof commentary,
concluding sentence
Body Paragraph #2
Transitional Topic Sentence
Not only……..but………...also
Besides……………., ____________
In addition to………., ___________
Persuasive Essay
Introductory Paragraph
Body Paragraph #1
Body Paragraph #2
Rebuttal Paragraph
Concluding Paragraph
3rd Body Paragraph
Rebuttal Paragraph
Place the paragraph of
rebuttal before the
concluding paragraph.
Rebuttal Paragraph
• Give information about why
there are people who support
the opposite view and explain
to the reader why they
should accept your view
Rebuttal Paragraph
• Those who hold the opposite opinion
are mistaken. They assert (clearly
and accurately state their positions).
However, they are wrong. In fact,
(tell your reader why this is a
mistake). To be certain, (one
clincher statement that will “seal the
deal”).
Rebuttal Paragraph Ex.
• Many people might argue against having a one sixyear term limit for president since it has been a
long standing tradition, established by George
Washington and supported by the 22nd
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1951).
However, they would be wrong. Just because
something has been established over time and
never changed, doesn’t make it the best practice
or policy. This is why we are permitted to amend
the Constitution.
Never:
• Attack opponent—attack the
issues
• Misrepresent the opposing
position
• Exaggerate and distort the
opposing position
Introductory Paragraph
• Simple
• Advanced
1. Someone
….wanted..but
Tell what you will
prove and give two …..so……
ways you will
2. Tell what you
prove it.
will prove and tell
two ways you will
prove it.
Advanced Introductory
Paragraph
• Quote
• Anecdote
• Dialogue
• Poignant Memory
Persuasive Writing
Prompt
Your principal is considering a plan that will
give students more free time in school.
Think about this plan and whether you think
that students need more free time in school.
Now write to convince your principal to agree
with your position about giving students free
time in school.
UNDERLINE
• Underline the THIRD PART of the
prompt and underline the words that
tell you what to do.
• Borrow words from THE THIRD
PART OF THE PROMT ONLY
Introductory Paragraph
• Tells what you will prove
THESIS STATEMENT
• How you will prove it
TWO DIFFERENT WAYS
Power Writing Formula
• Introductory
Paragraph
• TWO WAYS TO
PROVE THAT
THESIS IS TRUE
• Body Paragraph
• TWO WAYS TO
PROVE THAT THE
TOPIC
SENTENCE IS
TRUE
Simple Introductory
Paragraph
• Students need more free time
between classes. In fact,
extending the break time would
help these young men and women
meet their personal and their
academic needs without sacrificing
instructional time.
Advanced Introductory
Paragraph
Principals want students in the classroom, but
many students are in the halls during class
time. Administrators don’t realize that
students are in the halls because break-time is
not long enough for them to take care of
personal business. Although they don’t want to
miss class, they don’t want to suffer either.
Therefore, they need more free time between
classes. In fact, extending the break time
would help these young men and women meet
their personal and their academic needs.
Concluding Paragraph
1. Discuss the thesis and explain the
result
2. Create a metaphor, simile, allusion
or analogy that will make the
reader better understand your
position and/or the result
Concluding Paragraph
• If students are given a 15 minute break between classes,
they would benefit greatly from a more humane
environment. After sitting for two hours, anyone needs a
break—a mid-morning snack, a run to the restroom, a short
conversation with a friend. In offices, factories, and
businesses, breaks are common. Why can’t students enjoy
the same? Giving them extra time will help recharge them
for the next class. They will not be hungry or
uncomfortable. They will have no need to leave the
classroom and miss instruction. Therefore, our principal
should give students a 15 minute break to help create a
more caring environment.
Rhetorical Devices
• Exclamatory
sentence
• Imperative
sentence
• Rhetorical
question
• Emotional appeal
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Simile
Metaphor
Allusion
Analogy
Writer’s Voice
• Use quotation marks around unusual
words or phrases
• Define this unusual word or phrase by
1.
using contrasting context clues
2.
using words that have a similar
meaning
3.
using common sense context
clues
A Formula Works If It
Is:
• Easy to memorize
• Fun to learn
• Easy to use
• Reliable
• Effective