Writing
Workshop Class
Get out paper for notes
Standard
Standards
10/13/14
W2: Write
Date Taught
informative
texts to
examine and
convey
complex ideas,
concepts, and
information
clearly and
accurately
through the
effective
selection,
organization,
and analysis of
content.
Text
Date Tested
Example essays 10/27/14
Objective
 Today
you will learn how to properly read
a writing prompt and determine your next
step.
Prompt
 The
purpose of an essay prompt is to inspire
a response in the form of an essay, which will
test your writing, reasoning and analysis
skills.
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!
 Task
-read the prompt and determine what
the prompt is asking you to do. Make notes on
your prompt to guide you. Look for the verbs
 Issue-
What is the issue/subject you need to
write about?
 Purpose-What
is the reason for writing? What
are you trying to get your audience to
understand?
•Expository - writing informative and explanatory texts to examine and convey
ideas and information clearly
•Persuasive - writing opinions on topics or texts and supporting a point of view
with reasons and information
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!

Please read “The Secret to Raising Smart Kids” by
Carol S. Dweck. Dweck is a professor of psychology at
Stanford University. In this text, she develops several
central ideas.

After you have read, determine two central ideas from the
text and write an essay that both summarizes and
analyzes how these central ideas are developed,
including how they interact and build on one another over
the course of the text.

Cite strong and thorough evidence from the text to
support your analysis. Follow the conventions of standard
written English. Write your essay in the space provided on
the next pages.
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!

Please read “It’s Not You, It’s Me” by Annie Murphy
Paul and “the Perils and Promises of Praise” by Carol S.
Dweck.

After you have read the texts, write an essay that
analyzes how Dweck and Paul each use and refine the
meaning of the term intelligence over the course of their
articles. Be sure to also discuss the similarities and
differences between their definitions.

Cite strong and thorough evidence from both texts to
support your analysis. Follow the conventions of standard
written English. Write your essay in the space provided in
the next pages.
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!
 You
have now read “Reading for Pleasure is
in Painful Decline.”In this text, Stephen L.
Carter makes an argument regarding the
impact of the decline of pleasure reading.
 Write
an essay in which you determine the
author’s point of view and explain how the
author uses rhetoric to advance that point of
view. Be sure to cite evidence from the text to
support your analysis.
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!
 You
have now read“The Decline of
Newspapers is Bad for the US.” In this text,
Laura Finley develops several central ideas.
 Determine two central ideas of the text and
write an essay that analyzes how the author
develops these ideas over the course of the
text, including how they interact and build on
one another. Be sure to cite evidence from the
text to support your analysis. Follow the
conventions of standard written English.
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!
have now read “Should the Driving Age
Be Raised to 18?” In this text, two points of
view are presented, one by Representative
John D’Amico, and the other by Alex
Koroknay-Palicz.
 Write an essay that analyzes the two different
points of view, explaining how each is
conveyed in the text. Be sure to cite evidence
from the text to support your analysis. Follow
the conventions of standard written English.
 You
What does the prompt even
MEAN?!
 Based
on the article, “Schools in Ferguson
Area Prepare for an Emotional Opening Day,”
summarize in your own terms the advantages
and disadvantages of discussing the
happenings in Ferguson, Missouri in the
classroom. Be sure to cite evidence from the
text to support your summary.
Now annotate!
 Annotation:
to add notes to a text or diagram
giving explanation or comment
 It
helps you interact with the text and
therefore comprehend more.
What to write down while
annotating?
 Remember
to do:





what the prompt is asking you
What did the prompt tell me to look for?
What is the issue in this article?
Should I be comparing the two articles,
summarizing the articles, forming an opinion
about them….?
What is the title?
Who is the author
What to write down while
annotating?
 Ask
questions: Are you confused about
something? Write the question down in the
margins.
 React to what you read: Maybe you read
something that just made you mad, startled
you, or brought you to tears. Write down your
reaction to the text so you can remember
later.
What to write down while
annotating?
 Locate
important passages: Is there a
quote that you think is important or
thoughtful? Is there an idea you think
might be worth remembering? Is there a
‘big idea’ that is at the foundation of the
article? These are important to locate, as
they are what you might quote in your
investigation or written essay later.
What to write down while
annotating?
 Make
connections: Maybe something you
read reminds you of an experience
you’ve had or parallels a part of your life;
record these connections and they will
help you find meaning and relevancy in
what you read.
What to write down while
annotating?
 Define
new words: Too often, reading
comprehension problems occur because
readers don’t understand words. It’s not
too much trouble to look up the word in
the dictionary. If you physically can’t look
up the word as you encounter it, highlight
it in the moment and look it up at your first
opportunity. CONTEXT CLUES will come in
handy.
After you read…
 Summarize
what you’ve read: In the
empty space at the end of a page,
rewrite the article noting the essential
points, using only a couple of sentences.
You might find that doing so will help you
understand what you just read.
Why it’s important to annotate
 Even
though annotation can feel like a
burden, its’ an important part of
understanding what you read.
 Choosing not to do so is choosing to
reject a strategy that will help you
become a more thoughtful and thorough
reader.
Task:
 Annotate
Missouri.

the articles that cover Jefferson,
Make sure to annotate to the purpose of
the prompt.