WRITING TO EXPLAIN
WHY, HOW, OR A POINT OF
VIEW

R.A.F.T.
• ROLE – Point of View (student/shoe)
• Audience – To Whom Am I Writing?
• Format – Letter?Essay? Speech?
• Topic – What am I writing about? Why am I writing this topic?

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• Dear Park Rangers,
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•
•
•
•
•
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• I am outraged with the amount of black bear killings that have occurred in the last few months. In the last two months in Yellowstone National Park, hunters and drivers have killed
18 of my friends. That is not counting the other 25 of my friends who have been killed in the rest of the United States. In the next three months, I expect the following to be done, or I will be forced to take legal action.
1) Make sure not to let hunters into the park unless accompanied by a park ranger.
2) Do not let people shoot black bears unless one is posing a threat.
3) Build barbwire fences around all the highways that go through the national parks.
4) Put up signs throughout the parks. Each must say, “It is illegal to kill black bears.”
•
• Sincerely,
• A Concerned Black Bear

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• Dear Billie Bob,
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• This is your heart. I am e-mailing you, because I am tired. Despite the numerous warnings on the television, the I-net, and in magazines and newspapers, your diet has not changed. I need you to lay off the nacho cheese, the pizzas, and the hot dogs. The food you are eating is damaging the arteries and veins that supply me with blood. They are extremely clogged so it is difficult for me to pump blood throughout the body. I am begging you to change your diet and a little exercise would not hurt either. Otherwise, I just may just have to stop pumping in the near future.
•
• Your friend,
• Mr. Heart

My Prompt:
Why I enjoy taking vacations on cruise ships.
R.A.F.T.
Role – Middle aged cruise ship customer
(Point of View – POV)
Audience – reader / teacher/parent
Format – Essay
Topic – Why I enjoy vacationing on cruise ships

Your Prompt:
Everyone enjoys eating out occasionally. Write an essay telling what your favorite restaurant is and explain why.
• Complete a RAFT. You are writing as a student.
• R
• A
• F
• T

For my essay – brainstorm positive aspects of taking a cruise.

Step 2: Brainstorm via Circle Map
Middle: Name of your favorite restaurant.
List reasons why you like the restaurant.
Should have several.

• Select the three most important reasons from the Circle Map. I will select the three best reasons why I like cruises.
• You need to select the three most important reasons from your Circle Map as to why the restaurant you selected is your favorite.

• From the least important to the most important reasons.
• 1) Food
• 2) Friendly atmosphere
• 3) Numerous activities

• From least important to most important.
• Blue – Least Important
• Green – 2 nd Most Important
• Red – Most Important

You will now tape 3 sheets of copy paper together vertically. You will need to overlap the papers slightly.

• Use Colors (Blue, Green, & Red) For Different Chunks / Boxes
• Use Index cards to outline boxes.
• Draw one line above the top of each colored box. Use same color.
• Draw 4 to 6 lines under each colored box. Use the appropriate colors.

• Please create a RAFT for your paper, so you can constantly refer back to it as you write.
• Role
• Audience
• Format
• Topic

• Role – Middle aged cruise ship customer
• (Role = Point of View or POV)
• Audience – Reader
• Format – Expository Essay
• Topic – To explain why I enjoy vacationing on cruise ships.

• Blue Box – Write the first reason / topic as to why you like your restaurant. In my case, I am going to write the topic Food in my first / blue box.
• Green Box – Write the second reason / topic as to why you like your restaurant. In my case
I am going to write the topic Friendly
Atmosphere.

RED BOX – YOU WILL
WRITE THIRD AND
FINAL REASON AS TO
WHY YOU LIKE YOUR
RESTAURANT.
I WILL WRITE – THE
THIRD & FINAL
REASON A TO WHY I
LIKE CRUISES IN MY
RED BOX.
NUMEROUS ACTIVITIES

• Need to be 3 to 5 sentences in length.
• First Sentence – Need a “Hook.” You want to draw in the reader’s attention.
• Second and possibly third sentence – A subject of choice sentence or two.
• The last sentence of the paragraph will be your three-pronged thesis statement (what you are going to prove along with the subtopics)

The Hook
1. Rhetorical Question – a) Make their own prediction.
b)Requires the reader to think c) Ask question, but do not answer it.
Example: Don’t we owe it to our community to watch out for their safety?
Did you know you can see the Great Wall of
China from space?
2. Startling Fact a) A powerful means of convincing. b) Use of statistics, c) Use of research and studies.
Example: Studies have shown that 9 out of 10 drivers that do not wear their seatbelts are more likely to end up with serious injuries due to an accident.
Some cruise ships require 100 gallons of fuel to travel one mile at sea.

The Hook
Quotes
Direct quotes from leading experts that support your position
Example: Elbert Hubbard once said, “Truth is stranger than fiction”
“Don’t cry because it is over. Smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss
Personal Anecdote
Share a personal experience related to the topic
Can provide an amusing and attention-getting opening
Example: I don’t remember the instructor telling me to take out my cell phone and dial away while driving.
Example: A McDonald’s chicken nugget once save my Uncle Bob’s life.

1) Hook
2) Subject sentence or two
3) Three-pronged thesis statement
You will explain why the restaurant you selected is your favorite.

• The average American will take 7.2 cruises in his lifetime (I started the paper with an interesting fact). Although I have only been on two cruises, I have thoroughly enjoyed both experiences. Now, whenever my wife and I book our family vacation aboard a cruise ship, I am like a young child eagerly waiting to open presents on Christmas morning; I can hardly contain my excitement and anticipation. (Subject Sentences). I believe cruises make the best vacations due to the endless supply of delicious food, the friendly atmosphere aboard the ship, and the numerous activities aboard the ship.
(Threepronged thesis telling the reader exactly what I am going to prove… Reader does not have to guess what the paper will be about).

• Interest Catching Sentence/Hook:
• Statement of Choice Sentence:
• Statement of Choice Sentence #2 (if necessary) :
• Statement of Choice Sentence #3 (if necessary) :
• 3-Pronged Thesis Statement (what you are going to prove)

It is important that you orally share your writing / introduction.
When I give you the signal, you are to share your writing!
• As you listen to the person reading their writing, please be an active listener to make sure it makes sense and be ready to make a suggest.
• Once you are satisfied with your opening paragraph, write it in the top purple box on the front page of your Flee Map.

• Outline edges of index card in green
• Write EE DD P at the top of the card
• 1) Explanation (In other words…By that I mean…)
• 2) Example (For example… For instance..)
•
• 3) Describe (Concrete nouns / Strong verbs/ Precise
Adjectives)
4) Description (Figurative Language)
5) Personal Experience (Can use I… we)

DD P

• You can experience concrete nouns with your five senses: you see them, hear them, smell them, taste them, and feel them.
Concrete Nouns student fire fighter dog pencil computer
Abstract Nouns intelligence bravery loyalty eloquence convenience

Strong Verbs /Adjectives
• Weak Verbs Strong Verbs ran ate sprinted devoured hit punished
Weak Adjectives Strong Adjectives dark big boring ominous gigantic monotonous

EE
P
Writing to explain why involves being able to develop topic sentences that include quality reasons, as well as supporting sentences that fully elaborate or explain the reason.
1 st E – Explanation – What do you mean?
(Will use words – In other words… By this I mean…)

Example:
The pirate was massive.
By this I mean…

• The woman was strange. In other words..

• The teacher was strict.
• By this I mean…

rd
• Michael Jones is very athletic.
• By that I mean…

• In other words….

• By that I mean….

• In other words…