Planning: Brainstorm & Categorize
© Kerry Tracy 2015
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kerry-Tracy
•
Text Types & Purposes
o Writing 7.2
o Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,
concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and
analysis of relevant content.
•
Production & Distribution of Writing
o Writing 7.4
o Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

The purpose of informative or
explanatory writing is to convey
information.
 The writer gives information and details to
the reader.
 Avoids expressing his/her opinions.

Can anyone give an example of
informative/explanatory writing?
 textbooks
 newspapers/news websites
 some magazines
 how-to books
 nonfiction books
 etc.

The process typically follows this path:
 Planning
▪ Generate & organize ideas
 Drafting Each PARAGRAPH
▪ Before the entire essay is due you will have completed the
writing process for every paragraph
▪ Expand and support ideas with facts, details, evidence, and
quotes
 Revising
▪ Refine and improve writing
▪ Adding/subtracting information & ideas
 Editing
▪ Check writing for errors in spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
grammar, and usage
 Publishing
▪ Create a final version to have peer edited for a final time.
▪ Share with the class in the form of a presentation

Introduce the topic
 Hook the audience
 Give definitions regarding the topic, if needed.
 Include a thesis

Thesis
 Main idea of the essay
 The last sentence in the intro
 Guides and controls your paper


Merge ideas
Makes the essay “flow”

“Bulk” of the essay
 Main points and evidence
 Subpoints=body paragraphs

Start body paragraphs with a topic sentence.
 A topic sentence is the first sentence in a body
paragraph that sums up what the paragraph is about.

Evidence
 Facts, details, and information about the topic.




Final paragraph of the essay.
Incomplete without it
Refer back to thesis
Concluding Statement
 Wraps everything up

Introduction
 Hook
 Thesis

Body Paragraphs
 Subpoint #1
 Subpoint #2
 Subpoint #3

Conclusion
 Thesis Reference
 Concluding Statement


People often rush
the planning phase
and try to jump
straight into
drafting.
When you take the
time to plan, you
will find you are less
likely to get stuck or
not know what to
write next.
Writing Process:
 Planning
▪ Generate & organize
ideas




Drafting
Revising
Editing
Publishing




Bullying
Childhood Obesity
Amazon Rainforest
Homelessness

Brainstorming is how
we generate ideas in
the planning process.

You will be
researching your
topic.

As you research
please complete the
brainstorming activity
Writing Process:
 Planning
▪ Generate & organize
ideas
 Drafting
 Revising
 Editing
 Publishing

Now that you have some information on your
topic, it’s time to begin the introduction.
 1st: Hook the reader


2nd: Transition sentence
3rd: Thesis statement
 Maps the essay for the reader
 Identifies the sub-points (body paragraphs)

Think about where the hook would occur in
the paragraph.

Pair up with a neighbor and share your
thoughts on what the hook is.

Highlight the entire hook in YELLOW

Think about where the transition sentence
would occur in the paragraph.

Pair up with a neighbor and share your thoughts
on the purpose of a transition sentence.

Highlight the entire transition sentence in BLUE

Think about where the thesis occurs in the
paragraph (HINT: we’ve discussed this).

Pair up with a neighbor and share your thoughts
on the purpose of the thesis and where it is in the
paragraph.

Highlight the entire thesis GREEN
 What are the sub-points (body paragraphs)?