Day 5: Interpreting Writing Prompts

Sept 4

Objectives: Students will be able to...

• Identify strategies to interpreting writing prompts
• Identify strategies used in answering timed writing prompts
• Understand connection between verbs in prompts and essay structure

[10 min] Announcements
Address Google Drive, Reflection #1 and Alternative Essays

[5 min] Introduce Goals and Topic for Writing Prompt Lesson  9:10-9:15

the overarching goal of today’s lesson will be to analyze writing prompts so as to better understand how to compose essays with correct structure, scope, tone, and purpose. The first part of this lecture will be over Timed Essays and the second part over Deciphering Writing Prompts.  

[5 min] Warm Up Activity: Self-Diagnosis  (9:15-9:20)

Open the POWERPOINT below and we will hold a brief discussion on the second slide. Then, open up the documents titled, WRITING PROMPT WARM-UP. I will give you some time to work to complete the survey.  This will not be collected. After 3-4 minutes, briefly share their responses within groups of 3-4.

                                                                                     

[5 min] Skip Timed Essay Strategies (9:20-9:25)

Slide 4-12. Students will have to read that for themselves. Hold a class discussion on any potential strategies for test taking prior and during essay exams (consider skipping those that students have discussed prior).

[15 min] Verbs—Matching activity with a few fill-in-the-blanks (9:20-9:35)

Slide 12.  Now we are going to focus on common verbs that are found in writing prompts. Look to the VERBS MATCHING WKST below and have them work individually to complete the matching activity. Go over the answers as class once completed. 

[15 min] Sample Writing Prompts Reading/Writing Activity (9:35-9:50)

Slides 9-11. This next activity will entail students analyzing basic writing prompts and determine how they would structure an essay based on these questions. Encourage students to work together to determine the outline. After students have had time to answer all the questions and discuss how they would structure the essay, go over the possible answers with them on the overhead.

Homework 
Reflection #1 will be due before the start of the next class. Also, please review THIS HANDOUT as it reviews some common problems identified from your writing on the Diagnostic Exam. We will be addressing them later in the unit. 

Lesson Materials:

Writing Prompts PowerPoint

Warm-Up Writing Prompt
Matching Verb Worksheet (answers)

Sample Writing Prompts Worksheet ( Key)

Pdf of Chart from Teaching with Hacker Handbook (needs to be photocopied).

------------------------------------------------------Supplemental Materials:
Sample writing prompts responses (Key)

Supplemental Activities:
[10 min] Common Problems in Diagnostic Essay

To begin today's lecture, I would like to begin by looking to some sample from our Diagnostic Essay. Click on WORKSHEET ON AUDIENCE and follow along
Worksheet on Audience