8 th Grade Informative Writing Week 3

1. W.8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. • W.8.2a Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. • W.8.2b Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. • W.8.2c Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. • W.8.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. • W.8.2e Establish and maintain a formal style. • W.8.2f Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented. 8th Grade Informative Writing Week 3 Week of January 20-24, 2014

2. Monday, January 20, 2014 Practice Prior Skills Learning Goals • Diagram and label the following sentence: • Although the process of fracking may damage the environment, it is quite efficient. • Word of the Week: conjure (v) to bring to mind (make something up- it has the connotation of not being truthful)The driver conjured up an excuse for texting while driving, but the excuse was unacceptable. • Review Adverb Clauses • Assess Application of diagramming adverb clauses and punctuation for adverb clauses.

3. 5 Types of Adverb Clauses • Place – wherever, anywhere, everywhere, where
Example: Everywhere she goes, she brings a camera. • Time – since, while, as soon as, before, after, until, when, anytime
Example: While we were waiting for the pizza guy, we played cards at the kitchen table. • Reason – because, since, as, for, so that
Example: Because it was exceptionally cold, I wore my winter jacket.

4. 5 Types of Adverb Clauses continued • Condition – if, when, unless, even if, even though
Example: Even if they lose by five goals, people will still love them. • Contrast – though, although, despite, in spite of, whereas
Example: Despite the poor service provided by the wait staff, we still enjoyed the food and the atmosphere of the restaurant.

5. Punctuation with Adverb Clauses • The subordinate clause and independent clause can be reversed in a sentence. • However, if the subordinate clause comes first, there must be a comma between it and the independent clause.
Example: Anytime I want to go outside, it always seems to rain.

6. Punctuation with Adverb Clauses continued • This sentence can also be flipped, so that the independent clause comes first. • However, if the independent clause comes first, a comma is not necessary.
Example: It always seems to rain anytime I want to go outside.

7. Assignment • Diagram the following: • Everywhere she goes, she brings a camera. • They won in spite of the referee making questionable calls. • Even if it rains, the farmers will be ecstatic.

8. Assessment – Diagram the following: • Unless it snows, we will have school tomorrow. • We are leaving town as soon as school dismisses.

9. Tuesday, January 21, 2014 Practice Prior Skills Learning Goals • Which thesis statement is stronger? Why? • Some problems with Katy Elementary School is that it needs a playground, an air conditioned gym, new landscaping, restrooms connected to classrooms, running water in the classrooms. • To provide a more effective learning environment, Katy Elementary School should improve its indoor and outdoor facilities. • Review results of diagramming quiz. • Analyze prompts and determine prompt for your informative essay

10. Access Prior Knowledge • When given a choice of topics, what should influence your choice?

11. You are writing an article for People Magazine. Describe a hero, actor, or musician and explain how key events helped them to achieve their current status. You are writing an article for In Style Magazine. Describe a brand and explain what elements or people made this brand successful? Choose a Topic • You are writing an article for Motor Trend describe an automaker and explain how its vehicles have contributed to their success. You are writing an article for Sports Illustrated. Describe a famous athlete and explain important events that impacted their life or their career. You are writing an article for Fox News. Describe the best candidate for President of the United States of America, and explain how he or she would benefit our country. You are writing an article for Bon Appetite Magazine. Describe a popular restaurant franchise and explain the reasons that has lead to its success.

12. Assignment • Select a topic from the choices provided. • Make sure it is a topic that interests you. • Search to make sure you find reputable and relevant information for your topic. • If you cannot find enough usable information or you are not that interested in your topic, then think about changing your topic.

13. Wednesday, January 22, 2014 Practice Prior Skills Learning Goals • Define and apply MLA format Diagram the following: Wealth, poverty, happiness, and greed were common themes in the writing of Leo Tostoy.

14. Access Prior Knowledge • Why do you think teachers request that your paper be formatted a specific way. • What is an example of a specific type of formatting?

15. MLA Format • MLA – Modern Language Association – primarily used in humanities (anthropology) and liberal arts (English). • 12 point Times New Roman Font or similar (Something basic and easy to read) • Double Space • One-inch margins on all sides • Indent paragraphs (5 spaces tab)

16. MLA Format - Title • Title and identification MLA does not require a title page. • On the first page of your paper, place your name, your instructor’s name, the course title, and the date on separate lines against the left margin. Then center your title. Click here for a sample first page, or go to the next slide.

17. Example of the First Page

18. MLA – Pagination and Organization • Pagination Put the page number preceded by your last name in the upper right corner of each page, one-half inch below the top edge. Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, and so on). • Organization • 5 paragraphs containing 3 to 5 sentences each. • 1st Paragraph is the introduction and the last sentence should contain the thesis statement. • 2nd - 4th paragraphs are the body. • 5th Paragraph is the closing and should restate the thesis statement. 

19. MLA – In-Text Citations – Author named in a single phrase • 1. Author named in a signal phrase Ordinarily, introduce the material being cited with a signal phrase that includes the author’s name. In addition to preparing readers for the source, the signal phrase allows you to keep the parenthetical citation brief. • Frederick Lane reports that employers do not necessarily have to use software to monitor how their employees use the Web: employers can “use a hidden video camera pointed at an employee’s monitor” and even position a camera ”so that a number of monitors [can] be viewed at the same time” (147).

20. Example of in-text citation

21. MLA – In Text Citations Author named in parenthesis • 2. Author named in parentheses If a signal phrase does not name the author, put the author’s last name in parentheses along with the page number. Use no punctuation between the name and the page number. • Companies can monitor employees’ every keystroke without legal penalty, but they may have to combat low morale as a result (Lane 129).

22. MLA – In Text Citations – Author Unknown • 3. Author unknown Either use the complete title in a signal phrase or use a short form of the title in parentheses. Titles of books are italicized; titles of articles are put in quotation marks. • A popular keystroke logging program operates invisibly on workers’ computers yet provides supervisors with details of the workers’ online activities (“Automatically”).

23. MLA – In Text Citations – Page # Unknown • 4. Page number unknownDo not include the page number if a work lacks page numbers, as is the case with many Web sources. Even if a printout from a Web site shows page numbers, treat the source as unpaginated in the in-text citation because not all printouts give the same page numbers. (When the pages of a Web source are stable, as in PDF files, supply a page number in your in-text citation.) • As a 2005 study by Salary.com and America Online indicates, the Internet ranked as the top choice among employees for ways of wasting time on the job; it beat talking with co-workers—the second most popular method—by a margin of nearly two to one (Frauenheim). • If a source has numbered paragraphs or sections, use “par.” (or “pars.”) or “sec.” (or “secs.”) in the parentheses: (Smith, par. 4). Notice that a comma follows the author’s name in this case.

24. MLA – In Text Citations – Using Websites • McCord thinks Woods is an excellent player, but finds the future of his game unpredictable (Schwartz). • "Eldrick (Tiger) Woods, now 38 year of age has had an unprecedented career," ("About Tiger Woods").

25. Works Cited Page (Reference Page)

26. MLA – In Text Citations – Using Websites • McCord thinks Woods is an excellent player, but finds the future of his game unpredictable (Schwartz). • "Eldrick (Tiger) Woods, now 38 year of age has had an unprecedented career," ("About Tiger Woods").

27. Works Cited Page (Reference Page)

28. Works Cited Page (Reference Page)

29. Assignment – Cite a Source • Find two articles on the internet. Write a sentence citing each source directly or indirectly. • Create a Works Cited page and properly record each source.

30. Thursday, January 23, 2014 Practice Prior Skills Learning Goal • To analyze and evaluate strong points of your argumentative essay on turnitin.com. • Reflect objectively on areas of improvement. Label the following sentence: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world.

31. Assignment -Review Your Argumentative Essay • Write down each type of comment one time (example: don’t write in 1st or 2nd person). • Write down what you did well for each category in the rubric (Development: I thoroughly addressed the prompt) • Write down what you could do better in each category that you did not score exemplary. • Reflect on what you learned from evaluating your argumentative essay and write your reflection in a paragraph.

32. Friday, January 24, 2014 Which is the stronger thesis statement? Why? Learning Goal • Read and annotate sources for essay. There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement. Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

33. Assignment - Research and annotate sources • Research your topic online and find 3 sources to apply to your essay. • Read and annotate your sources (either highlight or underline or take notes)

34. Monday, January 27, 2014 Which is the stronger thesis statement? Why? Learning Goal • To analyze and organize notes. Some problems with Katy Elementary School is that it needs a playground, an air conditioned gym, new landscaping, restrooms connected to classrooms, running water in the classrooms. To provide a more effective learning environment, Katy Elementary School should improve its indoor and outdoor facilities.

35. Assignment – Organize your notes • Use an outline or a graphic organizer to organize your notes.