Paragraph Writing

Paragraph Writing • Your Guide and How-To

Types of Paragraphs • Persuasive • Descriptive • Narrative • Expository

Focusing on Conventions and Perfecting Your Work • 6+1 Traits • Content • Organization • Word Choice • Voice • Sentence Structure • Perfecting • Writing like it’s your job • Edit, Re-write, Edit, Check, Check with a peer, Edit x2

Writing Workshop • Our classroom will now be our own writing workshop • You will work with me, with each other, and independently to create masterpieces • You will finish the workshop with written works of art

Formative vs. Summative Assessment • Is this for marks? • The writing workshop will help to build your writing like a pyramid - pushing you to reach top marks for your work.

Descriptive Writing • A description is a word picture. • Descriptive writing involves selecting details and choosing words that create a single strong impression, much as a painter uses colour, technique, and perspective to create a work of art. • Often, descriptive passages are found within a longer piece of writing, and the dominant impression they convey helps to establish a mood, reinforce a theme, or introduce a character. • Whether the subject is something tangible like a person, place, or event, or more abstract, such as an idea or a feeling, the process of choosing details and presenting them in a purposeful way remains the same.

The Outlook • Paragraph Booklet • Anchor Chart • Show Me Sentences • Focus on 6+1 Traits, Usage & Style • Write, Re-Write, and Edit (x3)

Features of Description • Descriptions focus on creating a single, dominant impression of a person, place, event, feeling, or idea. • Descriptive writers choose words, images, and details that appeal to more than one sense, and that reinforce the dominant impression they want to give their readers. • Descriptive writing often uses figurative language techniques such as simile and metaphor. • Three common forms: poetry, profile, and event description.

Good descriptive writing depends heavily on observing and recollecting vivid moments. As you observe an event, jot down everything that you observed. Push yourself to remember as many details as you can. It may help to close your eyes and bring yourself back to that earlier moment. • Remember, you are the writer who observes — you see the people and the scenes. You have the power of the word and can shape the images that you present. • Draw upon your knowledge of facts, your memories, and your imagination. • Think of these as "The Known," "The Remembered," and "The Imagined."

SHOW, DON’T TELL! • Use the five senses to create an experience for your audience. • Use literary techniques to make your writing more creative.

Literary Techniques • Simile • a direct comparison using like or as • Metaphor • an implied comparison without using like or as • Personification • a special kind of comparison in which an animal, inanimate object, or an idea is given human qualities • Oxymoron • a figure of speech that places opposites together to create a paradox • Symbol • an act or thing that represents more than itself • Onomatopoeia • the use of words that imitate sounds • Alliteration • the repeated use of words that begin with similar sounds • Imagery • The use of language that appeals to the senses

Literary Techniques • Simile • a direct comparison using like or as • Metaphor • an implied comparison without using like or as • Personification • a special kind of comparison in which an animal, inanimate object, or an idea is given human qualities • Oxymoron • a figure of speech that places opposites together to create a paradox • Symbol • an act or thing that represents more than itself • Onomatopoeia • the use of words that imitate sounds • Alliteration • the repeated use of words that begin with similar sounds • Imagery • The use of language that appeals to the senses • Idioms • An expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the definitions or arrangements of its parts

Show, Don’t Tell - Sample 1 • Telling Sentence: Alex was afraid. • Showing Sentence: As the footsteps tapped closer and closer, Jack felt his stomach muscles tighten. He flattened himself to the wall, the bricks gritty against his cheek. Sweat chilled his palms. He used both hands to stead the gun. • In the telling sentence, we are given just the information. We are not part of the scene. • In the showing sentence, we live through the experience with the character.

Details • What do we feel when we are put in Alex’s shoes? • Alex becomes a real person. • We can identify with him and his experience. • Specific details breath life into your story. They stimulate the reader’s imagination so he can project himself into the scene and become a part of it. • Be careful whenever you name an emotion such as Alex was afraid. It’s lazy writing. The reader won’t feel the emotional impact. It is much better to “show” the emotion through action, the five senses, and dialogue.

Sample 2 - With Dialogue • Telling Sentence: Dave thought Brenda was acting secretive. • Showing Sentence: Brenda slammed his dresser drawer shut and spun around, her hands hidden behind her back. Her lips jerked into a stiff smile. “Dave, I thought you wouldn’t be home until six o’clock.” • How does the emotion in the telling and showing sentences differ?

Sample 3 • The pizza was delicious.

Telling Sentences Worksheet • Begin now, finish for homework

Small Group Activity • Telling Sentence: Ms. Waite was nervous. • In your groups, consider using more details to create a more specific narration. • Show, don’t tell!

Using a Thesaurus • The Do’s and Don’ts • When choosing words, be sure that the meaning does not change! There’s a fine line when it comes to word choice. • Don’t overuse the thesaurus - you want your writing to remain functional, not flowery. • Do use the thesaurus when you find you’re using the same word more than once. • Don’t forget your intended audience - you won’t impress your readers with big, fancy-pants words. • Aunt Skeeter and the(bad) Itch

Who wants some Sour Patch Kids?

Chew, Pause, Reflect, Chew Again, Write

First Draft • Must be a minimum of five sentences • Includes a topic sentence, 3 supporting sentences with vivid details, and a concluding sentence • Complete for homework if unfinished

Paragraph Writing