resources for teaching expository writing anita mattos march, 2005

Resources for Teaching Expository Writing

Anita MattosMarch, 2005

Organizational Structures and Color-coding

Do you remember . . .

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Visual Guide for the Five-Paragraph Essay

First -- A lesson on the “basic” paragraph

The Color-coded Paragraph Wheel

Topic (red)

Details (Green)Conclusion

(blue)

Topic Sentence (yellow)

Paris

The most exciting place I’ve ever visited is Paris, France. Hundreds of years old, Paris is a city full of culture and romance. While I was there I visited many museums and national monuments including the Louvre and the Cathedral of Notre Dame. I rode an elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1887, and looked out onto the city from the top. My favorite excursion was the moonlit boat ride along the Seine River where I viewed Paris’s historical buildings all lit up. Because of the fun and interesting ventures I took part in, my vacation in Paris is a trip I will never forget.

Basic Five-Paragraph Essay Outline with Color Scheme

Outlining Guide for a Basic Five-Paragraph Essay

The Detailed Paragraph and the Detailed Five-Paragraph Essay

(Literary Analysis Essay Format)

Detailed Paragraph Structure

Added levels of support

Added levels of support (and new colors of orange and purple)

Expanded Color Scheme:

yellow = topic sentence

green = support (reasons)

orange = facts (quotes; examples)

purple = opinion (commentary; interpretation

blue = conclusion or transition sentence

New

Response to Literature Essay Outlining Guide(page one shown)

Note-taking Guide for Students

Body paragraph outline (page 1 only)

Writing Guides and Handouts for Students

Worksheet for an Introductory Paragraph

Ten sample Leads (or Hooks) for Students

(page one of two)

Ten sample Leads (or Hooks) for Students

(page two of two)

Suggestions for Writing a Concluding Paragraph

Developing “Ideas” for Literary Analysis

The Double-Entry (or Dialectical) Journal

Develops students’ “commentary” skills

Prewriting Guides like these provide “scaffolding” for students.(Page 1 only shown)

The Troublesome

“Thesis Statement”

Excellent resources from Sandra Effinger at the Oklahoma Writing Project

Thesis sentence introduction

Many model thesis statements to analyze

Thesis Exam

Questions??