WRITING

Intro Paragraphs

ASSIGNMENT

Together, with the four people at your table, you

will be writing introductory paragraphs.

You will each be doing the same thing, but with

different prompts.

TABLE SET-UP

Person 1 Person 2

Person 3 Person 4

Windows

Whiteboard

Divider

Projector

DIRECTIONS

Get out four pieces of lined paper.

On four separate pieces of lined paper, please

write the following four prompts.

Each prompt gets its own sheet of paper.

PROMPT 1

Parents, teachers, and students have

varying opinions about students working

while attending school. Should students

work to earn pay during the school year?

Compose an essay explaining why or why

not.

PROMPT 2

Recently, it seems as though there is

a nationwide epidemic with students

dropping out of high school. Authority

figures disagree on how to handle the

situation. Write a letter to the school

board with suggestions to prevent drop

outs?

PROMPT 3

In recent decades, countless inventions have

been introduced to American lives. There is

great debate over whether these inventions

have helped or hindered our way of life.

Write an essay explaining whether technology

has improved or hurt your life and why.

PROMPT 4

Every culture has traditions that

are distinctly their own. In fact,

each family has activities or

beliefs which are unique to them.

Compose an essay describing a

family tradition you enjoy.

DIRECTIONS

The prompt you will be working with for the next

part of this project is the prompt that has the same

number as your seat.

Example: If you are in seat 3, then you will be

responsible for deconstructing Prompt #3.

If you have less than four people in your group,

your entire group will need to work together to

complete the missing number.

DECONSTRUCT THE PROMPT– 5 MINUTES

Using the sheet of paper you wrote out your

prompt on Deconstruct the prompt!

Find the meat (this should be in the prompt)

RAFT it out (do this in the space below the

prompt.

ROUND ROBIN– 10 MIN

Now that you have deconstructed the prompt, you will be

responsible for walking the rest of your group through the prompt

you worked on.

Starting with person 1, please show your group how to

deconstruct that prompt. As you explain, they will deconstruct the

prompt on their lined paper where they wrote the prompt.

Once person 1 is done, move to person 2…

When you are done, each person should have all four

prompts deconstructed on his/her lined paper.

FRAYER MODEL

Each student needs one Frayer Model

worksheet.

Center box: • your name, the topic of your essay (RAFT), and

the prompt number.Box 1 = RAFT

Box 2 = Hook:

Box 3 = Background information:Box 4 = Thesis Statement:

LABEL THE MODEL

R: A:F: T:

Hook:

Background Info: Thesis:

NAMETopic:

Prompt #:

STEP 1– 2 MIN

Using the prompt you

deconstructed, fill out box 1—

RAFT

DO NOT START BOXES 2-4

NOW

Pass your papers clockwise.

HOOK– 8MIN

Determine who in your group will use quotes and

who will write descriptive anecdotes. • 2 people will write anecdotes and 2 will use quotes.

Write on your sheet which you are using.

Write your hook (if you are using a quote, you may

use your phone/electronic device to search for one).

DO NOT START BOXES 3-4

NOW

Pass your papers clockwise.

BACKGROUND INFO-5 MIN

On the sheet you have been given,

look at the prompt for that sheet.

Bring in any applicable background

information from the prompt.

DO NOT START BOX 4

NOW

Pass your papers clockwise.

CONSTRUCT A THESIS—5 MIN

What + Active Verb +

Idea/Concept

What--- Topic, Pattern or Things you are

describing

Active Verb– See examples you wrote in your

notes

Idea/Concept– Themes and overarching

ideas

Optional- 3 pronged thesis (3 pieces of

evidence that will be supported in your paper)

NOW

Pass your papers clockwise.

REVISE FOR FLOW

Analyze the introductory paragraph and

make sure that it flows from one sentence

to the next.

Write it out on the back of the paper

with the same prompt.

Fix any spelling or grammatical errors

Make sure that it is on topic and clearly

stated.

EXAMPLE

R: essay that explains the lengths to which people will go in order to survive. A: TeacherF: Personal NarrativeT: Survival

Hook: Six people with Stars of

David banded around their arms huddle in a basement

of an abandoned building in Warsaw… (see model

notes)Background Info:In order to survive, people have been known to go to great lengths and to do things they would not ordinarily do.

Thesis:In times of crisis, survival

becomes the most important objective for

humanity.

Ms. CrawfordTopic: SurvivalPrompt: Model

Prompt

Six people with Stars of David banded around their arms

huddle in a basement of an abandoned building in Warsaw, Poland.

Above them, at the top of the stairs, behind an old rickety bookshelf,

Nazi soldiers hunt throughout the city for Jews. Gunshots have

become a nightly symphony, and the streets run red with the blood of

those not considered part of the Master Race. Boots sound outside

the basement, and the noise startles the baby bundled in his

mother’s arms, and he starts to whine. “Shut him up,” hisses one of

the men, “or I will,” as the mother frantically searches for something

to stop the crying. In order to survive, people have been known to go

to great lengths and to do things they would not ordinarily do.

Survival becomes the most important objective for humanity in times

of crisis, such as war, isolation, and catastrophic or natural disaster.