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04 Prewriting

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023
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All Write

Prewriting Opening Page

Start-Up Activity

Remind your students that selecting a specific writing topic is an important task during the prewriting step. Then show students how the “Basic of Life Checklist” on page 27 can be used to identify writing topics. First, review the example at the bottom of the page. Next, model another category for students. Example: Show how the animals category could lead to the general subject of pets, which could lead to specific writing topics such as bathing a dog or sheltering abandoned pets. Continue with the activity, helping your students identify specific writing topics for another category from the checklist.

Think About It

“To write about people you have to know people, to write about bloodhounds you have to know bloodhounds, to write about the Loch Ness monster you have to find out about it.”                                                                                                                       

—James Thurber

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.5

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.A

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.A

LAFS Covered in This Chapter

LAFS.6.W.2.5

LAFS.7.W.2.5

LAFS.8.W.2.5

LAFS.6.W.1.3

LAFS.7.W.1.3

LAFS.8.W.1.3

LAFS.6.W.1.2

LAFS.7.W.1.2

LAFS.8.W.1.2

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

110.22.b.10.A

110.22.b.10.C

110.22.b.10.D

110.23.b.10.A

110.23.b.10.C

110.23.b.10.D

110.24.b.10.A

110.24.b.10.C

110.24.b.10.D

110.22.b.10

110.22.b.11.A

110.23.b.10

110.23.b.11.A

110.24.b.10

110.24.b.11.A

110.22.b.10.B.i

110.22.b.11.B

110.23.b.10.B.i

110.23.b.11.B

110.24.b.10.B.i

110.24.b.11.B

TEKS Covered in This Chapter

Page 024 from All Write

Building a File of Writing Ideas

Professional writers routinely jot down potential writing ideas based on their thoughts and observations. Encourage your students to collect writing ideas, too. Pages 24-25 provide strategies for doing this. Some of these strategies ask students to explore their personal experiences and memories for writing ideas. Initially, many English Language Learners may feel uncomfortable with this type of thinking and writing. It may help to share some of your own personal experiences when you were their age. Then ask for volunteers to share a few memories of their own.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Personal Writing
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 025 from All Write

Building a File of Writing Ideas (Continued)

Creating a life map is an effective beginning-of-the-year activity. This page shows one example. Your students may have other ideas for creating their own version—electronically, with sound, etc. If some students are uncomfortable including very personal experiences, have them consider other items—like the first book they read, their first movie, their first time in an airplane, etc.

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 026 from All Write

Selecting a Topic

Students must have a clear understanding of a writing assignment or a writing prompt before they begin a topic search. Introduce the PAST strategy as an effective strategy for doing this. PAST stands for the four main parts of an assignment: Purpose, Audience, Subject, and Type. Consider creating your own writing prompt and challenging students to identify the specific PAST parts. 

Afterwards, introduce two easy-to-use selecting strategies—freewriting and listing. Also consider assigning one of the freewriting minilessons. 

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

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Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 027 from All Write

Selecting a Topic (Continued)

Carefully review the example cluster on this page; then model clustering for students to make sure they understand how this strategy works. (You should have already addressed the “Basic of Life Checklist” with the start-up activity for the chapter.)

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 028 from All Write

Reviewing Possible Topics

The topics on this page are arranged according to four main modes of writing—persuasion (argument), explanation, narration, and description. Encourage students to turn to this page and the following one when they can't think of a topic for their writing. You can also point them to the writing topics page on the Thoughtful Learning Web site. 

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 029 from All Write

Reviewing Possible Topics (Continued)

The ideas on this page will prompt your students’ thinking for narrative writing assignments. Consider using some of these prompts as starting points for in-class journal writing.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.3
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10, 110.22.b.11.A
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Personal WritingNarrative Writing
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 030 from All Write

Collecting Details

The collecting strategies on pages 30-31 are arranged as follows:  (1) Those that draw from the writer’s own thoughts. (2) Those that draw from research. (3) And those based on talking with others. Page 30 covers those that draw from the writer’s own thoughts. Discuss these strategies and model them as needed.

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 031 from All Write

Collecting Details (Continued)

Point out to students the importance of carrying out research during prewriting, especially for explanatory and argument writing assignments. For more information about research, refer to the cross references on this page. Ask for volunteers to share their experiences with research and talking with others.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.7.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.23.b.10.A, 110.23.b.10.C, 110.23.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 7.2.1, LA 7.2.1.a, LA 7.2.1.e, LA 7.2.1.f, LA 7.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 032 from All Write

Using Graphic Organizers

Introduce students to graphic organizers on pages 32–33, starting with using a gathering grid on page 32. Graphic organizers help support writing and comprehension for English Language Learners, but only if they clearly understand how to use them. Always model how to use an organizer and provide examples before your students attempt to use it independently.

Point out that the student writers used a gathering grid (collection sheet) on pages 10 and 190.

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 033 from All Write

Using Graphic Organizers (Continued)

After reviewing these graphic organizers, choose one to model. Then have students use the graphic to organize a few details about a topic. For example, they could use a 5 W’s chart to collect details about an important event. Next, have them write a paragraph based on the details they have collected.

Downloads:
Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 034 from All Write

Planning Your Writing

Carefully review the information about finding a focus. Then model how to generate a focus statement. Finally, present a few possible writing ideas and have students suggest possible focuses. (Refer to page 28 for ideas.) You could also assign the "Forming a Focus" minilesson. 

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 035 from All Write

Planning Your Writing (Continued)

Discuss with your students the patterns of organization listed on this page. Note that choosing a pattern will help your students decide what type of information to include in their writing. During your discussion, consider sharing pieces of writing that are organized according to some of these patterns.

Related Minilesson:
State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.1.2
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.B.i, 110.22.b.11.B
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1.b, LA 6.2.2, LA 6.2.2.a

Related Resource Tags

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Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
PrewritingIdeas

Page 036 from All Write

Planning Your Writing (Continued)

Discuss the difference between listing and outlining. Both strategies will help your students map out their writing. However, an outline goes into greater detail, showing different levels of information. For longer, more complex writing assignments, outlines provide writers more support. 

State Standard Reference:
LAFS Standard:
LAFS.6.W.2.5
TEKS Standard:
110.22.b.10.A, 110.22.b.10.C, 110.22.b.10.D
NE ELA Standard:
LA 6.2.1, LA 6.2.1.a, LA 6.2.1.e, LA 6.2.1.f, LA 6.2.1.h

Related Resource Tags

Click to view a list of tags that tie into other resources on our site

Level:
Grade 6Grade 7Grade 8
Mode:
Writing Basics
English Language Arts:
Prewriting