Organization

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Organization
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Organization

• Appealing opening
• Obvious, logical direction/progression
• Effective sequencing
• Connectedness
• Purposeful text structure

• Smooth transitions
• Skillful pacing
• Builds to a high point
• Strong sense of closure and resolution
• Original title if applicable

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Organization
I look back and forth and see potential endings
and titles and leads. Im looking for a trail
through the materials I have
Donald Murray
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Organization
Begin with a strong lead...
1.
Writing should carefully build to important
points/moments...
2.
Order of details...
3.
Omit trivial details...
4.
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Organization
Organizing in MANY ways
Big picture to little picture (space)
1.
Chronological order (time)
2.
Details in bunches (content)
3.
Taking a side (perspective)
4.
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Organization
Style is not a fashionable garment you put on
style is what you are what you have to say as
well as how you say it.
Donald Murray
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Organization
Good organization
grabs the readers attention
?
everything ties together
?
balanced beginning/middle/end
?
smooth transitions
?
at the end you feel finished
?
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Organization
Teaching Organization
Step 1
Literature study
Read story(s) -
A.
Charlie Anderson
Discuss Organization
B.
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Organization
Step 2
Work on Writing Activity
Crazy stories
A.
Conclusions
B.
Main idea
C.
Sequence
D.
Lead sentences
E.
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Organization
Group Activity.
Sharks
Put these sentences in order to form one
paragraph that makes good use of sequencing
transitions.
Handout/transparency
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Organization
Step 3
Sample Papers
Look at Rubric
A.
Evaluate Papers
B.
Share Evaluation
C.
Discuss
D.
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Bike
I think everybody hwo can, should learn to ride a
bike. A bike with two wheels that is. I got my
chance in first grade. My dad my sister and I
went to a soccer field behind my school Chapman.
My dad boosted me on to my training wheelless
bicycle. He held the back of my seat and ran with
me for a few paces and let go. I was riding!! I
was riding by meyself on a two wheeler! But then
I fell down. As I got up on my bike my said I
should pedal when I ride. In the next half an
hour I could stay balanced pedaling. Then my dad
told me to try and steer. I went ahead and
steered right into the ground. The next few weeks
were smothered in blood, scabs, bruises and
band-aids. But at the end, triumph. I could ride
a two-wheeler.
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My Trip to Disneyland
Well, one time we went to Disneyland and it was
pretty fun. And there were a lot of people there
who wanted to ride on the same rides as we did so
we had to wait in line for a long time and that
part wasnt so great, but except for that,
Disneyland was really cool. My favorite ride was
Pirates of the Caribbean, but I liked the food
there, too. Theyve got lots of different kinds
of food to eat there like chili cheese fries and
popcorn. My son, Sam, really liked the hamburgers
there because they were barbecued and had a lot
of good stuff on them, but I liked the chili
cheese fries the best. Sometimes we make them at
home now because they were so good at Disneyland.
Anyway, Sam and I had a great time at
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My Trip to Disneyland
Disneyland. Sam didnt like the ride, Its a
Small World, because he said it was really
boring. But I liked it because it showed all the
different countries and how they dressed. There
were a lot of people at Disneyland from different
countries, too. When they came in they looked so
surprised to see all the people and rides and
food everywhere.
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Organization
Step 4
Peer Respond/Edit Each Others Work
Step 5
Teacher Assessment Paper
Voice
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My Trip to Disneyland

• Revision suggestions from 5th graders after
  reading the original
• Pick one idea and stick with it
• You talked about too many things
• It jumps around too much
• Whats the point?
• I wasnt very interested even at the beginning
• You skipped around--I got lost
• Trying to follow this story is like reading a
  road map in the pitch black
• Where are the paragraphs?
• The ideas are all jumbled up--its kinda like
  talking not writing

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AIW Organization

• How do they connect?
• How can I help my students see the connections?
• What AIW standard would be my focus if Im
  presenting a 61 task with a focus on
  organization?