FAT - P

*Before you create the plan…

*Before you start writing…

*Before you do ANYthing…

FAT – P!!

What is FAT – P?

F = FORMAT: The format gives you information on what you will be writing:

For example, a speech, a letter, a story, a report, etc.

Is the prompt for a narrative, informational, or persuasive writing piece?

A = AUDIENCE:

If you know your audience (who you are writing to), you can choose the style and voice that are appropriate.

For example, if you are writing to your friends, you could use more friendly, informal language than you would if you are writing to your principal.

T = TOPIC: Identifying the topic will help you find the details you need to include in your writing.

PURPOSE: Why are you writing this piece?

~To describe?

~To explain or inform?

~To persuade or convince?

~To express personal thoughts or feelings?

On a blank page in your Cafeteria Writing Notebook, write this:

F (format) =

A (audience) =

T (topic) =

P (purpose) =

Let’s look at a prompt and try one together:

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

What is the FORMAT?Is this a narrative, informational, or persuasive prompt?

What kind of information does the prompt give you?The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

The word convincing tells you this is a persuasive prompt.

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

The format of the prompt tells you to write a letter.

Now, let’s look at AUDIENCE:

Who will read your letter?

To whom are you writing your letter?

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

Who will read your letter?

To whom are you writing your letter?

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess.

Next, we will look at the TOPIC of the prompt:

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

What is the TOPIC of this prompt?

What details do you need to include in your writing piece?

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess back.

Finally, we must look at the PURPOSE:

Are we writing this piece to describe, to explain or inform, to persuade or convince, or to express personal thoughts or feelings?

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess.

The principal took away recess due to the recent littering on the playground and around the school. Write a letter to your classmates convincing them to change their behavior in order to get recess.

The purpose is to persuade or convince.

Here is our final product!

F (format) = persuasive

write a letter

A (audience) = classmates

T (topic) = lost recess because of littering on playground and around school

P (purpose) = to persuade or convince classmates to change their behavior

Now, it is your turn to try what you have learned:

Here is a practice prompt for you!

Using your knowledge of Science, write a report to your teacher and discuss the differences between plant cells and animal cells.

Using your knowledge of Science, write a report to your teacher and discuss the differences between plant cells and animal cells.

Let’s start with FORMAT:

What kind of prompt (narrative, informational, persuasive) is this?

What type of writing will this be (story, letter, report, etc.)?

Using your knowledge of Science, write a report to your teacher and discuss the differences between plant cells and animal cells.

Who will be the AUDIENCE for this prompt? (Who are you writing to in this piece?)

Next, let’s think about the TOPIC.

Using your knowledge of Science, write a report to your teacher and discuss the differences between plant cells and animal cells.

What is the TOPIC you will write about (be sure to include the details)?

Finally, we will look at the PURPOSE:

Using your knowledge of Science, write a report to your teacher and discuss the differences between plant cells and animal cells.

Are you writing this piece to describe, to inform or explain, to persuade or convince, or to express personal thoughts and feelings?

You have several practice prompts in front of you. Your job for the time we have left in Cafeteria Writing is to use the FAT – P writing strategy to decode these prompts.

Good luck!