Mini-Lesson Monday

TransitionsBeginnings

EndingsWhenever you seethis icon, you will writein your note-taking packet.Day Three

Organization

Transitions• Paragraphs should be connected by

transitions.• The purpose of the transition is to alert the

reader there is a shift between ideas or subtopics.

• The smoothest, most fluid transitions connect the previous paragraph to the next one in a single sentence.

Transitions• Watch this video on transitions.• Write down some examples of transitions that you see/hear in

the video clip….– Single-word– Phrase– Sentence

8:10 minutes

A Paragraph Without Transitions• In “The Fly,” Katherine Mansfield tries to show us the “real”

personality of “the boss” beneath his exterior. The fly helps her to portray the character’s real self. The boss goes through a range of emotions and feelings. He expresses his feelings to a small but determined fly. He unconsciously relates the fly to his son. The author basically splits up the story into three parts, with the boss’s emotions and actions changing quite measurably. With old Woodifield, with himself, and with the fly, we see the boss’s manipulativeness. Our understanding of him as a hard and cruel man grows.

• If we work at it, we can figure out the relationship among these ideas. However, the lack of transitions results in an abrupt and choppy rhythm that jumps from one idea to the next, leading to confusion.

A Paragraph with Transitions• In “The Fly,” Katherine Mansfield tries to show us the “real”

personality of “the boss” beneath his exterior. In the course of the story, the boss goes through a range of emotions and feelings. At the end, he finally expresses these feelings to a small but determined fly, whom the reader realizes he unconsciously relates to his son. To accomplish her goal, the author basically splits up the story into three parts, with the boss’s emotions and actions changing quite measurably throughout. First, with old Woodifield, then with himself, and last with the fly, we see the boss’s manipulativeness. With each part, our understanding of him as a hard and cruel man grows.

• Most of the transitions here point to movement in time, helping us to follow the chronology of the story being discussed.

Organization• Organization is extremely important to the

flow and understanding of your writing.• Watch this video on organization.

• 5 minutes

Organization• INTRODUCTION– Launch the plane into the air• A take off is exciting!

• BODY– Keep the plane flying smoothly• No big dips or turbulence

• CONCLUSION– Have the plane land gently but strong• Do not crash and burn

Beginning & Ending Yo Yo• If you struggle with how to begin and end your

paper, try using the yo-yo method.• However you started your paper, use that

same strategy to end your paper.• This method gives your paper a nice, smooth

well-rounded ending.BEGINNING END

Begin with action End with actionBegin with a sound effect End with a sound effectBegin with a sensory description End with a sensory description

Examples of Yo-Yo StrategyBEGINNING MIDDLE ENDING

Intense actionI was pedaling fast down Hicker Hill on my brand new bike. My legs were going around and around. I remember picking up speed with every rotation.

(THE CRASH)It takes a long time to hobble back up the hill, hauling my bike parts. There is a throbbing pain in my palms. They are scraped and raw, with speckles of gravel buried in them. Man did they burn!

Sensory DescriptionMy new bike reflects the sunshine; it bounces off the shiny chrome trim. There is a white, plastic basket with seven, dainty purple flowers on the front. I swing my leg over it and begin my first ride.

(THE CRASH)But, no matter how banged up I was, you should have seen my not-so-new bike. The chrome was dented. The paint was chipped. The basket was dangling from the handle bars, with only one purple flower remaining.

BEGINNING MIDDLE ENDING

FeelingWhat a great day for bike riding! The sun is shining. The air is crisp. I’m ready to hit the road, just me and my new bike.

(THE CRASH)It all went wrong, terribly wrong. All I want to do now is dump this bike in the garage and forget this day forever.

Sound Effect - OnomatopoeiaWHIZ! The trees are behind me. WHIZ! I zoomed passed a parked car. WHIZ! WHIZ! WHIZ! I pass mailboxes one by one. No one can catch me on my brand new bike.

(THE CRASH)

CLINK! CLANK! CLUNK! The chain from my bike rhythmically bangs against the bent fender, as I haul my once-new-bike back to the house.

Examples of Yo-Yo Strategy

Beginnings and Endings• The yo-yo method works great, but it isn’t the

only effective method on how to start and end your papers.

• Let’s take a look at some different methods to start and end your expository papers, persuasive papers, and narratives.

Expository Beginnings and Endings

BEGINNINGS• Startling fact• Definition, define the topic• Give context/background

information• State the problem• Strong, attention-grabbing

quote• Power of One (point of

view)• Set the tone

ENDINGS• Restate message• Something funny• End with a quote• Give reader advice• Draw connection/make a

comparison• Note a lesson learned• Repeat words from the

beginning (echo ending)• Yo-Yo ending

Persuasive Beginnings and Endings

BEGINNINGS• Butter them up• Hard hitting statement• Scenario/situation• Provoking question• Lead with the problem• Make a direct request

ENDINGS• Consider this…• Strong quote• Hopeful ending• Big picture• Emotional plea• Call to action• Yo-Yo ending

Narrative Beginnings and Endings

BEGINNINGS• Intense action• Sound-effect• Dialogue • Character

name/description• Set the tone

(mood/feeling)• Opening scene/setting

description

ENDINGS• Surprise ending (twist)• End with a feeling• End with a lesson

learned• Sad-but-true ending• Happy ending• Dialogue • Yo-Yo ending

Assignment = On your own paper

• Write your response to ONE of the following prompts:– What I like most about Thanksgiving/

Christmas….• Expository

– What I am most thankful for….• Expository

– My favorite holiday traditions….• Expository

– You are a turkey – convince people not to eat turkey on Thanksgiving.• Persuasive

– My favorite Thanksgiving/Christmas memory….• Personal Narrative

– The turkey that escaped Thanksgiving….• Narrative

• Use ONE of the beginning/ending strategies from today’s lesson.

• Use transition words/phrases to start your new thoughts (except for the narrative options).

• Your response needs to be at least 11-15 sentences in length.

Due tomorrow!