North GwinnettMiddle School Student Literacy

What is Literacy and why is it important?

Literacy is the ability to….

Read WriteUse numbersHandle informationExpress ideas and opinionsMake decisions Solve problems

It is important in making us able to function as

Family members Workers

Citizens

Lifelong Learners

Why do we need literacy skills?

Helps us become better learners in every subject, in every grade.

To pass state-mandated tests such as the 8th grade writing test and High School graduation tests. These tests are required to move onto the next grade level.

For college entrance exams as well as all college-level coursework.

In any job you will perform in your future!

As a group list as many as you can on the board!

Think about what kinds of jobs require these skills:

What kind of writing will we do in middle school?

Narrative Writing

Expository Writing

Persuasive Writing

Narrative Writing is…

Writing that tells a story or gives an account of something that has happened.

The purpose is to recount a story grounded in personal experience or the writer’s imagination.

A Good Narrative…

Tells a personal or imaginative story

May include the writer’s imagination and personal experiences that are related to the story

Contains narrative elements such as characters, plot, point of view, setting, conflict, and/or significant events

Contains narrative strategies such as, flashback, foreshadowing, dialogue, tension and/or suspense

Is multi-paragraph

Presents a story that has a well-developed beginning, middle, and end

Expository Writing is…

Writing that enhances the reader’s understanding of a topic by instructing, explaining, clarifying, describing, or examining a subject or concept.

Provides facts, statistics, descriptive details, comparison/contrast, analysis, evaluation, definition, humor, and personal anecdotes.

An effective expository essay… Establishes a clear controlling idea Uses clear, complete descriptions and/or

explanations to develop the controlling idea Contains an appropriate organizational strategy

for the purpose of explanation, description, comparison and contrast, or problem and solution

Is multi-paragraph writing Fully develops the controlling idea with specific

details and examples Blends personal experience and knowledge to

inform the reader about the topic

Expository vs. narrative

DEFINITION SEQUENCE CATEGORIZATION COMPARISON CONTRAST ENUMERATION PROCESS PROBLEM-

SOLUTION DESCRIPTION CAUSE & EFFECT

THEME PLOT CHARACTERS SETTING CONFLICT RESOLUTION MOTIVATION POINT OF VIEW

Persuasive Writing is…

In persuasive writing, a writer takes a position FOR or AGAINST an issue and writes to convince the reader to believe or do something.

Good Persuasive Writing includes…

Clearly establishes a position on the issue

Fully develops an argument with specific details and examples

Defends the writer’s position with relevant evidence that is appropriate for the audience identified in the writing topic

Demonstrates that the writer can anticipate and counter the audience’s position on the issue

Uses specific facts, personal experience and knowledge, and/or statistics to support the writer’s position

Includes appeals to logic and/or emotion

Contains an organizational structure appropriate for persuasion

How to approach a writing assignment:

Brainstorm ideasOrganize thoughtsGet the ideas down on paper

(drafting)Revise – look for better ways to say

things and put ideas togetherEdit/Proofread – look for errors in

spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization

Publish final draftShare the writing

Do you remember what these are?

With a partner discuss some brainstorming and organizing techniques that worked for you last year.

Share with the group.

Now discuss with your partner some editing and revising techniques that you used successfully last year.

Share those with the group.

When will we write this nine weeks? Bulldog Pride Time

During the first 9 weeks students will be rotating through their academic classes to do extra reading and writing related to the things they are doing in that class.

Each rotation will last 6 daysThe work students produce for that

teacher will count as a classwork grade for that class.

All writing is scored according to the state writing rubric.

See pages 14-15 in your agenda to look over this rubric.

Tomorrow we will review the 4 domains in more detail.