| Content Area: Language Arts |
Grade Level: Middle Level (6-8) |
| Topic: Writing Essays |
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Age Range: 11-13
School Type: Suburban
Primary Nationality: USA
Primary Ethnicity: Caucasian
Special Needs: Gifted LD |
Concept: Subordination, Transitions
Key Ideas:
1. Essays have a beginning, middle, and end 2. The content of an essay focuses on a main idea. 3. The beginning/lead paragraph hooks the readers’ attention with a powerful image, quote or question and suggests the structure of the essay to follow. 4. The middle/body of the paper contains supporting details for the main idea. 5. That transition words through the essay help tell the reader whether they are at the beginning middle or end. 6. That the concluding paragraph sums up key points and leaves a memorable idea, quote, or question in the reader’s memory.
Error Patterns:
Students:1. Confuse main ideas and supporting details. 2. Don't support main ideas with enough supporting details. 3. Don't cluster related details into paragraphs. 4. Don't provide transitions between ideas. 5. Don't hook the reader's attention to a main idea at the start of the essay . 6. Don't conclude the essay: a. By synthesizing main points b. Leaving a memorable impression
Response Strategies:
1. Compare essays to houses: Offer students a graphic of a house and have them brainstorm ways parts of the house relate to parts of an essay.2. Have students write notes inside the parts of the house detailing each part's function: Foundation = lead paragraph whose job is to….; rooms are separate paragraphs; doorways are transitions; the roof is a conclusion. 3. Have students generate one part of the essay at a time, compare what they and partners wrote to the criteria associated with that part. 4. Have students highlight transition words and main ideas.
References and Resources:
 Langrall, R. C. (1997). Case studies of the pedagogical content knowledge development of concept oriented teachers. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Interactive Games (link)
Submitted by RCL -- Source: Langrall, R.C. (1997). Case studies of the pedagogical content knowledge development of concept oriented teachers. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA.
Submitted: 5/1/2003 9:55:26 PM
Document ID: 13 |
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