1-20-08: Organization (B Days)

We started with our punctual piece. For the PP you were to organize a list of seemingly random words. There were lots of ways to do it: alphabetically, in categories, etc. I hope you see how important organization is both for you as a writer and a reader. When you read the list of words, it didn't make sense. It seemed random. And it may have even been a bit daunting or overwhelming. But once they are organized it is easier to follow. It makes the purpose clear. This is just how organization works in our writing. We need to tell our readers where our paper will go, so they know what to expect and so that they won't be confused.

Next we played a "game" in which you were to piece together two essays. One of the essays--even though it was really long was easier to organize because it had a thesis statement that told you exactly what the essay would be about. The shorter essay--although it was short--didn't have a thesis statement and the paragraphs could have been in any order and it wouldn't have changed much. It just felt like random paragraphs strewn across the page (like an arch that's missing its keystone).

Then you read through the two essays. You used the Organization Rubric to evaluate each essay. Next you completed the Investigation sheet for the essay on Keeping Music in the Public Schools, and then completed the Revision sheet for the essay on Writing.

For Thursday:
1. Finish Organization Investigation & Revision Sheets
2. Remember to bring your outside reading book
3. Writer's Notebook #3