Writing a Descriptive Text

Purpose: to educate others on a specific topic

Report: includes facts and details from a variety of valid resources

Special Features: - Titles- Sub-titles- Illustrations- Maps- Photos

January 28th – February 1st (Planning)

February 4th – February 8th (Drafting)

February 11th – February 15th (Revising & Editing)

February 18th – February 22nd (Publishing)

February 22th – February 28th (Workshop)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpBQ1CsQRvM&list=PL0DA5D68534CB760B

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKZ9EHewjZg&list=SP470BE5137702168D

Choose a subjectFind 3 Resources

Develop Research QuestionsTaking Notes

1. Choose 3 potential topics based on your interests using the following website: http://sevennaturalwonders.org

2. Research each of those topics using Google and see how many valid websites you can find for each topic (official websites).

3. Choose the topic with the most potential (the one that has the most valid resources)

4. Locate your natural wonder on the map of the world

An official website

A published text from the New Brunswick Public Library: http://vision.gnb.ca/

You should have 3 resources total (1 text, 1 website and 1 other)

Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

What is the topic? Where is it? How many visitors? Is it popular? Why is it so special? Fun Fact What are the main ideas? (3)

Why do they find it interesting? How does the phenomenon occur? How was this wonder formed? What kinds of species live there?

What vegetation lives there? Do humans live there?

Who discovered the site? When? How? (history)

What environmental problems exist?

What are the main ideas? Would you visit? What can you do to help? What is the topic ***

Fill out a sheet for each resource you use (use a scrap piece of paper)

Topic:

Title:

Author:

Publishing Information:

Facts & Details:

-

-

-

Organize Your IdeasWriting Folder Review

Write your IntroductionWrite your Main IdeasWrite your Conclusion

1. Brainstorm a main idea for your report and write it on a yellow sticky note.

2. Identify which details in your research are part of this main idea and highlight them with the same color.

3. Repeat steps 1-2 with another main idea and a different color highlighter

Writing Folder- The Writing Process- Text Forms- 6 Write Traits- Writing Achievement

Standards- Transition Words- Parts of Speech- Useful Definitions- Crediting Sources in a

Bibliography- Compare & Contrast

Set a Goal for your Writing

3 Details = Minimum4 Details = Above5 Details = Above & Beyond

1. Write a Topic Sentence (warm up)2. Answer your Research Questions

- What is the wonder?- Where is the wonder?- Why is it so special?- Fun Fact

3. Outline your 3 Main Ideas

Tip: Use transition words, thesaurus and adjectives

1. Write a topic sentence or use a transition word

2. Answer your research questions- What is the flora & fauna?- What is the history?- What is the appearance (shape & size)- What are the attractions (tourism)?- How was it formed? How does it form?- How has it changed over the years?

3. Write a closing sentence

1. Restate your topic

2. Highlight the key points

3. Ask your audience a question- Have you learned more about the topic?- Would you visit? - What can you do to help?

Revise the Write Traits

Voice (questions for audience) Ideas/Content (topic sentence for

paragraphs) Organization (5 paragraphs total) Word Choice (transition words & adjectives) Sentence Fluency (different sentence

starters)

*** Use a different colored highlighter for each improvement you make. You should have at least

3 improvements for each write trait***

Correct Spelling/Grammar/PunctuationTAG someone’s work

T – Tell 1 thing you really like

A – Ask 1 question

G – Give 1 piece of advice

Check out the rubricSee steps on how to publish

Excellent Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

Voice

Word Choice

Ideas/Content

Sentence Fluency

Organization

Spelling/Grammar

Punctuation

Revising/Editing

Text Features

Formatting

Bibliography

Step 1: Decide whether you will publish by-hand or using your netbook

Netbook Reminder... if you'd like to use your netbook, make sure you're comfortable with the following:- printing at home or at library- saving your work on a memory stick- typing on Microsoft Word- changing language settings in Microsoft Word- copying and pasting pictures & images in Microsoft Word

  Step 2: Type your text or write your text on white lined paper - don't forget

to indent your paragraphs

Netbook reminder... font size should be around 12pts. 

Step 3: Add your text features (3 total) from the following list:- title & sub-titles- map- diagram- graph- image- quick facts

Netbook reminder... make sure you copy the publishing information into your bibliography if you use images from the Internet

 

Step 4: Type up your bibliography (see red folder for examples) 

Step 5: Use this check-list before you hand-in your published copy - name & class- title - text features- bibliography

  Due Date: Thursday February 28th