Journal #8

Due Friday, October 14, 2011

Mode: Expository

Topic: Pick any game that you know how to play. Explain how to play the game so that someone unfamiliar would understand the game. Pick a game that is not too complicated! Games like football, basketball, and baseball have too many rules to explain in a journal length paper! The reader should be able to play the game after reading your paper.

Prewriting: Decide on your game first.

1. Make a list of the supplies you need.

2. Clearly explain what the objective of the game is.

3. Make a numbered or bulleted list of the steps in your game (not sentences, just notes to help you plan what to write).

Focus: You still need an interesting introduction and conclusion in any kind of writing. Do not simply copy the same words for your conclusion. Perhaps a tip or some special advice to a new player would be good to add in the conclusion. You will need to group your information into paragraphs so that your instructions are organized in a logical order.

Journal 9

Due Friday, October 21, 2011

*The purpose of a "how-to" paper is to share enough information about a process so that the reader can do it himself or herself.

Mode: Expository

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS!

Topic: Think of something that you are good at doing. Write an expository paper to tell someone how to do what you know how to do. Try to pick a topic that is not too big or broad. If you pick something that is too general, your paper will not be specific enough to really explain how to do it.

Prewriting: Decide on your topic first. Make a list of the supplies you may need. Make a numbered or bulleted list of the steps in the skill you are explaining.

Focus: You still need an interesting introduction and conclusion in any kind of writing. Make sure that the topic of what you are teaching is clear.  You might want to include how you learned your skill as part of your intro.

You need more than one sentence for your conclusion! Perhaps a tip or some special advice to someone learning to do something would be good to add in the conclusion.

You will need to group your information into paragraphs so that your instructions are organized in a logical order. Usually, the materials are explained first, and then the steps are explained in chronological order -- the order that you want your readers to follow.

Journal 10

Due Friday, October 28, 2011

Mode: Persuasive

Topic: Parents, schools, and society all impose rules, but schools especially have a set of rules that must be followed. Think of one school rule that you really dislike. Think of some arguments against having this rule at your school. Write to convince your principal or  teachers to abandon this particular rule. 

Prewriting: Pick the rule you think should be eliminated. Brainstorm a list of at least three reasons why the rule should be eliminated.  Under each reason give an explanation or an example. 

Focus: How you organize your ideas is important. Use five paragraphs. Introduce your  paper with a clear statement giving your opinion and the basic three reasons. Next, each reason must be developed into a separate paragraph with four or five sentences. Restate your opinion in the last paragraph. Use transitions to move from  paragraph to paragraph.