Informative Texts

ENTRY #1: A Practice Entry (11/13)
ENTRY #2: Common Core Standard (11/19)
ENTRY #3: Superlative (11/21)
ENTRY #4: Personal Experience (12/2)
ENTRY #5: Process (12/3)
ENTRY #6: Free Choice (12/5)
ENTRY #7: Interview-Based (12/4 and 12/9)
ENTRY #8: Research-Based (12/10 and 12/11)
ENTRY #9: Free Choice (12/13)
ENTRY #10: Survey-Based (12/12 and 12/17)
ENTRY #11: Sensory Details (12/18)
ENTRY#12: Free Choice (12/19)

Writing the Introduction
Writing the Conclusion

FINAL DRAFT FORMATTING
FORMATTING- FINAL DAY
FINAL DRAFT RUBRIC

Final Draft Template (PDF)
Final Draft Template (Pages)

COMMON CORE STANDARDS:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.A
Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.B
Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.C
Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.D
Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.E
Establish and maintain a formal style.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2.F
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.


PREVIOUS YEARS:

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Download Final Draft Template

2015-16
Download Final Draft Template (must have MS Publisher)

Download Final Draft Rubric

Superlative Entry (Entry #3) Directions

Interview-Based Entry- Directions for writing the interview

Final Draft Template (must have MS Publisher)

During Spring Break, you should take time to review what you've done so far with your Informative Entries. Mr. Williams will be giving you grades for each of the following:

  1. Your pre-entries that were on three different topics.
  2. Entry #2 that was on one of your sub-topics.
  3. Entry #3 that was a superlative entry.
  4. Entry #4 that was suggested to be a personal experience entry (but you could also choose a different sub-topic to explore).
  5. Interview questions and notes from the completed interview.

Download the FINAL DRAFT TEMPLATE

Types of Entries  Process Entries

SAMPLE Process Entry: (note that the original headline was going to be "How to Read a Harry Potter Novel," but the new headline below is more mysterious)

IS IT HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO NOT READ AHEAD IN A HARRY POTTER BOOK?
One of the most excruciating aspects of devouring a Harry Potter tome is self-control. J.K. Rowling crafts her books in such a way that the temptation to skip ahead a chapter or two to see what happens is far too great. There is only one truly correct way to read one of these books, and that is to make a promise to yourself from the beginning that you will ignore all voices in your head. That little voice that whispers, "Just take a quick peek," is NOT your friend. Ignore him. Keep reading. Listening to him can only result in disappointment that you read too far ahead. Your success in truly getting everything out of a Harry Potter novel is to read it as Rowling intended: from start to finish, page after page-turning page. Oh... except for book 7's epilogue. Trust me. Skip it.

Interview-Based Entry (Entry #8)

Use the plan you described on the back of your interview notes to write a page and-a-half entry. It must follow these guidelines:

  • Don't use the word "interview."
  • At least once, make reference to the person you interviewed.
  • Do more than relate facts from the interview. Share your own perspective/opinion/experience on the facts you are presenting.
  • Use a quote if possible. If not possible, consider doing another interview to get the quote you need to make a point.

NON-EXAMPLE:

I sat down and talked to my daughter about her thoughts about my wand collection. She had many things to say about wands in this interview. First of all, she gave me my first wand. Secondly, she recognizes that I now have five in my collection. In my third question, I discovered that...

EXAMPLE:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is not just a theme park in Florida. Her fantasy story is a reality to me. The magic created by J.K. Rowling has permeated my own life, both at school and at home. The most prized possession of a wizard also happens to be the item that has become significant to my daughter, Bryn. I possess five high-quality replica wands from the Harry Potter movies, but it was Bryn who gave me my first one as a gift. This wand, though, has had a checkered past, wrought with peril and a not so happy ending. She recalls the night that it made its mysterious disappearance as making me "really unhappy because it was special. I bought it for you."

Halloween night. The ghosts and goblins were on the prowl. Could they be to blame for what happened to my Wand of Destiny, Elder Wand, most powerful of the Deathly Hallows? Is it merely coincidence that the Deathstick disappeared on All Hallow's Eve? Like this wand that would eventually come into Dumbledore's possession for decades, my wand disappeared with no...

Final Product

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Common core Standard:

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

  1. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

  2. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

  3. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

  4. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

  5. Establish and maintain a formal style.

Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.