6 Traits 6 Traits

OrganizationOrganization

ObjectivesObjectives By participating in this lesson, I will be By participating in this lesson, I will be

able to identify what makes a paper able to identify what makes a paper organized.organized.

Definition of OrganizationDefinition of Organization Organization is the internal structure or design Organization is the internal structure or design

of a piece of writing. It gives of a piece of writing. It gives ideasideas direction, direction, purpose, and momentum, guiding the reader purpose, and momentum, guiding the reader skillfully from point to point. Good organization skillfully from point to point. Good organization holds a piece of writing together, making it holds a piece of writing together, making it easy to see the big picture – much the way easy to see the big picture – much the way puzzle pieces fit to create a recognizable puzzle pieces fit to create a recognizable image. It also makes the reading easier. image. It also makes the reading easier. Readers can follow the writer’s thinking easily Readers can follow the writer’s thinking easily when they have a pattern to help them.when they have a pattern to help them.

Things that make Things that make organization work well…organization work well…

A basic beginning, middle, and end structure.A basic beginning, middle, and end structure. A beginning / intro paragraph that identifies the A beginning / intro paragraph that identifies the

purpose and gives an immediate sense of purpose and gives an immediate sense of direction. direction.

A conclusion that wraps up the discussion and A conclusion that wraps up the discussion and sometimes indicates next steps.sometimes indicates next steps.

A structure that guides the reader’s thinking, A structure that guides the reader’s thinking, leading to logical conclusionsleading to logical conclusions

Beginning/ IntroductionBeginning/ Introduction What are the components? What are the components?

What is the purpose?What is the purpose?

Introduction EXAMPLEIntroduction EXAMPLE HOOK:HOOK:

BACK-BACK-GROUND GROUND INFO INFO (TRANSITION):(TRANSITION):

CONTROLLCONTROLLING IDEAING IDEA(THESIS)(THESIS)

Driving is like a box of chocolates; Driving is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to you never know what you’re going to get—or what might happen.get—or what might happen.

I first learned this valuable lesson at I first learned this valuable lesson at 16. When my mom and I left my 16. When my mom and I left my grandma’s house in Illinois, she grandma’s house in Illinois, she offered me the keys to her white offered me the keys to her white Mazda Miata convertible.Mazda Miata convertible.

As we started down the quiet As we started down the quiet highway, something I could never highway, something I could never have prepared for happened—a have prepared for happened—a locust flew into the car and up my locust flew into the car and up my shorts!shorts!

Middle/ BodyMiddle/ Body What are the components? What are the components?

What is the purpose?What is the purpose?

BodyBody EXAMPLE EXAMPLE TOPIC TOPIC

SENTENCESENTENCE

SPECIFIC SPECIFIC DETAILSDETAILS

DIALOGUEDIALOGUE

IMAGERYIMAGERY

FIGURATIVE FIGURATIVE LANG.LANG.

WORD WORD CHOICECHOICE

LEAD INTO LEAD INTO NEXT NEXT PARAGRAPHPARAGRAPH

Driving down the highway in the heat of Driving down the highway in the heat of summer, the music was blaring, and summer, the music was blaring, and mom was doing her usual hands straight mom was doing her usual hands straight out on the black dash with an overly out on the black dash with an overly dramatic look on her face. Just when I dramatic look on her face. Just when I was about to yell, “mom, stop worrying, was about to yell, “mom, stop worrying, everything is fine!” an enormous, fat everything is fine!” an enormous, fat locust flew into the car. It was dashing locust flew into the car. It was dashing right to left. Touching my face. Then, right to left. Touching my face. Then, my mom’s legs. We screamed. I tried to my mom’s legs. We screamed. I tried to swat it out, but it was no use. The car, swat it out, but it was no use. The car, however, responded to my hands however, responded to my hands moving back and forth: it screeched moving back and forth: it screeched from one lane to the next. All the from one lane to the next. All the sudden, the locust was no where to be sudden, the locust was no where to be found.found.

End/ ConclusionEnd/ Conclusion What are the components? What are the components?

What is the purpose?What is the purpose?

Conclusion EXAMPLEConclusion EXAMPLE RESTATE RESTATE

CONTROLLINCONTROLLING IDEAG IDEA

WHY WAS IT WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT?IMPORTANT?

WHAT I WHAT I LEARNED?LEARNED?

I still sometimes cannot believe a I still sometimes cannot believe a locust was rustling around under my locust was rustling around under my clothes while I was trying to operate clothes while I was trying to operate heavy machinery! My mom to this heavy machinery! My mom to this day thinks I am a reckless driver day thinks I am a reckless driver because of that one minute incident. because of that one minute incident. However, I have now learned that However, I have now learned that when I’m driving, I have to be on when I’m driving, I have to be on guard—ready for anything the open guard—ready for anything the open road throws my way.road throws my way.

Organization ActivityOrganization Activity With a partner, organize the sentences into a With a partner, organize the sentences into a

paragraph.paragraph. What words helped you figure out an order?What words helped you figure out an order? Did you arrange the paragraph in the same Did you arrange the paragraph in the same

order?order? If not, does the organization affect the If not, does the organization affect the

meaning?meaning? What conclusions can you make about the What conclusions can you make about the

organization of a paragraph?organization of a paragraph?