How can using highlighters help to improve the quality of your ideas when writing?

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Highlighter Breakdown

• How can using highlighters help to improve the
  quality of your ideas when writing?

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Depth of Development the Key to Ideas
Your IDEAS are worth a 40 portion on your
writing test.
Controlling Idea
Main Ideas
Major Details
Specific Examples And Elaboration
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It is important to consider
Quantity and Quality
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If we only count the amount of sentences, we do
ourselves a great injustice. Lets consider the
following example
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Ideas Score Point 1
Considering quantity over quality

• Dear Mrs. T.,
• I think that students should not be required to
  clean up your school. Because some time students
  do not make the school mess and students should
  not be cleaning. Because some students do not
  mess up the school because not all of the
  students. Mess up the school and some students
  help clean up the school and some do not and.
  Some of the students that do not help clean up
  some time mees up. Some students from different
  school come and mess up the school and we should
  not be at school for cleaning up the school the
  students that mess up should clean up and the
  students that clean up should not clean up again.
  Because students should not clean up the school.
  But some time the students that mess up clean up
  because some of the student. That do not mess up
  talke to them and they here them and thay go and
  clean up the school. I think that some time the
  teacher mees up the school and the students
  should not clean up the school and some time.
  Teacher should clean up because this is ther
  school to and they should clean the school to and
  the students not have to clean up the school.

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When writing your body paragraphs, you should
include the following types of sentences
Main Idea Major Details Supporting Details and
Examples
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EXAMPLE Illegal Immigration Prompt

• Writing Situation
• This unit, we have discussed the positive and
  negative impact that illegal immigrants have on
  the United States. The President of the United
  States would like to hear from Osborne students
  about the issue of illegal immigration.
• Directions for Writing
• Write an letter to the President explaining the
  positive and negative impact that illegal
  immigrants have on the United States today.
  Include specific examples and details to support
  your statements .

General Topic
Context for the Topic
Writers task Format, purpose, audience

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Lets examine How The raters score The writing
test Based on the types of Ideas that we Write.
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Example of Depth of Developmentin Score Point 1
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States today.
Include specific examples and details to support
your statements .

• I think immigration is a good topic. Some
  people think immigrants raise our taxes. Others
  think they help our economy. Some crimes are
  committed by immigrants. Immigrants take some
  jobs Americans dont want. I like all
  immigrants. I hope they stay in the U.S.

Where are the specific examples and details?
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Example of Depth of Developmentin Score Point 2
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States today.
Include specific examples and details to support
your statements .

• We have been discussing illegal immigration
  as a class. There are positives and negatives to
  this topic.
• One positive is that immigrants help our
  economy. Many immigrants work jobs that
  Americans do not want. Many immigrants also work
  for less money than Americans. Finally,
  immigrants spend a lot of the money they earn in
  the U.S. These are all benefits.
• Some people feel that illegal immigrants create
  problems, though. For example, some immigrants
  are charged with crimes. Some U.S. citizens also
  feel that immigrants raise taxes for everyone.
  Nobody likes higher taxes.
• I dont know what we can do about this topic.
  It is very complicated. I hope the Congress and
  the President have some good ideas.

What is this paper missing?
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Example of Depth of Developmentin Score Point 3
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States today.
Include specific examples and details to support
your statements .

• The issue of illegal immigration is a tough
  one. We have been discussing many of positives
  and negatives as a class. Read on and you will
  see what Im talking about.
• One positive is that immigrants help our
  economy. Many immigrants work jobs that
  Americans do not want. This helps the people who
  own those companies. Many immigrants also work
  for less money than Americans, which also helps
  those companies. Finally, immigrants spend a lot
  of the money they earn in the U.S. This helps
  American businesses like restaurants,
  supermarkets, and landlords.
• Some people feel that illegal immigrants create
  problems, though. For example, some immigrants
  are charged with crimes. Some U.S. citizens also
  feel that immigrants raise taxes for everyone
  because they use healthcare and send their kids
  to schools. Neither of these services is free,
  and some of the expense is paid by American
  taxpayers.
• As you can see, immigration is not an easy
  topic to think about. I support immigration,
  though. Ive made a lot of friends from other
  countries, and I would hate to see them leave.
• The writer stays focused on the topic. There
  are some specific details, but there are several
  instances where the writer could expand the
  analysis (e.g., a more specific discussion of how
  immigrant workers help American enterprises).

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Example of Depth of Developmentin Score Point 4
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States today.
Include specific examples and details to support
your statements .

• In this nation a great majority of immigrants
  have this exhausting amount of pressure on their
  shoulders. When people have this terrible luck
  they would want someone to help them. This huge
  issue is one thing the government can change.
  The government should immediately allow illegal
  immigrants to stay in the United States if
  currently here!
• If people know or not, these immigrants raise
  the economy of both Latin America and USA. A
  horrific way of doing this is paying illegal
  immigrants less than they worked for. People may
  ask how this raises the economy of a factory.
  Well, if they can work for less the owner doesnt
  pay them as much as they pay an American worker
  so this means more money for the owner. Also,
  when immigrants come to the US to work they raise
  the employment standard witch allows the factory
  to expand. This brings the supply of the product
  up so they can sell it for less still making a
  profit.
• They raise countries like Mexicos economy too
  because most immigrants send money to their
  humble hometown. So people there spend more. My
  father owns a business and the people that work
  there are all illegal immigrants. They work so
  hard and when they get that paycheck the first
  thinhg they do is divide the money then send it
  back home. That means that spending increases in
  the immigrants home county. Increased spending
  helps that economy.
• I strongly believe that immigrants currently at
  the United States of America should be able to
  remain here. These people have endured a lot to
  get here, so our government should do everything
  in our power to help them.

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Example of Depth of Developmentin Score Point 5
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States today.
Include specific examples and details to support
your statements .

• Imagine youre an illegal immigrant sending
  money home to your wife and kids. Without you
  they would die of hunger. And the next day you
  get deported! What are you going to do now? In
  this nation a great majority of people have this
  exhausting amount of pressure on their shoulders.
  When people have this terrible luck they would
  want someone to help them. It is clear that
  immigrants strengthen the U.S. economy while
  helping their own as well. Therefore, our
  government should allow illegal immigrants to
  stay in the United States!
• If people know or not, these immigrants raise
  the economy of the USA. A horrific way of doing
  this is paying ellegal immigrants less than they
  worked for. People may ask how this raises the
  economy of a factory. Well, if they can work for
  less the owner doesnt pay them as much as they
  pay an American worker so this means more money
  for the owner. Also, when immigrants come to the
  US to work they raise the employment standard
  which allows the factory to expand. This brings
  the supply of the product up so they can sell it
  for less still making a profit.
• They raise countries like Mexicos economy too
  because most immigrants send money to their
  humble hometown. So people there spend more. My
  father owns a business and the people that work
  there are all illegal immigrants. They work so
  hard and when they get that paycheck the first
  thing they do is divide the money then send it
  back home. That means more money is being spent
  in the immigrants hometown. This increased
  spending helps that economy.
• Some people feel that illegal immigrants create
  problems, though. For example, I read that
  illegal immigrants were charged with 2 of all
  murders committed in Georgia in 2007 and 3 of
  all drunk-driving incidents. These percentages
  do not seem high, but the rates would be lower if
  immigrants did not live in Georgia. Some U.S.
  citizens also feel that immigrants raise taxes
  for everyone because they use healthcare and send
  their kids to schools. Neither of these services
  is free. Who pays the bill? Is it Americans who
  are taxed?
• Im not sure if all of the negatives I hear
  about immigrants are true. If they are, they are
  hard to ignore. It is also hard to ignore the
  positives. My best friend is from Guatemala, and
  she has lived here for three years. Her family
  works hard, and she works hard in school. They
  came here for a better life. Didnt everyone
  come to America for a better life? Lets welcome
  immigrants.

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Using highlighters can help us to identify rather
or not we are using specific details to develop
our ideas within our writing.
Main Idea Major Details Supporting Details and
Examples
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Lets try using the Highlighter Breakdown
Technique
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Highlighter Breakdown
Step One Main Ideas Go through the writing
sample and mark the topic sentence of each
paragraph with a BLUE highlighter. Step Two
Major Details Go back through the writing sample
and highlight in RED or PINK the sentences that
are used to elaborate or develop topic
sentence. Step Three Supporting Details Now
highlight in GREEN the sentences that provide
specific examples, anecdotes, facts, and
statistics to fully develop the major details.
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Highlighter Breakdown In Action
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States
today. Include specific examples and details to
support your statements.
Topic
Sample Body Paragraph Immigrants dont only
help the American economy. They also help the
economies of their home counties. They do this
by sending home a lot of the money they make, so
people there spend more. My father owns a
business and the people that work there are all
mostly immigrants. They work so hard, and my dad
tells me that when they get that paycheck the
first thing they do is divide the money, then
send it back home. Their families need the money
for food and other life necessities. Spending
the money in their country helps businesses in
that country, which means that economy improves.
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Lets review our responses
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Example of Depth of Development
Write an letter to the President explaining the
positive and negative impact that illegal
immigrants have on the United States today.
Include specific examples and details to support
your statements..
Topic
Main Idea Major Details Supporting Details
and Examples
Sample Body Paragraph Immigrants dont only
help the American economy. They also help the
economies of their home counties. They do this
by sending home a lot of the money they make, so
people there spend more. My father owns a
business and the people that work there are all
mostly immigrants. They work so hard, and my dad
tells me that when they get that paycheck the
first thing they do is divide the money, then
send it back home. Their families need the money
for food and other life necessities. Spending
the money in their country helps businesses in
that country, which means that economy improves.
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Lets try using the Highlighter Breakdown
Technique, again
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Example Writing Topic for our Practice Paragraph
Writing Situation In some countries, students
are responsible for the basic cleaning of their
school buildings. Fifteen minutes is set aside
each day for all students to sweep, dust, and
clean their classrooms and hallways. Think about
how you would feel if students were responsible
for cleaning your school. Directions for
Writing Write a letter to your teacher in which
you convince the teacher that students should or
should not be required to clean your school.
Defend your position with specific reasons and
detailed examples.
General Topic
Context for the Topic
Format, purpose, audience, task

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Highlighter Breakdown In Action
Controlling Idea
Students should not clean the school.
Include specific examples and details to
support your statements.
Topic
Sample Body Paragraph
For one thing students are in the classroom all
morning and afternoon working hard. All of our
class are so demanding. History and Science
classes, which take us back in time, drag on and
on until we start to think man, now I know what
a glacier feels like! Oh, now dont forget
English and reading because in there we learn a
copious supply of grammar and literature, and you
can never go wrong with that. These are prime
examples of how hard we really work then our
reward is cleaning the school?
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Lets review our responses
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Example of Depth of Development
Controlling Idea
Students should not clean the school.

• Sample Body Paragraph
• For one thing students are in the classroom all
  morning and afternoon working hard. All of our
  class are so demanding. History and Science
  classes, which take us back in time, drag on and
  on until we start to think man, now I know what
  a glacier feels like! Oh, now dont forget
  English and reading because in there we learn a
  copious supply of grammar and literature, and you
  can never go wrong with that. These are prime
  examples of how hard we really work then our
  reward is cleaning the school?

Main Idea Major Detail Specific Details and
Examples
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Now that we have practiced identifying main
ideas, major details and specific details and
examples, lets examine the thinking process
involved with adding specific details to writing.
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IDEAS exercise
Main Idea/Major Detail Its tough to do
your best when you have to worry about cleaning
toilets. We have more important things to do.

Ask yourself What kinds of important things do
you have to do?
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IDEAS exercise
Main Idea/Major Detail Its tough to do
your best when you have to worry about cleaning
toilets. We have more important things to do.

Ask yourself What kinds of important things do
you have to do?
What questions can you ask yourself to get more
specific regarding each of these major details?
Possible Examples

• Major Details
• There is a lot of work to do in Science.
• Spanish takes a lot of time and practice.
• Did I mention after-school activities?

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IDEAS exercise
Main Idea/Major Detail Its tough to do
your best when you have to worry about cleaning
toilets. We have more important things to do.

Ask yourself What kinds of important things do
you have to do?
Possible Examples

• Major Details
• There is a lot of work to do in Science.
• Spanish takes a lot of time and practice.
• Did I mention after-school activities?

What types of Science work?
What types Spanish practice? How much time?
What types of after-school activities?
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IDEAS exercise
Main Idea/Major Detail Its tough to do
your best when you have to worry about cleaning
toilets. We have more important things to do.

Ask yourself What kinds of important things do
you have to do?
?s to Ask Yourself to increase IDEA development
Possible Specific Details Examples
Possible Major Details Examples
We have to get our projects ready for the Science
fair next month?
What types of Science work?
There is a lot of work to do in Science.
What types Spanish practice? How much time?
Spanish takes a lot of time and practice.
Each week we have 25 verbs to learn in Spanish.
What of afterschool activities?
Did I mention after-school activities?
???????
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Ideas Score Point 3
What questions could you ask yourself to get more
specific details for this paragraph?
How specifically was the hate shown? How
specifically were they killed?
What types of programs?
How did Zionism led to the conflicts?

• There are many historical events that led to the
  conflict between Israel and Palestine. For
  example, there were programs. Jews were hated
  and killed. This happened all over Europe.
  Second, there is Zionism. Jews wanted a home of
  their own. So, they asked Britain for the land,
  the Palestines did not like this. They went to
  war over it., War between Israel and Palestine
  continues today.

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Sample Expository Prompt

• Sample Expository Writing Topic
• Writing Situation
• Your class has been given the opportunity to
  design a brand new television show for children.
  It could be a news show, a talk show, a game
  show, a cartoon, or any kind of show you want for
  children.
• Directions for Writing
• Write a report to be read to your class in which
  you explain your idea for the new childrens
  television show. Be sure to include specific
  details so that your classmates will understand
  what the new show will be like.

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Adding IDEAs In Action
Expository Writing Topic Writing Situation Your
class has been given the opportunity to design a
brand new television show for children. It could
be a news show, a talk show, a game show, a
cartoon, or any kind of show you want for
children. Directions for Writing Write a report
to be read to your class in which you explain
your idea for the new childrens television show.
Be sure to include specific details so that your
classmates will understand what the new show will
be like.

The obvious choice would be a television show
about how to make studying fun and easy.
Controlling Idea

• Sample Body Paragraph
• The tv show could give kids creative ways to
  make an A. I know a lot of kids would like to do
  better in school. But kids also want to have
  fun. __________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  ___________________________.

Directions Read the incomplete paragraph. Add
specific details and examples that elaborate the
main idea and major details already presented.
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Example of Depth of Developmentin a Paragraph
The obvious choice would be a television show
about how to make studying fun and easy.
Controlling Idea
Main Idea Major Details Specific Details
and Examples

• Sample Body Paragraph
• The tv show could give kids creative ways to
  make an A. I know a lot of kids would like to do
  better in school. But kids also want to have
  fun. One fun way to memorize facts is to make
  up a song or rap. I once made up a rap to help
  me remember the 50 states. The tv program would
  show kids how to make a good beat and add words.
  It would have special guests, like the Outkast,
  to help. We would have fun and do a great job in
  school all at the same time.

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Sample Persuasive Prompt

• Sample Expository Writing Topic
• Writing Situation
• The school principal is considering adding a
  fast food restaurant to the cafeteria line. Write
  a letter to him stating your opinion as to why or
  why not this is a good idea for school lunches.
• In your request, you may want to specify the
  type of fast food restaurant that would be most
  successful and why you feel that way.
• Directions for Writing
• Write a letter to your principal explaining your
  opinion concerning fast food restaurants in the
  cafeteria line. Be sure to state your opinion and
  include convincing reasons and details to support
  your choice.

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Adding IDEAs In Action
Persuasive Writing Topic Writing Situation The
school principal is considering adding a fast
food restaurant to the cafeteria line. Write a
letter to him stating your opinion as to why or
why not this is a good idea for school lunches.
In your request, you may want to specify the
type of fast food restaurant that would be most
successful and why you feel that way.
Directions for Writing Write a letter to your
principal explaining your opinion concerning fast
food restaurants in the cafeteria line. Be sure
to state your opinion and include convincing
reasons and details to support your choice.

Adding fast food restaurants to the cafeteria
line would be great for the school.
Controlling Idea

• Sample Body Paragraph
• Adding fast food restaurants to the cafeteria
  would be beneficial. I know that some are
  concerned about fast food being unhealthy
  however, in recent years, several fast food
  restaurants have begun to add a healthier side to
  their menu. ____________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  __________________________________________________
  ____________________

Directions Read the incomplete paragraph. Add
specific details and examples that elaborate the
main idea and major details already presented.
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Example of Depth of Developmentin a Paragraph
Adding fast food restaurants would be great for
the school .
Controlling Idea
Main Idea Major Details Specific Details and
Examples Restating Major Detail

• Sample Body Paragraph
• Adding fast food restaurants to the cafeteria
  would be beneficial. I know that some are
  concerned about fast food being unhealthy
  however, in recent years, several fast food
  restaurants have begun to add a healthier side to
  their menu. Just the other day, my family and I
  went to Wendys. My younger brother had the
  option to order fruit instead of fries. And, we
  cant forget the plethora of Subway
  advertisements about Jerry who lost over a
  hundred pounds just by eating Subway. These are
  just a few examples to illustrate that concerns
  about fast food restaurants being unhealthy are
  no longer valid.

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We have discussed the NEED to add SPECIFIC
details and examples to each of our paragraphs on
the writing test. But, the writing test requires
that we write more than one paragraph,
So.
How should we go about organizing our entire
essays BEFORE we begin to write?
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Major Detail
Controlling Idea
Specific Detail/Example
Specific Detail/Example
Main Idea
Major Detail
Specific Detail/Example
Specific Detail/Example
Specific Detail/Example
Major Detail
3 Body Paragraph Organizer
Specific Detail/Example
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Introduction Techniques
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Conclusion Techniques