POW + TREEw/TRANS: LESSON # 1 Instructor:______________

Students:___________________________________________________

Date: ______________________________________________________

Purpose: Develop Background Knowledge, Discuss It

Objectives: Review POW; introduce opinion essays & TREE; **review partners and transfer

Materials needed: Mnemonic charts and essay examples (recess & country), TREE graphic organizers, "I transferred my strategies" chart, paper, pencils, scratch paper, student folders

_____I. Now we are going to start learning a new writing trick - one that helps you write a paper that tells the reader what you believe or what you think about something. This is called an opinion essay. Discuss both words to be sure this makes sense to them - what is an opinion, what is an essay.

_____II. Review POW. Put out the POW + TREE chart so that only POW shows.

A. **Remember: POW is a trick good writers often use, for many things they write.

B. Ask them to tell you what POW stands for, and remind them that POW gives them POWER when they write.

_____III. Discuss what makes a good opinion essay - they may not be at all familiar with this, so help and be sure to include:

A. A good opinion essay tells the reader what I believe, gives the reader at least three reasons why I believe it, and has an ending sentence. (You will be practicing this with them, so you just want to be sure they have the idea here).

B. Good opinion essays make sense and have several parts - we will learn a trick for remembering the parts of a good opinion essay.

_____IV. Introduce TREE- uncover the rest of the chart. "Lets look at what the parts of a good story are." Have students look at the chart. Go over each part of TREE, and how it relates to a living TREE.

_____V. Now we're going to read an opinion essay to find out if the writer used all of the parts - what I believe, at least three reasons why, and an ending sentence. (Leave out the TREE chart where students can see it.)

A. Lay out a TREE graphic organizer. Point out the TREE Reminder at the top, and review what it stands for.

B. Give each student a copy of the first opinion essay; ask students to read along silently while you read the essay out loud. Tell them to raise their hands when they hear what the writer believes, each reason why, and an ending sentence. Each time you find a reason why, discuss with the students what words the writer used to show that a reason is being given (recess= one reason, another reason, another good reason, a final reason; country = first, second, third). Also note how the writer gives the reason and then tells more about the reason (expands on the reason). It is ok to move around the chart out of order as you find the parts - they don't have to be found in order. Call on students as they raise their hands (all students should have a turn). As they identify each part, you write each in the appropriate space on the graphic organizer: do not use full sentences - do this in note form.

_____VI. Practice TREE reminder and what each letter means. Turn over chart and students' papers. Ask each student (skip around) to tell you the "opinion essay parts reminder", and what each letter stands for. Then, ask each student to write the reminder on scratch paper, and tell what each letter stands for. If students have trouble, turn chart back over and allow them to look. Keep doing this until all students can tell you the reminder and write it on paper from memory.

_____VII. Do second opinion essay. Leave out chart. As before, remind students to raise their hands when they hear a part. Be sure each part is identified. Do not write them out this time. Point to, or ask students to point to, where each part goes on the chart.

_____VIII. **Review how they will act as writing partners. Remind them that you want them to use POW and TREE in all of their other classes and outside of school where they can, and that they will act as partners to help each other do that.

A. **Goal 1 for next time: use all or parts of POW and/or TREE in other classes or for other writing tasks. Brainstorm together some classes or other writing tasks they could use both POW and TREE for, being sure to note that we should use POW with TREE whenever we use TREE. Ask them how TREE is different from the WWW strategy they learned first. Ask them if there might be times they could transfer one or both. Tell them that while they are learning TREE now, they should not forget the WWW trick, and should still tell you when they use it. Other ideas could be: letters to friends, reports on special topics, writing for a school newsletter, writing to a leader like the principal or the president; any writing where you wanted to tell someone your opinion or convince them you are right. Briefly note that for some tasks, all parts of the TREE trick might not be right to use - so what could we do? (Change TREE to fit the kind of paper we need to write; don't use all of TREE if it doesn't make sense).

B. **Tell them to report back to you on using all or any parts of POW/TREE/WWW next time (for example, students might report making notes for a writing task before they wrote, this would count). Review the "I transferred my strategies/ I helped my partner" chart and that you will write down and put a star next to each time they tell you about using all or any part of POW/TREE outside of this class. Briefly review the word "transfer"- transfer means to move (like I transferred schools means that I moved from one school to another). Emphasize that you want them to transfer what they learn about POW and TREE (and WWW!) from this class to other classes and other writing tasks.

C. Goal 2 for next time: help each other by reminding each other when you might transfer POW/TREE; report back on times you helped each other transfer by reminding your partner. Explain that you will write down and put a star next to each time they tell you about helping their partner transfer all or any part of POW/TREE (or WWW).

_____IX. Lesson Wrap Up

A. Announce test! (no grade!) next session. They will come and write out POW and TREE and tell what they mean from memory. Have each student take their scratch paper with POW and the TREE reminder on it with them.

B. **Remind them that they will fill in the transfer chart next time.

C. Have them put today's work and their charts in their folder and give the folder back to you - explain that you will bring the folder to every class.

SHOULD CHILDREN HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE FOR RECESS?

Everyone should have to go outside for recess (TOPIC SENTENCE - WHAT YOU BELIEVE). One reason why everyone should go outside is because children need to move their bodies (REASON). When kids are outside for recess, they are doing a lot of running, jumping, and climbing (EXPAND). Another reason for going outside is to get out of the classroom (REASON). It is hard to sit in one place all day. Kids need to get up and go outside (EXPAND). Another good reason for going outside is that you get to meet kids from different grades (REASON). They can teach you games that you don't know (EXPAND). A final reason for going outside is to play sports (REASON). The teacher won't let you play soccer or dodge ball inside (EXPAND). These are some of the reasons why I believe kids should go outside for recess (ENDING).

Is it better to live in the city or the country? (Country)

I think that it is better to live in the country than the city (TOPIC SENTENCE - WHAT YOU BELIEVE). First, country living is fun (REASON). You can play in the fields and woods. You can play and hide in the wheat and the corn. You can play hide-and-go-seek in the trees (EXPAND).

Second, when you live in the country you get to work with the animals (REASON). While working on the farm, you feed all the horses, cows, and chickens (EXPAND).

Third, you feel better when you live in the country (REASON). The city is dirty and noisy. The country has clean air and it is so quiet at night that you can hear the crickets and other bugs sing (EXPAND).

The country is where I would like to live. I am ready to move there now! Then I would have more fun, feel better, and get to be with the animals (ENDING).