blank outline

Name(s): _______________________________________ School: _________ Section: _________
I. H. S. Writing Guide: Expository Writing Outline: _________ Persuasive Writing Outline: ___________

TOPIC:_________________________________________________________________________
I. Introduction
A. Attention getter and short background: ______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

B. Thesis _____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

II. Transition and TOPIC SENTENCE A: First supporting argument, illustration or piece of evidence in support of your thesis

Supporting details: Provide specifics about the paragraph A topic. (include a cited passage)
1.
2.

3.

4.

III. Transition and TOPIC SENTENCE B: Second supporting argument, illustration or piece of evidence in support of your thesis


Supporting details: Provide specifics about the paragraph B topic. (include a cited passage)
1.

2.
3.

4.


IV. Transition and TOPIC SENTENCE C: Third supporting argument, illustration or piece of evidence in support of your thesis


Supporting details: Provide specifics about the paragraph C topic. (include a cited passage)
1.
2.


3.
4.

V. Conclusion: Write a thoughtful, original, creative summary, rewording, or review of your thesis. Be careful to avoid introducing any new ideas as this is a restatement of what you have already proven!
A. Transition and echo of thesis____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

B. Remind reader of three main points______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

C. End interestingly with an application for your reader_________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

VI. TITLE: The last thing you need to do is create a title. An example of a title for an expository essay:
Love and Loyalty on the Homefront: A Comparison of Penelope in The Odyssey
and Penny in O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?
Or, if you are writing a persuasive essay:
The Romans: Why Military Expansion Led to Their Downfall
Your Title
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The focus of this paper may be on one or more of the following writing conventions,

_____ Introduction (writing "hooks" as part of the introduction)
_____ Writing conclusions (do new ideas ever fit here?)
_____ Thesis development (the key to any writing)
_____ Citations (the when, where, and how of citing in MLA style)
_____ Integrating quotes (provide clear signal phrases that include author’s name)
_____ How to paraphrase (retelling information in roughly the same number of words)
_____ Voice: writing for the proper audience (writing “voice” changes based on your audience)
_____ Writing effective titles (sets the tone. Your reader’s first impression is formed)
_____ Rewriting and editing (the importance of proof-reading and fixing mistakes)
_____ Conventions: Grammar and syntax (the key to your paper making sense)

Homeric Similes

Name:
Date:
Fun With Homeric Similes

Homeric (or epic) simile: an extended comparison, usually of a person to an inanimate object or animal.

Assignment: Using the list below, create 2 of your own Homeric similes. For each one, choose one person from List A and one object/animal from List B to compare the person to. Remember to make your comparison long and detailed!

Here’s a helpful formula (but you can do it differently if you’d prefer):
1. Start with “As” or “Like”
2. Describe the way the object or animal would look/act, set off with commas
3. Say “so too,” then describe the way the person would look/act in a similar way

Examples:

As a flag flaps in the breeze, clumsily twisting and flopping without rhyme or reason, so too Mr. Kostechka attempted to dance the tango, making a total idiot of himself.

Like a bunch of dirty pigeons, scratching mindlessly in the dirt for anything they can find, my IHS teachers try to peck out the insides of my soul with their talk of symbolism, butcher paper, and “creative projects.”

List A (People) List B (objects/animals)
Paris Hilton smelly sock
Johnny Depp hamsters
George W. Bush pancakes
Mr. Kostechka monkey
Bill Clinton tiger
IHS teachers (or students) pigeons
Boys unicorns
Girls ice cream
Homer knife
Madonna roller skate
Ryan Seacrest Play Doh

Your Similes:

1. ___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2.. ___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Odyssey Character Chart

Characters in The Odyssey (The formatting is all weird on this so pick up an extra copy in class. You can use this for a list of characters to find out about on-line)

Alcinous Circe (witch) Calypso
Odysseus Polyphemus Zeus
Agamemnon Sirens Apollo
Laertes Scylla Poseidon
Perimedes Charybdis Athena
Eurylochus Crocus
Tiresias Persephone
Telemachus Lampetia
Eumaeus Hermes
Antinous
Eurynome
Penelope
Eurymachus
Amphinomous
Menalaus and Helen

Character Invite- Poseidon

Name:________________________
TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

You are invited to a toga party next class. We will provide some finger food, but you will be the life of the party. Sharpen you acting skills and find a fitting costume (a simple toga/ bed sheet will do for the unimaginative). You must transform into a character from The Odyssey. Feel free to bring Greek snacks (dolmas, pita chips, tzatziki, falafel, etc) and beverages to class.

Specific Instructions

1. Know your info
You are to become the character described below. Please know the information about yourself- get into character enough- so that you can mingle with the other characters and share the valuable information. Note: your classmates are depending on you, and only you, for information about this character. You will not be able to read/refer to the information once the toga party begins.

Poseidon
You are Zeus’s brother. You are god of the sea and the earth. You are moody. Your temper can be as violent as the seas you rule. When you shake your trident, leaping waves flood the land. Your nickname is “Earth Shaker” because you are believed to cause earthquakes. You hate your brother Zeus and are annoyed with the mortal Odysseus whom other gods seem to favor.

2. Name tag
Please make a name tag that you will wear during the party and turn in afterward. The tag must include your character’s name written clearly and must have a symbol or drawing that represents the character. Bonus points will be awarded if the tag is exceptionally well done.

3. Brief Prediction

As your character, answer the following question on the back of your name tag in a sentence or two-MAX!

Q: What are some roadblocks you can put in Odysseus’s path that will not kill him but frustrate your brother Zeus and his daughter Athena who both seem to like him?

Character Invite-Telemachus

Name:________________________
TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

You are invited to a toga party next class. We will provide some finger food, but you will be the life of the party. Sharpen you acting skills and find a fitting costume (a simple toga/ bed sheet will do for the unimaginative). You must transform into a character from The Odyssey. Feel free to bring Greek snacks (dolmas, pita chips, tzatziki, falafel, etc) and beverages to class.

Specific Instructions

1. Know your info
You are to become the character described below. Please know the information about yourself- get into character enough- so that you can mingle with the other characters and share the valuable information. Note: your classmates are depending on you, and only you, for information about this character. You will not be able to read/refer to the information once the toga party begins.


Telemachus
You are Odysseus’s son and a prince. As an infant, you were placed in front of your father’s plow as a test of your father’s pretended madness (he was afking to get out of going to war). He did not plow over you and that was how they knew he was not mad. You haven’t seen your father since you were an infant and want him to come home. You have spent a great deal of time searching for him to no avail. You live with your mother who has been inundated with suitors who are hanging around the house to marry her since they believe she is a widow. These suitors are spending all of your inheritance on parties and food.

2. Name tag
Please make a name tag that you will wear during the party and turn in afterward. The tag must include your character’s name written clearly and must have a symbol or drawing that represents the character. Bonus points will be awarded if the tag is exceptionally well done.

3. Brief Prediction

As your character, answer the following question on the back of your name tag in a sentence or two-MAX!

Q: You discover your father is alive, what will you do to get rid of the suitors that are hanging around your mother’s house?

Character Invite- Penelope

Name:________________________
TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

You are invited to a toga party next class. We will provide some finger food, but you will be the life of the party. Sharpen you acting skills and find a fitting costume (a simple toga/ bed sheet will do for the unimaginative). You must transform into a character from The Odyssey. Feel free to bring Greek snacks (dolmas, pita chips, tzatziki, falafel, etc) and beverages to class.

Specific Instructions

1. Know your info
You are to become the character described below. Please know the information about yourself- get into character enough- so that you can mingle with the other characters and share the valuable information. Note: your classmates are depending on you, and only you, for information about this character. You will not be able to read/refer to the information once the toga party begins.

Penelope
You are Odysseus’s faithful wife. Since Odysseus has been gone you are considered a wealthy and desirable widow. You have many suitors who hang out at your house and are sucking away your money because, as a widow with suitors, you are obliged to entertain them. This is costly and cutting into your son, Telemachus’s inheritance. Although you have many suitors, you hold them off by claiming you have sewing to do for your father-in-law. You are faithfully awaiting the return of your love, Odysseus. The only character in the house as faithful as you is Argos, Odysseus’s old dog.


2. Name tag
Please make a name tag that you will wear during the party and turn in afterward. The tag must include your character’s name written clearly and must have a symbol or drawing that represents the character. Bonus points will be awarded if the tag is exceptionally well done.

3. Brief Prediction

As your character, answer the following question on the back of your name tag in a sentence or two-MAX!

Q: You find out Odysseus is still alive, what do you do to explain why you have so many strange men (suitors) hanging out at your house?

Peer editing sheets

SHORT STORY PEER REVISION
Name of author:________________________Title of Story:_____________________
Name of editor:_________________________
Plot with Conflict (ideas and content, organization)

1. Rewrite the first sentence here:____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Does the first sentence make the reader want to read on? What technique do they use for an effective beginning?



How might this be improved?


Provide an example of a rewritten beginning (at least two sentences).


________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________

2. Is the rest of the paragraph equally as gripping? Did it start in the “middle of things”? If yes, what was done exceptionally well? If not, what can be done to improve it?




3. List the external conflict(s) in the story.



Are there too many external conflicts for a three-page story? Is it too complex to slow down the action and fit the three-page limit? Explain.



Does the conflict involve a power struggle of some sort? Explain this struggle.

4. List the internal conflicts of the story.






5. Are there any internal or external conflicts the writer could add or elaborate on to increase suspense? Give at least one suggestion to raise the stakes.



6. Quote two passages that set up the conflict in the story.
________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


7. Are the conflict and plot (what happens) realistic? Do you believe it could happen?

Is it an original idea or is it too familiar?

What could be changed to make it more realistic or original?




8. What is the climax of the story (the most exciting part or turning point) of the story)?


How does the author slow it down? (provide specific examples of at least 2 techniques they use to slow this down).




9. What did the author do really well with the climax?




How could the climax be improved?



10. Should the story be cut? Mark any unnecessary or redundant information.




11. Is there a section of writing that does not relate to our conflict or climax?



Does it need more information? Where?





SHORT STORY PEER REVISION
Name of author:________________________Title of Story:_____________________
Name of editor:_________________________
CHARACTERS (ideas and content/ word choice/ voice)

1. Who is the main character of the story? Is the character realistic? Did the author go beyond stereotyping?

Describe this character in a short paragraph.








2. How do you know these details about the character? Did the writer avoid telling/ explaining the character? If not, point out places where the “telling” occurs.

How does the writer show (not simply tell) the character to the reader (through actions, dialogue, setting, interactions, etc.)?

Give two details from the story where the writer shows something about the character.






3. What are some sensory details the author could add to show more about the main character?




4. What is the character’s external conflict (or conflicts)?





5. What are the character’s internal conflicts?

6. Should anything be added to the character’s internal conflicts that fit the character’s personality? What would you suggest?

7. Does the main character speak? Do other characters speak? Where could dialogue be added to give characters a voice?



SETTING (ideas and content/ word choice/ voice)

1. Is there a sense of setting at the start of the story (within the first two paragraphs)? Quote two sentences that show the reader where the story takes place.





2. Did the writer avoid telling (explaining) the setting? If not, point out places where the telling occurs. If they showed the setting, write down examples of how they did this here.






3. Should there be more concrete details about the setting? Are sensory words used (sight, taste, smell, sound, touch)? Give an example for each of the senses where the writer explored these. Then, after the example, provide another way they could have described the setting.
Author’s example Editor’s example
SIGHT:


TASTE:


SMELL:


SOUND:


TOUCH:


4. Does the author create an emotional landscape? What emotion is being carried throughout the story? How does the author do this? If they are not doing this, what can they add or change to create this?






SHORT STORY PEER REVISION
Name of author:________________________Title of Story:_____________________
Name of editor:_________________________
SYNTAX (conventions, sentence fluency, and voice)


1. Are the sentences interesting? What makes them interesting? Provide a specific example in this space and explain why it’s interesting. Mark specific instances where you think the author has done a good job or needs to improve on their paper.



Give an example and mark specific instances where you think the author needs to improve.



2. Are there a variety of sentence lengths (short and long)?


3. Do the paragraphs flow and fit together? Are paragraphs indented?


4. Does the author indent each new speaker when using dialog?



5. Are there complete sentences? Mark where the author needs to improve and give suggestions.



6. Is the spelling, punctuation, and capitalization correct? Mark directly on their draft where changes need to be made.




7. Is the story written in the same tense (past, present) or does it switch?


8. What is the author’s voice (serious, funny casual, etc)?


Is it consistent throughout the story? If not, explain where it changes.

Self edit sheet for power story

Self Edit Sheet Name:

1. Is your story centered around one short event or moment? Yes/No


What is the event?


How do you foreshadow this event in your introduction?


2. What is your central conflict? Did you remember to include an internal conflict? (Explain)



3. Explain how you have structured your story to move toward a climax and resolution (create a narrative chart for your story).



Exposition-----------Conflict-------------------Climax-------------------Resolution







4. Is your climax related to your central conflict? (Yes/ No) How does it relate or how will you fix it?



5. What introduction strategy do you use (Description, dialogue, middle of action, etc)? Is it gripping?




6. What does your exposition establish (What do I know 3/4 of a page into your story)?




7. Write one good description in your story and circle it in your rough draft?
8. Write one description that needs work and underline it in your rough draft. Workshop it here.

A. Original description from your story:


B. Less conventional description:


C. Another less conventional description:



9. List three details you show about your main character in the first page of your story. Write the description and then say what it shows the reader.
A.

B.

C.

10. Write a sentence here from your story that shows the mood and/or setting of your story.


Is it specific? Yes/ No

Is it cliché? Yes/ No

What can be done to give it more depth?