Transcript Slide 1

Scout the Dig Site
(Choose a topic.)
• Scout for ideas.
• The first step in the writing process is
choosing a topic.
(Your teacher may assign a topic, or you may choose one.)
When considering a topic, answer these questions:
•Who is my audience?
•What is my purpose for writing?
-To inform or explain
-To entertain
-To persuade
Gather the Tools
(Prewrite for ideas.)
• Gather the tools for the dig.
• Before you write, design a plan.
–Make a list or brainstorm
–Design a story map
–Look at a picture
–Draw a picture
–Create a graphic organizer
Dig for Raw Materials
(Write your paper.)
• Dig for raw materials and collect
everything.
• Put as much as you can into the first
draft.
–Write all ideas as they occur to you. Organize later.
–Remember this is a work in progress.
You will sift, cut & polish.
–Don’t cut ideas at this stage since
you never know what gems may
be in your writing.
Sift the Dirt
(Revise your writing.)
• Sift through your material to find the best
stones.
• After you write, revise what you’ve written
by adding some ideas and taking others
out.
–Think about what your reader has to know in
order to understand your ideas.
–Consider your word choice.
–Use action verbs, descriptive language,
and effective transitions.
–Don’t fall in love with your first draft!!
Cut & Polish
(Edit your writing.)
• Polish your stones to find the real gems
and cut them to size.
• Edit your writing to create a clear
concise, commanding final product.
–Check your punctuation.
–Correct any grammatical errors,
sentence fragments, or run-ons.
–Create a variety of sentence
types and patterns.
Display & Sell
(Publish your work.)
• Display your brilliant final product
by sharing it with others.
• Be confident in sharing your
written product knowing that
your writing sparkles
because it is your
best work.
Ready, Set, DIG!
• Now you are ready to follow the steps!
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Scout the Dig Site
Gather the Tools
Dig for Raw Materials
Sift the Dirt
Cut & Polish
Display & Sell
• Click on the picture to get started.