Transcript Four Square Writing Method - Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle

Four Square Writing Method
Introduction - lesson 1
When we
teach math
give you formulas
teach science we give you a scientific method
teach reading
give you decoding skills
4 Square Method is a way to learn to write. (for any
grade or any subject)
 4 Square Method can be used for all types of writing:




Narrative
Descriptive
Expository
Persuasive
 We will use a Graphic Organizer (picture diagram) to
plan and organize our prewriting and drafting.
This method will guarantee that you
can write with confidence.
4 Square - lesson 2
 From reading you know about Main Ideas and details.
(also used in writing)
 In this lesson we’ll learn about Broad Ideas and
“Topics.”
Examples
Definitions
Subtopics
Examples:
United States
Family
Vehicles
Delaware
Florida
Maine
sister
aunt
cousin
motorcycles
semis
sport-utility vehicle
Four Square - lesson 3
Let us look at how understanding topic and subtopic can
move us toward writing. Here is a four square format.
2.
3.
Detail
Detail
(2.,3.,4.) are examples, details,
or definitions of (1.) subtopics
1. Claim
4.
Detail
5.
Sum.
Sent.
(5.) wrap-up sentence includes
All the ideas from the 4 square
in a series sentence
Example:
2.
3.
Pretzels
Popcorn
1. Snacks
4.
Peanuts
5.
Pretzels, popcorn,
and peanuts are
snacks.
Four Square - lesson 4
Now we’ll change from a word phrase in the
center box to a complete sentence.
Now boxes 2,3,and 4 will contain reasons,
examples, and explanations that prove box 1
(center box) is true.
2.
3.
Easy to Cook
Fun to eat
1. My favorite meal is spaghetti
and meatballs.
4.
Delicious
5.
My favorite meal is
spaghetti and meatballs
because it’s easy to
cook, fun to eat, and
delicious.
Conjunction
since, because,
due to
good to use in
summary
sentences
Add more details...
2. It’s easy to cook
3. It’s fun to eat
- roll up meat
- twirl on fork
- throw in pot
- slurp it
- pour store bought sauce
- splatter the sauce
1. My favorite meal is spaghetti
and meatballs.
4. It’s delicious
- tomatoes
- Italian spices
- filling meat
5.
My favorite meal is
spaghetti and
meatballs because it’s
easy to make, fun to
eat, and delicious.
Add Transition Words (connectors) and
Adjectives/Adverbs (vivids)...
 “Transition words” (First, Second, Next, Then, Last,
Finally, Also, In addition to) help bridge the gap between
ideas. They provide smooth reading when changing
paragraphs.
 Adding “vivid words helps you develop style in your
writing.
 You will be adding
 What you (the writer) see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.
 The emotional state of you (the writer)
Formula:
Four
Four square
+ Details
3 + Connectors
C + Vivids
V
Example:
First
2.
It’s easy.
• roll up meat
golf balls
• throw in pot
huge cauldron size
• pour on store-bought sauce
Mama someone or other
Third
Also
It’s fun to eat. 3.
• twirl on fork
looks like a twister
• slurp it
loud smacking noises
• splatter the sauce
like an explosion
1. My favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs.
It’s delicious.
4.
• tomatoes
red and tangy
• Italian spices
zippy garlic
• filling meat
like a hamburger
So you can see
5.
My favorite meal is
spaghetti and meatballs
because it’s easy to make,
fun to eat, and delicious.
Improving ( Expanding) Introduction Paragraph
 Introduction paragraph
 gives reader an overview
 sets the tone (what to expect)
 first impression (will the reader want to read on)
 Now we will include
 1st - topic sentence
 My favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs
 2nd - wrap-up sentence
 It’s my favorite because it’s easy to eat to make, fun to eat, and
delicious.
 3rd - personal narrative
 I could eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner every night.
Improving (Expanding) The Final Paragraph
 The last step is expanding the final paragraph
 final chance to bring message to reader.
 Summary
 final emphasis of main ideas
 Now we will include
 1st - Wrap-up sentence with connecting word
 So you can see, my favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs because
it’s easy to make, fun to eat, and delicious
 2nd - Personal narrative sentence(s) (question or exclamation)
Make it perky!
 I think my mom is making some tonight. Would you like to come over
for dinner?
Sample Essay:
My favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs. It’s my favorite because it’s
easy to make fun to eat, and delicious. I could eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner
every night.
First, my favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs because it’s easy. You
simply roll up the meat into golf ball-sized pieces, then throw them in the pot. I use
a huge cauldron-sized pot. Pour on the store-bought sauce. My favorite brand is
Mama someone or other.
Also, my favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs because it’s fun to eat. I
like to twirl it on my fork. It looks just like a twister. It’s fun to slurp because it
makes a loud smacking noise. I always splatter the sauce. When I’m done, it looks
like an explosion.
Third, my favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs because it’s delicious. I
like the tangy taste of red tomatoes. The Italian spices are great, especially the zippy
garlic. The meat is very filling, like a hamburger.
So you can see, my favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs because it’s
easy to make, fun to eat and delicious. I think my mom is making some tonight.
Would you like to come over for dinner?
You try a different example...
2. Ivy vine winding
3. Wolf with bared
around the trunk of a
tree.
fangs growling at him.
-symbiosis/commensalism
-parasitic?
-
-predator/prey
-
1. In this story, Joshua observes many
relationships while walking down a road.
4.Yellow flowers taking
over the purple flowers.
-competition
-dominant species
5.
In his short walk Joshua
observed may relationships
such as commensalism,
predation, and competition.
-
Check:
1) factual reasons (not opinions)
2) No repetition of details
3) Details are logical expansions of the reasons.
4) Wrap up sentence includes all 3 subtopics.
In this story, Joshua observes many relationships while
walking down a road. For example, he saw ivy vine winding
around the trunk of a tree. This could be commensalism because
the ivy is getting support and the tree is really not being harmed,
but in the future if the tree starts to look dead then we know that the
ivy is harmful to the tree and the relationship really is parasitic
where the ivy is choking the life out of the tree. Another example
of a relationship he observed is when he encountered the wolf.
The wolf was a predator. He could easily have hurt Joshua
though Joshua got lucky and got out of the way. By far the most
interesting relationship he saw was the competition between
yellow and purple flowers. From Joshua’s observation we could
conclude that the yellow flowers are the dominant species and
eventually will overtake the purple flowers in that environment. It is
amazing how many relationship Joshua was able to observe in
his short walk.
 Joshua’s simple walk down a road is filled with observation
that an ecologist may find informative. During his stroll,
Joshua observes many relationships in nature that are
necessary part of an ecosystem. For example, he saw ivy
vine winding around the trunk of a tree. This could be
commensalism because the ivy is getting support and the tree is
really not being harmed, but in the future if the tree starts to look
dead then we know that the ivy is harmful to the tree and the
relationship really is parasitic where the ivy is choking the life out
of the tree. Another example of a relationship he observed is
when he encountered the wolf. The wolf was a predator. He
could easily have hurt Joshua though Joshua got lucky and got
out of the way. By far the most interesting relationship he
saw would be the competition between yellow and purple
flower. From Joshua’s observation I would have to conclude
that the yellow flowers are the dominant species and eventually
overtake the purple flowers in that environment. It is amazing
how many relationship Joshua was able to observe in his
short walk.
Yellowstone National Park Ecosystem
 Suppose that gray wolves are eliminated from
Yellowstone National Park. Predict how the change in
the wolf population would initially affect one of the
consumers in your food web. Use evidence to justify
your prediction
Food Web


 Elk
Coyotes
Gray Wolves
Foxes
Hawks
Deer
Rabbits
Grasses
Mice
You try a different example. Fill in the missing information then write your essay
2.
Foxes
3.
Deer
(Provide Details,
examples, definitions,
etc in each of the
yellow boxes)
1.
4.
If the gray wolves were eliminated from the
Yellowstone Park Food Web, then (state your
claim)
Rabbits
5.
The evidence provided
proves that if the gray
wolves were eliminated
from the Yellowstone Park
Food Web, then (restate
claim).
Check:
1) factual reasons (not opinions)
2) No repetition of details
3) Details are logical expansions of the reasons.
4) Wrap up sentence includes all 3 subtopics.