Monday, October 22nd

For today: 

• Steps 2-5 should be done for all 4 Boot Camp topics. 
• Step 6 should be done for 2 of the 4 topics. 

Class today: 

Step 7 of Writing: Write rough drafts integrating transitions.

Things to know: 

• The Steps of Writing are to take us through the body of a paper... Introductions and conclusions are a different animal. 
• Step 7 and 8 will be simultaneously... we are just learning them separately to focus on the skill).
• Steps 5-6 are essentially outlining. Step 7 starts the writing of the rough draft of the body of your paper. 

What are transitions and how are they used?

• transitions are phrases or words used to connect one idea to the next
• transitions are used by the author to help the reader progress from one significant idea to the next
• transitions also show the relationship within a paragraph (or within a sentence) between the main idea and the support the author gives for those ideas
• different transitions do different things....

Transition Handout

TYPES OF TRANSITIONS:

• Transitions between sections: Particularly in longer works, it may be necessary to include transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader the information just covered and specify the relevance of this information to the discussion in the following section.
• Transitions between paragraphs: If you have done a good job of arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the next, the transition will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places.
• Transition words between sentences: As with transitions between sections and paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs act as cues by helping readers to anticipate what is coming before they read it. Within paragraphs, transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.

In class practice:
In groups of 3....

First, as a group, summarize the discussion we had about transitions. Also during this discussion, address the "hows" and the "whys" of transition usage.

Following your review discussion, you will need to open the following link: Transition Usage- Practice. Next, in your groups, you will review the types of relationships that transitions work to establish. Thereafter, work as a team to finish Exercises 1 and 2. Importantly, as you work through the exercises, discuss the effect of these transitions on how the sentences flow, and reader comprehension. There will be one paper to turn in for your group.

Afterward, you will need to open Schoology (as an individual), and respond to the following two prompts where you will demonstrate what you have learned about transitions in writing:

Directions: In you answering of the following two questions, SHOW how you integrate transitions in your writing. Secondly, write a transition sentence LINKING your two answers.

How does the use of transitions within your paragraphs improve the quality of your writing? 

As a reader, why does looking for transitions while reading help your comprehension? Your orientation with the subject matter?