how do you share your core beliefs effectively?

This week, we'll delve into the personal essay: a short, pointed essay that speaks to your beliefs and the experiences/people/places that have shaped them. 

Module summary:

• peruse "This I Believe" essays from www.thisibelieve.org
• break down the personal essay structure
• explore your own personal beliefs
• write a personal essay
• record your essay!

This module uses material from the official This I Believe curriculum, and as such, I can't share specific activities or prompts on the website. If you miss a day, check in with me, please.

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essential questions

• What is the difference between personal writing and transactive writing?
• What does clear, concise writing look like?

goals

• Students will understand that personal writing involves connecting experiences with ideas to reflect on a deep meaning to the writer - it reflects rather than persuades.
• Students will understand that clear, concise writing requires utilizing the entire writing process (prewriting, drafting, sharing, revising) to ensure the piece has a focal point and that every word helps reach that point.

activities

INTRODUCTION

• warm-up: listen to a This I Believe essay
• review syllabus and expectations

EXPOSE

• Review personal essay structure and purpose vs. transactive essay structure and purpose
• Explore essays (at least 3) from This I Believe series (audio and printed)
  • For each essay you listen to/read, note the following:
    • Title, author, and date
    • What is the core belief expressed?
    • How does the author back up this belief? (examples, experiences, etc.)
• Review effective hook writing

PRACTICE

• Participate in "What do you think?" activity to explore beliefs (see Christine for details)
  • define your beliefs based on given prompts
  • mine your memory to find anecdotes that illustrate a chosen belief
• Freewrite using prompts

CREATE

• Draft your "This I Believe" essay (between 500 and 600 words)
  • be sure to include something concrete from your experience to illustrate your core belief
  • go deeper than experience; discuss meaning of the experience and how it connects to your core belief

REFLECT

• Conference with Christine about draft
• Record polished essay!

c-tachs

Writing

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach
  

Language

• Demonstrate command of conventions of standard English grammar when speaking and writing
• Demonstrate command of standard capitalization and punctuation
• Spell correctly

documents

This I Believe Syllabus
File Size:	40 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Refer to your Reading and Writing Handbook for effective hooks (p. 13)

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