Structured Writing
This page offers structured writing frames. Get your students to write paragraphs by setting them up with the correct structured writing frames.
Try these frames if your students need help getting started on content writing!
Sequence
Before _________________, many steps must be completed. First, _________________________. Second,________________________. Third,________________________. After that, _________. Finally, __________________________________.
Sequence Text Structure
Here is how a __________ is made. First, _________. Next, __________. Then, __________. Finally, __________.
Time Order Text Structure
The events leading up to _______ were: First, _______________. Second, ___________. Third, ____________. Fourth, ___________. Finally, ___________.
Enumeration
______________is useful in many ways. For example, _______. Also, ______________. In addition, ____________. Finally, ___________________________.
Story Summary With One Character Included
Our story is about _________. _______ is an important character in our story. __________ tried to _________. The story ends with _________.
Important Idea or Plot
In this story, the problem starts when ____________. After that, _________. Next, ____________. Then, _________. The problem is finally resolved when ______________. The story ends with___________.
Setting
The story takes place _________. I know this because the author uses the words “_____________.” Other clues that show when/where the story takes place are __________.
Character Analysis
_________ is an important character in our story. ________ is important because ____________. Once s/he ________. Another time, _________. I think that _____ is ______ because _________.
Character Comparison
_______ and ______ are two characters in our story. _____ is ______ while ______ is ________. For instance, _______ tries to ______ and _______ tries to _______. _______ learns a lesson when _________.
Basic Reaction Frame
I learned some interesting facts about ____________________ after reading the selection. First, ______________________________. Second, _____________________________________________. Third, __________________________________________. However, the most important thing I learned was _____________________________________________.
Reaction Frame Using Prior Knowledge
Although I already knew that __________________________, I learned some new facts about _____________________from reading the selection. For instance, I learned ________________________. I also learned that _______________________. The thing I wanted to learn more about was _____________________.
Reaction From Requiring Revision of Knowledge
Before I read this selection, I thought _______________________. After reading more about _______________, I found out ______________________. I also learned some other new facts about ____________. First, ___________________________. Second, ______________________________________. Finally, ________________________________________________.
Comparison Frame
____________________ and ______________________ are alike in many ways. First, both________________________________. Second, both ________________________________________. Finally, both _____________________________________________________.
Contrast Frame
____________________ differs from ____________________ in several ways. First, _______________is ______________, while __________is______________________________. Second, ______________is _________________ while ______________ is_____________. I think the easiest way to differentiate is the fact that ___________is___________and______is__________.
Problem-Solution Text Structure
________ had a problem because ______. Therefore, ____________. As a result, __________.
Cause/Effect Text Structure
_______, ________, _______ caused _______. The effect of ________, ________, and __________ is ________________.
Writing About a Magazine Article
The article was about ______________________________. Several interesting ideas I learned were _________________________. In my opinion, this article _____________________________.
Nonfiction Book Report
The book ____________________ by ___________________ is a wonderful way to learn about _____________________. From this book I learned four important facts about _____________________. First, __________________________________. Second, __________________________________. Third, ___________. Finally, ____________________________________. The book also tells about ________________________________. For example, did you know that _________________________________________? As a result of reading this book, I decided ___________________ because _______________________. I (would/would not) recommend this book to ____________________ because ____________________________________________.
Test-taking ~ Open Response Writing
Have students use the following color system to formulate a response. This includes the opening and closing sentences, transition words, quotes/evidence, and inferences/supporting statements. This can be very boring and formulaic, but it is a good start for beginning writers.
Open Response Formula
Turn the question into your opening sentence.
First, p. ___ says, copy a sentence from the story and “put in quotes.” Explain the quote. This is inferring! Maybe write: This shows that______. It is important because _________.
Next, p. __ says, copy a sentence from the story and “put in quotes.” Explain the quote. This is inferring! Maybe write: This shows that______. It is important because _________.
Finally, p. __ says, copy a sentence from the story and “put in quotes.” Explain the quote. This is inferring! Maybe write: This shows that______. It is important because _________.
Turn the question into a clincher sentence.
Here is a sample open response using the color system from MA DOE MCAS 2013 Grade 4 selection, “You Rock!” The question is, “What can rock climbers learn from practicing in indoor gyms?”
Rock climbers can learn a lot from practicing in indoor gyms. First, p. 5 says, “Rock climbing gives you courage and self-confidence.” This shows that in indoor gyms, you can learn courage and self-confidence. Rock climbing is dangerous. You need the safety of practicing in an indoor gym before doing it in the real world. Second, p. 6 says, “The fake rocks at an indoor gym have crevices where fingers and toes can grasp and fit. Colored tape and dots show various routes.” It is important to try different challenges in the gym because you can practice seeing if you can handle more challenging routes in the real world. In the real world, not all rocks have crevices for toes and fingers. You also won’t have someone next to you telling you what to do either, so it is good to practice in a gym. Finally, p. 10 talks about the need to trust your belayer. Rock climbing is a partner activity, and you need to learn to trust the people you are with when you climb for real. Practicing in an indoor gym is beneficial for building climbing skills.
How to Write an Effective Summary
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS: Holt Interactive Graphic Organizers AND Graphic Organizers – Mrs. Judy Araujo, M. Ed., CAGS, Reading Specialist (mrsjudyaraujo.com)
05/24/2013
Edited on 04/28/2023
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