Writing A Report

Recently I presented a writing workshop at our Lower Mainland “Canadian Eh?”Learning Camp on how to write a report. Here are the basic steps which I hope you will find useful.

Writing a report:

I. Web information

1. Write a question which will focus on a specific topic:
Look through books, websites, write the answers in note form, not copying from the book or site! Record books/ sites on the back of your research sheet

2. Read the various facts you have. Number them in the best sequence. Complete the paragraph graphic

II Write and edit

3. Write out a rough draft. If you are handwriting, ALWAYS skip spaces so you can do corrections. Topic sentence rewords the question into a statement. Then 4-5 detail sentences follow. Each web line = 1 sentence which begins with a capital and ends with a period!

4. Read the paragraph out loud. Add describing words, “because” and stronger action verbs.

5. Although the research material will not mention God, how can you see and express God’s purposes, provision, Sovereignty in this story?

6. Suggested editing check list for grade 5-9 provided below. OBVIOUSLY this is a guideline, not a commandment! Grade 4 should attempt some of these.

III Proof read and publish

7. Good copy: Title page (border, large title, picture, author's name) done on paper, glued on to stiff paper. Each topic on a page with a picture (fully coloured?). Hand-written or word processor (size 12, 14 easy to read font, double spaced)

This will take “lots of time” and that's OK – valuable learning will have happened and many outcomes will have been met! Be sure the report is seen, read, appreciated by others!

Research web graphics:

Cluster web: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/cluster.pdf
Simple cluster: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/cluster_web3.pdf

Paragraph organizer graphics:

Sandwich: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/sandwich.pdf

Ladder: http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/ladder.pdf

Editor’s checklist: grade 5-9

Correct format: title, name, date, spacing, margin

Each Paragraph
· Topic sentence
· Quality adjectives
· Adverbs (ly before or after the verb)
· Because
· Sentence starters: ly, prepositional, clausal
· Clincher or concluding sentence
· Variety of sentence structures: simple, complex, compound

God is glorified

Sentence starters:

1 ly (adverbial) opener: Quickly, Stubbornly, Silently, Gleefully… Frequently, Shyly,

2 Prepositional Opener: In, On, Under, Around, Near, Before, After, Beside
(hint: get a toy car and a lego figure.. think of all the ways he could be – in the car, on the car, under the car… )

3 Adverbial Clausal Opener: the best way to remember these are: “WW.ASIA”
When, While, As , Since, If, Although

4 participial opener: (Ing, Ed) openers
Running away
Numbed and defeated
Barking
Yelling loudly
Shocked