Get Ready… Get your STAAR folder Pick up a rubric handout You will need a pencil/pen and highlighter.

Get Ready…

Get your STAAR folder

Pick up a rubric handout

You will need a pencil/pen and highlighter

STAAR EXPOSITORY

ESSAY

English I EOC

STAAR Expository Composition

The expository task requires students to clearly explain what they think about something

Expository = CLEAR EXPLANATION

The student is NOT trying to convince the reader to think a certain way or accept a single viewpoint; NOT PERSUASIVE WRITING

Best to write in third person POV or a combination of first and third person

STAAR Expository Writing RubricSCORE POINT 1 = The essay represents a very limited writing performance.

SCORE POINT 2 = The essay represents a very basic writing performance.

SCORE POINT 3 = The essay represents a satisfactory writing performance.

SCORE POINT 4 = The essay represents an accomplished writing performance.

The essays are scored looking a three specific areas in your writing: (1) ORGANIZATION/PROGRESSION; (2) DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS; (3) USE OF LANGUAGE/CONVENTIONS

STAAR Expository Writing Rubric

Let’s look at the rubric!

For each Score Point, highlight/circle/underline the words or phrases that stand out to you the most for each bullet point

EXAMPLE

Score Point 1, under Organization/Progression

“The organizing structure of the essay is inappropriate to the purpose or the specific demands of the prompt…”

STAAR Expository Writing Comparison

Now that we’ve looked at the Expository Writing rubric much more closely, look at the two student writing samples

One composition earned a “2” (BASIC) and the other earned a “4” (ACCOMPLISHED)

Which one is the “2” and which one is the “4”? Why? (Use language from the rubric to support your conclusion)

What are the strengths and weaknesses in each composition?

How much do I have to write?It’s not about quantity…it’s about quality!

You only have 26 lines and A LOT is expected from these 26 lines

You do not have room for filler!!

Everything you write must contribute to the cohesiveness of your response; be careful not to repeat yourself or use 5 lines to really say nothing

Make each sentence matter and maintain organization; don’t shift focus or gravitate from your thesis (controlling idea)

Your introduction (with your thesis) should take up no more than the first five of the 26 lines.

YOU MUST DO SOME KIND OF PREWRITING!!!

What is a thesis statement?

It is the guiding focus for your entire essay.

It is the main or controlling point

Everything in your essay should support your thesis - Nothing should appear in the body of the paper that does not directly connect to the thesis statement

Other names for “thesis”:

controlling idea

main idea

focal statement

A Good Thesis Statement…Includes your position

Contains only one main idea

States something worthwhile—not obvious

Has an argument built into it

Is specific

It is narrow enough to fit the assignment

It is easily recognized as the main idea

It appears as the last sentence or two of your introduction

Thesis Statement Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t just announce your subject matter.

Don’t state a fact or statistic—a thesis must be debatable.

Don’t use “in my opinion” or “I think” or “I feel” or “I believe”; this creates a non-debatable thesis.

Don’t form your thesis as a question

Application

Look at your two benchmark essays

Find your thesis

Write your original thesis on a piece of notebook paper

Underneath, revise your thesis statement to make it stronger

In a nutshell – Lower Score Range

Typical problems in compositions scoring in the lower range (1s and 2s):

Poor organizational structure/form for purpose

Non-existent or weak thesis

Wasted space: repetition, wordiness, extraneous details or examples, looping/meandering, meaningless intros and conclusions

Too many ideas

General/vague/imprecise use of language or inappropriate tone for the purpose

Poorly crafted overall

Weak conventions – issues with spelling and grammar

Prewriting/revising/editing is NOT evident

In a nutshell – Higher Score Range

Typical strengths in compositions scoring in the higher range (3s and 4s):

Strong structure/form with direct connection to composition’s purpose

Explicit and sustained thesis

“narrow and deep” development – no wasted words or space

Short but effective introductions and conclusions

Specific use of language and appropriate tone

Well-crafted essay overall

Strong conventions – higher level vocabulary and grammar

Prewriting/revising/editing is EVIDENT