CICI Writing Unit

Grade 9 Quarter 1 Type of Writing Mel-Con Express a judgement about the nature of citizenship, acknowledging a counter-argument to the writers position Develop a main idea that establishes a focus on the topic. Develop supporting details by using specific reasons and examples. Use appropriate transitional words and phrases.

Skill Focus

CRS Alignment Topic/Freedom Box

English & Reading = 16-19

Writing = 7-8

The Political Spectrum What does it mean to be a good citizen? What does it mean to be a good citizen?

Essay Assignment

Created by

Jim Schiferl, Hersey High School (jim.schiferl@d214.org) Dave Udchik, Rolling Meadows High School (david.udchik@d214.org)

Introduction: What does it mean to be a responsible citizen? First, let s start with the definition of the word citizen. According to Webster s Dictionary, a citizen is an inhabitant of a city or town; especially : one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman. So, all one has to do to be a citizen of a town is inhabit, or live in it. That sounds pretty simple. And, if you live in the town, you are naturally afforded the rights and privileges of a citizen of that town. The question that remains is If you live in a town and are afforded the freedoms and privileges of that town, what can you do to make the town a better place for all?

It is easy to live in a city and not make an impact on it. People do it every day. They wake up, eat breakfast, go to work or school, come home, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed and do it all over again the next day. How then, you ask, can we be different? How can we get out of the everyday rut? How do I avoid the proverbial hamster wheel? How can we find ways to express myself and provide meaning to my life? One answer lies in good citizenship. Citizenship is a broad word, and can mean many things. People throw around the terms good citizen and positive contribution to society all of the time without really understanding what they mean. The meaning of citizenship is not a simple one. One person s idea of what citizenship means can vastly differ from another s. Moreover, a person s idea of citizenship will vary depending on where they fall in the Freedom Box quadrant. One person might think being a responsible citizen means instituting government programs to help individuals; however, another may feel citizenship means less government in the lives of the people. Your first writing unit will focus on the question of what it means to be a good citizen. Additionally, you will learn how to write a Mel Con paragraph and become familiar with the College Readiness Skills of Main Idea and Supporting Details.

MEL CON Writing Prompt Assignment

Assignment: Write a MEL-Con paragraph on the following prompt: What do you think it means to be a good citizen? Be sure to include examples of good citizenship in your writing. When writing your paragraph be sure to include the following: M= Main idea This sentence is the main idea or what paragraph is generally about. The M answers the question and sets up the paragraph. This sentence will be placed first in your paragraph. The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his own weight. Theodore Roosevelt E= Evidence This is information that you found from books, lectures, and readings that supports your main idea. This is the stuff you learned or found out about your topic. Evidence can be quotes, statistics or facts. Evidence is something common that everyone can use or find. You will need three pieces of evidence to support your main idea. It is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen. Aristotle

L= Link. The link explains how the evidence or examples support the main idea. The link also explains how the evidence supports your topic. The link is also what you think or how you relate the evidence to the topic. Your link is unique it shows your though process and why you chose the evidence you chose. The link proves that you understand what you are talking about because you are analyzing the evidence you are using. Gardens, scholars say, are the first sign of commitment to a community. When people plant corn they are saying, let's stay here. And by their connection to the land, they are connected to one another. Ann Raver Con= Concluding Sentence. Your concluding sentence is the last sentence of your paragraph which summarizes your answer and mentions your three pieces of evidence again in a new, short way. T=Transitions. Transitions are used to help one idea flow to the next. They separate each of your pieces of evidence and they organize your paragraph making it easy for the reader to follow. Peer Analysis/Evaluation Writer s name: _______________________________________________ Evaluator s name:____________________________________________

1. Underline the main idea. (remember, it can be more than 1 sentence) 2. What is the KEY WORD in the main idea in which the writer must LINK his/her evidence? 3. Find at least two of the writer s transitions:

4. Does the writer have a good CON statement at the end? Underline it.

5. Are there any assumptions made or evidence used that isn t true?

6. What is one thing the writer did well?

7. What confused you or do you think needs to be improved?

8. Did the writer follow up the guidelines for writing a good MEL-Con paragraph(check one)

______ Excellent

______ Good

______ Fair

______ Still needs work

Below is an annotated example of a strong Mel-Con paragraph

Directions
Read the following example of a STRONG Mel Con paragraph. There is an abbreviation after each type of sentence in the paragraph. Follow the key at the end for an explanation of each type of sentence and why each sentence is effective. One aspect that exemplifies good citizenship is community (TS). One example of community is sharing with one another. When people in a town or city are willing to share their possessions, time and money with one another it shows that they are committed to the well-being of others (EV). Sharing also promotes a sense of bonding and unity among a group and serves a vital purpose in fostering community (EV). Another aspect of community is spending time with members of your community (EV). Members of the community are not only neighbors and friends, but family members too (EV). Spending time with community members is precious, but rare in today s busy society (EV).

When a group gathers together for food, music or just to hang out it strengthens the group s relationship (EV). The goal of life is not about acquiring money or possessions; it is about building relationships with others (EV). Taking time out of your busy day to do so helps achieve this (EV). Sharing and spending time with loved ones are examples of good citizenship because they illustrate elements of a strong community (L). When people share and spend time with each other it shows that they care about each other (L). Caring for others is at the heart of community, or good citizenship (L). So, when the topic of good citizenship is discussed, don t forget that the secret lies in community (Con).

TS = Topic Sentence The first sentence should be your topic sentence in a Mel-Con paragraph. It should tell you what the rest of the paragraph will be about. We know that the paragraph will focus on one aspect of citizenship: community. The topic sentence also uses a strong verb, exemplifies, which is better than a be verb.

EV = Evidence The sentences labeled EV are the evidence that supports the main idea. Evidence can come in the form of facts, reasons,

statistics, or personal anecdotes. Each Mel-Con paragraph should have at least two pieces of evidence to support the main idea. Notice in this paragraph there are eight sentences of evidence to support the main idea. If a high-schooler s Mel-Con paragraph fails it is usually in the evidence department. Many writers fail to develop their evidence sentences and limit their support to only one, two, or three sentences. Also, your evidence should contain transition words to signal to the reader that you are changing gears or moving on. One example, and another example serve as transitions in the above paragraph. Remember, the evidence section of your Mel-Con paragraph should be well-developed and thoroughly support your main idea. L = Link The sentences labeled L serves as the links in the paragraph. The link portion of your paragraph tells how your evidence supports your main idea. The link is the toughest part of the Mel-Con paragraph, and is the place where most high-schoolers have difficulty. Up until now the writer does not have to think too much to put together the paragraph. Granted, you need a focused topic sentence and developed evidence to support it, but the link is where the writer can strut his or her stuff. The link is the place where the writer shows that she knows what she is talking about because she can explain how the evidence

supports the main idea. Notice how the link in this paragraph is not limited to one sentence, but three. Mastering the link portion requires thought and practice, but is vital to the success of a Mel-Con paragraph.

Con = Conclusion This is the concluding sentence of the paragraph. This sentence should wrap up your paragraph. Briefly review for the audience what you wrote about in the paragraph. If possible, leave the audience with a memorable thought or light-hearted piece of advice. Notice the concluding sentence in this paragraph summarizes what the paragraph is about while playfully reminding the audience that sharing and spending time together are aspects of community.

Below is an annotated example of a weak Mel-Con Paragraph

Directions
Read the following example of a WEAK Mel Con paragraph. There is an abbreviation after each type of sentence in the paragraph. Follow the key at the end for an explanation of each type of sentence and why each sentence is ineffective.

An aspect of good citizenship is community (TS). Sharing with one another can be considered good citizenship (EV). Sharing time, money, and possessions illustrate good citizenship. Spending time with

members of one s community fosters community relations. (EV). These examples show good citizenship because this is what people in a good community do (L). If you are trying to be a good citizen don t forget these two aspects (Con). TS = Topic Sentence This is not a terrible topic sentence because it tells the reader that the paragraph will be about community aspect of citizenship. The writer uses the be verb is which should be substituted for a stronger verb.

EV = Evidence The evidence that supports the main idea is limited to two sentences. Remember, the effective paragraph had eight sentences of support and the weak paragraph only has two. This is a red flag that the evidence in this paragraph is probably sparse and underdeveloped. The evidence also lacks transitions, which are vital to an effective paragraph. Don t forget to develop your evidence; it is better to write too much rather than too little. L = Link The link is only one sentence and is undeveloped. It does not effectively show how the evidence supports the main idea and is vague. Show your audience that you know your stuff by clearly explaining the link.

Con = Conclusion The concluding sentence does not adequately summarize the paragraph or leave us with a memorable thought. Don t skimp on your concluding sentence.

Writing Instruction: How to Write a Mel-Con Paragraph

What is Mel-Con?
M= Main Idea (topic sentence) E= Evidence (support/examples/proof) L= Link (Explains how support proves the main idea) Con = Concluding sentence (summarizes main idea and evidence)

Why should I care about Mel-Con? 1. It s a requirement of the school. So, you will have to use it in every class for the rest of your high school career. 2. It will help you become a better writer. 3. Most importantly, it helps you to become a clearer and more logical thinker. That is a skill that you will need for the rest of your life.

Applying Mel-Con Let s try answering the following question using Mel-Con? What does it mean to be a good citizen? The first thing you need is a topic sentence. This MAIN IDEA: sentence will answer the question or respond to the prompt. This sentence will always come FIRST.

Indent: M________________________________________________________________________________ TOPIC SENTENCE

TRANSITION & EVIDENCE: The next thing you need is something that will support or prove your main idea, or evidence. What you can use as good evidence will depend on why you are writing the paragraph. A good MEL-Con paragraph will always have at least THREE pieces of evidence. All pieces of evidence should have a well-chosen transition. LINKS: The third thing you need is a link to go with each piece of evidence. Evidence and links are always coupled together. Links must fully explain how your evidence proves your main idea. One good link is always at least TWO SENTENCES LONG. If you have three pieces of evidence in a paragraph, then you will have _____ links in one paragraph.
Transition to first Example ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ E1_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ First Example Or Evidence_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

L1_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Link_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Elaboration + Return Sentence)______________________________________________________________________________________________ Transition to____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Second example_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ E2________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Second Example or Evidence_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

L2_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Link_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Elaboration + Return Sentence)______________________________________________________________________________________________ Transition to ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Third Example_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ E3_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Third Example or Evidence_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

L3_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Link_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Elaboration + Return Sentence)____________________________________________________________________________________________

CON: The final thing you need is a concluding sentence. This sentence should restate the main idea in a different way and include a summary of the evidence. You SHOULD NOT repeat the evidence and main idea word-for-word; YOU MUST SUMMARIZE. This sentence should also have a well-chosen transition. Your paragraph should include only ONE CONLUDING SENTENCE. CON______________________________________________________________________________
Concluding Sentence__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Recap 3 Examples

Total it up: At least how many sentences should be in a basic MELCon paragraph? 11 sentences Note: A good Mel-Con paragraph will have 12-15 sentences because the links are usually longer.

Guided Practice: Identifying the Aspects of a MelCon Paragraph

Read the following Mel-Con paragraph and determine its parts y y y y y Underline the main idea (in blue or black ink) Put a box around transitions Hi-light evidence/examples Underline the links using a colored ink (red, green, purple) Circle the concluding statement

The kids of the 1990 s are definitely smarter than the kids of the 1950 s. The first statistic to support this idea is a chart created by the U.S. Department of Education which shows ACT scores of kids in 1959 and in 1999. The average score in 1959 was 18.6 and in 1999 it was 21.2. This statistic clearly shows an increase in standard test scores. The ACT is a good measure of a student s capabilities and the increase of scores between 1959 and 1999 of 2.2 means the kids in 1999 know more on the same exact test, making them smarter. Another statistic that supports this statement is also from the same chart. The chart shows that over 80% of all females now attend college in 1999. In 1959, less than 40% went to college. This means that overall, more kids total are going to college. Because more are going, it only makes sense that overall kids in 1999 are smarter than

in 1959. The chart shows that more kids are finishing school instead of working or having children. This information is another indication that kids are smarter. When more kids are going to school in 1999 for more time, it can only mean that they would have more education. The extra time has to mean that they will automatically be smarter from more exposure. There is not question then that kids in 1999 are much smarter than kids in 1959 because they have higher ACT score, more girls are going to college, and the high school dropout rate has declined.

Answer the following questions on the Mel-Con you just reviewed:

1. What did you notice about the main idea?

_______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Why are the transitions good or not so good?

___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________

3. How does the evidence support the claim?

__________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is included in the first transition that establishes where the

writer got his/her information? Where else might the writer include this?

5. What five items are included in the CON statement at the end? y y y y y _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

GUIDED PRACTICE: WRITING GOOD LINKS

1. The LINK in your Mel-Con paragraph is the most important part. 2. The LINK explains how your example or evidence supports your Main Idea. 3. The LINK is what you think or how you think.

How do you write a good link?

1. Identify the key word in your main idea (usually and adjective or a verb). EX. The best restaurant in Rolling Meadows is China One. KEY WORD: BEST EX. In the book, Lord of the Flies, Jack and Ralph have very different styles of leadership. KEY WORD: DIFFERENT EX. Romeo, even though he is older than Juliet, proves to be very immature in Shakespeare s play. KEY WORD: IMMATURE 2. Use your key word (or a synonym) to begin your link EX. This makes the restaurant the best in the area because EX. In this example, the difference between the two is evident because EX. In this scene Romeo shows how immature he is by acting like

CREATING EFFECTIVE LINKS

Directions: Complete the following sentences with an effective link.
1) Learning how to write using Mel-Con will dramatically increase one s grade in freshman English. Several former students of the course who were weak writers, received A s on their report cards after mastering the art of effective links. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 2) A school dress-code policy is necessary to combat related gang violence. In a recent event, two groups of teens at a local high school began fighting because of the colors opposing gang members were wearing that day. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

3) Merchandise purchased over the Internet saves time and money. College students at Illinois State University recently discovered they could save 10% on all required textbooks purchased via the University s website. In addition, the books are delivered to their residence hall rooms.

4) Students who participate in more than one after school activity are academically more successful than students who either do not participate in any or only participate in one. A survey conducted by U.S.A. Today found that 40 percent of high school seniors who participated in two or more activities graduated with a g.p.a. at lest point higher than their peers. _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 5) The lack of enough employee safety laws creates dangerous work environments in other countries. According to international data, one out of every five employees working in factories overseas is hospitalized due to a work-related injury.

Look Ahead
Look ahead:
By mastering the MEL Con paragraph students will master the College Readiness skill Main Idea and Supporting Details.

Mel Con Scoring Rubric

NAME: PERIOD: DATE TURNED IN:

MEL-Con Paragraph Rubric

WRITING SKILLS
Criteria 5 4 3 2 1

Main Idea (Judgments, Focus & Position) X1

Writers main idea sentence clearly demonstrates an understanding of the prompt. Writers main idea establishes clear focus for the paragraph. Writer includes the author of the article and the article title or source of evidence in the main idea sentence as needed. Writer includes specific, appropriate, and accurate evidence to support his/her main idea. At least one direct quote from the article (A.W.E.) is used. Writer logically and directly explains the connection between the evidence and the main idea. Writer effectively utilizes movement from general to specific arguments. Writer effectively restates the main idea of the paragraph and summarizes the evidence. Writers concluding sentence effectively maintains purpose and focus on the main idea. Writer adds an effective CLINCHER statement at the end.

Evidence (Position) X3 Links (Position) X4

Writers main idea sentence basically demonstrates a basic understanding of the prompt. The writers main idea shows some purpose. Main idea establishes basic focus for the paragraph. Writer includes the author of the article and the article title or source of evidence in the main idea sentence as needed. Writer includes some good evidence for his/her main idea. At least one direct quote from the article or source (A.W.E.) is used.

Writers main idea sentence poorly demonstrates an understanding of the prompt. The writers main idea shows little purpose. Main idea establishes poor focus for the paragraph. Writer fails to include the author or source in the main idea sentence.

Writer includes poor or no evidence for his/her main idea. At least one direct quote from the article (A.W.E.) is usedNO POINTS if missing. Writer poorly or does not explain the connection between the evidence and the main idea. Writer poorly or does not utilize movement from general to specific arguments. Writer poorly or does not restate the main idea of the paragraph and/or poorly does not summarize the evidence. Writers concluding sentence effectively maintains purpose and focus on the main idea. Writer does not end with a CLINCHER statement or statement is ineffective.

Writer basically explains the connection between the evidence and the main idea. Writer basically utilizes movement from general to specific arguments. Writer restates the main idea of the paragraph and summarizes the evidence. Writers concluding sentence somewhat maintains purpose and focus on the main idea. Writer adds a decent CLINCHER statement at the end to leave the reader with something to think about.

Concluding Sentence

X2

TRANSITION & Organizing Ideas X2

Using Language
(see English below too)

X2

Assignment Requirements X1

Writer effectively adheres to the MEL-Con format. Writer uses clear and sensible transitions (ONLY BIG KID) between each piece of evidence. Writer effectively groups evidence and links to better fulfill the purpose of his/her paragraph. Transition includes a source if applicable. Writer effectively uses audience appropriate vocabulary, grammar, mechanics, and expression in order to enhance his/her message and to fulfill the purpose of his/her paragraph. Writer effectively tailors his/her message to fit the audience. No use of YOU or YOUR Double space, 12-point font, heading. Format all sentences: underline main idea, bold evidence, plain links, italicize concluding sentence, highlight transitions.

Writer basically adheres to the MEL-Con format. Writer uses some decent transitions between each piece of evidence. Writer basically groups evidence and links to better fulfill the purpose of his/her paragraph. Transition includes of source if applicable.

Writer does not adhere to the MELCon format. Writer uses poor (BABY) or no transitions between each piece of evidence. Writer poor or does not group evidence and links to better fulfill the purpose of his/her paragraph. Transition requires a source which is missing.

Writer attempts to use audience appropriate vocabulary, grammar, mechanics, and expression in order to enhance his/her message and to fulfill the purpose of his/her paragraph. Writer tailors his/her message to nd fit the audience. Writer uses 2 person (YOU/YOUR) once or twice.

Writer does not use, or ineffectively uses, vocabulary, grammar, mechanics, and expression in order to enhance his/her message and to fulfill the purpose of his/her paragraph. Writer does not tailor his/her message to fit the audience. nd Writer uses 2 person (YOU/YOUR) throughout. Writer fails to adhere to 1 or more of the assignment requirements.

SUBTOTAL ATTACHMENTS
(peer eval., rough draft)

WRITING SKILLS SCORE

(subtotal + attachments)

/115

/95 /20