Transcript Ancient Greece

Generating Ideas for
Writing for Publication
Narrowing the Focus
Adapted from the work of Dr. Charles Whitaker,
Professor of English, EKU
Unit of Study:
Ancient Greece
Major Focus:
A Window to the Distant Past -Making Connections to the Present
Brainstorming topics from
content covered, for example:
Democracy
Architecture
Olympics
Ancient Greece
Class
Structure
Myths
Narrowing the Focus to help
writers choose a topic
Origins
Greek vs
Roman
Myths
Purpose/
Impact
Heroes/
Modern
Heroines Interpretation
Identifying an Audience and
Establishing a Purpose…
• Who wants to know this information?
• What is its relevance today?
• Why is it still important today?
Angles and Titles…
Helpful Questions:
• What’s an angle that can make your
writing unusual?
• What’s your controlling idea?
• What might appeal to readers?
Sample Angles/Ideas for Writing…
• Here’s an interesting fact (or two) that readers may
not know about and why it’s/they’re important.
• How did all this come about? Here’s how it happened
and why it’s important.
• Not sure about such and such? Let me help you.
• Have you ever thought about such and such? I have
and here are my conclusions.
• My own experience confirms a key idea that is
important for readers to know about.
Narrowing the Focus
Establishing a Purpose…
A two part title helps identify a topic,
narrow the focus, and reveal a writer’s
purpose:
Greek Mythology: Modern Lessons
Deciding on a Form
What Best Suits Your Audience?
• Letter
• Feature Article
• Editorial
• Speech
Sample Titles
Focused Purpose and Controlling
Ideas…
Ancient Myths: Why Are They So
Fascinating For Us Today?
Do you know anyone who doesn’t
enjoy a good story?
The Mystery of Myths: What
They Mean and Why They Are
Still Important
Read on to learn some important
moral lessons that can help us
today…
“Ye Gods:” Where Did That Come
From?
Legacies from Greek mythology that
are common in our culture…
Greek Heroes: Role Models for
Today?
Many legendary heroes were celebrated
for their bold exploits and favored by
the gods, but some were not!
Science Unit
Major Focus: Relationships
Among Populations and
Ecosystems
Brainstorming Topics/Ideas
Global
Warming
Endangered
Species
Pollution
Environment
Conservation
Global
Dimming
Narrowing the Focus…
Alternative
Energy Sources
Kyoto
Treaty
Greenhouse
Effect
Global Warming
Conflicting
Rising
Opinions Temperatures
Angles/Ideas for Writing…
• Here is a problem readers may not know about
and why they should be aware of it.
• Although some may agree with such and such,
I do not. Let me explain and support my view
so that others will accept my ideas.
• I wanted to find answers to these important
questions, and this is what I have found and
why it is important to others.
Sample Titles
Focused Purpose and Controlling
Ideas…
Too Hot For Comfort: Some Cool
Solutions
(Here’s what I found out about the
change in the earth’s climate caused by
greenhouse gases released by cars…
and some solutions that can help)
Saving Our Planet: How Green is Our
Town?
(Here’s what I’ve discovered about our
environmental efforts…
and some suggestions for making
improvements)
Global Warming: Fact or Fiction?
(Here’s what I found out about the two
sides of the debate …
and here’s my opinion too)
Hybrids are Hot: Just Ask
Leonardo DiCaprio!
(Here’s some information about the
popularity of hybrid cars …
and some reasons for driving them)
Baked Alaska: Not Exactly A
Frozen Treat!
(Here’s what I found out about the
disappearance of Alaska’s glaciers…
and why that is important to us)
Many Countries Endorse The Kyoto
Treaty: Should We Too?
(Here’s my opinion about endorsing the
Kyoto Treaty…
and I’m hoping you will agree!)
Personal Finance Unit
Major Focus:
Money Management…
and other Money Matters
Brainstorming Topics/Ideas
Budgeting
Long/short
term goals
Savings
Personal Finance
Economic
Investing
Independence
Banking
Services
Narrowing the Focus…
Bonds
NASDAC
Stock Market
Investing
Dow Jones Mutual Funds
Sample Titles
Focused Purpose and Controlling
Ideas…
The Stock Market: Who in the
World is Dow Jones?
(Here’s some information to solve
this mystery…)
Investing Wisely: Financial
Security
(Here are some important tips that
can help us make wise investment
decisions…)
Personal Finance: How Big is Your
Pig?
(Some important facts about saving
early…)
Cash or Credit: What do you have
in your wallet?
(The importance of establishing a good
credit history)
Investing Wisely: Saving for a
Rainy Day
(Here some facts about the importance of
saving for the future)
KEEs to the Future: Investing in
Yourself!
(Here’s some important information
about scholarships and reasons for
academic investment…)
Debit or Credit: Got Plastic?
(Important information about credit
or debit)
Purpose Statement…
As a (personal connection to writing),
I am writing a (form: letter, article,
editorial, other)
for (reader: school newspaper, etc.)
to develop my idea that (main idea,
specific purpose in writing)
For more information…
Contact:
Jennifer Bernhard
Reading/Writing Specialist
Clark County Schools
[email protected]
(859) 744-4545 Ext 232