Getting started on writing an essay for class can be difficult. You may have a subject in mind, but you may be stuck on what to write about it. Power Writing is a technique that uses a four-step structure that helps students remember how to form paragraphs and essays. There are different activities students can try to practice Power Writing. With continued practice, students will have an easier time writing essays and research papers for school.
Visual Organizer
The John Middleton School in Skokie, Illinois uses a visual organizer that helps students gather their thoughts before writing a paragraph. This organizer incorporates the four powers of Power Writing. The teacher used a lightning bolt and three raindrops. The lightning bolt represents the first power or the main idea. The three raindrops represent the three supporting ideas.
From the organizer, students write their introductory sentence and detail sentences. Once the students gathered their main topic on ideas onto paper, they will write a concluding sentence that supports them. Other shapes or drawings are appropriate for the visual organizer. For example, the Hill Elementary School of Troy, Michigan uses a hand. Each finger could represent the four powers. Visual organizers are helpful aides for book reports and essays.
Power Writing Brainstorming
The Education Reference Desk recommended this activity in order to help students understand Power Writing. The teacher writes two different subjects on the board. Students select a subject and use descriptive words for that subject. This helps students learn about how to use power one (main idea), along with powers two and three (supporting details).
The teacher continues to gives students different subjects to write. With each subject, students can write their main idea and supporting details into complete sentences. They create a concluding sentence that supports that information. This activity helps students to form paragraphs about a main topic.
Fill in the Blanks Exercise
Maria, a teacher from the Teachers Net website, use a power-writing outline with her 3rd-grade students. Her students fill in the blanks and organize their thoughts. The first power represents the main subject, and the three remaining powers represent the supporting details. The students fill in the blanks around the subject and descriptive words. It helps them to brainstorm and form complete sentences that support the main idea. Students then practice this activity with different types of subjects. With continued use, students will be able to write complete paragraphs on varying subjects.
Reference
- The Writing Site: Power Writing
- Emints: Power Writing
- EduRef: Becoming a Logophile Resource
- Power Writing Visual Organizer Hill Elementary School: Hand Guide
- Teachers Net: Power Writing
