POW + TREE
With Transfer
Lesson 3
Lesson Overview
The teacher will model how to use POW + TREE for writing an opinion essay. The teacher will model the use of self-statements during the process. Students will write personal self-statements. If the students have not developed self-statements in prior lessons, refer to the POW + WWW story writing strategy for instructions. Note: Additional practice essays have been included in this lesson for any student who needs practice in locating parts.
Materials
Student folders, POW + TREE charts and graphic organizers, practice prompt, practice essays, self-instruction sheets, graphing chart, paper and pencils
Student Objectives
The students will orally say the mnemonic for POW + TREE and state what each letter stands for. The students will attend to the teacher’s modeling lesson. The students will locate essay parts in a previously written essay. The student will write self-statements for the POW + TREE writing strategy.
Set the Context for Student Learning
Ask the students to report back on using all or parts of POW or TREE in other classes or for other writing tasks. If necessary, brainstorm together some classes or other writing tasks they could use both POW and TREE for, being sure to note that we should use POW with TREE whenever we use TREE. Other ideas could be: letters to friends, reports on special topics, writing for a school newsletter, writing to a leader like the principal or the president, to convince them of what you believe in. Briefly note that for some tasks, all parts of the TREE trick might not be right to use - so what could we do? (Change TREE to fit the kind of paper we need to write; don’t use all of TREE if it doesn’t make sense). You fill in their “I transferred my strategies”chart and then ask them to report on helping their partner and fill in their “I helped my partner”chart. Put a star next to each thing you record.
Develop the Strategy and Self-Regulation
Step One - Revisit Locating Essay Parts
- If any student is still having trouble finding the essay parts as you read aloud, do another essay out loud now. You can use either Computer or City - select the one you think is most appropriate. Write the essay title here: ____________________________
- If necessary, do the other essay above out loud to practice finding the parts. Write the essay title here: ________________________________
Step Two – Model the Strategy
Pick my Idea
- Lay out a copy of the TREE graphic organizer. Then explain: “Remember that the first letter in POW is P - pick my idea. Today we are going to practice how to write a good opinion essay - review what that means if necessary. To do this we have to be creative, we have to think free.
- Read aloud the practice prompt: toys. Explain to the students things that you say to yourself when you want to think of good essay ideas or parts. Be sure to say all of these examples: "I have to let my mind be free." "Take my time, a good idea will come to me." "Think of new, fun ideas." Review: "The things you say to yourself help you to work." Note that it's not always necessary to think out loud, you can think these in your head.
Organize my Notes
- The second letter in POW is O- ORGANIZE my NOTES. Tell the students that today you are going to write an opinion essay today with their help – Say, “I will use POW and TREE to help me. I will use this page to make my notes and organize my notes; you will do this too the next time you write an essay.” Briefly review - point at - the parts of a good essay on the graphic. Review - what should my goal be? To write better opinion essays. Remind them that good opinion essays tell the reader what you believe, give at least three reasons why, and have an ending sentence. Also, good opinion essays are fun for me to write and for others to read, and make sense.
- Model the entire process for Organizing your Notes. Use problem definition, planning, MILLION DOLLAR WORDS, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement self-statements as you go. Follow the steps and statements below, filling in ad lib statements where indicated. Ask the students to help you with ideas and the writing, but be sure you are in charge of the process:
- Say, “What is it I have to do? I have to write a good opinion essay. My essay needs to makes sense and have all the parts. Remember P in POW - pick my idea - let my mind be free. (Pause) Take my time, what I believe and good reasons why will come to me.” (Pause)
- Say, “Now I can do O in POW - Organize my Notes. I can write down ideas for each part. I can write ideas down in different parts of this page as I think of ideas” (be sure to model moving out of order during your planning). “First, what do I believe - what do I want to tell the reader I believe?” (Now - talk out and fill in notes for Topic Sentence). “Good! I like this idea! Now I better figure out at least 3 reasons. Let my mind be free, think of good ideas.” (Now talk out and briefly write notes for at least 3 reasons- not in full sentences - use coping statements at least twice.) After generating notes for all the essay parts say – “Now I can look back at my notes and see if I can add more notes for my essay parts” (actually do this - model it - use coping statements). “I can also look for ideas for good word choice or million dollar words” (do this).
Write and Say More
- Say, “Now I can do W in POW - write and say more. I can write my opinion essay and think of more good ideas or million dollar words as I write.” Now - talk yourself through writing the essay; the students can help. Use a clean piece of paper and print. Start by saying "How shall I start? I need to tell the reader what I believe, I need a topic sentence." Then pause and think, then write out the sentence. Do be sure to add 1-2 more ideas and million dollar words not on your plan as you write. Don't hurry, but don't slow it down unnaturally. Also, at least 2 times, ask yourself, "Am I using good parts and, am I using all my parts so far?" Use coping statement. Also ask yourself, "Does my essay make sense? Will the reader buy my reasons?" Model writing the ending sentence. When essay is done, say, "Good work, I'm done. It'll be fun to share my essay with others."
Step Three – Self Statements
- Students can add to their self-statements lists if they wish. Note: Plan to add “developing self-statement steps” to this lesson if the students have not developed a self-statement list prior to POW + TREE.
- Ask the students if they can remember: 1) the things you said to yourself to get started? 2) the things you said while you worked (try to get some creativity statements, coping statements, statements about remembering the parts, and self-evaluation statements) 3)the things you said to yourself when you finished. (Tell them if they can't remember and discuss each as you go). Make sure each student considers adding these to their list:
- What to say to get started. This must be along same lines as "What is it I have to do? I have to write an opinion essay using TREE." - but in students’ own words.
- Things to say while you work: self-evaluation, coping, self-reinforcement, and any others he/she likes (in students' own words). .
- Things to say when you're finished (in students' own words).
- Note that we don't always have to think these things out loud; once we learn them we can think in our heads or whisper to ourselves.
- What to say to get started. This must be along same lines as "What is it I have to do? I have to write an opinion essay using TREE." - but in students’ own words.
Step Four – Graph the Essay
- Graph this essay - Ask students – “Does this essay have at least 5 parts” - then fill in graph.
Wrap- Up
- Ask students to put all materials from today in folders.
- Remind the students of POW and TREE test again next time.
- Remind the students that they will fill in the transfer chart again next time.
Evaluation
 John F. Kennedy Center |
Peabody College Columbia University University of Maryland |
 U.S. Dept. of Education |
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