Mixbook Presentation
The Inventions of the
Sumerians
Writer’s Notebook
Informational Module
Introduction to the LDC Writer’s Notebook
Background information for students: You have been selected to share your
knowledge of the Ancient Sumerian inventions by creating a Mixbook about
them. Your Mixbook will explain how one of these inventions came to be, how
Sumerians used it and what impact it had on other cultures including our own.
You will need to design several scrapbook pages, using Mixbook, to inform
your audience about the invention made by the Sumerians. Your scrapbook
will contain graphics and information about the inventions you focus on.
Task Engagement
Directions: The task in the box below is your assignment. Read the task, and
write your initial response to it on the lines below based on what you already
know about the topic.
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Task 14: Informational/Explanatory
How did the inventions made by the Sumerians impact the growth
of their own civilization? In what ways were their inventions used in
other civilizations around the world? After reading multiple articles
on an invention made by the Sumerians, write several scrapbook
pages, using Mixbook, which describes the invention of the
Sumerians and addresses the question.
Calendar of Events for Sumerian Invention Writing
*Below is a list of days you will be working on your project in class.
*Tentative Due Dates are also listed
Monday
10/19
Tuesday
10/20
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
10/21
10/22
10/23
Intro. To
task
In-Class
At home
Monday
10/26
Tuesday
10/27
10/28
10/29
10/30
In-Class
At home
Monday
11/2
Tuesday
11/3
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
11/4
11/5
11/6
In-Class
At home
In-Class
At home
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
11/9
11/10
11/11
11/12
11/13
Active Reading/ Note-taking
Directions: Your first step is to read for meaning. As you read, you may find it helpful
to record your thinking. You can include your own summary statements, questions,
connections, visualizations, predictions, opinions, etc.
You will need to complete active reading on at least 4 articles. You will use these
articles to find information that answers the task question. Several active reading
worksheets are attached in case you cannot write directly on the source.
As you are completing your active reading on at least 4 articles, you will need to take
notes on information that you think may help you answer the task question. Please
make sure you take notes from each source on a different notecard/paper. Make sure
you record bibliography information about each source on NoodleTools.
List of Articles Used
*Write AR beside articles that you actively read. Remember that
you must actively read at least 4 articles.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Task 14: Informational/Explanatory
How did the inventions made by the Sumerians impact the growth
of their own civilization? In what ways were their inventions used in
other civilizations around the world? After reading multiple articles
on an invention made by the Sumerians, write several scrapbook
pages, using Mixbook, which describes the invention of the
Sumerians and addresses the question.
Academic Integrity
Directions: Plagiarism, stealing an author’s words and ideas and using them as
your own without acknowledging the source, can easily occur during note
taking if you’re not careful. Write down key phrases, sentences, speaking parts
that you wish to use in your scrapbook. You will be using NoodleTools to
keep track of your citations in MLA format. You must include at least one
direct quotation or statement in your scrapbook (MIXBOOK). You may gladly
use more to add creditability to your writing.
Source
Direct Quote
1.
2.
3.
Task 14: Informational/Explanatory
How did the inventions made by the Sumerians impact the growth
of their own civilization? In what ways were their inventions used in
other civilizations around the world? After reading multiple articles
on an invention made by the Sumerians, write several scrapbook
pages, using Mixbook, which describes the invention of the
Sumerians and addresses the question.
Understanding Informational or Explanatory Writing
Directions: Read the following information about informational or explanatory
writing that sets this type of writing apart from other forms. Also, consider
who your audience is (people interested in learning about Sumerians
inventions) and what your purpose is for writing (to answer the task question).
Review the task, and have a short conversation with a partner or me about
your intended audience and purpose. Keep your audience, purpose and these
general characteristics in mind as you write your first draft.
Informational or Explanatory Writing
Purpose for Writing: to increase the understanding of the impact of
Sumerian inventions on future civilizations
General Organizational Structure:
Introduction
• Grab the reader’s attention
• Provide the background information about the
topic
• Define important terms
• State your thesis or controlling idea
Body
• Define important terms as needed
• Provide key ideas with supporting evidence
Conclusion
• Make a connection to your attention grabber
• Summarize key ideas
General Characteristics:
• Includes a thesis statement that addresses the prompt and establishes
the controlling idea
• Supports the thesis statement with evidence from reading/research
• Provides thorough explanations of key ideas and evidence to increase
the reader’s knowledge
• Uses precise and interesting language to communicate ideas to the
reader
Controlling Idea/Thesis Statement
Directions: Now that you have read and talked about both your key ideas from
reading and characteristics of informational writing, write a draft of your thesis
statement on the lines below.
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Planning
Directions: Writers organize their information/research pieces using boxes and
bullets.
1. Write your introduction in boxes and bullets.
2. Make each bullet of your introduction a new box in the body outline.
3. Add details to each body paragraph outline as bullets.
An outline to help you plan out your writing will be given to you later.
Development: Writing the Rough Draft
Directions: Using your organizational plan as a guide, write your rough draft.
Keep the Scoring Rubric for Informational Tasks as well as the characteristics of
this type of writing in mind as you write. Pay attention to deadlines for
portions of your rough draft that will be submitted to me or used for peer
revision.
Task 14: Informational/Explanatory
How did the inventions made by the Sumerians impact the growth
of their own civilization? In what ways were their inventions used in
other civilizations around the world? After reading multiple articles
on an invention made by the Sumerians, write several scrapbook
pages, using Mixbook, which describes the invention of the
Sumerians and addresses the question.
Sumerian Inventions Outline
Informational (fact-based) Writing
I.
II.
First Page of Mixbook- Name of Scrapbook/pictures of
inventions/your name & section: Visual hook into topic
Second Page of Mixbook can be filled with picture/fun facts/table
of contents etc.
II. Introductory Paragraph (Page 3 and 4 of Scrapbook)
A. Hook: How will you get the audience interested in learning more
about your topic? What will make your audience want to
learn more?
B. What will you say to introduce what your topic is about? Re-state
your prompt.
C. Thesis Statement: What are your 3 main points (inventions)? What is
the main idea of your Mixbook? THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
SENTENCE OF YOUR ENTIRE ESSAY, SO WORD IT CAREFULLY!
III. Body Paragraph #1 (Page 5 and 6 of Scrapbook)
A. Topic Sentence: Thesis Reason #1; use transition word to introduce
your first reason
B. Evidence: What specific facts or ideas are you bringing into play
here? Cite each fact you write word for word correctly.
C. Concluding Sentence: How will you connect this paragraph back to
your thesis? Write a sentence, which explains how the evidence
above proves your thesis statement.
IV. Body Paragraph #2 (page 7 and 8 of Scrapbook)
A. Topic Sentence: Thesis Reason #2; use transition word to introduce
your second reason
B. Evidence: What specific facts or ideas are you bringing into play
here? Cite each fact you write word for word correctly.
C. Concluding Sentence: How will you connect this paragraph back to
your thesis? Write a sentence, which explains how the evidence
above proves your thesis statement.
V. Body Paragraph #3 (page 9 and 10 of scrapbook)
A. Topic Sentence: Thesis Reason #3; use transition word to introduce
your last reason
B. Evidence: What specific facts or ideas are you bringing into play
here? Cite each fact you write word for word correctly.
C. Concluding Sentence: How will you connect this paragraph back to
your thesis? Write a sentence, which explains how the evidence
above proves your thesis statement.
VI. Concluding Paragraph (page 11 and 12 of scrapbook)
A. Start with a transition (Finally, in conclusion, etc.) then re-state your
Thesis
B. Supporting Sentences: this is a summative paragraph; recap the
points of our essay
C. Closing Sentence: This is the final sentence of your essay, which
naturally ends your discussion of the topic. *Do not introduce
new ideas in your conclusion.
VII. Bibliography (page 13 of scrapbook)
A. list of all sources used for writing (Noodle Tools
document)
Citing within the text
Whenever you use factual information that comes directly from your research
in your essay, you must cite the author of the source. The source will be listed
in the Words Cited list you must create. We will be using a program called
NoodeTools that will be explained to you during Social Studies class. More
information on how to cite sources will be given to you later on.
Completion:
Directions: Submit your final draft of your assignment by sharing it with Mrs.
Herr through Mixbook. Do not throw away any parts of your writing until
grades are complete.