Drafts and revisions are important for almost any writer.

Drafts
There are three types of drafts in the writing cycle: The first draft, the second draft, and the final draft. The first draft is basically a sloppy copy in which you put the material that has not been edited or revised. The second draft is the same as a revision, a document that has been edited, but is not totally proofed. The final draft is the piece of manuscript which will be published, this document has been edited, proofed, typed or written neatly, and is ready to be read.

Revision

A revision is the second draft. This is a paper that has been edited for mistakes such as spelling and grammar, but is not ready for publishing due to any other errors.

Re-revision
A re-revision comes after the revision. The re-revision is a paper that has been almost perfected.

EXAMPLES:
First draft: A berd can flie high?
Revision: A bird is can fly higher than the clouds.
Re-revision: A blue- jay can fly higher than the clouds.

Essay Formating
Before you actually begin writing your essay you may want to take a few moments to brainstorm and create an outline. Begin an essay with a strong conclusion, you'll need one that will draw the readers in but still have some factual basis. The introduction should explain what the essay will be about. The next three paragraphs or sentances, should be details, helping to elaborate upon the introduction paragraph and to explain the main idea. The final paragraph or sentence, should be solid and summarize the whole essay. Most decent conclusions restate the main idea. Once you have completed your essay reread it to yourself and have someone else proof-read it.

Sentence Fragments
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences that are lacking either a verb or a subject. Sometimes they can be used as a slang in dialogue like, "Oh my God," but most of the time you should try to avoid using them.

Language Arts/Writing

Standard 1: The student uses the writing process effectively. (LA.B.1.3).

Objective 2: Drafts and revises writing
that: is focused, purposeful, and reflects
insight into the writing situation; conveys
a sense of completeness and wholeness
with adherence to the main idea; has an
organizational pattern that provides for a
logical progression of ideas; has support
that is substantial, specific, relevant,
concrete, and/or illustrative; demonstrates
a commitment to and an involvement with
the subject; has clarity in presentaiton of
ideas; uses crative writing strategies
appropriate to the purpose of the paper;
demonstrates a command of
language (word choice) with
freshness of expression; has varied
sentence structure and sentences that are
complete except when fragments are used
purposefully; and has few, if any, convention
errors in mechanics, usage, and punctuation.

Amusement Park Activity

Creative Writing -

1. Instruct class to begin brainstorming
an idea to start a short story with.
2. After entire class has finished
brainstorming, tell them to make a
pre-write. Let them know that a pre-write
can be an outline, a web, notes, etc.
3. Write a creative writing story using the
writing process.

The Lion's Den... Imagine that you
are Simba growing up in the lion's
den. You are in the canyon when
you see your father die, and the
culprit. What are you thinking
and why? What are your
feelings? Do you want
revenge or just a confession?

Vocabulary

Focused - A condition in which
something can be clearly
apprehended or perceived.
Purposeful - Having a
purpose; intentional.
Error - The condition of
having incorrect or false
knowledge; a mistake.
Punctuation - The use of
standard marks and signs in
writing and printing to
separate words into
sentences, clauses

Links

Organizing Your Essays- an
excellent guide to assist you in
writing the perfect es