H5 - week 5 - lesson 1 and 2

• Middelbare school

Today's objectives

• Writing an informal letter
• Writing an essay / Reading practice
  

Period III & IV 

Writing an informal letter OR essay (general topic/short stories) - 15% weight

Reading (national exam) 50% weight 

Writing guidelines

• Lay-out of an informal letter
• Writing conventions (Dear Jane, How are you? etc.)
• Punctuation (capital letters, I, end of sentence)
• Language use (informal, no slang)
• Vocabulary (synonyms, upper level, appropriate)
• Sentence structure
• No. of words/Task completion

Informal letter

Your address top left (no name)

Date below address (2 blank spaces)

Salutation left (2 blank spaces)

First paragraph: introduction (How are you? I've been really busy...) - one single space between intro & next paragraph

Main body (1 single space between each paragraph):

• Second paragraph: 
  
• Third paragraph:
  

Final paragraph: conclusion (Hope to see you soon. In the meantime, take care!) - two single spaces

Signature: Best wishes/Love etc. & your name below this

Write informal letter no. 1

Hand in

Mind the lay-out & total no. of words

Check spelling/grammar/vocab before handing in

Writing rubric

• Grammar (tense, adverbs, adjectives, articles etc.)
  
• Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, variety etc.) 
  
• Sentence structure (compound/complex sentences, descriptive)
  
• Formal language (informal letter = informal language, but no slang)
  
• Punctuation & Spelling
  
• No. of words (task completed, sufficient/not too many)
  

Essay writing

• Structure - intro/3 paragraphs/conclusion (= 5 paragraphs)
  
• General topic (controversial) / short stories
  
• Formal language
  
• Avoid personal pronouns
  
• Use linking words (also, moreover, even though, nonetheless etc.)
  
• Use an general example ending in your topic statement (=thesis)
  

Preparing your Essay

• Think of a controversial topic (i.e. Soccer players are overpaid = THESIS)
  
• Think of 3 arguments to support your opinion
  

• Come up with two examples to support each argument
• Write a rought draft of 5 paragraphs: Intro/3 arguments & examples/Conclusion (in which you repeat your thesis & your main argument

Assignment

Write a formal essay about a controversial topic - hand in!

OR

Practice reading with 2019 HAVO exam