#658. Brainstorming

Reading/Writing, level: Middle
Posted Mon Oct 5 16:13:02 PDT 1998 by David F. Minnici (Dminnici@aol.com).
Belleview Middle School, Belleview, Florida USA
Materials Required: Brainstorming sheet
Activity Time: 1 week
Concepts Taught: Students prepare a paper and speech using a brainstorming sheet

Brainstorm with outline, Rough Draft, Edit Spelling and Punctuation, Final Draft of Favorite TV shows and why I should watch.
(Prepare and Deliver Speech on topic.)

Language Arts
Grade 6th
Class pts10, Homework pts 100. Use class points as bonus points for homework.
Marion County Curriculum Outline, G01-001, G02-001, G04-001 G06-003, G06-004, G06-006

Lesson notes:
In this lesson the students will learn how to brainstorm to narrow their favorite TV show able to tell me why and persuade me to want to watch it. To do this they will have to write a rough draft paper in class. After they collectively finish this step I will show them how to proof read it and correct errors such as spelling, capitalization, grammar, and punctuation. I will have them mark their errors on their rough drafts and make the corrections in the margins. I will then assign the class to rewrite their paper over with the corrections, and turn it in as a final draft. I will then assign a speech project as homework, details at bottom of lesson

Some explanations:
It is important to brainstorm for a written assignment. This allows one to narrow and find a more focused direction for the paper. Writing a rough draft is important to find and correct the mistakes Final drafts is the polished step of writing. This is the step that is meant to be read.

Lesson Execution:
1. Hand out brainstorming sheet. (sheet at bottom of lesson)
2. Explain what brainstorming is and how they will use it with this activity.
3. Explain the activity. (write a paper that tells me your favorite TV show. List five reasons you like it and five reasons you think I should watch it. Finally they will have to use this information to write a speech as homework.)
4. Explain the steps in the activity. (Brainstorm, Rough Draft, Editing and Correcting the Rough Draft with corrections in the margins, Write a final Draft.)
5. Walk students through the Brainstorming work sheet.
6. Once Brainstorming is finished, help the students write a rough draft. Once rough draft is completed, help the students edit their papers.
7. Once rough draft is completed, tell students to rewrite the paper with the corrections. This will be the final draft. Have students turn in the final draft.

Tools and Supplies:
Pencils, 2-3 sheets of paper, Brainstorm outline handout.

Homework Assignment:
Prepare a speech on why I should watch your favorite TV show and deliver it to class. Speech may not be longer in delivery that 3 minuets. There will be no minimum time set for speech and no points taken off for speech that's too long. I will just stop the speech. At the end of each speech we will have class discussion.

Brainstorming Sheet

NAME___________________________________

DATE___________________________________

GRADE__________________________________

I. WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOWS:

1___________________________________________________________________________

2___________________________________________________________________________

3___________________________________________________________________________

II. OF THE THREE LISTEN IN "I" WHICH IS YOUR MOST FAVORITE.?

1________________________________________----------____________________________________

III. LIST FIVE REASONS YOU LIKE IT SO MUCH.

1____________________________________________________________________________

2____________________________________________________________________________

3____________________________________________________________________________

4____________________________________________________________________________

5____________________________________________________________________________

IV. LIST FIVE REASONS YOU WOULD RECCONMDEND THE TV SHOW TO ME OR A FRIEND.

1____________________________________________________________________________

2____________________________________________________________________________

3____________________________________________________________________________

4____________________________________________________________________________

5____________________________________________________________________________