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4. Select the most important information from the graphic organizer, and create a class outline for your letter. Decide how best to explain your project and make your request. Keep in mind that part of your task is
to present your collage idea in a way that is compelling and interesting
to other eighth-graders. Consider your voice as the writer; avoid slang words, and be as direct and as clear as possible when writing so that your audience takes you seriously.
5. Make a copy of the outline to use as you draft your letter.
Drafting
6. The opening paragraph of your letter should express your general purpose for writing the letter, along with some background information on the subject. Write the opening paragraph in small groups, and create a personal copy of your own.
7. Refer to the graphic organizer as your write the paragraphs of the body of your letter, following your teacher’s guidance through the drafting process.
8. As a class, add a closing paragraph to the class-constructed letter. Remember to create a sense of closure before the salutation, as well as suggest a plan of action for next steps in working with the audience to achieve your goal.
Check Your Understanding
After you have completed this process, read over the completed letter that your class has created. Refer to the Scoring Guide to help determine how well the letter meets the requirements. Consider the following:
• Underline the purpose of the letter. Are the purpose and audience clear?
• Circle the arguments/explanations used to support your purpose. Are these
specific and appropriate?
• Is the language of the letter appropriate to eighth-graders? Is the language
formal and without slang?
• Does the letter provide closure and suggest further action?
Revising for Language and Writer’s Craft
When you write a sentence, you may choose between two voices: active and passive. In most sentences with an active verb, the subject performs the action indicated by the verb. This is called the active voice.
Conversely, in a sentence that employs the passive voice, the subject is being acted upon. The acting agent is not mentioned, or may be mentioned later. Study the following sentences taken from the sample text. Compare the active and passive voices.
• Active Voice: “The types of films we produce cover topics that range from safety training to customer service instruction.”
• Active Voice: “Often, the businesses and institutions that contract with us request that we provide subtitles for the films, sometimes in multiple languages.”
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
In writing, the term voice may refer to:
• the author’s writing
style
• the person (first or
third)
• the structure of a
sentence (active or passive)
Writing Workshop 10 • Procedural Texts: Business Letters 5
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