D1. Developing and Organizing Content
Specific Expectations
Identifying Topic, Purpose, and Audience
D1.1
identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a variety of writing tasks on subject matter related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures (e.g., an expository essay comparing the themes of two short stories or poems about family relationships in an Inuit community; a letter to the editor to rebut or endorse a news story about urban life as experienced by First Nations teens; an adaptation of a children’s story to better reflect Métis life; a blog post about privilege and oppression, their effect on individuals and groups, and ways to address the consequences; a statement of personal commitment to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples)
- Before you begin your letter to the editor, think about your audience. Are you writing for teens like those in the news story you are responding to, or for a more general audience? Do you want to persuade your readers to accept a new viewpoint, or to endorse the perspective of the original article?
- How would you dramatize an event in a story to appeal to an audience of children?
Generating and Developing Ideas
D1.2
generate, expand, explore, and focus ideas for potential writing tasks, using a variety of strategies and print, electronic, and other resources, as appropriate and with increasing effectiveness (e.g., use a graphic organizer to group ideas and to help them determine the focus of an essay on symbolism in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children’s stories; after obtaining permission, make jot notes of ideas and questions arising during an oral teaching by an Elder, Métis Senator, knowledge keeper, or knowledge holder for later reference in preparing in a written report; create a mind map or a Venn diagram to explore connections between the concepts they wish to express in a poem on the theme of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit sovereignty or self-governance; consult bibliographies and reference lists in books and periodicals, including e-books and e-journals, to identify potential sources of new information and ideas)
- What questions would you like to investigate in preparing to write this essay?
- What have you identified as a possible thesis?
Research
D1.3
locate and select information to effectively support ideas for writing, using a variety of strategies and print, electronic, and other resources, as appropriate (e.g., create a research plan and track their progress; identify a range of sources that contain material related to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit customs and concerns; use keyword searches to locate online information relevant to their topic; create a detailed template to evaluate sources for relevance, reliability, viewpoint, and inclusive perspectives; record all sources of information, observing conventions for proper documentation, to ensure that all sources and extracts are fully acknowledged in their final piece of work)
- What steps have you taken to ensure that you will be able to credit all research sources fully and accurately?
Organizing Ideas
D1.4
identify, sort, and order main ideas and supporting details for writing tasks, using a variety of strategies and selecting the organizational pattern best suited to the content and the purpose for writing (e.g., reorganize the plot outline for a story to include a series of flashbacks; identify a pattern to guide their use of imagery in writing a poem; work in groups to sort and organize their ideas for writing a spoken-word story or poem, focusing on categories such as voice, power, and the depiction and/or exclusion of certain groups; use a graphic organizer to refine their ideas about a thesis or topic in preparation for writing a literary essay; determine the organizational pattern, such as chronological order, climactic order, or cause and effect, best suited to presenting ideas and information in an essay on a specific topic)
- How will you determine the best pattern of imagery to use in your poem?
- How will you organize the information you have gathered for your essay to best develop your thesis?
Reviewing Content
D1.5
determine whether the ideas and information gathered are accurate and complete, interesting, and effectively meet the requirements of the writing task (e.g., draft a variety of opening statements and read them aloud for peer group feedback about which one will engage readers most effectively; review the information gathered for a persuasive essay and, after eliminating irrelevant material, assess the remaining details to ensure that they meet the information requirements of the writing task)
- Which of the quotations you have collected are the most relevant to your analysis of this short story?
- Would including a First Nation, Métis, or Inuit perspective on your topic make your argument more complete and persuasive? Why, or why not?