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Write the World’s October competition—Environmental Writing—As well as the kick off to our second grading period research report and Project for Awesome videos are right around the corner, and we’re inviting you to jump into the fray with FIVE LINES OF FIRE. Here’s how:

1. Bring to mind an story/issue/idea relating to the environment, or a social issue that you feel strongly about. It should be something that you care about deeply—anything from child abuse, teen apathy, hunger, world-wide women’s rights, human trafficking, the island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean, to the illegal ivory trade, to the smog in New Delhi.
2. In FIVE lines or less, convince your readers to care! Explain what the issue is and why it’s important—to you, or your community, or your country, or humanity…
3. Come up with a catchy title.
4. Read over your work and make any changes—make it as fiery as possible!
5. Hit “Publish” and send ripples through the WtW community, and beyond.

WtW’s Laura has lit the match with her fantastic piece “Grass Roots Change.” Check it out, and then light your own.

This is a great way to begin the pre-writing and brain storming about what you are passionate about to do your research on for the second grading period.

A Note on Persuasion:
There are different ways to stir your readers into caring. Some might be convinced by hard facts and statistics. Others might be persuaded by an emotional anecdote, or a story from your own life. Here are some different strategies to consider as you craft your five lines of fire:

• Personal Experience: Desscribe an experience from your own life.
• Expert Opinion: Draw on the opinion of an expert—someone trained in a particular area, or someone who has relevant personal experience.
• Example: Provide an example that supports a larger idea or pattern.
• Analogy: Compare the situation to another similar situation.
• Facts and Statistics: Incorporate facts or numbers to prove your idea.
• Logic: Use reasoning or theory to argue your point.
• Emotion: Make an emotional appeal to the reader.

Anyone wanting to earn a few points of extra credit may do so by completing any of the Write the World prompts not assigned in Mrs. Scales’ Room Writing Group.

Don’t forget that anyone wishing to have their Oct. Monthly paper graded for this grading period, must have it turned in through Turnitin by tomorrow Oct. 7.