Prewriting is your first step in writing a process essay. These prewriting activities will help you select a topic to write about, create a focus statement, and gather and organize your details before you begin a first draft.

Prewriting to Focus Your Ideas

Plan your writing.

Use this sheet to plan your process essay.

List three things that you know how to do really well.
Which of these three processes would you like to explain in an essay?
What tools and materials do you need for this process?
What steps would you list for doing this process?
What special thought or feeling do you have about this process?

Teaching Tip

Let students know they don’t have to have exactly five steps in their processes. They can have more or fewer.

Prewriting to Gather Details

Gather different types of details.

Gather information about your process. Find a detail for each example that follows.

Facts are ideas that can be proven to be true.
Hamsters are the most popular rodent pets in the U.S.
Definitions tell what a word means.
A gerbil is a rodent that looks like a large gray mouse.
Examples show or illustrate a specific type of something.
A plastic hamster cage can have tubes attached for exercise.
Sensory details focus on seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.
Teddy bear hamsters have fluffy coats in gold, brown, and white.
Quotations let people involved in the process speak about it.
Mom said, "If you get a pet, you have to take care of it."

Teaching Tip

Use this page in the library or with computer access to help guide students’ research.

Write a lead.

Read each lead-writing strategy and example and write your own.

Ask a question about the process.
How would you like to have a living teddy bear?
Say something interesting about the process:
A hamster may look like a teddy bear, but it is a living creature.
Tell a little story about the process:
My hamster is my friend but is also my responsibility.

Write your focus statement.

Read about focus statements. Then write your own focus statement.

Your beginning paragraph should end with a focus statement. The focus statement names the process and gives a thought about it.

By following these steps, you also can have your own living teddy bear!

Name the process.
Give a specific thought.
Write a focus statement.

Lesson Downloads (Word)

WritingProcessEssays_PrewritingtoFocusYourIdeas.docx (13.88 KB)

Lesson Plan Google Links

Prewriting to Focus Your Ideas

Prewriting to Gather Details

Prewriting to Create a Lead

Prewriting to Create a Focus Statement

Templates

Template Name

Prewriting to Focus Your Ideas

Template Content

Student:

Date:

Plan your writing.

Use this sheet to plan your process essay.

List three things that you know how to do really well.

Which of these three processes would you like to explain in an essay?

What tools and materials do you need for this process?

What steps would you list for doing this process?

First,

Second,

Then,

Next,

Finally,

5. What special thought or feeling do you have about this process?

Template Name

Prewriting to Gather Details

Template Content

Student:

Date:

Gather different types of details.

Gather information about your process. Find a detail for each example that follows.

Facts are ideas that can be proven to be true.

Hamsters are the most popular rodent pets in the U.S.

Definitions tell what a word means.

A gerbil is a rodent that looks like a large gray mouse.

Examples show a specific type of something.

A plastic hamster cage can have tubes attached for exercise.

Sensory details focus on seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.

Teddy bear hamsters have fluffy coats in gold, brown, and white.

Quotations let people involved speak about the process.

Mom said, “If you get a pet, you have to take care of it.”

Template Name

Prewriting to Create a Lead

Template Content

Student:

Date:

Write a lead.

Read each lead-writing strategy and example and write your own.

The first sentence in your essay should grab the reader's attention. It is called a "lead." The following activity will help you write an effective lead sentence.

1. Ask a question about the process:

How would you like to have a living teddy bear?

2. Say something interesting about the process:

A hamster may look like a teddy bear, but it is a living creature.

3. Tell a little story about the process:

My hamster is my friend but is also my responsibility.

Template Name

Prewriting to Create a Focus Statement

Template Content

Student:

Date:

Write your focus statement.

Read about focus statements. Then write your own focus statement.

Your beginning paragraph should end with a focus statement. The focus statement names the process and gives a thought about it.

By following these steps, you also can have your own living teddy bear!

Name the process.

Give a specific thought.

Write a focus statement.

Unit Container Label

Writing Process Essays

Unit Container D7 ID

Writing Process Essays

Lesson Weight