Write Outside: Outdoor Activities and Writing Prompts for English Composition

Preface vii

Introduction: Paragraphs, Essays, and Activities 

Writing Prompts: Writing Paragraphs and Essays

Writing Paragraphs

Writing Essays

Outdoor Activities: Experiences as Prewriting

Practice Activity—Courageous Initiation

Modes of Communication

Description and the Descriptive Mode

Outdoor Activity—Creating an Outdoor Space

Writing Prompt—Sensory Description of an Outdoor Space

Narration and the Narrative Mode

Outdoor Activity—Walking the Path

Writing Prompt—Reliving the Walk: Narration and Storytelling

Exposition and the Expository Mode

Outdoor Activity—Knowing Flora

 Writing Prompt—Explaining Plant Properties

Argumentation and the Argumentative Mode

Outdoor Activity—Stacking Stones, Balancing Rocks, or Building Cairns

Writing Prompt—Issues, Reasons, and Evidence: Building Cairns

Rhetorical Appeals 

Intended Audience

Outdoor Activity—Knowing Fauna

 Writing Prompt—Symbolism of Fauna

iv Contents

Pathos

Activity—Mapping “Home”

 Writing Prompt—“Mapping” Home

Logos

Outdoor Activity—Creating Rhythm

Writing Prompt—Teaching Rhythm

Ethos

Outdoor Activity—Planning and Planting

Writing Prompt—Fertile Foundations

The Writing Process

Prewriting and Divergent Thinking

Outdoor Activity—Scavenger Hunt

Writing Prompt—Narrative Writing: Preconceived Ideas

Writing Prompt—Prewriting a Long-Term Topic

Organization and Critical Thinking

Outdoor Activity—Sketching a Favorite Tree

Writing Prompt—Sketching an Outline

Writing Prompt—Outlining a Long-Term Topic

Research and Source Content

Outdoor Activity—Wondering and Asking

Writing Prompt—Building an Annotated Bibliography

Writing Prompt—Annotated Bibliography for a Long-Term Topic

Drafting and Evidence

Activity—Grounding

Writing Prompt—Argumentative Writing: Position on Grounding

Writing Prompt—Drafting a Long-Term Topic

Contents v

Revision

Activity—Having a Field Day

Writing Prompt—Narrative Writing: Outcomes

Writing Prompt—Revising a Long-Term Topic

Publication and Formatting

Activity—Completion Ceremony

Writing Prompt—Requirements and Guidelines

Writing Prompt—Formatting and Publishing a Long-Term Topic

Final Thoughts

Index

Acknowledgments

About the Author