LESSON 2.3
Create the What Statement
Grades 1 - 3
The Old Section
The Old Section of an essay is the background. It’s kind of like when you watch a movie and learn about the main characters before the real story begins.
Barbell of Communications
The What Statement
The What Statement tells what your story or essay is about. We can use the Barbell of Communication and turn it into a What Statement Chart:
| WHAT STATEMENT | ||
|---|---|---|
| Left-hand Idea | Verb Phrase | Right-hand idea |
| OLD | X | NEW |
Task 2.3.1 – Individual
Fill in the blank boxes above with the information from the Barbell of Communications.
Review: Old vs. New
Formula: O + O = poor
If both ideas are Old, then it’s a poor subject. Don’t waste your time!
TROUT SHOUT!
If at least one ideas is New, then the subject is probably a good one.
O + N = good
N + O = good
TROUT SHOUT!
Barbell of Communications
In a nonfiction with narrator essay, the background is about you.
But we cannot tell everything about our lives. We only want to tell about that part of our lives that affects the New idea.
Where Do I Get Ideas for the Old Part?
What should you write about in the Old Part?
You borrow an idea from the New part.
Task 2.3.2 – Individual
Let’s say you have this What Statement:
I used to be afraid of goblin sharks.
Write the parts in the What Statement Chart:
| WHAT STATEMENT | ||
|---|---|---|
| Left-hand Idea | Verb Phrase | Right-hand idea |
| OLD | X | NEW |
Task 2.3.3 – Small Groups
What two ideas are in goblin shark?
Task 2.3.4 – Small Groups
What is another idea in goblin shark?
Hint: What do goblins remind you of?
Task 2.3.5 – Tandem
What parts make up the following right-hand (RH) ideas? The number of ideas is in parenthesis. ( )
- I like elephant sea lions (3)
- If I could be a wild animal, I would be a Wyoming black-footed ferret. (2)
- I love Mekong River porpoises. (2)
Right-Hand Ideas with Only One Idea
Sometimes, the other ideas in the right-hand are not easy to find.
If this is the case, use Wikipedia, or the internet to help you learn more about the right-hand idea.
For example:
I love axolotls.
Task 2.3.6 – Class
A. Look up aye-aye lemurs. What related ideas do you find?
B. Make a Communications Barbell + balloons for aye-aye lemurs.
Creating the Old Subject
To create the Old subject, move one of the balloon ideas to the Old idea. For example:
Task 2.3.7 – Class
What balloon would you like to move from the diagram about goblin sharks?
Add it to the I.
Task 2.3.8 – Small Groups
Come up with two balloons for aye-aye lemurs.
Move one of them to the left-hand idea.
It will now read:
I + ___________________
