Show description

Actually, being old does not necessarily imply physical and/or mental impairment. There are many instances where elderly people have made important contributions that require exceptional ability. Cause and Effect Linking cause to effect seems to be ingrained in human thinking. We get chilled and then the next day come down with a cold; therefore, we think getting chilled caused the cold even though medical experts tell us that the virus that causes colds must be communicated by another human being.

Character is another commonly studied story element. We will often find in stories heroes, villains, comedic characters, dark characters, etc. When we examine the characters of a story, we look to see who they are and how their traits contribute to the story. Often, because of their characteristics, plot elements become more interesting. For example, authors will pair unlikely characters together, and somehow that, in turn, creates specific conflict. The setting of a story is the place or location where it occurs.

If they cannot see the relationships, have them pair up, exchange papers, and have their partners look for some related ideas. Observe details of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and sound. Visualize by making mental images of something and write down the details in a list. After they have practiced with each of these prewriting strategies, ask them to pick out the ones they prefer and ask them to discuss how they might use the techniques to help them with future writing assignments. It is important to remember that they can use more than one prewriting strategy at a time.