THE SCHOOL BOARD OF BREVARD COUNTYEducational Service Facility

27OO Judge Fran Jamieson WayViera, Fl. 32940-6699

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

Larry Hughes, chairmanBea Fowler

Robert JordanJanice KershawAmy Kneessy

SuperintendentDr. Richard A. DiPatri

Division of Curriculum and InstructionAssociate Superintendent

Brenda Blackburn

Office of Secondary ProgramsDr. Walter Christy, Director

Office of Elementary ProgramsLynn Spadaccini, Director

i.

mastering the craft2005

best practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writing

CoordinatorMARJORIE BLOOM

K-12 WRITING/LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCE TEACHER

AdvisorsLYNN SPADACCINI

DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARYPROGRAMS

DR. WALTER CHRISTYDIRECTOR OF SECONDARY

PROGRAMS

SuperintendentDR. RICHARD A. DIPATRI

melissa braun, edgewood jr./sr.high schooljulie coleman,delaura middle school

annette darby, jupiter elementary schooltamara doehring, melbourne high school

lainey newell, columbia elementarytheresa phelps, saturn elementary school

joanne steady, melbourne high schooldonnice stephenson, bayside high schoolbarbara sweeney, kennedy middle school

jane w. speideldistrict peer mentor teacher

editor, designer, andphotographer

ii.

secondary edition

brevard county schools

mastering the craft2005

best practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writingbest practices in the teaching of writing

iii.

contentsa writing program ................................ 1six traits ideas for writing ..................... 6six traits organization for writing ........ 21six traits word choice for writing ........ 34six traits voice for writing ................... 55six traits fluency for writing ................ 49six traits conventions for writing ........ 70the writing process ............................ 77FCAT writing readiness ..................... 92glossary ...........................................110resources .........................................114

secondary edition

brevard county schools

FYIBest Practices in Teaching Writing

Establish a positive atmosphere for writing, reading, and learning by:Creating an inviting classroom with flexible seating, accessbile resources, and attractive surroundingsModeling respectSharing the teacher’s own writing with studentsEstablishing routines and expectations

Organize for writing by:Setting up a writing workshop routine which convenes every day of the weekUsing writer’s notebooks/portfoliosTeaching writer’s craft techniques based on an understanding of the writing process and student developmental

writing needs

Provide meaningful student writing activities by:Promoting student choice and ownership for both fiction and nonfiction writingProviding opportunities for authentic writing, allowing for the recursive nature of writing practice over a period of days

and/or weeks

Ensure that students read, respond to, and use a variety of materials written for a variety of purposes and audiences by:

Giving reading an integral role in the writing classroomProviding diverse reading materials modeling the importance of craft and idea

Write regularly across the curriculum and grade levels by:Collaborating on assignments among content area teachersSharing writing rubrics across grade levels and subject areas

Arrange for studnets to have constructive response to their writing and to offer response to other writers by:

Making teacher and peer repsonse an integral part of the writing instructionProviding class time for revision after response to the original draftProviding selective responses that do not overwhelm the studentsResponding intermittently throughout the writing process, not only after the final draftUsing many techniques for response, including student-teacher conferences, peer reviews, response forms, class

critiques, and self assessments.

Provide opportunities for students to collaborate as writers, thinkers, and learners by:Using collaboration techniques such as furniture placement, modeling, collaboration, providing checklists and

forms, and organizing writing pairs or small groupsProviding guidelines and demonstrations of appropriate student interactions and creating specific tasks for students

to accomplish during their collaborations

Conduct effective mini-lessons on writing by:Choosing writer’s creaft lessons that relate to students’ needs as well as curriculum and/or assessment needsStructuring mini-lessons so students can observe, discuss, and simulate the targeted writing craft lessons or skillsProviding specific responses to these simulated practices

2.

tips for teachers

#4.

#3.

#2.

#1. Four Components of Writer’s Workshop

Writing Aloud Teacher demonstrates writing on chart paper, overhead/LCD, or chalkboard.

Teacher models aloud what she/he is doing, thinking, and rethinking while

writing, rereading and revising draft.

Teacher talks aloud about topics such as appropriate writing mode-narrative,

expository, persuasive (story, menu, letter, poem, etc.); spacing needs (K-12),

organizational patterns and transition words, writer’s craft lessons such as persuasive

details of statistics and expert opinion, and effective repetition.

Teacher points out skills such as spelling, conventions, punctuation needs, vocabulary

choices, sentence structures, and revision techniques·

Shared Writing Teacher and class compose aloud and collaboratively negotiate topics,

purposes, and word choice with each other.

Teacher acts as scribe and encourages all students to participate.

Teacher provides explicit questioning and directions, encouraging high-level

thinking on focus, support, organization, language use/conventions, and writer’s craft.

Guided Writing Core of the program – whole class, small group, or individualized

Student writes and teacher guides.

Explicit teaching in form of mini-lessons for reinforcement of skills depicted

in shared writing or for introduction of new writer’s craft lessons·

Rubric development and review conferences take place along with peer

response sharing.

Writing may be responses to literature, responses to world or school events, relating

of information/reports, description of classroom experiences, personal reflections,

writing to learn in content areas.

Writing activities are embedded in ongoing content or literature study on a daily basis.

Independent Writing Students work alone, using their current knowledge of writing process,

often choosing own topics.

Occurs daily in writer’s workshop format

Teacher and student monitor through daily log journals, conferences, teacher

feedback.

3.

tips for teachers

Reading-writing connection- tying together books read aloud and/or studied in class towriting lessons and research reports/ projects.

Meaningful print-rich environment- using labels, posters, captions where they catchstudents’ attention and serve a purpose for writing; literacy centers at K-5 such as postoffice, supermarket, bookstore, office, kitchen; real world assignments and articles of inter-est posted for middle/high school students.

Teacher modeling- regularly demonstrating (modeling aloud) the drafting of narratives,leads, poetry, punctuation, conventions, along with writing in response to reading assign-ments.

Real purposes and audiences- providing K-12 students time to write each day abouttopics they have knowledge of and care about, using rubrics which describe levels ofachievement

Writer’s craft- specifically teaching the techniques of writing such as the importance ofaudience, the use of dialogue, connotative and sensory language, parallel sentence struc-tures

Writing in various modes/genres- producing picture books, recipes, brochures, essays,social studies reports, movie reviews, web site reviews, letters to the editor, book reviews,memoirs

Emphasis on revision- revising pieces thoughtfully over time- not a new piece of writingeach day (much writing will not leave draft form)

Conference/ assessment notes- keeping a log or portfolio on each student’s writingprogress

Spelling and vocabulary- connecting both to writing, reading and language use

Sentence structure and conventions- practicing in context, using mini-lessons, not iso-lated skills sheets

indicaindicaindicaindicaindicatortortortortors ofs ofs ofs ofs of a balanced writing w a balanced writing w a balanced writing w a balanced writing w a balanced writing worororororkshopkshopkshopkshopkshop

4.

?

?what is expository writing?

The purpose of expository writing is to inform, clarify, explain, define, or instruct by

giving information, explaining why or how, clarifying a process, or defining a concept.

Well-written exposition has a clear, central focus developed through a carefully

crafted presentation of facts, examples, or definitions that enhance the reader’s

understanding. The facts, examples, and definitions are objective and not depen-

dent on emotion--although the writing may be lively, engaging, and reflective of the

writer’s underlying commitment to the topic.*

* from: Florida’s Department of Education, “Report on the 2004 (FCAT) Assessment”.

what is narrative writing?

The purpose of narrative writing is to recount a personal or fictional experience or to

tell a story based on a real or imagined event. In well-written narration, a writer

uses insight, creativity, drama, suspense, humor, or fantasy to create a central

theme or impression. The details work together to develop an identifiable story line

that is easy to follow and paraphrase.*

?what is persuasive writing?

The purpose of persuasive writing is to convince, prevail upon, win over, or hook thereader to believe or do something. In well-written persuasion, a writer takes a position

for or against an issue and uses statistics, analogies, irony, antithesis, specific ex-

amples, and expert evidence to create a convincing line of argument. The evidence

and support is logical and thought out, but the writing is likely to be voice rich insomuch

as is applicable to the target audience.

5.

developing solid ideas key lies in environment key lies in environment key lies in environment key lies in environment key lies in environment

ou might see meworking in my garden,

but I will tell you I amwriting,” said

resource teacher,Jane Speidel. “ I hear

my mockingbirdscalling to each other in

the azalea bushes. Ifeel the warmest of

spring’s breezesbrush against my

face, and I smell thatrich, fragrant potting

soil as I fill eachflower pot. My garden

becomes my wholeworld and there is a

world of writing ideasthere.”

“y “y “y “y “y

THE PROCESS:

Time to observe

Time to hear and smell

Time to feel and sense

Time for yourself

WHY:

Good writers develop good ideas through living. They open them-

selves up to all sorts of experiences, noticing the world around them

and the wealth of people who live in their world. Ideas serve as the

heart and soul of any writing. Encourage writers to grow and nourish

their ideas.

HOW:

Writing breeds writing. Good writers write as part of their daily lives.

Good writers are good readers, and good writers are stimulated by

their environment. They stay aware and feel life. And, they take time

to run, jump, and play as all part of developing ideas.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit88888listing

free writing

cubing

using picturebooks

hooking a readerwith a lead

the charactersketch

great titles

personal lettersand personalnarrativesand more

6.

Listing is a powerful tool for generating ideas and for seeing connections between the ideas and your assigned topic.

Directions:1. Write your topic at the top of the page.2. Write single words or short phrases that come to mind after reading and rereading your topic. Do not worry about connections or relevance; simply jot down everything that occurs to you.3. Read the list carefully. Are there some items that seem to belong together? Group them, and assign a name to that group. Feel free to add to the list at any time and eliminate items that do not fit.4.Write an assertion about each group:

a descriptionits usesaying associated with the topicmyths or legends associated with the topic

NOTE: Each of the above groups might become a section and/or major idea in the first draft of your paper.

six traits: ideaslistinglistinglistinglistinglisting

topic:example

Topic: apple pie cider William Tell tarts the Big Apple apple for the teacher an apple a day keeps the doctor away

applesauce Johnny Appleseed

Apple computers Adam and Eve red green apple butter core stem Delicious Granny Smith Cortland apple juice crab apple apple jelly Snow White applejack

listing

7.

six traits:ideasdirected free writingdirected free writingdirected free writingdirected free writingdirected free writing

Directed Free Writing is a variation of free writing used when you have a topic but do not have any ideas about it. By freely writing ideas, phrases, sentences, words down, something specific usually comes to mind to help you develop your assigned essay topic.

Directions:1. Write the assigned topic at the top of a blank sheet of paper or in the space below.2. Write nonstop for 10 minutes. No rules. Use words, phrases, ideas or sentences.3. Reread the topic several times during the 10 minutes for some focus to your word association.

your assigned topic:

4. Use your highlighter to mark interesting words and ideas from this free writing.

5. Choose one of the ideas you have marked to develop and support your topic.

6. Write your first draft on a clean piece of paper or the back of this exercise.

directed free writing

8.

The Free Writing technique is used when you:

need to find a topic you have no ideas about a selected topic you are blocked

Directions:1. Begin with a blank sheet of paper, the space below, or a blank computer screen. Write nonstop for 10minutes. DO NOT try to make sense, write complete sentences, or to spell correctly. Let your subconsciousmind take control. Simply keep your pen moving and in contact with the paper for 10 minutes.

2. Now, look at what you have written and select the word, phrase, or idea that seems somehow significant.Maybe it’s your favorite. Write one sentence using that word or idea (we call this a “center-of-gravity sentence”).Place the sentence at the top of another blank sheet of paper, or in the space below. Repeat another 10 minutesof writing. (Do not force yourself to write about that center-of-gravity sentence. Let your ideas flow out of your pentip.)

3. Use the back of your paper to repeat this process 3 or 4 times.Each of your center-of-gravity sentences might reveal a useful topic, and they should provide some ideas fordeveloping that topic. Good luck!

free writingfree writingfree writingfree writingfree writing

fill me up!

center of gravity sentence:

six traits: ideas

free writing

9.

When you are looking for ideas for your assigned topic try Cubing.It combines classical invention and free writing, and is used when you have a topic but are not sure what to sayabout it.

Directions1. Write the topic at the top of a blank sheet of paper or in the space below.2. Write responses to each command. Write nonstop for at least 5 minutes on each command. Do not try towrite good prose; do not stop to correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling.( A variation: instead of free writing,write at least one full paragraph [4-7 sentences]for each of the commands.)

six traits: ideascubingcubingcubingcubingcubing

Describe it:

Compare it:

Associate it:

Tell how it is made:

Apply it:

Argue for or against it

topic:

:

cubing

10.

Picture books serve as highly-effective tools for developing writing skills. They can be used asgood models for writing leads. Urge writers to notice how the writer of the book hooks thereader into the story line.

Directions:• Read the first page of a well-crafted picture book and ask the students to pay careful attention to the lead.•Students complete the following questions to guide students in judging leads in literature and in their own writing.

Questions for leads:

•Which of the writer’s words pull the reader into the story?

• What words were most powerful?

•Can you give me examples of good word choice?

•What details about the characters or setting stood out?

•Does the opening present any questions for the reader?

•What factors make the reader say, “Tell me more!”

•How does the voice of the work hook the reader?

•Does the lead introduce any possible conflicts?

•Does the opening tell the reader what the rest of the book might be about (predict)?

suggested picture books:

Shrek by William Steig

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

Tough Boris by Mem Fox

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

the Madeleine series by Ludwig Bemelmans

the Eloise series by Kay Thompson

six traits:ideas

writing leads using picture books

adapted from: www.geocities.com/SoHo/Workshop

lead writing and picture bookslead writing and picture bookslead writing and picture bookslead writing and picture bookslead writing and picture books

11.

A catchy title pulls readers into any piece of writing.Titles should grab the reader’s attention without giving away too much information.

As you work on an essay or story, write a temporary title, called a working title. The tone ofyour writing will affect the title you choose. Wait until your piece is finished before selecting afinal title. Remember, as a rule of thumb, great titles are five words or less.

Poor Title: My Friend and I Go Camping and Are Chased by a BearBetter Title: Terror in the Woods

Learn from the expert authors. Listed below is a list of titles.Listen to the sound and rhythm of each example:

A Wrinkle in Time Out of the Dust A Year Down YonderBridge to Terabithia Hatchet HolesI Have a Dream Jacob Have I Loved Maniac MageeNumber the Stars The Blue Tattoo The GiverSing Down the Moon The Pigman The Whipping BoyTuck Everlasting Up a Road Slowly The Secret Garden

From this list, choose five novels that you have not read and predict the story line byreflecting upon its title.

Title___________________________Prediction______________________________________________________

Title____________________________Prediction_______________________________________________________

Title ____________________________Prediction________________________________________________________

Title____________________________Prediction________________________________________________________

Title____________________________Prediction_________________________________________________________

six traits: ideaswriting solid titleswriting solid titleswriting solid titleswriting solid titleswriting solid titles

writing title to hook rwriting title to hook rwriting title to hook rwriting title to hook rwriting title to hook readereadereadereadereadersssss

adapted from Razzle Dazzle by Melissa Forney. 2004.

12.

continued

Directions: Write a catchy title for each scenario listed below. Be sure the title isappropriate for sharing in class.

scenario- raising money for concert ticket

suggested title:__________________________________________________________

scenario- receiving your first expensive gift

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario- sibling rivalry

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario- best friend betrayal

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario – embarrassing moment

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario- kidnapping

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario- murder mystery

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario-vacation “gone wrong”

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario: lost dog

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

scenario: found money

suggested title:___________________________________________________________

writing cawriting cawriting cawriting cawriting catctctctctchhhhhy titlesy titlesy titlesy titlesy titles

13.

Directions: As you prepare to write your character sketch, the following questions andtopics may help you develop thoughts and ideas.

Remember: • paint a clear, vivid picture of personality and physical appearance• include dialogue and mannerisms• present a clear organizational structure: snappy title, strong beginning and end• use transition words, figurative language, and action verbs• proofread for conventions

character’s name_______________________ details examples

(physically describe character clothing, hairstyle, quirksspeech dialect, favorite sayings)

personality traits:

age, education,career/job:

likes and dislikes:

favorite hobbies:

special talents and traits:

values:

what is unique?:

writer’s feelings toward character:

why is character important to writer?

what do others say about the character?

how do others react to the character?

what is the common thread or theme about this person that would tie his/her mostimportant characteristic traits together?

explain the overall impression of this person:

six traits: ideasthe character sketchthe character sketchthe character sketchthe character sketchthe character sketch

the character worksheet

14.

Materials: “My Name” excerpt from The House on Mango Street

Directions:· 1. Complete a 10-minute quick write about your name. Who named you? What

does it mean? Are you named for someone? Do you like your name?·

2. Share your writing with a partner.

3. Read “My Name” excerpt below. Identify words and phrases that help to paint a picture or identify a tone. Example: “...sits their sadness on an elbow”).

·

4. Work with a small group or with a partner to identify metaphors, imagery, figuative language. Record the examples on chart paper.

5. Answer the following questions:· If your name was a color, what would it be?

Sound? Sight? Taste?

6. Write your own “My Name” draft , using Cisneros’s style as a model. Focus on word choices.

In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it means waiting.It is like the number nine. A muddy color. It is the Mexican records my father plays on Sunday morningswhen he is shaving, songs like sobbing.

It was my great-grandmother’s name and now it is mine. She was a horse woman too, born like me in theChinese year of the horse—which is supposed to be bad luck if you’re born female-but I think this is aChinese lie because the Chinese, like the Mexicans, don’t like their women strong.

My great-grandmother. I would’ve liked to have known her, a wild, horse of a woman, so wild she wouldn’tmarry. Until my great-grandfather threw a sack over her head and carried her off. Just like that, as if shewere a fancy chandelier. That’s the way he did it.

And the story goes she never forgave him. She looked out the window her whole life, the way so manywomen sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorrybecause she couldn’t be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited her name, but I don’twant to inherit her place by the window.

At school they say my name funny as if the syllables were made out of tin and hurt the roof of your mouth.But in Spanish my name is made out of a softer something, like silver, not quite as thick as sister’s nameMagdalena—which is uglier than mine. Magdalena who at least- -can come home and become Nenny. But Iam always Esperanza. would like to baptize myself under a new name, a name more like the real me, theone nobody sees. Esperanza as Lisandra or Maritza or Zeze the X. Yes. Something like Zeze the X will do.

six traits: ideasa personal narrativea personal narrativea personal narrativea personal narrativea personal narrative

a personal narrative

“My Name” by Sandra Cisneros from The House on Mango Street

15.

Time frame: 3-4 class days.Teacher directions:Day 1- Discuss the friendly letter, put its five parts on the chalkboard. Show an

example of a correctly addressed envelope. Students may copy the examples. Have students decide to whom they are going to write. This should be someone who lives in another city. They should get the address and supply a stamp for mailing.

Discuss with students:Receiving a friendly letter is a gift from the heart. Even in the age of electronic mail, snailmail can strengthen friendships and family ties. They may become a part of a family record,scrapbooks, or journals.

six traits: ideasletter writingletter writingletter writingletter writingletter writing

writing a friendl writing a friendl writing a friendl writing a friendl writing a friendly lettery lettery lettery lettery letter

5 parts of a letter

heading:street addresscity, state, and zip codedate

greeting or salutationDear __________,

paragraphs (minimum of 5)

closing Sincerely,

your signature

body

P.S. A postscript is an afterthought at the end of a letter. The letters P.S. stand for the Latin words post(meaning “after”) and script (meaning “write”).

addressing the envelope

your name# streetcity,state zip

Ms.(Mr.) First name Last name### SreetCity, State zip

see additional activities

adapted from Write Source. 2000.

16.

Day 2: Brainstorm topics and ideas and write the suggestions on the chalkboard.

Provide a graphic organizer for students to plan letter.

Remind students of the proper format. Special emphasis on developing the

five paragraphs with detail and description. Students begin rough drafting

in class and if necessary, finish the draft at home for homework. (May have a parent

proofread and initial the letter.)

Day 3: Have students pair up with another student.

Students are to share letters and make suggestions for revision. Check

each paragraph for a main idea and detailed description. Make sure that the letter

makes sense, is interesting, and fun to read.

Once students have reviewed their rough drafts, they make corrections

and complete a final copy.

Student Directions:

Prewriting:

Make a list of the main ideas for your letter. Cluster details to make the ideas clever and

interesting. Consider things going on in your life, share a good joke, cartoon, or story.

Include a photograph or newspaper article.

Writing the first draft:

Write freely and naturally as though you were face-to-face with a friend or relative. Share

experiences, stories, and information with that person.

Revising: Make sure each paragraph develops a main idea by including details to make

your ideas clear, interesting, and fun to read.

Editing: Check your first draft for correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar

and usage.

Final Copy: Write your letter neatly in blue or black ink, or type, using -size 12 classic or

modern (Times or Arial) font.

page two letter writing activity

17.

DRAPES is a useful acronym to help students develop ways to successfully elaborate in theirwriting.

Students choose an issue or a position for a persuasive editing assignment with severalreasons for support. They will perform the process below, developing each reason of sup-port. Practice one together as modeling before students apply the lesson to their papers.

SAY: “Today, you’re getting a gift, a tool to use for elaboration. You have an issue: abolish-ing high school football. Take a position, for or against. Develop your reasons for support.Who would like to tell me one of your reasons?”(Football is a big money-maker.)“What’s the next step? Now, once you’ve explained your reason; what’s next?”(Proving it is next. The proof is labeled elaboration.)

(Write the word: DRAPES vertically on the chalkboard.)

SAY: “How would you prove that football makes money? What facts could you include.

(Gather answers and apply them to the appropriate place next to DRAPES, as illustratedbelow.)

example:

D (Dialogue): Scott Brady, our athletic director, said, “Last year, profit from football ticketsalone made $18,000 for the school.”R (Rhetorical question): Do you know how much an average spectator spends at agame?A (Analogy): Football games bring in cash the same way that rain brings in crops.P (Personal experience): Last Friday, my friend Dottie and I went to a football game, andhere is what we spent....E (Example): One example of profit is in concessions. Chocolate alone brings in....S (Statistics): 62% of our student body bought at least one ticket to a game this season, atthe cost of $3 each.

Note: Use two or three facts for each reason.

Use DRAPES as the planning step after you choose your reasons, and before you begin towrite. Memorize DRAPES and what the acronym stands for.

a a a a a SCRIPTED LESSON for teaching for teaching for teaching for teaching for teaching DRAPES

source: Why We Must Run with Scissors. Barry Lane. 2004.

open the open the open the open the open the DRAPES for elaboration for elaboration for elaboration for elaboration for elaboration

six traits: ideaselaborate, elaborate, elaborateelaborate, elaborate, elaborateelaborate, elaborate, elaborateelaborate, elaborate, elaborateelaborate, elaborate, elaborate

18.

Good writing means logical writing. Sometimes the use of fallacies is an error inlogic, making your argument suspect, incomplete, and/or untrue. Fallacies maybe either careless mistakes or intentional deceptions. One key to successfulwriting is to insure that your reasons and conclusions are all based on solidthinking.The following types of fallacies in logic sway a reader:

Argument to the Man: This fallacy diverts the audience’s attention by attracting a person’s orgroup’s character.

Argument to the People: Seeking agreement by stirring up powerful emotions (such as fear orprejudice) rather than building a logical case.

Bandwagon: Using the threat of rejection by ones’ peers as a substitute for evidence in an argu-ment.

Begging the Question: Drawing conclusions from assumptions that have not been proven- some-times called circular reasoning.

Complex Question: A question such as, “Would you like to buy the car tomorrow or Saturday?”This question contains two questions: “Would you like to buy the car?” And “Which day wouldyou like the car?”

Either/or Fallacy: Overlooking a wide variety of options by contrasting your own option only withone that is totally undesirable.

Equivocation: Using a word with two or more definitions, usually in order to confuse or todeceive.

Faulty Cause: Presenting the fact that because one thing came before another, the first caused thesecond.

Faulty Generalization: Making a general statement or claim based on insufficient evidence.Stereotypes and jumping to conclusions without solid evidence fall under this category.

False Analogy: Assuming that since two things are alike in one respect, they must be alike inothers. Often this is a fallacy because important pieces of information are missing or overlooked.

Half-Truth: Building evidence on verifiable facts but deliberately failing to cite the full story. Byomitting key facts and details that would lead people to a different conclusion, the writer deceivesthe audience.

Non Sequitur: A conclusion or statement that does not arise logically from a given argument.

Red Herring: Avoiding the real argument by introducing irrelevant information, thereby shifting ordistracting the audience from the issue at hand.

Straw Man Fallacy: Distorting the opposing viewpoint to make it seem overly simple, thusmaking it vulnerable to opposition by a stronger point of view.

six traits: ideas

logical fallacieslogical fallacieslogical fallacieslogical fallacieslogical fallacies

fallaciesfallaciesfallaciesfallaciesfallacies

19.

&Paraphrasing is writing a source’s ideas into the writer’s own words. Failure to use citations (internal docu-mentation or parenthetic documentation presents the ideas as original. Stealing an idea in this manner islabeled plagiarism, a serious academic offense that can result in failure, or expulsion.

PlaPlaPlaPlaPlagiarism incgiarism incgiarism incgiarism incgiarism includesludesludesludesludes,,,,, b b b b but is not limited to:ut is not limited to:ut is not limited to:ut is not limited to:ut is not limited to:

•failing to cite ideas, expressions, or paraphrases not original to the writer•copying phrases, sentences, or paragraphs verbatim without citing the source•replacing a source’s original words with synonyms•copying or mimicking a source’s sentence structure• submitting an essay or parts of an essay written by another without credit•structuring an essay in a similar way without crediting the original author (if the ideas used andconclusion reached are similar.)

Any source that appears in an academic essay must appear on the works cited page at the end of thepaper. The format of the works cited page should follow a specific research method, MLA or APA.

Writers must provide an internal citation (internal citation, parenthetic citation) when quoting from asource, summarizing or paraphrasing a source, or when presenting fact and ideas that are not commonknowledge. Without citation, plagiarism is present.

actions consideractions consideractions consideractions consideractions considered plaed plaed plaed plaed plagiarism:giarism:giarism:giarism:giarism:

•hiring someone to write the paper•building on someone’s ideas without citation•copying from another source without citation

student notesstudent notesstudent notesstudent notesstudent notesparparparparparaaaaaphrphrphrphrphrasingasingasingasingasing

plaplaplaplaplagiarismgiarismgiarismgiarismgiarism

•buying or borrowing a paper

20.

organizing writing each part fits with logic each part fits with logic each part fits with logic each part fits with logic each part fits with logic

here is nothing worse than reading a

piece of writing andtrying to guess where

it is going to end. It issort of like driving

across the countryside without any road

signs.The reader has a

good chance ofgetting lost,” said

research teacher,Robin Howard.

“Training new writersto use graphic

organizers and aspecific plan help to

keep the writerfocused.”

“t “t “t “t “t

THE PROCESS:

Plan with the end in sight

Support with authority

Work to make each element fit together

Use transitions to create structure

WHY:

From the introduction to conclusion, the reader should be able to

follow a logical plan or structure. All questions should be answered

and each point supported with adequate elaboration. The writer can

think of the work as a package, perfectly wrapped and presented.

HOW:

Begin with a plan and never stray from the structure. The process of

revision helps writers to edit out extra information that does not fit

into the original package. Use a graphic organizer, a map of the big

picture and never be afraid of revisions.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit44444transitions

developing athesisstatement

effective leads

framedparagraphs

tips on how toorganize ideas

writing effectiveintroductions &conclusions

21.

Locationabove across against along among around behindbelow beneath beside between beyond by downin back of in front of inside into near offonto on top of outside over throughout to the right under

Timeafter after a few days after awhile after that afterwardas soon as at first at the same time at this point beforeby this time during finally first for an instantfor now for the time being from now on gradually in a little whilelast later later on meanwhile looking backnow next once that is done second sincesometimes soon suddenly then thirduntil when

Comparisonalso as by the same token in the same way just as just llikelike likewise similarly

Contrast

To emphasize a pointagain after all all in all as I have said as we have seenbecause of this for this reason I’ll be the first to admitif you look at it that way in any case in any event in other wordslet me explain once again put another way simply statedthere is no doubt that

To conclude or summarizeall in all as a result as we have seen because consequentlyin closing in summary finally in conclusion so thentherefore to sum up my thoughts when all is said and done

To add informationadditionally along with again also anotheras well besides for example for instanceonce that is done put another way this takes us toto illustrate my point to illustrate this

TTTTTrrrrransitionsansitionsansitionsansitionsansitions

this takes us to

although although it is true but even though howevernevertheless to put it differently on the other hand otherwise stillyet let’s look at it a different wayto repeat

22.

FYIa thesis staa thesis staa thesis staa thesis staa thesis statement:tement:tement:tement:tement: the main idea the writing proves an assertion about the topic, predicting development a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic is generally located near the end of the introduction. is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper.

good example: Television of the 1950’s made a significant impact on the family values of baby boomers and reflected their behaviors raising their own children.

bad example: In this paper, I will discuss television and parenting.

note: In the first stages of writing, the thesis or purpose statements serve as a rough draft or temporarystatement and may be useful in determining the direction of the research. As the paper develops, the thesiswill be restricted, refined and clarified.

how to develop a thesis statementhow to develop a thesis statementhow to develop a thesis statementhow to develop a thesis statementhow to develop a thesis statement Identify a topic Derive main point from the topic Compose a draft thesis statement Begin research Refine, narrow and polish draft thesis statement Complete the final thesis statement

rrrrremember femember femember femember femember four things aour things aour things aour things aour things about planning the thesisbout planning the thesisbout planning the thesisbout planning the thesisbout planning the thesisRelate your thesis to the topicStay focused on the main ideaMake sure your thesis is focused, precise, and contestableChange your thesis as the paper evolves, so that it does not promise more or lessthan your paper delivers

composing a drcomposing a drcomposing a drcomposing a drcomposing a draft thesis staaft thesis staaft thesis staaft thesis staaft thesis statementtementtementtementtementBegin with a purpose statement to be turned later into a thesis statement.Turn a question into an assertion and give reasons why it is true or supportive.Write a sentence that summarizes the main idea.List of the subtopic to be to presented; sort and group the ideas.

Polish to verify that the the statement is specific and arguableVerify that it addresses the assignmentClarify any vague phrases or assertionsInvestigate alternatives for improvement

teacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tips

rrrrrefefefefefine and polish the thesis staine and polish the thesis staine and polish the thesis staine and polish the thesis staine and polish the thesis statementtementtementtementtement

dededededevvvvveloping a thesis staeloping a thesis staeloping a thesis staeloping a thesis staeloping a thesis statementtementtementtementtement

23.

Effective leads pull readers into any piece of writing. Good leads fit the topic, and hook

the reader’s attention from the start.

Directions:

1. Read each of the leads below, studying both the organization and wording.

2. Choose five types of leads and write an example of each.

•Setting: It was one of those dark, muggy, misty New Orleans nights when gentle people

avoid the back alleys.

• Situation: Willie and Sarah looked dumbfounded at each other; their television picture

had just gone black.

• Former Action: Willie and Sarah had longed for years for a house in the suburbs, yet each

time they had accumulated a few dollars in their savings account.

•First incident: Joe stopped the truck and, against company orders, picked up the hitch-

hiker.

• Effects:Two cars were completely wrecked, seven people were hospitalized, and three

bodies were in the morgue just because Joe had gazed a bit too long at a passing

blonde.

•Establishment of the point of view: As I was walking down Main Street last night, I saw...

•Importance of subject: Knowing how to ....may save your life one day.

•Quotation: “Use it up; wear it out; make it do; or do without”--that’s a saying that helped my

grandmother learn to manage money.

• Evaluation of the subject:: Alexander Pope was probably the most arrogant and power-

ful literary dictator, and yet the most....

•An explanation of the writer’s qualification: For seventeen years I have studied the

effects of poor diet on the human body.

six traits:organizationhooking the readerhooking the readerhooking the readerhooking the readerhooking the reader

writing effective leadsObjective: Students will read examples of effective leads, and then use selected examples to

write their own.

try it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourself

24.

Directions:

Research or interview to collect and record the following information before writing a first

draft.

(Who, what)_______________________________ and___________________________

are alike in several ways.

They are both _______________________________________.

They both have___________________________________________________________

Additionally, they also both have_____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Characteristics that make the two alike are:

________________________________________________________________________

and_____________________________________________________________________

Circumstances or factors that affect their similarities are:__________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

However, ____________________ and _________________________ are also different.

One factor making them different is__________________________________________

Another factor is ________________________________________________________.

Elements that affect these factors are_________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

six traits: organizationframed paragraphsframed paragraphsframed paragraphsframed paragraphsframed paragraphs

framed paragraph; compare/contrast essays

The following format may be used as a prewriting tool for planning the compare/contrastessay. It may also be used as a partner icebreaker activity.

25.

writing compare/contrast essays, using a framed paragraphThe following exercise in application can be an effective tool for writing an icebreaker activitywith a partner.

Directions:1. Ask students to choose a partner.2. Each partner should ask and record the questions below, adding to the list3. Using the responses, each student will write a paragraph using the model below.4. Students may want to share their results with the class.

six trsix trsix trsix trsix traits:aits:aits:aits:aits: or or or or orggggganzaanzaanzaanzaanzationtiontiontiontiona framed paragrapha framed paragrapha framed paragrapha framed paragrapha framed paragraph

get to know me! 1. I like the following foods:_____________________________activities:________________

movies:_____________________________types of music:________________________

cars:________________________________places to go:_________________________

2. I would use the following words to describe myself:

_______________________________________________________________________

3. My parents say I am:__________________my friends say I

am:_____________________

4.. My favorite possessions are:________________________________________________

5. I hate it when:___________________________________________________________

6. My heroes are:___________________________________________________________

7. I am happiest when I am:__________________________________________________

8. I feel sad when:________________________________________________________

________________________(name) and _____________________(name)are alike in several ways. They are both ___________________________They both have______________________________and like____________Additionally, they both also have__________________________. However, ______________(name) and ______________________(name)are also different. ____________________(name) is _________________,while ________________________ is ______________________.__________________________(name) has _________________ but______________________ has _______________________.Lastly, they also differ in that they ___________________________ and___________________________ . ______________________ and_________________, though alike in many ways, are also quite different.

example of framed paragraph

26.

After you have gathered all the information to include in your writing, you need to decide the order of presen-tation. One good strategy presents less important points first to get the reader interested, then presents themost important point, ending with the assertation that convinces the reader.

One strategy in organization outlines phrases or sentences, mapping the order of ideas to verify that they arein a convincing order.

•Cause/EfCause/EfCause/EfCause/EfCause/Effffffectectectectect

Cause and effect are two different concepts. Using one or the other depends on what part of a situation thewriter wants to stress. Stating the causes and/or effects of a topic is helpful in persuading readers to make adecision about a topic.

Causes tell readers why something happened. For example, numerous stolen bikes on campus causestudents to register their bikes. Smoking causes lung cancer. Typing for many hours causes carpal tunnel.

Effects are the results of something. For example, fifty new bike racks were put on campus with fundingfrom registered bikes. Twelve hundred smokers die every year from lung cancer. Carpal tunnel syndrome isnow discussed in many employee training programs.

•ChrChrChrChrChronoloonoloonoloonoloonological Orgical Orgical Orgical Orgical Orderderderderder

Chronological order presents ideas according to the time in which they occurred. This type of organi-zation is especially effective in describing a process, relaying a series of actions, or telling a story. For in-stance, to convey the plot of a novel or the procedures of an experiment, the writer tells readers what hap-pened first, second, etc.

•ComparisonComparisonComparisonComparisonComparison

Strategies writers use have common organizational patterns. In defining something, the writer presents aspecific case, looking at the class of objects or things to which it belongs. For example, a computer is awriting instrument, so how is it different from a pencil, which is also a writing instrument? Then, within the actof definition, there are organizational patterns.

Comparisons analyze and evaluate two or more concepts. They compare two concepts by showingeither the differences or the similarities between them. This type of organization is especially effective inshowing how one concept is better than another. Writers persuade readers to choose one over another. Forexample, car commercials constantly use comparisons to show how a specific car gets more mileage thananother.

When using comparisons between two or more objects, be sure to compare them on the SAME issues. Forinstance, to show the differences between a Ford Escort, a GEO Prism, and a Honda Civic, the writer mightexamine only passenger space, engine size, and trunk size, depending on what issues will interest readersthe most.

student notesstudent notesstudent notesstudent notesstudent notesorganizing your ideas

27.

Comparisons can be organized one of two ways:

-Alternating Organization

Alternating organization stresses the points about the concepts compared. An outline of an alternatingorganization looks like this:

I. Passenger Size a. Ford Escort b. GEO Prism c. Honda Civic II. Engine Size a. Ford Escort b. GEO Prism c. Honda Civic III. Trunk Size a. Ford Escort b. GEO Prism c. Honda Civic

-Divided Organization

Divided organization stresses the actual concepts compared. An outline of divided organization looks likethis:

I. Ford Escort a. Passenger Size b. Engine Size c. Trunk Size II. GEO Prism a. Passenger Size b. Engine Size c. Trunk Size III. Honda Civic a. Passenger Size b. Engine Size c. Trunk Size

continued organizing ideas

28.

-Emphatic Order

Emphatic order arranges ideas according to their importance. Depending on the topic and thepurpose of the writing, the writer needs to consider what effect these points may have upon readers. Thestrongest point may be saved until last, the arguments building in strength, leaving readers with a lastingimpression.

•General to Specific Order

One common pattern of presentation moves from general to specific, specific to general, spatial, andhierarchical (most to least important). Obviously, these patterns can apply both to paragraphs and tolarger units of discourse, including several paragraphs in a group or labeled section of a text, or the textas a whole.With this type of organization, the writer presents a general statement and supports that statementwith specific examples. Or, the writer may provide the reader with specific information and then make ageneral conclusion. Deciding on which of these two to use depends on the reasons for the writing andwhat information the audience requires.

•writing intrwriting intrwriting intrwriting intrwriting introductionsoductionsoductionsoductionsoductions

The introduction is the first sentences of the essay, and it plays a dual role of setting the theme of theessay, engaging the reader. The introduction should not be overly formal. When writing an essay foradmission to college, employment, or scholarship, the writer wants the reader’s positive attention. Thepurpose of this type of writing is to gain attention and have the reader make a favorable decision about thewriter.

•General Tips on writing for decision makers:

Don’t Say Too Much. Just tell the story! The introduction should be clean and clear. State what thepurpose is.

Draw the reader into the writing. Start with facts or information that makes the reader want to read untilthe very end.

continued organizating writing

Types of Introductions

•academic introduction •creative introduction •action introduction •dialogue introduction

•writing concwriting concwriting concwriting concwriting conclusionslusionslusionslusionslusionsThe conclusion is a final chance to persuade the reader to take action. DO’s Expand upon the broader implications of discussion. Link the conclusion to the introduction to establish balance. Redefine a term used previously in the the argument. End on a positive note. DON’Ts Summarize. Conclusion should be an ending, not a summary. Phrases such as, “In conclusion,” “Insummary,” “To conclude” add nothing to the writing.

•overarching societal statements•personal introduction•question introduction•quotation introduction

29.

Effective introductions must be: relevant, informative, coherent, and interesting.

They present a first impression of the writer. They can pique a reader’s desire to read

further.

At least two essential points should be covered in an introduction:

•the title, author’s name, type of literary work

• thesis or direction the essay will take in discussing the work..

Here are some fundamental approaches for writing introductory paragraphs:

FOLLOW THESE RULES:•move from life experience to literary experienceWhat interests the reader in a short story, poem, or play is how true or real the work

seems (mimetic criticism). Readers can picture any number of situations in real life which

are similar to those in literature. Recognizing this similarity, many writers start their work

by discussing life situations which are comparable to the literary situation, moving from

the more general human experience to the experience presented. Such a beginning is

especially useful in essays on characterization.

Sometimes the writer must discuss a work of literature unlike anything in real life (e.g., E.

T. A. Hoffmann’s “The Sandman”). In this case, the writer should show how unlike a liter-ary work can be from the common experience, using difference and contrast as opposedto comparison and similarity.

• from general idea to authors’ viewMany works of literature investigate human experience from a metaphysical perspective,

notably from a philosophical stance. Concepts of time, chance, fate, good, evil, the mean-

ing of life, the reality of death have all been subjects for literary artists. Before dwelling on

and conclusionsHow to write good introductions

from www.theliterarylink.com

purpose of the introduction• To get the reader’s attention

•To establish the tone (serious, humorous, etc.)

•To establish the subject and its limitations

• To indicate the organization

•To state a restricted, unified, precise thesis

continued30.

a particular author’s views about death or time, a writer may decide to discuss such con-

cepts more generally in the introduction. Writers first identify a prominent idea in the work that

becomes the focus of the thesis. The writer then steps back from the literary work and consid-

ers where its author’s views fit into a range of opinions on the subject. Introductions which

begin by discussing ideas are frequently useful in essays focused on the theme, or an analysis

of a literary work.

• begin with an overviewGive an overview of the work, or a brief account of relevant and important details only. This

method is useful when some aspects of the work are related to your topic but will not be

discussed in detail in your essay. The writer should avoid a review of any elements of the

plot which will be later discussed. The purpose is to give a broad view of the play, or poem

before narrowing to a thesis.

• move from general information to newIntroduce readers to the “big picture” by giving them information they already know. Then,

link what’s familiar to new information. As new information becomes familiar, it too becomes

old information that can link to newer information.

example:

Every semester, after final exams are over, I’m faced with the problem (old informa-tion) of what to do with books of lecture notes (new information). They (old) might beuseful some day, but they just keep piling up on my bookcase (new). Someday, it(old) will collapse under the weight of information I might never need.

• begin with a quotationBeginning an essay with an appropriate quotation is an interesting way to open a literary

discussion. It should be well chosen, pertinent to the subject, and well integrated into the

rest of the introduction. The quotation should be interesting, informative, and appropriate

opener. The writer must also explain the quotation and tie to the thesis.

• begin with a definitionSometimes the main point involves a term that is not common knowledge, or needs to be

explained. There is no need to explain common literary terms. As in a standard definition

essay, describe what it is, explain the term to show how it differs from other types of its class,

and what it is not.

continued

continued31.

• begin with background about the author or the workAnother possible way of beginning is to mention details about the author’s life or the story’sbackground which may be relevant to the focus of your essay (genetic criticism). For anintroduction of this type you will have to do a little research into background material. Becareful here about using unwarranted connections between an author’s life and his work ordrawing conclusions about his intentions.

• begin with literary history or tradition of the workA good way to introduce a study of a work of literature is to show how it fits into a particular

literary tradition. Just as authors draw on previous literature in their works, the writer can

discuss a work intertextually. Often more modern works can be examined as revisions or

adaptations of earlier works, echoing a previous one.

continued

•begin with a discussion of a literary techniqueSome writers introduce their discussions of character, setting, point of view, or imagery by

exploring the general uses authors make of a particular literary element. They then con-

sider the way the author uses this same literary element in the specific work being dis-

cussed. This kind of introduction is particularly helpful when an author employs a technique

in an unusual way.

• begin with a critical stanceWriters who study literature notice how critics take a number of different approaches when

interpreting a work. For example, some will look at literature psychologically; feminists look

at literature as an illumination of the female condition, past and present; Marxists look at

the economic and social values exhibited by a work.

a good conclusionThis is the last chance to convince the reader.

• Restate both thesis and major points

•Evaluate the importance of the subject

•State the broader implications

•Present a call to action

•Write a prophecy or warning based on the thesis

32.

word choice matters develop an effective vocabulary develop an effective vocabulary develop an effective vocabulary develop an effective vocabulary develop an effective vocabulary

y all timefavorite

part of teachingprimary students to

write is seeing themdevelop their

vocabulary,” saidMelbourne Highteacher, Tamara

Doehring.“They work to gain

such power and thatcomes with consis-

tently working on newwords. I use a lot ofmodeling exercises.

They work for me andfor my kids.”

“m “m “m “m “m

THE PROCESS:

Listening and reading new words

Using new words to describe and paint word pictures

Constantly polish by revising

Develop a word bank

WHY:

The words chosen to tell a story become the bones of any narrative.

The choices separate the writing masters and the novice. The most

effective writers excite their readers, make a percise point and take

their readers into the story.

HOW:

Additions to vocabulary begin with reading. Other writers show

readers what words work and how to apply them in just the right

places for the best possible effect. Learn from the masters. Words

are power; use them.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit77777working withstrong verbs

the right word forthe right place

writing effectivedescriptions

smart editing

using wordbanks

RAFT’s work

adages

34.

the storm was terrible

wind howled

dogs barked

trees thrashed

hail pelted

thunderrumbled

lightening crackled

rain pattered

windowsslammed

working with strong verbs

Directions:1. Using the above model as an example, students draw a circle on their own paper, identify-ing a topic for the center and filling in each spoke with descriptive nouns paired with a powerverb.2. Use the graphic organizer to write a draft of a strong verb paragraph.

35.

beware the worn-out wordsCertain words are overused, and hold little power.

Directions: Using a thesaurus, research a more powerful synonym for each of the wordsbelow.

1. pleasant 2. pretty 3.cold 4.smart 5.soft

6. white 7. sad 8.nice 9.happy 10.ugly

11.very 12.say 13.walk 14.cute 15.like

Now, using a thesaurus, find a more effective synonym to replace the entry word listedbefore each sentence.

entry word sentence

rare 1. I’ll have my steak slightly _______________.

talk 2. The professor gave a ________________ on economics.

common 3. It is a _____________ belief that taxes are too high.

lift 4. ______________ the box from the table.

leap 5. Look before you ______________.

make 6. I will _____________ a birthday present for my sister.

hit 7. The producer expects the play to be a big ____________.

happy 8. I’ve enjoyed many ___________ times at the beach.

six traits: word choiceusing a thesaurususing a thesaurususing a thesaurususing a thesaurususing a thesaurus

improving word choice

Using a thesaurus helps to improve your writing by offering you more word choices. The useof this resource gives your writing a positive edge.

36.

Writers have the ability to make the readers see, hear, smell, and imagine places,people and events they have never experienced before. The words and phraseschosen for a piece of writing weave themselves into the narrative to create mentalpictures sometimes referred to as word pictures.

Objectives: Students will be able use a model of a poem that uses multiplesensory images to write their own original draft.

Directions:1. Display and present a sample of examples of similes, metaphors and figuativelanguage below:

madder than a wet henas mean as a junk yard dog

as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs jumpy as a room full of kindergartners

calm as a lake on a windless morning the dragon’s breath smelled like your worst nightmare

2. Discuss the mental picture each of the above examples creates for the reader. Word pictures can be used in all kinds of writing. The examples of a wordpicture poem below causes the readers’ imaginations to go wild, evoking manydifferent senses.

3. Using the poem above as a model, asking students to plan and write their ownpoem that evokes a similar sensory experience.

six traits: word choice

adapted from Razzle Dazzle Writing. Melissa Forney.

“M-m-m Delicious”French-fried spiders, pickled frogs,

Candied lizards, sauteed hogs,

Anaconda, served on rice,

Flavored with a pinch of spice.

Buttered skunk with llama sauce,

Salamander served on moss, .

Alligator, freshly grilled,

Sea-slug salad nicely chilled,

Marinated monkey meat.

What a feast! Come on, let’s eat!

using figurative languageusing figurative languageusing figurative languageusing figurative languageusing figurative language

painting word pictures in writing

37.

Verbs mean action words. Writers need to know the difference between the two, and thepower of strong choices.

Weak verbs are over-used, don’t add any new information to a sentence, and lack imagination or real action.

example: The bunny went across the field.

Strong verbs add more information to a sentence. They paint a wordpicture in the reader’s mind and create mature, well-written sentences.

example: The bunny scampered across the field.

Objective:Students will review the use of strong verbs and apply an assortment to a short essay.

Directions:

1. Review the list of strong verbs and use as a resource in the writing assignment.

2. Choose one scenario below and write from the point of view of the character you choose.

3. Product should to be no less than 250 words, or one page. Include a catchy title.

Scenario:Scenario:Scenario:Scenario:Scenario:( choose one)sports commentator at an athletic event

“National Geographic” journalist

police officer on a high speed chase

detective at a crime scene drummer at a rock concert

six traits: word choiceusing strong verbsusing strong verbsusing strong verbsusing strong verbsusing strong verbs

a strong verb activity

doctor/nurse in an emergency room situation

babysitter for twin two-year-olds

surfer in a surf contest

38.

Objective: Students will edit sentences to practice sound editing and word choice.

Directions: Take out your “word cleaver” and simplyfy the following sentences by eliminatingunneeded words. You may have to use one word to replace several in some of the sentences.

sentences:1. The stadium has ample parking space available for fan’s automobiles.

2. There is no easy shortcut to learning how to play the game of bridge.

3. In the appendix in the back of the book, you will find a complete list of all references tothe author’s previous works.

4. She joined the company at a higher salary level than she had expected to receive at thetime when she made application for the position.

5. Let’s have a discussion on this particular issue sometime at a later date.

6. The ability to express yourself well by means of the written word is an essential skill tohave if you want to be successful in business.

7. His first fiction novel was not a successful book in terms of sales, but after his secondmade the best-seller list, the first began to sell better than it had done previously.

8. It is necessary for all the fire extinguishers in the entire complex to be inspected on amonthly basis.

9. In the very beginning, a diet and exercise program might not produce the exact resultsyou expected from the start, but don’t become discouraged.

10.There were a number of very important issues that were brought up and thoroughly dis-cussed in detail during the meeting.

six traits: word choicesolid editing tipssolid editing tipssolid editing tipssolid editing tipssolid editing tips

cutting fcutting fcutting fcutting fcutting faaaaat frt frt frt frt from writingom writingom writingom writingom writing

you try it

39.

Mrs. Jones is 5’7” tall and weighs 99 pounds Her doctor says she is “underweight”. The word “underweight” is adenotation or the exact definition of the word. Some might call this woman as “thin”, “slender”, “slim”, “slight”,“spindly”, “bony” or “skinny”. All these words have similar meaning. Do you think Mrs. Jones should be called“bony” or “slim”? Which words would she probably dislike hearing as a description of herself?The difference is in their connotations—the attitudes and extra meanings they suggest in additiion to theirmeaning.

Writers choose words with “emotional overtones” to sway readers to understand their point ofview.Directions: Below are pairs of remarks that might be made by two different speakers aboutthe same person. One remark suggests approval of the person, while the other remarkindicates disapproval.Underline the sentence you would use if you approved of the person.

1. Caroline is a good conversationalist. Caroline is a chatterbox.

2. Mona is interested in people. Mona is a busybody.

3. Mr. Carr is a cheat. Mr. Carr is a shrewd businessman.

4. Jonaia is self-confident. Jonaia is conceited.

5. Tyrone is yellow. Tyrone is cautious.

6. You say such clever things. You are a smart aleck.

7. Maria is a wallflower. Maria is quiet.

8. Jeena has an active imagination. Jeena is a liar.

9. Carrie is a nerd. Carrie is intelligent.

10.Lorie is weird. Lorie is creative.

six traits: word choiceword connotationsword connotationsword connotationsword connotationsword connotations

ccccchoosing the best whoosing the best whoosing the best whoosing the best whoosing the best wororororord fd fd fd fd for descriptionsor descriptionsor descriptionsor descriptionsor descriptions

denotation : the literal meaning of a wordconnotation: the association that the word evokes

The words, “woman” and “chick” have the denotation of an “adult female”. Theword, “chick” has a negative, or rude connotation.Using the word “woman” is neutral.

continued40.

Directions: Read the following two paragraphs. Choose and circle which of the four

speakers listed under each paragraph spoke.

Draw two columns on a piece of paper and list the descriptive words and phrases under

the two headings of favorable and unfavorable connotations.

“Doug drives a super car-a gorgeous Jaguar. When he drives down the street, everybody

notices him. He’s different from the other guys. He’ a snappy dresser. He’s tall, handsome

and has a wonderful physique. He’s got warm brown eyes that send shivers up and down

your spine when he looks at you. He’s a sophisticated, man-of-the-world type. And, his

manners--he has a way of making you feel that you’re the most important person in the

world.”

mother ex-girlfriend best friend rival

“Oh, that guy? He’s the showy type all right. He drives this gaudy car and acts like he owns

the road and everyone else should jump out of his way. He’s not too bad looking, I guess,

but he works out with weights to develop his bulging muscles. He must spend two hours a

day deciding what T-shirt to wear; he’s so fussy about his appearance. He feeds the girls a

big line and gives them this toothpaste ad smile. I think he’s a phony.”

continuedworking with connotations

favorablefavorablefavorablefavorablefavorable unfavorableunfavorableunfavorableunfavorableunfavorable

mother ex-girlfiend best friend rival

41.

Some words appear can be labeled as overused. One such example, “very” should

be avoided whenever possible. It says little and never conveys accurate meaning to the

writing. Other words express the idea of “very” in their meaning and should be applied for

more effective results to writing.

Edit out the use of “very “ in writing and use the following expressions below. Note, use a

dictionary to define meanings if necessary. The queen was very happy that her son had won the honor of the princess.

six traits: word choice

creating a word bank

collecting wordscollecting wordscollecting wordscollecting wordscollecting words

destitute

valiant

jubilant

famished

gaunt

affluent

ancient

rare

furious

exhausted

saturated

vigorous

belated

minute

rash

scrupulous

repulsive

immense

intimate

remote

lucid

torrid

brilliant

immaculate

precarious

ingenious

infantile

resourceful

towering

indolent

fleet

atrocious

profound

hilarious

parched

frail

industrious

frigid

devoted

☺ The queen was jubilant that her son had won the hand of the princess.examples:

see application on next page

42.

applying smarter word choicesDirections:1. Review the word bank on the previous page.

2. Read each of the phrases below and replace the overused word with one from the wordbank.

3. Rewrite the sentence on the line provided.

1. Josh was very clever._______________________________________________

2. The sun beat down upon the sand, and it was very hot._________________________________________________________________________

3. Rain made the grass very wet._______________________________________________

4. I have a mountain cabin very far from town._________________________________________________________________________

5. The crowd was very loud and happy.__________________________________________

6. I saw a very tiny insect._________________________________________________

7. She loved her family very much._____________________________________________

8. A long, cool drink of ice water helps to relieve a very dry throat._________________________________________________________________________

9. Her weight had dropped such an alarming amount, and she was very thin.

_________________________________________________________________________

10. The bubble was so very big it filled the entire area._______________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

43.

try it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourself

R.A.F.T. is a CRISS (CReating Independence through Student-owned Strategies) activitythat aids students in bringing life, creativity, and strong word choice to their writing. It isan excellent prewriting tool.

Role: Who is the speaker in your writing?Audience: To whom are you speaking? How does your audience affect your style?Format: What are you writing? ( essay? speech? letter? editional?)Task plus STRONG verb: What are you trying to accomplish?

Review the RAFT strategy , studying the example below.

examplewriting situation: The school board is considering eliminating lockers to minimizethe possibilitiy of weapons, drugs and other illegal items being on all campuses.

directions for writing: Identify the advantages and disadvantages of eliminating lockers Use a R.A.F.T.strategy to plan the argument. Now, write to convince school board members to accept your point of view.example:ROLE: student.AUDIENCE: school boardFORMAT: letter, speech, editorialTASK: convince audience to accept my point of view.

suggested thesis statement: Eliminating lockers on high school campuses will not increase safety but willactually harm students.Key points (each one paragraph):explain and provide support for the negative health side effects from carrying of heavy backpacksexplain and provide support for the negative psychological impact from having no place to store books

Review your draft and circle words/phrases that are central to the proof. Read it aloud tohear how it might sound at a school board meeting.

six traits: word choiceR.A.F.T

using a R.A.F.T. to develop writing

RAFT is an acronym for:RoleAudienceFormatTask plus STRONG verb

review

GUIDED LESSON:

44.

Objective: Students will be able to read and discuss commonly used adages as models inwriting their own.

Time: one class period

Supplies: drawing paper or newsprint crayons/colored pens

Directions:1. Present and discuss wisdom that has been passed down through generations in the form

of sayings or adages of parents and grandparents

examples: “Look both ways before crossing the street,” “Keep to the right,” “Fools’

names and fools’ faces always appear in public places,” “Don’t count your chickens be-

fore they hatch,” “Easy come, easy go.”

Discuss the meaning of each of these sayings. The discussion should include the idea

that there is an element of truth in each of these sayings, and that they are intended to

teach a lesson.

2. Ask students to add to the examples presented.

3. Share the adage, “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb”by writing it on the chalkboard. Discuss its meaning (its connection to weather predic-

tion), along with characteristics of lambs and lions that might have led to this saying.

Emphasize the opposite relationship between the traits of the two animals—ferocious vs.

timid.

4. Ask students to write their own original adages (three to five), reflecting their understand-

ing of the relationships within the adage. Ask them to then illustrate four ideas of the

adages on a sheet of newsprint that has been divided into four squares.

example: “March comes in like soft grass and goes out like a wild buffalo.”

“March comes in like a feather duster and goes out like a chain saw.”

5. These new adages can be displayed for further reference.

six traits: word choice

create your own adages

writing adageswriting adageswriting adageswriting adageswriting adages

45.

emotion wordswriting word bankwriting word bankwriting word bankwriting word bankwriting word bank

positive emotionsacceptedacknowledgedaffirmedappreciatedapprovedattractivebeautifulbefriendedcalmcapablecheerfulcherishedcomfortablecomplementedconfidentcourteousecstaticempoweredencouragedexaltedexcitedexhilaratedexoneratedexuberantfocusedfreegenerousgladhappyhelpfulhonoredhopefulimpressedincludedindependentjoyfuljubilantkindlovablelovedloyalneedednoticedobedient

overjoyedpatientpeacefulpleasedpowerfulpraisedpreparedprotectedproudpurposefulreadyrecognizedrelaxedrelievedrespectedreveredrewardedsafesatisfiedsecuresupportedsympathetictalentedtrustedunderstooduplifteduseful;validatedvaluedwantedworthy

negative emotionsagitatedaloofambivalentangryanxiousashamedaveragebedraggledbefuddledbelligerentberetbetrayedbewilderedbitterblahblamedblase`blueboredbotherchastisedconfusedcontrarycrazycriticizedcrushdejecteddepresseddiscardeddiscourageddiscriminateddisgusteddistantdistrustfuldumbembarrassedexcludedfaitfearfulforcedfrustratedgrouchyguilty

heatedheartbrokenhelplesshesitanthopelesshostilehumiliatedidioticignoredimpetuouslyimplicatedindifferentinsaneinsecureinsultedinterruptedirritatedjiltedjudgedlaughed atleft-outlonelylostmadmelancholymockedmoronicnervousorneryout-or-controlout-of-stepoverlookedoverwhelmedpatronizedperplexedpicked onpoutypunyput downrebelliousrejectedreviledrevolted

ridiculedrottensadscaredshatteredsickslightedspoiledspookystrangestressedstubbornstupidtemperamentaltrappedtumultuousuglyunappreciatedunhappyuninformedunlovedunpreparedunrulyupsetuseduselessvexedvulnerableweakwearyworn-outworried

grades 7-12

46.

writing word bankwriting word bankwriting word bankwriting word bankwriting word bankjuicy color words

REDcherry redlobster redcrimson redwatermelon redbrick redcandy apple red

GREENolive greedforest greenkhaki greenemerald greenlime greenpistachio green

BROWNleather brownchocolate brownmahogany brownchestnut browncoffee browncamel

BLUErobin’s egg bluepower blueroyal bluenavy bluedenim blue

PURPLElavenderorchidperiwinklegrapeeggplantplum

YELLOWlemon yellowgoldenrodmustard yellowegg yolk yellowschool bus yellowfluorescent yellow

ORANGEpumpkin orangemarigold sunset orangefluorescent orangeburnt siennacaution orange

WHITEsnow whitealabaster whitevanillaeggshellivorypearl

super color wordsrainbowdalmatiancamouflagehologramconfettimultitutti-fruiteneapolitanstained glassmother-of-pearliridescentpeppermintchocolate chippimento cheesetransparentblack cherryday-gloglow-in-the-darkmirrortapestryplaid

opalpolka dotstripeglittertortoisecalicoblacklightgoldsilverplatinumbronzecoppersteelivorypeaches ‘n creamcafe-au-laitmahoganyebonydiamondemeraldsapphiretopazrubycitrine

BLACKebonyjet blackcharcoalravenmidnightblanckpitch black

grades 7-12

47.

sensory wordsword bank wordsword bank wordsword bank wordsword bank wordsword bank words

TOUCHroughslipperybumpyvelvetyscratchyhardpaddedmeltedrigidgrovedfuzzywetslickmetalliccrackedflimsysilkygooeymoistplushpricklysharpcurvedhairydimpledpointedglassyoilydewysandysmoothbreezyslimydustysleekjaggedgreasyspongyfurrygrittylightweightliquidmoist

SMELLsmokybutterydustymildewyfreshnewmustydankspicyburntacridearthyfruityflowerychocolatyleatherysweetvinegarypungentlemonysharpstrongcheesyoldrankrottendecayedspoiledwoodsygrassybitterpepperycharredsmokysourcleanfloralacridantisepticmedicinalputrid

SOUNDcashbangingboomingclinkingwhizzingpoppingploppingdrippingscreechinghowlingbawlingmeowingsnappingwoofingjinglingtappingclickingsplashingslurpingwhistlingcrackingloudsoftmutedclangingroaringgrowlingyowlingsnifflingwhisperingmelodicblaststammerhummingcacklingchantingjabberingbellowingcheeringgrowlingpealingrumblingmoaning

grades 7-12

48.

StrStrStrStrStrong ong ong ong ong VVVVVerb Listerb Listerb Listerb Listerb Listaimed stamped

backpackedbacktrackedbaloonedbamboozledbandagedbaptizedblastedblottedboiledbotchedbounedbulldozedbulliedburped

chastisedchatteredchauffeuredcheapenedcherishedchuckledclappedconductedconsoledconductedcorkedcrawledcroonedcultivated

a

demolisheddespiseddevoureddiapereddisciplineddog paddleddouble-checkeddouseddrained

dreadeddrooped

danced

dusted

easedejected

b

c

d

d

electrocuted enfolded evaporated

e

firedflatteredflippedflirtedfocusedfrench-braidedfrolickedfrosted

humiliated

hauled

hiccuppedhigh-fivedhowled

h

glowedgoofedgratedgreasedgrilledgroanedguaranteedguffawedgurgled

g

hammeredharvested

iced irritated

iiiii

jabbed

jack-knifedjuggled

j

karate choppedk

leapedlumberedluxuriated

l

meltedmonopolized

meandered

mystified

m

oozed

o

outwitted

measured

papered

peered

parachuted

pattedpasted

piggybacked

pitter-patteredplucked

relishedrescuedripped

poachedpounded

praisedpranced

p

ransackedreassuredrecordedrejoiced

rockedrowed

ragedr

sabotagedsandedsassedscrubbed

shaved

shiveredshriekedshruggedshudderedside-stepped

steamed

strained stitched

strectedstrodestuffed

slam-dunkedslimedslitheredsmirked

squished

sneezedsnoopedsnoozedsplattered

shipped

spliced

sprintedsplurged

s

tangoed

teasedtap-d

anticipated

thawed

tickled throttled

trespassedtruckedtuckedtwisted

twitched

arrangedt

waltzedweighed

wisecracked

viewed vindicated

wipedwiggled

witheredwormedwrangledwrenchedwrinkled

w

v

xyzyelpedzoned out

49.

writing with fluencysolid techniques work magicsolid techniques work magicsolid techniques work magicsolid techniques work magicsolid techniques work magic

s a reader, I know what I like and

what works for abook. Maybe it’s

unconscious, but I amdrawn to the style of

some writers overothers. If I read an

outstanding book byone writer, I’m soon inthe book store hunting

for more from thissame person. It is thefluency and ease of

the writing that drawsme in,” said resource

teacher Marge Bloom.“ Writing is hard work.

But, just like every-thing else, good

writing looks so easy.It flows and baths thereader with images of

an outstandingexperience. The

writer has worked sohard to take her

reader to that point. Iappreciate all of that

work and craft.

“a “a “a “a “a

THE PROCESS:

Incorporate rhythm and flow of solid language.

Vary sentence structure.

Listen to your writing being read aloud.

Add sensory details.

WHY:

Most writers know immediately when a piece of writing sounds

good when it is read aloud. It flows from the page; it’s varied and

smooth. Readers say it reflects true craft. The reader always wants

to read more of the same style. It works.

HOW:

Good writers are never afraid to revise their work. They try complex

sentences where simple sentences once rested. They work to

capture descriptions that add to the content and give the piece just

the right balance to its rhythm. They read others’ work and they

model style.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit55555model fluency

working withanalogies

avoid pooranalogies

revising yourwriting

writing vividdescriptions

50.

modeling fluency & variety

Objectives: Students will use literary examples to model their own sentence focused uponfluency and variety.

Directions: After reading the following sentences, use your own words to write sentenceswhich exactly imitate the parts of speech and order of the original example. Make sure yoursentences make sense.

1. One remembers them from another time-playing handball in the playground, going tochurch, wondering if they were going to be promoted at school.- James Baldwin

_________________________________________________________________________2. She was very old and small and she walked slowly in the dark pine shadows, moving a

little from side to side in her steps, with the balanced heaviness and lightness of a pen-dulum in a grandfather clock.- Eudora Welty

_________________________________________________________________________3. Only the two china cups still leaned against the trash can, awaiting the sanitation truck.-

Ewa Zadrzynska_________________________________________________________________________4. He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue

jeans.- Langston Hughes_________________________________________________________________________5. A moment later she was swimming back to the side of the pool, her head of short-

cropped auburn hair held up, straight ahead of her, as though it were a rose on a longstem.- Phillip Roth

_________________________________________________________________________6. His hands were huge and brown from the sun, with white hairs matting on the backs of

his fingers.- Helen Norris_________________________________________________________________________7. Lifting her skirt, leveling her cane fiercely before her, like a festival figure in some parade,

she began to march across.- Eudora Welty_________________________________________________________________________

8. It seemed more sedate than I remembered it, more perpendicular and straight-laced, withnarrower windows and shinier woodwork, as though a coat of varnish had been put overeverything for better preservation.-John Knowles

_________________________________________________________________________9. And then the cub saw his mother, the she wolf, the fearless one, crouching down till her

belly touched the ground, whimpering, wagging her tail, making peace signs.- Jack Lon-don

___________________________________________________________________________10. She placed it on the table in front of Mike who stood up and carved it, cutting the

slices very thin, laying them gently on the plates for the maid to take around.- Roald Dahl

six traits: fluencymodeling fluency and varietymodeling fluency and varietymodeling fluency and varietymodeling fluency and varietymodeling fluency and variety

51.

Read each of the examples below. Some are poorly written because they may beconsidered trite or overused. Some may be labeled a cliche.Good analogies paint a word picture, logically describe, use powerful verbs, and pair similaritiesof an object, event or person.

bad:The stone was as hard as a rock.The man drove down the road like a person trying to get somewhere.He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.

better:The big man leapt free of the water with each sweep of his arms, arching into the air like afish, then crashing back down into the rapids, lunging his way up the river.

borrowed:“They went outside and stood in the middle of the street under a street lamp and lookedaround like watchdogs, trying to understand why their hearts were racing....“When the excitement of the night and of their strength and youth was too much, they wouldpick up the automobile from either end like porters, or pallbearers, and try to carry it aroundthe block, for exercise, without having to stop and set it down and rest.”Platte River by Rick Bass.

try it yourself:try it yourself:try it yourself:try it yourself:try it yourself:

The night was...

A summer rain fell...

My eyes looked at her as if...

He stood...

A car raced...

six traits: fluencyimproving analogiesimproving analogiesimproving analogiesimproving analogiesimproving analogies

working to improve your analogies

Bad analogies simply restate the obvious or overstate the obvious. Some are too obscure,ridiculous, or odd.Good writing is clear, logical, and complete.

Analogies are comparisons--similies are analogies.

52.

Objective: Students will edit and revise a given paragraph to develop sentence fluency.

Day 1:Directions:• Define sentence fluency and discuss its meaning with students.

Sentence fluency incorporates the following traits:

• Write the following terms on the chalk board for review, checking for understanding.

varying sentence length varying sentence beginnings

Day 2:

•Distribute “Weak to Wonderful” worksheet and review directions. Students may use Language Network as a resource text to complete this assignment

•Students plan writing rough draft of a paragraph.

•Students complete the checklist on “Weak to Wonderful” worksheet.

•Students revise and edit paragraph, using the checklist.

six traits: fluencyrevision strategiesrevision strategiesrevision strategiesrevision strategiesrevision strategies

wwwwweak to weak to weak to weak to weak to wonderful:onderful:onderful:onderful:onderful: r r r r reeeeevising writingvising writingvising writingvising writingvising writing

rhythm and flow of the language

sound of word patterns

sentence variety—free of awkward patterns

cadence, power, rhythm, and movement

writing plays to the ear, sounding good when read aloud

crafted for the ease of writing

compound sentence

transition words

complex sentence

sensory details

53.

When an essay contains poor analogies, the writing takes on an illogical and sometimes

humorous or ridiculous tone. To avoid using bad analogies, review the examples below and

practice good editing strategies.

Directions:

•Define simile.

•Display examples of both good and bad analogies below.

•Discuss what makes the good analogy good, what makes the bad ones bad. Have students

start by attempting to write some bad analogies—comparisons that restate or overstate the

obvious, are too obscure, or too funny/odd for the reader to make the connection intended by the

writer. Share these aloud and/or put them on notecards for display.

• Students should then write two good analogies, one poor one, and borrow a professional

example from literature.

six traits: fluency

adapted from NWREL staff

working to avoid bad analogies

analoanaloanaloanaloanalogies egies egies egies egies examplesxamplesxamplesxamplesxamplespoor:The stone was as hard as a rock.The man drove down the road like a person trying to get somewhere.He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.

better:The big man leapt free of the water with each sweep of his arms, arching into the air like afish, then crashing back down into the rapid, lunging his way up the river.

borrowed:“They went outside and stood in the middle of the street under a street lamp and lookedaround like watchdogs, trying to understand why their hearts were racing.”“When the excitement of the night and of their strength and youth was too much, theywould pick up the automobile from either end like porters, or pallbearers, and try to carry itaround the block for exercise, without having to stop and set it down and rest.” from Platte River by Rick Bass

working with analogiesworking with analogiesworking with analogiesworking with analogiesworking with analogies

54.

crcrcrcrcreaeaeaeaeating a descriptiting a descriptiting a descriptiting a descriptiting a descriptivvvvve pare pare pare pare paraaaaagggggrrrrraaaaaphphphphph

Descriptive writing relates to sentence fluency as an auditory trait. We read with our ears, aswell as with our eyes. As we take in the words and phrases, we almost hear a melody.When writing produces perfect fluency, it also offers increased meaning; the reader isdrawn into its flow. A writer blends and combines short declarative sentences withlengthy ones for balance and variety. Descriptive words,onomatopoeia, and figurativelanguage also enhance sentence fluency.

Students will view a photo, scene, or fine art transparency, brainstorming ideas for writing.From the observation and study, they will write a descriptive paragraph, following rubricrequirements below.

Directions:1. View a photo or drawing of an interesting scene. (Prentice Hall has some beautifulfine arts transparencies that could also be used for this lesson.)

2. Brainstorm words and phrases that describe the action, tone, or physical state of theword picture. Record these words and phrases. Focus on the action and setting.

3. Discuss how the words and phrases may be worked into a solid descriptive para-graph. Use sensory imagery: smell, hearing, taste, touch, and sight to enhance the de-scription.

4. Review a suggested format for the paragraph: topic sentence, body (details anddescription), and concluding sentence. (note: Write 10 sentences or more.)

six trait: fluency

writing vivid descriptionsdescriptive writingdescriptive writingdescriptive writingdescriptive writingdescriptive writing

Teacher note: Use Language Network: Teachers’ Edition for reference to explain the listed requirements.

5. Begin writing descriptive paragraph, following the rubric below

rubric•creative title•10 or more sentences•8-10 action verbs•4 types of sencences:

declarative,exclamatory,imperative, and interrogative

•strong topic sentence/thesis statement•3 transitions•3 examples of sensory imagery: see, smell, hear, touch, and taste•strong conclusion

55.

voice reflects the writerunique sounds influence workunique sounds influence workunique sounds influence workunique sounds influence workunique sounds influence work

ome students

start out with the most wonderful

innocent voice to their work. I thinkthey must hear how

their writing sounds intheir head,” saidKennedy MiddleSchool teacher

Barbara Sweeney.“They write what they

hear in their headsand their stories are

perfect reflections ofthe world around

them.”

“s “s “s “s “s

THE PROCESS:

Listen to the language in your head. It’s true.

Read aloud everything you write. You can hear the voice.

Let your emotional self shine through.

Develop a variety of point of views

WHY:

Voice goes beyond the writer’s point of view. Writers who capture

their unique inner voice hear their work. Both the writer and the

reader can hear the story line and the work comes alive for the

reader.

HOW:

Train your ear. Listen to the natural rhythm of the words. Be real to

your voice and appreciate both the cultural and regional tones of

your heritage, hearing it in the writing. Allow your personality to

reflect and your work and the reader will know it is effectively real.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit88888finding voice

tuning thewriter’s voice

using theintimate voice

assuming avariety of voices

writing dialogue

using voice inpoetry

theautobiograhicalpoem

emotionalstorytelling 56.

The following exercises help students practice a variety of voices and understand theimportance of choosing a purposeful voice appropriate to the genre.

Objective: Students will complete exercises in voice to apply various perspectives towriting.

Directions:

1. Ask students to describe in writing each of the following from the varied perspectives listed.

•a slice of pizza•a slice of pizza•a slice of pizza•a slice of pizza•a slice of pizzadescribed from the perspective of a Survivor cast member, who has run out of rations.described from the perspective of a dietician.described from the perspective of the pizza chef.

•a rowdy classroomdescribed from the perspective of the popular kid in the classdescribed from the perspective of a new student to the classdescribe from the perspective of a substitute teacher.

•a hurricanedescribed from the perspective of a television reporter, getting her first national storydescribed from the perspective of a homeowner who lives two blocks from the beach.described from the perspective of an insurance agent.

•the family dogdescribed from the perspective of the mail carrierdescribed from the perspective of the family’s motherdescribed from the perspective of the vet

•a high-diving boarddescribed from the perspective of an Olympic diverdescribed from the perspective of a seven year-old child.described from the perspective of a parent watching his/her child prepare for the first dive.

six traits: voice

finding your voiceexercises in voiceexercises in voiceexercises in voiceexercises in voiceexercises in voice

57.

Directions:

1. Read aloud Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting, or another voice-filled story to the class.

Ask the students to reflect on the story, discussing how the story made them feel?

Ask them to review specific examples of what happened in the story to make them feel the

way they do.

Input Input Input Input Input StrStrStrStrStraaaaatetetetetegiesgiesgiesgiesgies Chec Chec Chec Chec Check fk fk fk fk fororororor

(Task Analysis) (Examples, Materials) (Active Participation)

need to know stories/poems that thumbs up/

paragraphing show strong voice thumbs down

need to be familiar pictures that show slates to record

with topics strong emotions feeling words

need to be at example and non- emotion cards

reading level examples of voice to hold up

2. Display and read aloud the following paragraph:

Discuss how this story is different from Fly Away Home. Note: this example is

“ voiceless” and dead.

Ask how the writer can rewrite the example, adding elements to make it come alive.

six traits: voice

Objective: Students will be able to apply the concept of voice to their writing by adding

details and examples to give the piece greater feeling.

A boy lives in the airport. He lives there with his dad.They eat in the airport too. They know other people in theairport. They are looking for an apartment.

adding elements of voice

UnderUnderUnderUnderUnderstandingstandingstandingstandingstanding

making writing come alivemaking writing come alivemaking writing come alivemaking writing come alivemaking writing come alive

58.

Independent Practice

Display another example of a voiceless paragraph on the overhead and have students

add voice, rewriting and presenting as a draft.

continued

3. Give students copies of a short “voiceless” paragraph. Working in pairs or small groups

ask them to apply the stratgies reviewed to rewrite the example into one which comes

alive for the reader. After completeing their stories, they can share them in a larger group.

59.

Each experience reflects a new perspective. When a writer describes experiences, the readerhears the writer’s unique voice.

Objective: Students will complete exercises to practice using different voices.

Directions:

1. Ask students to assume the role of each person or object stated below and write a 3-5sentence paragraph describing each perspective.

a piece of cheese cake

•described from the perspective of a person who is on a strict diet.•described from the perspective of a hungry lumberjack who has been cutting wood all day.

a deer

•described from the perspective of a hunter.•described from the perspective of a animal rights activitist.

a game winning shot during the last second of a basketball game

•described from the perspective of a fan from the winning team•described from the perspective of a fan from the losing team

the top of a bungee jumping platform

•described from the perspective of a thrill seeker who loves an adrenaline rush•described from the perspective of a first time jumper

a heavy metal rock concert

•described from the perspective of a 70-year-old grandmother•described from the perspective of a 16-year-old Metallica fan

six traits: voice

tuning the voice, an exercise

voice and perspectivevoice and perspectivevoice and perspectivevoice and perspectivevoice and perspective

60.

remembering childhood, using an intimate voice

Objective: Students will write a letter to a childhood friend, recalling a memory they hold

with that person.

Time: one class period

Directions:

Ask students to:

remember a special time in childhood and recapture a moment that they spent with a

special friend.

use a graphic organizer to cluster ideas and details. (They may want to bring in a photo-

graph of a special time with family or friends)

Include:

•favorite things to do

•favorite places

•names of best friends

•things you did with your best friends

•what made this a special or memorable time

•what feelings his memory evoke

Add additional details to the memory.

Plan and write a letter to this friend.

Revise, edit, and write final draft.

Send the letter to the special friend.

six trait: voice

submitted by LouAnn McLaws and adapted fromhttp://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Workshop/8405/childhoodactivity.html

the intimate voicethe intimate voicethe intimate voicethe intimate voicethe intimate voice

61.

Below is a list of people / professions / titles whose roles students can “step into” for anyvariety of writing assignments. The objective is that students adjust their tone to a specificrole and to the intended audience.

Oprah

Jerry Springer

a documentary filmmaker

a news anchor

“60 Minutes” broadcaster

a survivor of violent event

a horror movie character

situation comedy (sitcom) character or writer

a used car salesman

a whiny kid in a toy store

an actor looking for work

an ex-convict

the class bully

an angry wife

an angry husband

a remorseful wife

six traits: voice

assuming other voices

a remorseful husband

a big game hunter

prey

a teacher

a parent

a cafeteria employee

an employee at the movie theater

a carnival ride operator

a public relations specialist

a human rights worker

an only child

the oldest sibling

a young sibling

a middle child

a surfer

an ahlete

assuming a voiceassuming a voiceassuming a voiceassuming a voiceassuming a voice

62.

wwwwwhahahahahat’t’t’t’t’s ms ms ms ms my line? writing gy line? writing gy line? writing gy line? writing gy line? writing good dialoood dialoood dialoood dialoood dialogueguegueguegue

Dialogue makes any piece of writing come alive. But, good realistic dialogue is difficult towrite because it must be written just like real people speak.

Materials needed:

photocopies of a comic book or comic strips for all students. Blank out the text.

Objective: Students will write realistic dialogue revealing characters.

Teacher Directions:

•Read the exercise completely before beginning.

•Use either a comic book or collection of comic strips in which more than one character speaks.

•Use photocopies of comic strips that have had the text blanked out.

Student Directions:

• Rewrite the dialogue. Give each character his or her unique way of speaking. Remember thatdialogue can reveal: age, gender, educational level, emotions, and regional or cultural status.

•Using your rewritten comic as a guide, rewrite the scene or story again, this time in ashort story. Make sure that the dialogue plays a central role in the story’s development,moving the story forward. Be sure to show the action in specific word choices andstrong verbs.

•Present a final draft of both the comic strip and the short story. Share with a partner orgroup.

six traits: voicewriting dialoguewriting dialoguewriting dialoguewriting dialoguewriting dialogue

63.

As an integral part of all writing, voice expresses individuality, perspective, sensitivity to audi-ence, enthusiasm for a topic, confidence, and much more. Even informational pieces benefitfrom having a strong voice. Develop a one-word list of the ideas that excite or interest you isone way to find a topic which will allow your personal voice to shine through.

Directions:Create a list for the following topics and place them in your writing folder for future use.

suggested assignments1. Randomly choose one item from each of three lists. Use these words to create a title. You’ll

probably get something really weird like “Camp Worms Steak.” Without allowing yourself to

think about these words, start writing, letting the words conjure images and stories.Write for

ten minutes without stopping or making corrections. This free writing might develop into a

great writing.

2. Start with a random word on one of your lists. Write for two or three minutes on that word,

without stopping. Choose a second word from any one of your lists. Start writing again,

connecting this word to your first writing. Write for two or three minutes; then pick another

word which you connect to the subject you have been writing about with the first two. Run

with this pattern as long as you can.

3. Randomly choose only one word from any list and write for ten minutes on just that word,

exploring everything about it that matters to you. Discuss why the subject is interesting, what

memories it stirs, what hopes or fears it holds, places, sounds, scents, and tastes that

appear as you write. Don’t stop for any reason. Don’t correct yet.

Add these writings to your writing folder for polishing at a later date.adapted from Great Source, 2001.

six traits: voicedeveloping a voicedeveloping a voicedeveloping a voicedeveloping a voicedeveloping a voice

developing a voice

future topic bank

•childhood memories•dreams, nightmares, and things that go bump in the night•ten magic gifts I’d give myself•things I’d buy, if I had a million dollars.•what I want most in the world•those things or events I would avoid at all costs• creepy things• wonderful things or moments•best foods•best times

64.

Voice means the sense that a real person is speaking to the reader and caring about the mes-

sage. It serves as the heart of the writing, the magic, the wit, the feeling, the life, and the breath.

When writers are engaged personally with the topic, they impart a personal tone

and flavor to the work that reflects ownership. This is that individual quality—different from

the mark of all other writers—labeled voice.

Objective: Students will be able to idenitfy the qualities of voice in different readings.

Directions:

1. Read aloud two passages, “My Name” from The House on Mango Street by Sandra

Cisneros and “Ain’t I a Woman?” from a speech given in 1854 at a women’s rights meeting

by Sojourner Truth.

2. Discuss the qualities of each voice and record the impressions of each reading.

3. Ask students to draw the floor plan of their house, including all major rooms: bedrooms,kitchen, living room, etc. Within each room, write the type of voice used in the room, thespeaker and a line of dialogue that person would say.

examples: Kitchen: mother’s voice: “strong”, “instructional”. Baby nursery: “soft”, “gentle.”Students may illustrate the rooms, using pictures from magazines, or clip art.

4. Ask students to begin the writing connection part of the exercise. Using the floor plans,ask them to think about all the different conversations that take place in each different room,and the voices that can be heard. Next, students choose one or two rooms and write dialoguebetween two people who would naturally be within the room(s). Advise them to be careful thatboth people have an appropriate voice for the room.

six trait: voice

manmanmanmanmany vy vy vy vy voicesoicesoicesoicesoices,,,,, man man man man many ry ry ry ry rooms eooms eooms eooms eooms exxxxxererererercicecicecicecicecice

writing realistic dialoguewriting realistic dialoguewriting realistic dialoguewriting realistic dialoguewriting realistic dialogue

65.

Objective: Students will be able to write narrative poetry from modeling published ex-amples.

Directions:

1. Read poem: “Open Mind” aloud from Laugh-eteria by Douglas Florian. (see text)

2. Discuss the voice of the poet.

Ask students:

•What personality do you think this writer has? What are his feelings?

•What words would you use to define the flavor of this poem?

•What has the writer revealed about himself?

•How old do you think this writer is? Where does he live?

•Is there any other factors he reveals about himself?

3. Using the first three lines from the poem, ask students to write their own “Open Mind” poem, modeling the style of the poet.

4. Select several of the students’ works and read them aloud to the class. Ask the students to guess whose voice comes through in the work. What clues from the writing helped identify the writer’s voice?

Extension: Publish the poems into one book that could be put in the classroom library orshared with another class. Conduct a poetry reading session in the school library.

six traits: voice

adapted from a submission by LouAnn McLaws.

using voice in poetry writing

voice of the poetvoice of the poetvoice of the poetvoice of the poetvoice of the poet

66.

Open Mind

It’s good to have an open mind,

So I pried mine open

And what did I find?

A dirty mop,

A map of Guam,

Report cards that I hid from Mom,

A checker piece,

A chicken bone,

A tube of toothpaste

Hard as stone,

A tennis ball,

A tennis court,

Last year’s missing

Book report,

A lucky pin,

A leaking pen,

A song we knew

From way back when,

A cockatoo,

A coconut-

Sometimes a mind

Is best left shut.

continued

by Douglas Florian

67.

DIRECTIONS: Fill in each of the blanks below to reflect the role you are assuming.

thethethethetheAUTOBIOGRAPHICAL POEM

six traits: voice

*may be used as a prewriting strategy for the personal narrative

Try this activity for a literature response where studentsput themselves into a character’s shoes.

(your first name)

(3 personal characteristics or physical traits)

Brother or sister of

Who loves

Who feels about

Who needs

Who gives

Who fears

Who’d like to see

Who dreams of

A student of(name of school or teacher)

repeat your first name

prewriting exerciseprewriting exerciseprewriting exerciseprewriting exerciseprewriting exercise

68.

an example:

Ms.___________________________

Demanding, Curious, Mischievous.

Resident of her mind’s insane asylum;

Who loves gardenias, Tivo, and the smell of peach fuzz;

Who feels annoyed about apathy,

Who needs a predawn coffee hour, fewer papers to grade and a timeshare in the Keys.

Who gives affection, knowledge, and the occasional headache;

Who fears letting down her kids, the buzzing of houseflies and her own road rage;

Who’d like to see a bigger paycheck;

Who dreams of writing the Great American Novel.

A student of the Universe.

autobiographic poemthethethethethe

(last name)

69.

Objective: Students will demonstrate voice related to emotion in story telling.

Duration: Day 1: 5-10 minutes; Day 2: 30-45 minutes

Procedure:Day 11. Read Wilfrid Gordan McDonald Partridge, by Mem Fox.2. Discuss voice and the emotions in the story.

Day 23. Brainstorm memories of a special time or place.4. On the chalkboard or chart paper, record the emotions of the memories (sad times,

happy times, exciting times, scary times, etc.) by clustering.5 Reread the book aloud. As you read, stop after Wilfrid is introduced to each kind of

memory and have students share what kind of object they could use to represent that kindof memory.

6. Use a cluster to record the objects by memory on the board. For example, aroundhappy write the objects that represent that emotion (balloon, sea shell, Mickey Mouseears, etc.).

Model7.Demonstrate writing a memory on a color card (Blue: something precious, Purple: some-

thing from a long time ago,Yellow:something that makes you cry, Brown: somethingwarm, Green: something that makes you laugh.) Or, record on the chalkboard.

Guided Practice:8. Have students work in pairs to discuss an event that occurred at school (dog was loose

on property, visit from Fire Chief, etc.)9. On a color that exemplifies the classroom situation, have students work in pairs to write

the memory on the lined side of the card, drawing a picture on the blank side. Discussthe completed memory card.

Independent10. Randomly distribute a colored card to each student. Each student thinks of a personal

memory that matches the emotion of the card color.11.On the blank side of an index card, they draw an object that could represent their

memory.12.On the lined side of the index card, students write about their memory.

six traits: voice

voice: emotions in story telling:Wilfrid Gordan McDonald Partridge

adapted Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.2005.

emotional storytellingemotional storytellingemotional storytellingemotional storytellingemotional storytelling

70.

conventional wisdomstandard rules apply to workstandard rules apply to workstandard rules apply to workstandard rules apply to workstandard rules apply to work

how me any writer who loves that

red proofreader’spen. Of course not!

But those nasty littlered marks on your

spelling, capitalizationand grammar has away of making youeither look good orbad,” said mentor

teacher, Jane Speidel.“With all of the

resources we haveavailable--dictionaries,style books, grammar

resources, a peereditor, the spell

correction function ontheir computer all you

have to blame forconventional mistakes

is you. Did your cellphone ring or couldn’t

yout be bothered topresent a perfect

piece? I know nobodyis perfect, but can we

do a little better? ”

“s “s “s “s “s

THE PROCESS:

Apply standard rules for all areas of conventions

Never avoid the editing and proofreading stage

WHY:

Conventions often become the benchmark on how a reader judges the

writing. Writers need to take full advantage of the large number of

resources available to check standard spellings, punctuation, gram-

mar conventions, and capitalization. It matters.

HOW:

Sometimes proofreading will uncover errors in conventions; other

times it fails. Reread, reread, reread. Take advantage of another set of

eyes and use a peer reader and a conventions checklist. Allow the

writing to rest for a time. Many mistakes hide on the first read through

and appear later to haunt the proofreader.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit55555reference guidesfor standardEnglish usage

grammarreinforcement

proofreadingchecklist

comma use

editingexercises

71.

Use resources to check, double checkKnow that conventions make a first impression with the reader

a quick rrrrrefefefefeferererererence guideence guideence guideence guideence guide for writing

nounpronoun

adjectivepreposition

the eight parts of speech

the six functions of a nounsubjectdirect objectindirect object

predicate nominativeobject of repostionappositive

the ten parts of a sentencesubjectperdicatedirect objectindirect objectpredicate nominative

predicate adjectiveprepositional phraseappositivedependent clausesverbals

verbadverb

conjunctioninterjection

amarebebeing

iswaswere

linking verbsappearbecomefeelgrowlook

remainseemsmellsoundstay

linking/action verbs

amareiswaswerebe

beingbeenhadhasdiddodoes

cancouldmaymightmust

shallshouldwillwould

helping verbs

subordinating conjunctionsafteralthoughas ifas long asas much asas soon as

becausebeforeeven ifeven thoughin order thatprovided that

sinceso thatthatthoughunlessuntil

whenwheneverwherewhereverwhile

72.

nominative case objective casesubject/predicate nominativeI, he, she, we,they, who

me, him, her,us, them, whom

direct object/indirect object object of preposition

continued reference guide

complements:direct object--answers who or what , follows action verb

indirect object--answers to or for whom or what. between action verbs and direct object

predicate nominative--interchangeable with the subject, follows

linking verb

predicate adjective--describes the subject, follows linking verb

personal pronouns

verbals clausesgerund--verb acting as nouninfinitive--to+verbparticiple--verb acting as adjective(set of nonessentials with commas)

noun--one of six noun functions

adjectives--set of nonessential with commas

adverb--beginning=commas, middle=comma, at end=no commas

adjectives adverbs(modify nouns) (modify verbs, adjectives,and other adverbs)

goodrealsurebad

wellreallysurelybadly

prepositionsaboardaboutaboveacrossafteragainstalongamidamongaroundat

beforebehindbelowbeneathbesidebesidesbetweenbeyondbut (except)byconcerning

downduringexceptforfromininsideintolikenearof

offonontpoutoutsideoverpastsincethroughthroughouttill

totowardunderunderneathuntiluntoupuponwithwithinwithout

73.

indefinite pronouns

anotheranybodyanyoneanythingeachother

everybodyeveryoneeverythingneithernobodyno one

nothingotheronesomebodysomeonesomethiing

bothfewmanyonesothersseveral

allanymostsomenone

singular plural either

For consistency in language instruction at all levels, master the following areas:

Formally review parts of speech. Teachers may then teach other grammar lessons withtextbook exercises or through writing instruction in less formal skill instruction.

Teach six-sentence patterns to reinforce the correct usage of parts of speech. Relate thesepatterns to math equations or diagrams, maps,or charts.S-V Students learn.S-LV-PA Students are eager.S-LV-PN Students become learners.S-V-DO Students read classics.S-V-IO-DO Students give others ideas.S-V-DO-OC Instruction made students thinkers.

Teach the six functions of a nounSubject Tim is a sailor.Predicate Noun (Nominative) Gracie is a labrador retriever.Appositive Cassie, my collie, performs many tricks.Direct Object Robin swatted the fly.Indirect Object Theresa gave Tyrone the flag.Object of Preposition Jose won the award for accuracy.

Differentiate between words, phrases, and clauses. Practice prepositional, participial, infini-tive, gerund, and appositive phrases. This will enhance writing and speaking skills. Empha-size parallel structure.

Encourage use of varied sentence forms: simple, compound and compound-complex.Reinforce correct punctuation, and work on comma-splice error identification.

Stress active voice; discourage overuse of passive voice and second person in writing.

Write about literature in the present tense.

Practice subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Complete exercises in the Daily Oral Language Skills book that accompanies the McDougallLittel Literature Series. Tailor use and method to suit class needs and skills. Some teachersuse it daily, some weekly, and others conclude a lesson or unit study. These lessons providepunctuation, capitalization, usage instruction and practice.

Use the Six Traits Rubric for scoring students’ writing to ensure schoolwide cooperation.

gggggrrrrrammar rammar rammar rammar rammar reinfeinfeinfeinfeinforororororcementcementcementcementcement

74.

title of assignment: ______________________________

punctuation

____1. Did I use end punctuation after all my sentences?____2. Did I use commas correctly in compound sentences?____3. Did I use commas correctly in a series?____4. Did I use apostrophes correctly to show possession (that girl’s purse and thosegirls’ purses)?

ca ca ca ca capitalizapitalizapitalizapitalizapitalizationtiontiontiontion

____5. Did I start every sentence with a capital letter?____6. Did I capitalize the proper names of people and places?

spelling spelling spelling spelling spelling

____7. Have I checked my spelling using a spell checker?____8. Have I also double checked my spelling?

g g g g grrrrrammarammarammarammarammar

____ 9. Did I use correct forms of verbs (had gone, not had went)?____10. Did my subjects & verbs agree in number (The boy eats and the boys eat)?____11. Did I use the right word (to, too, or two)?____12. Did I use the correct verb tense (present, past, future)?____13. Did I write in complete sentences (no fragments)?____14. Did each pronoun agree with antecedent in number, person, & gender?

f f f f final copinal copinal copinal copinal copyyyyy

____15. Is the final copy legible?____16. Have I used the correct format for the assignment?

six traits: conventionsediting checklistediting checklistediting checklistediting checklistediting checklist

conconconconconvvvvventions centions centions centions centions chechechechechecklist fklist fklist fklist fklist for editingor editingor editingor editingor editingCareful editing of mechanics helps to clarify a piece of writing and add validity. Skilledwriters take the time to double check or proofread their work.Follow the checklist below for your writing.

75.

Time: 1 class periodSupplies: Language Network text

glue,scissors,pen, pencil/ markers, and drawing paperDirections:

1. Working in pairs or groups of three, read each sentence below. Place commas insentences, following a specific rule.· Example rules: items in a series, to set off dialogue, in dates and addresses, in

compound sentences, commas with interrupters, to set off appositives, introductorywords and phrases, etc.

2. Divide a large piece of drawing paper into sections (one per rule), and title each sec-tion with the rules provided by the teacher. Cut out each of the edited sentences, andglue them on the paper in the appropriate section.

(Extension:For additional practice, have each pair/group write two sentences for eachrule.)

sentences:sentences:sentences:sentences:sentences:1. The boys enjoy playing football baseball and soccer.

2. I hope Michelle that you’re going with me.

3. She mowed the lawn and he prepared the lunch.

4. Well that’s finished.

5. He was born on May 17 1966 in Florida.

6. She lived in Gresham Oregon for twenty years.

7. I hope after all that the rumor is not true.

8. Mr. Hartman a teacher at Whitford is recognized for his intelligence and foresight.

9. When it rains we stay in the house.

10. She asked “What is your name?”

six traits: conventionspunctuation--comma usepunctuation--comma usepunctuation--comma usepunctuation--comma usepunctuation--comma use

comma confusion comma confusion comma confusion comma confusion comma confusion

Answer Key:1. The boys enjoy playing football, baseball, and soccer. (comma in a series)2. I hope, Michelle, that you’re going with me. (direct address/commas with interrupters)3. She mowed the lawn, and he prepared the lunch. (compound sentences)4. Well, that’s finished. (introductory words and phrases)5. He was born on May 17, 1966, in Florida. (dates)6. She lived in Gresham, Oregon for twenty years. (city/state)7. I hope, after all that, the rumor is not true. (commas with interrupters)8. Mr. Hartman, a teacher at Whitford, is recognized for his intelligence and foresight. (appositive)9. When it rains, we stay in the house. (introductory words and phrases)10. She asked, “What is your name?” (dialogue)

76.

time: 15 minutessupplies: paper and pencil

dirdirdirdirdirections:ections:ections:ections:ections:1. Divide students into groups of three.

2. One student will write a simple sentence, disregarding punctuation and pass it to the next

person.

3. The second person will describe somebody or something in that sentence, but still disregard

punctuation, and pass it to a third person.

4. The third person will check for grammar and add any necessary punctuation.

5. The group then discusses corrections, agrees or disagrees, use a resource to check for

correct punctuation .

6. Students then rotate positions. Do this three times so that all students get practice in

each skill.

eeeeexample:xample:xample:xample:xample:Charlie took his dog for a walkCharlie my best friend since the first grade took his dog for a walkCharlie, my best friend since the first grade, took his dog for a walk.

dirdirdirdirdirections to post on cections to post on cections to post on cections to post on cections to post on chalkboarhalkboarhalkboarhalkboarhalkboard:d:d:d:d:

1. Student #!: Write a simple sentence, disregarding punctuation. Pass paper to the next student.2. Student #2: Describe somebody or something in that sentence, still disregarding punctuation. Pass paper to the next student.3. Student #3: Check grammar and add all necessary punctuation.4. Group discusses corrections. Use a resource to check punctuation.

rrrrrememberememberememberememberemember:::::•stay on task •use low voices •respect each other

six traits: conventions

submitted by: Amber Dennis, Kelli Burnsadapted from: 6+1 Traits of Writing. by Ruth Culham.2004.

conconconconconvvvvventions eentions eentions eentions eentions exxxxxererererercise “pass it on”cise “pass it on”cise “pass it on”cise “pass it on”cise “pass it on”

editing exericseediting exericseediting exericseediting exericseediting exericse

77.

“w “w “w “w “w

the writing process steps make writing work steps make writing work steps make writing work steps make writing work steps make writing work

riting is introducedthrough the processin kindergarten. We

start with graphicorganizers.

These keep kidsfocused and help

them remember theimportant details.

Without the processkids would ramble offtopic and their writing

would lack clarity,”said writing teacher

Julie Coleman,DeLaura Middle

School.

THE PROCESS:

Prewriting

Drafting

WHY:

Following the writing process, students arrive at a more

effective final product. They move from graphic organizers to create a

draft, then revise and edit their work. They have a much better chance

of getting their ideas across to their readers when they implement the

writing process.

HOW:

Follow all of the steps above in the writing process . Writers can support

each other by discussing ideas, revising, editing, proofreading and

having another reader help revise, edit, and proofread their work. Shar-

ing by publishing gives the work a greater audience and the opportunity

for reflection.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit77777how it all works

prewriting theautobiographicalincident

graphicorganizer

editing &revisingstrategies

publishing ideas

peer groupediting

revising andeditingreferences

Revising

Editing

Publishing

78.

Prewriting / Brainstorming•list 50 things you could write about (in search of a subject)

Drafting•choose one of those things and write a topic sentence.

Conferencing and Revising•share your draft with a partner.•add two details and change a verb.•ask your partner to initial your revision.•share your revised draft with another partner.•revise your sentence by beginning it a different way.•ask second partner to initial the revision.

Final Revision and Editing•read the sentence aloud to two people in the class.• ask each person to initial the sentence IF it makes sense.•confer with the teacher or a partner.• edit for spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Publishing•write the final version on a poster.•·write and design a class newspaper.•write and publish a class anthology.•write and produce a power point slide show, a video script, a play, a public reading.

the writing processputting it into practiceputting it into practiceputting it into practiceputting it into practiceputting it into practice

how the writing process worksThis outline of the activities provides the framework for writing instruction following the ele-ments of the Writing Process.

79.

Objective:Using a prompt, students will be able to write the first draft of a personal narrative.

Read the following anecdotes:

I couldn’t believe that I was sneaking away from my friends’ table practically before we’dfinished lunch. A certain project was on my mind, and I was spending every possiblemoment working out the details.

A glance at my nearly empty water bottle made me uneasy. I was standing in a drycreek bed surrounded by red rock, sand, and sagebrush. My throat felt parched, and myheart raced as if I’d been chased down the rocky slope behind me.

Write a couple of these starters as warm-ups for writing a well-developed personalnarrative.

Directions: Write for five minutes, drafting an autobiographical narrative based on one ofprompts below.

•Write about how you discovered a new interest--something that you had not cared aboutbefore.

•Have you ever done something you were afraid to do? How did you find the courage tocomplete the task?

•Recall an experience that did not turn out the way you had expected.

•Describe a performance you gave in public, such as a piano recital or a speech.

•Write about an accomplishment of which you are proud.

•Write about the first time you saw your pet or the first night you spent in a house towhich you moved.

writing process: prewritingautobiographical incidentautobiographical incidentautobiographical incidentautobiographical incidentautobiographical incident

prewriting: an autobiographical incidentprewriting: an autobiographical incidentprewriting: an autobiographical incidentprewriting: an autobiographical incidentprewriting: an autobiographical incident

prompts

adapted from Elements of Language- Fifth Course. 2003.

80.

SE

NS

OR

Y C

HA

RT

FOR

PR

EW

RIT

ING

try it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourselftry it yourself

subject:

sights

sounds

smells

tastes

textures

feeling/instincts

81.

The use of a conventions checklist reduces the chances for errors and reminds students todouble and triple check their work before evaluation.

By creating a place in the classroom to showcase errors in published writing (magazines,newspapers, brochures, advertisements, etc.) students raise their awareness of the errors inpublished work.

Allow 72 hours between the time students write drafts and the time they edit them.

All writers need to practice editing. Worksheets that present editing for a specific convention,help to train students. They transfer these skills to their own pieces of writing.

Teacher need to use editorial terminology. Student should be familiar with names of punctuation marks: colon, semi-colon, comma, dash, ellipses, dash, parentheses, italics, etc.

Students should be given practice in proofreading using proofreading marks.

Some teacher might want to assign class editors. Have students knowledgable in allconventions or assign a “Capitalization Expert”, “Punctuation Expert”, etc.

the writing processediting

Students should read their papers backwards, a sentence at a time. This will help focuson the sentences, rather than getting caught up in the content of the paper.

Using resources such as Spell Checker (Random House, Webster’s) and dictionaries tocheck spelling.

Double check, triple check. Students should look through their papers several times,checking for correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar conventions.Using a different colored pen for editing than the one used for revision saves time duringthis process.

Help from peers and the teacher should always be recommended. Teachers should makewriting coaching and conferences a regular part of a writing lesson.

teacher tips

82.

·

Use a different color pen, so when the student rewrites the final copy he/she can easilyidentify the added or changed information. This also makes it easier for the teacher tosee at a glance, the revisions made.Add revised information on the line above the rough draft (the green line of the green barpaper, for example).Refer to resources Writer’s Notebook, a thesaurus, collections of descriptive words,Use “whisper phones” (a u-shaped piece of pvc pipe that reaches from a student’s ear tothe mouth) for reading back a rough draft, listening for errors

1. Can you read your work without stumbling?

2. Does every word and action count? There should be a reason why a character acts or speaks in a certain way.

3. Is the series of events logical? Do they relate?

4. Is it clear what the goal or the main character’s goal is throughout the piece?

5. Are vivid, descriptive words used to describe characters and / or events?

6. Did you use a variety of verbs?

7. Did you use a variety of attributions, other than “said”.

8. Is your train of thought clear?

9. Is there a catchy lead (hook, grabber)? Does the conclusion leave the reader thinking (take-away ending)?

10.Do supporting details support only the topic sentence of that paragraph?

11.Are transitional devices used ?

12.Are all sentences complete or are there fragments?

13.Is a vivid mental picture created in the reader’s mind?

14.Have you used figurative language such as onomatopoeia, alliteration, personification, and simile/metaphors.

15.Have you used sentence expansion (stretching)?

16.Have you used a variety of sentence beginnings, lengths, and structures?

17.Have you used your thesaurus?

revising

the writing process

Adding What else does the reader need to know to make it more interesting?

Rearranging Is the information in the most logical and most effective order?

Removing What extra details or unnecessary bits of information are in this piece of writing?

Replacing What words or details could be replaced by a stronger or clearer expression?

adapted from www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/revising.2004.

teacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tips

A.R.R.R. is a positive strategy to use in the revising process of writing.

83.

Ask these questions...

?

?

Now go back to your whole essay and ask: • Does each paragraph stick to the thought that was introduced in the first sentence? • Does evidence support each point? How well does the evidence support the point? • Is each paragraph roughly the same length? Stepping back and squinting at the essay, do the para- graphs look balanced on the page? • Does your conclusion draw naturally from the previous paragraphs? • Have you varied the length and structure of your sentences?

• Is each paragraph roughly the same length?• Does the conclusion draw naturally from the previous paragraphs?• Are sentence length and structure varied?

INTERESTMany people think only of mechanics when they revise and rewrite a piece. But writers need to focus on the

interest factor to keep the reader reading. Remember, personal + specific = interesting.

• Was the opening paragraph personal?• Did I start with action or an image?• Did I show rather than tell?• Did I use any words that are not usually a part of my vocabulary? (If so, delete!)• Have I used the active voice?• Have I overused adjectives and/or adverbs?• Have I eliminated clichés?• Have I deleted redundancies?• Does the essay sound interesting to me?• Will the ending give the reader a sense of completeness?

PROOFREADINGWhen you are satisfied with the structure and content of your essay, it is time to check for grammar, spelling,

typos--the mechanics.

• Did I punctuate correctly?• Did I eliminate exclamation points (except in dialogue)?• Did I use capitalization clearly and consistently?• Do the subjects agree in number with the verbs?• Did I place the periods and commas inside the quotation marks?• Did I keep contractions to a minimum? Do apostrophes appear in the right places?• Have I caught every typo? (You can use your spell-check, but make sure that you check and re-check every change it makes.)

FINAL STEPSRead your essay aloud. You will be amazed at the faulty grammar and awkward language that your ears may

detect. This will also give you a good sense of the flow and will alert you to anything that sounds too abrupt or

out of place. Good writing, like good music, has a certain rhythm.

Consider having your essay professionally edited. After spending hundreds of dollars on test prep courses

and guidebooks, you must be extremely confident if you decide not to seek a professional’s advice on the

most controllable piece of the entire application.

ask yourself

ask yourself

84.

A neat final copy is the result of a well executed writing process. Students should submit a

handwritten single spaced work or use word processing softwear for the final copy.

suggestions for sharing the final copy:

Students may:

•read their writing to the class, using a karaoke machine

•act out the writing for an audience

•present library reading

•post their work in a library corner for finished published works

•plan and present a Writer’s Cafe

•display work in the classroom, hallway, library, courtyard, or other public place

•read an essay on school-wide morning news

•plan, write,and design a class/school newspaper

•enter an essay/short story/poetry contest

•create a class anthology

publishing

teacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tipsteacher tips

the writing process

85.

the writing prthe writing prthe writing prthe writing prthe writing processocessocessocessocessWhen editing, make sure to pay careful attention to:

•substance •structure

substanceSubstance refers to the content of the essay and the message sent by the writing. It can be veryhard to gauge in one’s own writing. One good way to verify the message of the writing is tobriefly summarize the general idea of the message. Then remove the introduction and conclu-sion and have an objective reader review what is left. Ask the peer editor to identify the generalidea. Compare the two statements to see how similar they are. This can be especially helpful innarrative writing.

structureTo check the overall structure of the essay, conduct a first-sentence check.Write down the first sentence of every paragraph in order. Read through them one after another.

student notesstudent notesstudent notesstudent notesstudent notes

•interest •proofreading

•Have I answered any questions asked?•Did I back up each point that I make with an example?• Are the examples concrete and personal ? •Have I been specific? (Go on a generalities hunt. Turn the generalities into specifics.)•Could anyone else have written this essay?•What does the writing reveal about me?•Does the writing sound personal? Is it personal and informal rather than uptight or stiff?•Regarding the introduction, is it too general? Can the essay get along without it?•What about the essay makes it memorable?

ask the following questions about the writing:

?

ask the following:•Would a second reader of only these sentences understand what I am trying to say?•Dothe first sentences express the main points?•Do thoughts flow naturally, or do they seem to skip around?

•Does each paragraph focus upon the thought that was introduced in the first sentence?•Is each point supported with specific examples or details? How well does the evidence support the point?•Is each paragraph roughly the same length? (If one is significantly longer than the rest, you are probably trying to squeeze more than one thought into it.)•Does the conclusion draw naturally from the previous paragraphs?•Is sentence length varied?

Now, go back to your essay as a whole and ask these questions:

86.

interest

Some writers think only of mechanics when they revise and rewrite their compositions. A wisewriter will also evaluate the interest equation. One formula to keep in mind is: personal + specific = interesting.

proofreadingOnce the structure and content of the essay has been reviewed, it is time to check for gram-mar, spelling, typos, and other conventions.

ask ask ask ask ask these questions:

final stepsRead the essay out loud helps to polish the work even further. Faulty grammar and awkwardlanguage can be heard. Hearing the writing also gives a good sense of the flow of the pieceand will alert the writer to anything that sounds abrupt or out of place. Good writing, like goodmusic, has a certain rhythm.

continued

answer the following:

•Is the opening paragraph personal? •Does it start with action or an image? •Does the essay show rather than tell? •Did I use any words that are not usually a part of my vocabulary? •Iis the active voice used whenever possible? •Are there too many adjectives and adverbs? too little? •Have all clichés been eliminated? •Have redundancies been deleleted? •Does the essay sound interesting? (If it bores the writer, imagine what it will do to readers.) •Will the ending give the reader a sense of completeness?

•Is punctuation correct?•Are exclamation points deleted?•Is capitalization consistent and correct?•Do subjects agree in number with the verbs?•Are contractions eliminated?•Do apostrophes appear in the right places?•Has the paper been read and reread to catch all typos?(

87.

?????Praise

____________________________________________________________________

Has the writer used:an appealing technique______________mature word choices________________figurative language_________________imagery__________________________showing rather than telling____________thoroughly elaborated detail__________original approach to the topic_________

Clarification Mark the area(s) needing clarification. What information can be added for improved clarity?________________________________________________________________ Can the existing order of facts be reordered? Does any part need to be deleted?

Concern Mark the convention problems with editing symbols.

Is the piece dull, without voice or passion?Are there vague or overwritten areas?Is there sentence variety? (length and type)Is there variety in sentence leads?Are word choices appropriate for purpose and audience?Are any words repetitious?Are weak verbs replaced with strong action verbs?

Solid AdviceMeet with your writer and offer constructive suggestions for improvement.

Discuss possible alternative approaches to the topic.Give word choice suggestions (use a thesaurus if necessary).Ask the writer questions that begin:“Have you considered....(adding,

rearranging, expanding on, or, subtracting).

peer group editing plan

What are the specific strengths in the piece?

Identify specific elements in each category of writingCheck those elements or areas of the writing that need revision

??????????

a working plana working plana working plana working plana working plan

??????????

88.

EVALUATING & REVISING STRATEGIESa character analysis

does essay introduce topic and include thesis statement in first paragraph?

revision:add a thesis statem

ent which gives the m

ain idea of the analysis.introduce the literary text of the character; sum

marize the m

ain idea of the work

EVALUATIO

N:

does the essay provide supporting reasons in the body paragraphs?

revision:

are the supporting reasons in a reasonable, logical order?EVALU

ATION

:

revision:

EVALUATIO

N:does each point contain supporting evidence?

revision:add quotations, text references, appropriate adjectives thatgive evidence to support

EVALUATIO

N:

does essay reflect the proper aim and audience?

revise to speak to a specific audience and clarify aim

EVALUATIO

N: is conclusion convincing?

revision:

revision:add a conclusion that restates the m

ain point and comm

entson the character or the m

ain idea of the story.

EVALUATIO

N:

add convincing reasons that support the thesis

reorder and discuss character’s traits from w

eakest to strongest, in chronological order orbased on changes in the character’s developm

ent revealed in the plot

89.

EVALUATING & REVISING STRATEGIESan autobiographical incident/story

does the essay have an attention-grabbing introduction?

revision:add an interesting quotation or a few

sentences that present a visual scene or image

EVALUATIO

N:

does the essay clearly begin by introducing the context?

revision:

does the essay focus on a single incident that happened in abrief tim

e period?EVALU

ATION

:

revision:

EVALUATIO

N:

are events presented in a clear, logical order?

revision:rearrange sentences and paragraphs so that the essay ispresent in chronological, logical order

EVALUATIO

N:

does essay clearly pair the incident with the w

riter?w

as it significant in the writer’s life?

add sentences that reveal the writer’s em

otions or thoughts; addinform

ation that links the incident to the writer’s w

orldrevision:

EVALUATIO

N:

add details that show w

here and when the icident took place. Take the reader to

the event; add names and descriptions; paint visual picture w

ith words

remove references to unrelated events, or events that are not closely related to central incident

90.

EVALUATING & REVISING STRATEGIESa research paper

is introduction clear and forceful?is thesis statem

ent (main idea) in first paragraph?

revision: delete unnecessary words and phrases

use past tense verbs; third person voicethesis statem

ent is clear, narrow in scope and w

ill be proved in body of paperEVALU

ATION

:does body contain proof or support for the thesis?

revision:proof or support m

ust be convincing andspecific--facts, figures, data

EVALUATIO

N: are facts in body ordered in logical order of proof?

revision:present facts in order of im

portance, chronological, orpoint-by-point com

parision and contrast

EVALUATIO

N:body: does each point contain supporting evidence such asquotations and/or facts?

revision:add facts, details and quotations that support each point

EVALUATIO

N:

is tone academic and form

al, and is voice authoritative?

consistent voice (third person)no inform

al words, slang

EVALUATIO

N: is conclusion brief and appropriate, restating the thesis?

revision:

revision:delete unnecessay w

ords or phrases; suggest a larger con-text or related topic; delete any new

ideas and restate thesis

EVALUATIO

N:

91.

FCAT writing readinessearly work sets stage for student developmentearly work sets stage for student developmentearly work sets stage for student developmentearly work sets stage for student developmentearly work sets stage for student development

ots of parentsask me when they

should start preparingtheir child for the

FCAT, “ said Saturnteacher, Theresa

Phelps. “I tell them thatpreparing them tolearn is the mostimportant factor.

Send them to schooleach day feeling

secure and confident.Read to your child

everyday, even roadsigns. Dance with her,

sing to him. Let herdraw with crayons

and pencils. Encour-age fine motor skills.And talk to your child

about his world, allday, everyday. She’ll

be ready to learn andthe FCAT will just be aweek of assessment

in many very gooddays of school.”

“l “l “l “l “l

WWHAT: Preparing students for FCAT writing begins in kindergar-

ten as a logical, sequential plan to coach students in a strong writing

foundation for the future. This development progresses throughout

the grades with levels of mastery predicted in specific years.

HOW:

vocabulary development

focus on subject

identification of genre

practice, practice, practice.

REMEMBER:

Writing is a life skill. The development in early years prepares

students for later more skilled work.

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit44444how to beginto improvestudent FCATscores

what is support?

extended andshort responsewriting

working withFCAT prompts

92.

how to improve your FCAT WRITING scoreThe following tips should help you evaluate your writing and increase your score on the FCATWriting assessment.

•organizationMake sure that you choose the appropriate organizational pattern for each type of

writing.Understand that the five-paragraph organizational pattern is not always the bestformula.Choose appropriate transitional devices to provide for a logical progression of ideasor events.Connect ideas or events from sentence to sentence; link each reason or event to themain idea.Write an effective conclusion.

•focusMaintain focus on one idea thoughout the response.Avoid the use of loosely related or extraneous information.

•supportMaintain an awareness of purpose and audience.Provide clear reasons or arguments linked to the main idea.Provide sufficient information about reasons or arguments to enhance the reader’sunderstanding.Provide specific details to explain or persuade.Use appropriate and varied persuasive techniques.Use anecdotes appropriately as support for expository or persuasive writing.

•con•con•con•con•convvvvventionsentionsentionsentionsentionsUse commas, colons, semicolons, and apostrophes correctlyInsert beginning and ending quotation marks.Know when to capitalize proper nouns and adjectives.Avoid run-on sentencesGroup or cluster ideas that are similar.Demonstrate correct use of subject/verb agreement and verb and noun forms, andnoun/pronoun agreement.Know how to write compound or complex sentences.Use a variety of sentence structures for effective communication.Recognize when and how to use a sentence fragment purposefully.Spell commonly used words correctly.

student notes

93.

The quality of details illustrating or explaining the central theme can be labeled: support.

The following items are commonly used in FCAT Writing annotations to describe different

kinds of support. Writing teachers need to train students in these terms as they prepare for

FCAT writing assessment so they will have a better understanding of scoring and ways to

improve writing.

Bare- Use of a detail or a simple list that focuses on events or reasons. For example: “I like

to go to school because it is fun.”

Extended- Use of information that begins to clarify meaning. For example: “I like to go to

school because it is fun when the teacher allows us to do experiments with frogs.”

Layered- Use of a series of informational statements that collectively help to clarify mean-

ing. For example: “I like to go to school because it is fun when the teacher allows us to do

experiments with frogs. We learned what kinds of food frogs like to eat by offering them flies,

worms, and seeds. We observed the frogs during the morning and afternoon to determine

when they were more active. We also compared frogs to other amphibians to see what

characteristics they shared.”

Elaborated- Use of additional details, anecdotes, illustrations, and examples that

further clarify meaning. Information that answers the question, ‘What do you mean?’ For

example: “I like to go to school because it is fun when the teacher allows us to do experi-

ments with frogs instead of just reading about frogs in books. Experiments allow us to have

the fun of discovering for ourselves how far and how fast frogs can jump and what kinds of

foods frogs like to eat.” Elaboration could also provide a detailed description of the experi-

ments.

defining support in FCAT writing

teacher tips

94.

ExtendedShort response writing

FCAT readiness

In Grades: 4, 8 and 10, the FCAT Reading Test includes multiple choice questions, short andextended response questions. Typically there are 6 to 8 reading passages, 50-55 multiple choicequestions, 3 to 6 short response performance tasks, and 2 to 3 extended response performancetask questions. Test officials at DOE suggest the students spend about 5 minutes on the shortresponse questions and 10-15 minutes on the extended responses.

necessary to know:Conventions are not scored. Since this is a reading test, conventions will not be scored

unless it impedes understanding of the response.

Do not restate the question as a topic sentence. For example: if the questions stated:“How are the characters, Susan and Jane alike in the selection?” The response does nothave to begin: “Susan and Jane are alike in many ways.” There is limited space. Get right tothe point with specific information from the reading, filling all of the space.

Comparisons require specific information from the text reading. Do not write: “Georgeenjoys riding his bike, but Jeb does not.” Write instead: “ Both George and Jeb enjoy ridingtheir bikes on long trips through the countyside.”

Know your pronouns. Incorrect pronoun use can lead to a low score. Incorrect use leads to

Teach paragraphing skills. Students should use as many of their own words in the re-sponse passage as possible for full awarded points.

Teach the whole. In a reference, multiple source test question, the questions might refer toinformation from more than one source, a story and a poem. Train students to go to everypossible place for support of their response: charts, drawings, graphs, captions, and all partsof the passages.

No opinions, no listing. Completely and thoroughly answer the question with text-based infor-mation. Personal opinions are not scored. If a response calls for 6 different details, the writersmust discuss all 6 details for full credit. Responses must be in sentence format.Do not use bullets or numbers. You may train with lists or Venn diagrams, but make sure stu-dents know to answer test responses in sentences.

confusion on the part ofthe reader. The writer must be clear and specific in references. Helpfulhint: if a student is weak on pronoun use, train him/her to repeat proper name of character.

Be aware of verbs. Train students to underline verbs in the question. For example: “How didMarie get supplies for the dog house?” Underline: how. Focus response only on how the supplieswere gotten. Students should trained to focus only on the action called for.

95.

erase and replace strategies or, Five Minutes to a Higher Score

Too often, students finish their FCAT essay and think that they are finished.

Research shows that the highest-scoring writers practice effective writing and editing strate-

gies.

One useful strategy that virtually all students buy into is the notion of spending the last five

minutes of writing to “Erase and Replace.”

Try the following:

• Improving Word Choice:

Find three to five weak verbs to erase and replace (look especially in the lead and in the body

paragraphs).

• Improving Conventions:

Look for IM (instant message) language to erase and replace:

•b/c because • lol laugh out loud

Elaborate, elaborate, elaborate

Surface details need to go; erase and replace with specific details that help to paint a verbal

picture.

fcat readinesswriting strategieswriting strategieswriting strategieswriting strategieswriting strategies

•cuz because •w/ with •i I •cya See you! •U You

• Commonly confused words:

• Check details:

accept exceptaffect effectare ourtwo, too, tohole whole

incite insightloose loseits it’sthey’re there theirweak week

whether weatherquiet quitethan thenyour you’re

96.

improving your school

situation: The local school committee seeks ideas to improve your school. These ideas willbe discussed during meetings with students, teachers, parents, administrators, and otherinterested parties. The changes proposed by students will be seriously considered sincestudents are the reason that schools exist.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about changes you would like to see made.Now, write to convince your reader to accept your suggestions.

locker searchessituation: The principal at your school has instituted random locker and backpack searchesto check for guns, knives, and other weapons. Anyone caught with these weapons will beimmediately suspended. The principal argues that the random searches will not only guardagainst illegal weapons at school but will also will help students feel safer.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about how you feel about this policy.Now, write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper to convince readers to side with yourpoint of view.

censorshipsituation: Television is blamed for much of the violence in society today. Many peoplebelieve that much of what is on television is unsuitable for children under age16 and thatsome shows should be banned.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about whether or not you agree with thisidea. Now write to convince your reader to side with your point of view.

censorshipsituation: Your local public library has come under criticism for allowing patrons under theage of 18 to check out books considered unacceptable. The books are either explicit, de-scribe graphic violence, or use questionable language.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about your position on this issue. Nowwrite a convincing letter to the editor of your local newspaper stating your position and sup-porting it.

fcat practiceprompts for practiceprompts for practiceprompts for practiceprompts for practiceprompts for practice

prompts for persuasive & expositiory essays

see page two

persuasive prompts...

97.

too much homeworksituation: Some parents at your school have started a campaign to limit assigned home-work. Teachers at your school have argued that the homework is necessary.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about what your position is on this topic.Now, write to convince your reader to accept your point of view.

field tripssituation: In order to save money, your principal is thinking about canceling all field tripsfor the remainder of the year.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about how you feel about this situation.Now, write a letter to your principal to convince him to agree with your point of view.

grade scale changesituation: A teacher at your school has decided to change from a 10-point grade schale(100 to 90 is an A, 89 to 80 is a B, etc.) to a seven-point grade scale (100 to 93 is an A, 92to 85 is a B, etc.). The teacher is trying to encourage students to put more effort into theirclasses by raising the requirements.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about how you feel about this situation.Now, write to convince the teacher to change his/her policy back.

curfewsituation: The mayor of your city is trying to decide if a 7p.m. curfew for children under theage of 16 is needed.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about the situation and you feel. Now,convince the mayor to enact or not to enact the curfew.

helmetssituation: The state’s legislature is in the process of attempting to pass a law that requiresall children under the age of 16 to wear helmets while biking,and/or skateboarding,rollerblading, and skiing.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about whether or not you agree withthis. Now, write to convince the legislature to agree with your point of view on the matter.

worrysituation: People worry too much about ____________ (you fill in the blank).writing directions: Before you begin writing, decide what you feel people worry too muchabout. Now, write to convince your reader to agree with your point of view.

writing prompts page 2

continued98.

funsituation: Perhaps you have thought about getting older and what that truly means. Somepeople believe it’s more fun to be a child than to be an adult.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about whether or not you agree withthis idea. Now, write to convince your reader to agree with your point of view.

being an only childsituation: Siblings are a constant source of happiness and frustration. They can be one’sbest friend or worst enemy at any given time.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about which you feel is best—being anonly child or having brothers and/or sisters. Now, write to convince your reader to agreewith your point of view.

face on a postage stampsituation: Many famous people, both real and fictional, have been honored by having thierfaces on postage stamps.

writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about a person, real or fictional, whoyou feel deserves this honor. Now, write to convince others to agree with your choice.

expository prompts...

best day I ever spent with my familysituation: Many things can make a day special.writing directions: Think about the best day that you have ever spent with your family.Think about reasons that made it the best day. Now, write to explain what made it the bestday ever.

place to visitsituation: Everyone has thought about a special trip that they might take to a place theywould like to visit.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about where you would like to visit.Now, write to explain why you would visit if you could go anywhere in the world.

my best friendsituation: Best friends are special people in our lives.writing directions: Think about your best friend and reasons that you like him/her. Thinkabout things that you enjoy doing together. Now, write to explain why this person is yourbest friend.

writing prompts page 3

99.

writing prompts page 4

the most important thing you have ever learned

situation: People learn throughout their entire lives.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about an important life lesson you have learned.Now, write to explain the most important lesson you have ever learned in life.

my future career

situation: Most people have an idea of what they might like to do when they “grow up”.writing direction: Before you begin writing, think about the career or job you would like tohave when you finish school. Think about why you would like to have this career or job.Now, write to explain what career you would like to have when you “grow up”.

student success

situation: Many parents worry about helping their student be successful in school.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think about what parents can do to help theirchild be successful in school and get the most out of their educational experience. Now,write to explain what you believe parents can do to help their children be successful inschool.

inventons

situation: Inventions are all around us.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think of an invention that has been especiallyhelpful or harmful to people. Now, write to explain why you feel this way.

most valuable objectsituation: As individuals, we possess many things--some we purchased and others we didnot.writing directions: Before you begin writing, think of the most valuable thing you own thatwas not bought in a store or elsewhere. Now, write to explain why it is important to you.

100.

psat,sat,act big time new tests measure skills new tests measure skills new tests measure skills new tests measure skills new tests measure skills

y the time you are a sophomore,

most everyone youknow will be asking

what you want to doafter high school, saidDonnice Stephenson ,Bayside High teacher.

“Good advice? Getready. High school

does not last foreverand the sooner youthink of some goals,the sooner you can

start working towardreaching them.

Tests will play a bigrole here. Get readyfor them, too. Doing

well on collegeadmission tests pays

off .”

“b “b “b “b “b

THE PROCESS:

Assessment offers an indication of college readiness

Assessments measure skills and conventions

Students can prepare for format and prompts

WHY:

High school students usually take the PSAT in their sophomore year.

this national test offers some indication of those who may do well in

higher level classes and post secondary courses of study. SAT and

ACT tests are given throughout each year and throughout the dis-

trict. Specific scores are partnered with grade point averages for

college scholarship opportunities and admission requirements.

HOW:

Becoming familiar with the format and requirements put students at

greater ease for these high stakes tests. Research says that daily

practice in the same areas of assessment increase individual

scores .

tryi d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a si d e a s

ideasideasideasideasideasit22222the multiplechoice formatand examples

SAT/ACT essaypractice withplenty ofprompts

101.

Before taking either the SAT or ACT exam, students must be able to balance:Sentences (like ideas expressed in a like manner)Subject and mulitple predicatesCompound sentenceComplex sentence

In the example below, a portion of the sentence is underlined. The student is asked to choose the correctreplacement to the underlined portion.

example:The nature of the medium in which the sculptor works demands clearly defined forms, deliberate action, and itrequires discipline in technique.

(A) demands clearly defined forms, deliberate action, and it requires discipline in technique(B) demands clearly defined forms, deliberate action, and technical discipline(C) demands forms that are clearly defined, action that is deliberate, and discipline of a technical nature(D) demands forms that are clearly defined, action that is deliberate, and discipline of a technical variety(E) demand clearly defined forms, deliberate action, and require teechnical discipline

Correct answer: (B)

Review other examples below:1. Some of the applicants saw the position as the job they had always wanted, but for others they saw in it astepping-stone to more prestigious positions.

(A) wanted, but for others they saw in it(B) wanted; others seeing in it(C) wanted, to others as(D) wanted; others saw it as(E) wanted, while it was seen by others as being (D)

2. When played at an extreme volume, you can damage your eardrums with loud music.(A) you can damage your eardrums with loud music(B) loud music can damage your eardrums(C) you could be damaging your eardrums with loud music(D) loud music, it can damage your eardrums(E) then loud music could be damaging your eardrums (B)

note: Correct subject verb agreement, especiallywhen there is a prepositional phrase inserted between the subject and verbwhen there is one subject and multiple verbswhen there is an indefinite pronoun

1. Focusing on both dramatic structure and musical characteristics, Verdi’s operas were the subject ofHerbert’s lecture.

(A) Verdi’s operas were the subject of Herbert’s lecture(B) the subject of Herbert’s lecture was Verdi’s operas(C) Herbert lectured on Verdi’s operas(D) lecturing on Verdi’s operas was Herbert(E) Herbert’s lecture had the subject of Verdi’s operas. (C)

continued

PSAT/SAT/ACT Multiple Choice Writing Section

102.

4. Marla couldn’t decide whether she should study computer programming or to become a financial analyst.

(A) she should study computer programing or to become a financial analyst. (B) she should study computer programing or become a financial analyst.

(C) she should study computer programing or she could become a financial analyst. (D) it should be computer programing or will it be financial analysis? (E) to study computer programming or become a financial analyst.

(E)

5. Neither one of the twins were able to pass the qualifying examination even though they hadA B C

prepared as thoroughly and diligently as possible. No error D E

6. After a lengthy name-calling session, the beleaguered committee decided to award the prize to A B

whomever showed the most flexibility and resiliency. No errorC D E

(C)

note: Correctly use commas, semi-colons, colons, and other punctuation7. Many people recognize Henry Thoreau as the author of Walden, few know that he was also an inventor. (A) Walden, few know (B) Walden; few know (C) Walden, few knowing (D) Walden, thus few know (E) Walden; yet still few knew (B)

note: Correct pronoun and antecedent agreement problems

8. Unlike most spiders, which spin webs to catch its victims, crab spiders ambush their prey, using A B

camouflage to blend in with the surroundings. No error C D E (B)

9.. Many people say that dolphins are as intelligent as human beings, but at present there is no acceptedprocedure for proving its truth. (A) its truth (B) them as such (C) how true it is D) the truth of the assertion (E) the truth of such assertions of theirs

(D)

note: Correct verb tense agreement and other verb usage problems

10. The only sign of human activity that the Gemini astromauts saw from space is pollution from a power A B C D plant in New Mexico. No error

E (A)

continued PSAT/SAT/ACT questions

note: Know the difference between who and whom (in all their forms)

103.

note: Recognize and correct sentence fluency problems

11. It is surprising about the organizing of unions, which has gone on for a century and only one-fourth of the American work force is unionized. (A) about the organizing of unions, which has gone on for a century and (B) when a century of efforts at organizing unions have passed, (C) that, after a century of efforts to organize unions, (D) even though a century of union organizing has passed, yet (E) with unions’ efforts to be organized taking place for a century, that

(C)

note: Correct sentence structure with unfamiliar vocabulary

12. Samuel Adams was by no means the first American to espouse the democratic cause, but he has been the first who conceived the party machinery that made it practical. (A) has been the first who conceived (B) had been the first who conceived (C) was the first having conceived (D) was the first to conceive (E) having been the first to conceive (D)

continued PSAT/SAT/ACT

104.

You have 25 minutes to write an essay on the topic assigned below.DO NOT WRITE ON ANOTHER TOPIC. AN OFF-TOPIC ESSAY WILL RECEIVE ASCORE OF ZERO.Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and assignmentbelow:

A sense of happiness and fulfillment, not personal gain, is the best motivation and reward for one’s achievements. Expecting a reward of wealth or recognition for achieving a goal can lead to disappointment and frustration.

Assignment: Are people motivated to achieve by personal satisfaction rather than bymoney or fame? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view onthis issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your read-ing, studies, experience, or observations.

Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achieve- ment, they must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and present.

adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot,I’ve Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and Liberation

Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the pastand succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your pointof view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

I cannot comprehend those who emphasize or recognize only what is useful. I am concerned that learning for learning’s sake is no longer considered desirable, that everything we do and think must be directed toward the solution of a practical problem. More and more we seem to try to teach how to make a good living and not how to live a good life.

adapted from Philip D. Jordan, “The Usefulness of Useless Language”

continued

If we want to be happy in what we do in life, we should not seek achieve ment for the sake of winning wealth and fame. The personal satisfaction of a job well done is its own reward.

SAT/ACT essay writing prompts

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Assignment: Do people put too much emphasis on learning practical skills?Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on thisissue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from yourreading, studies, experience, or observations.

To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the landinstead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in underminingin the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right tohand down to them amplified and developed.

Theodore Roosevelt in a Messageto Congress, December 3, 1907

It has been about a century since Roosevelt’s stirring message. How has America done? Isgovernment taking enough steps to preserve the environment? What role should the publicplay? In an essay, present your appraisal of governmental failures or successes. Providesuggestions and specific examples.

A woman who thinks herself well dressed has no suspicion that her costumewill one day come to seem as ludicrous as the headress of Catherine DeMedici. All the fashions we are taken with will grow old, perhaps beforewe ourselves.

Luc de Clapiers Vauvenargues

What is your view about changing fashions in clothing, TV programs, or popular music? Do thechanges provide excitement and stimulation, or do they often waste time and money in a fruit-less quest to be “with it”? In an essay support your position by mentioning good or badchanges. Use examples that make your argument more effective.

The rush-hour streets of any city are clogged with workers who clockedin between eight and nine and left between four and five. Drivers inchalong, consuming gasoline, polluting the air, inwardly fretting – is thereany way to minimize the crush? There are two partial solutions: flextimeand adjusted work hours. Flextime allows employees to set their own hours.

Adjusting work schedules might bring workers in at seven instead of eightwith a similar adjustment at the other end.

Do you feel that one or both of these solutions are practicable? Or do you find too many difficul-ties with either or both? Present your point of view in an essay. Include as many examples aspossible within the time requirements of your assignment.

continued

continued practice prompts

ASSIGNMENT:

ASSIGNMENT:

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ASSIGNMENT:

prompt:prompt:prompt:prompt:prompt: “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.”

Andy Warhol, 1927-1987 American artist and filmmaker

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you developyour point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “Freedom is not something that anybody can be given; freedom is something people take and peop le are as free as they want to be.”

James Baldwin, 1924-1987 U.S. writer and civil rights activist

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you developyour point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “To be nobody but yourself – in a world which is doing its best night and day, to make you everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”

e.e.cummings, 1894-1962 American poet

Do you agree of disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you developyour point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “It’s really impossible for athletes to grow up. ...On the one hand, you’re a child, still playing a game ...But on the other hand, you’re a superhuman hero that everyone dreams of being.”

Billie Jean King, B.1943 American tennis star

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you developyour point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

more essay prompts for practiceReceiving a high score on either the writing section of either the SAT or ACT depends uponyour skills in writing. Practice in developing the following prompts may help you to betterprepare for any of the tests.

continued107.

prprprprpromptomptomptomptompt: “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missles and misguided men.”

Martin Luther King, 1929-1968 Civil rights leader

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you developyour point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely

what others think you are.”

SAT/ACT writing prompts continued

continued

Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955 American lecturer and author

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “Revolutions are never peaceful.”

Malcom X, 1925-1965 Civil rights leader

“War is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrows.”

Martin Luther King, 1929-1968 Civil rights leader

Do you agree or disagree with these statements? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”

Anatole France, 1844-1924 French novelist and satirist

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

108.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “The most painful moral choices are not those between good and evil, but between the good and the lesser good.”

Barbara Grizzuti Harrison, B.1934 American author

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

prprprprprompt:ompt:ompt:ompt:ompt: “You must accept responsibility for your actions, but not the credit for your achievements.”

Dr. Denis Waitley, B.1933 American motivational speaker

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view. Use evidence from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

continued

essay prompts for SAT/ ACT continued

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census writing assessment- testing of all students in a particular grade level to measure thewriting proficiency of students and schools.

characters- the people, animals, or beings in a narrative story

compound sentence - a sentence consisting of two or more coordinate independent clauses

complex sentence - consisting of a sentence and clause(s)

concrete evidence - explicit, specific, definite, precise, particular, accurate, detailed

conclusion-statements or sentences used to conclude a paper

content area- subjects assessed on FCAT include: reading, writing, mathematics, and science

conventions- commonly accepted rules of standard English (e.g., spelling, usage, capitaliza-tion, punctuation, and sentence variety)

details- sentences in expository and narrative writing that tell more about the main idea

demand writing- writing assessments where students are given a topic and set time limits inwhich to complete their writing

draft- preliminary version of a piece of writing that may need revision of details, organization,and conventions

editing- when a student checks his work for grammatical mistakes

experiential stories - firsthand knowledge of situations, emotions, or sensations

expository writing- writing to explain, define, describe, instruct, or inform

elaborate- expand on ideas to create a clearer picture in the reader’s mind by adding details

extraneous- not related

ggggglossarlossarlossarlossarlossaryyyyyadjective- A descriptive word that describes a noun

adverb- a word that tells how, when or where

alliteration- repetition of a consonant sound in a series of words (silly Sam slid sideways)

anecdote- a short tale told about an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident. Usually an anecdoteis based on real life, an incident involving actual persons or places

bBCTE Contest - a writing contest for secondary students

brainstorming- a technique where students write down their thoughts that are related to an idea

benchmarks- provide the most detail within the Sunshine State Standards

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fFCAT Writing+- Florida state assessment test to measure benchmarks from the Sunshine StateStandards where students are asked to demonstrate and apply their writing skills by drafting an original pieceof writing in response to a given topic and completing a multiple choice section based on the 4 elements of writing

figurative language- the use of words, phrases, symbols, and ideas to evoke mental images and sense impres-sions by using words in a nonliteral way, giving them a meaning beyond their ordinary one

focus- relationship of supporting details to the main idea, theme, or unifying point

graphic organizers- visual representations of knowledge, concepts or ideas

guided writing- student does the writing as the teacher guides

holistic scoring- method by which trained readers evaluate the overall quality of a piece of writing.

homphones-words which sound exactly the same but which have different meanings

hook- a sentence in the introductory paragraph used to catch the reader’s attention

independent writing- students write on their own using their current knowledge of writing process

introductory paragraph- first paragraph in an expository writing that contains the topic, main ideas, and a hook

literature- printed matter, written works

loosely related- only slightly related

main idea- the ideas in an expository or narrative paper that relate to the topic

metaphor-a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literallydenote in order to suggest a similarity

modeled writing- teachers act as scribes, writing in front of children, putting words together to make mean-ing of print. Teachers also “think out loud” and verbalize what they are doing.

narrative- writing to tell a storyfictional narrative - concerned with works in which the details of the story are created by the imagination ofthe writer instead of being taken from fact

personal narrative - writes about self and experiences encountered, read, or heard about

jjournal- a daily record of thoughts, feelings, or ideas

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onomatopoeia- a word or expression which resembles the sound which it represents, like the meow of a cator the quack of a duck

organization- structure or plan of development (beginning, middle, and end) and the transitional devises used toarrange ideas

paragraph- a group of sentences about the main idea. The main idea sentence is supported by details, ex-amples, elaborations, and a summary sentence

paraphrasing-putting the ideas of another author into your own words

personification-a figure of speech that gives human qualities to abstract ideas, animals, and inanimate objects

persuasive writing- writing that attempts to convince the reader that a point of view is valid or that the readershould take a specific action

plot- the parts of the story that make it complete. The beginning, middle events, the climax, the problem, andthe ending

portfolio writing assessment- collection and scoring of various writing assignments produced during asemester or school year

problem- the conflict in the story that leads to all the action

prompt- the topic that you are writing about, usually given to you by the teacher. It contains three parts: atopic sentence(s), think about sentence(s), and sentence(s) that give directions

response- writing that is stimulated by a prompt

revision- when students go back and add, subtract, or rearrange information in their stories and/or changevocabulary

rhyme- the association of words with similar sounds, a technique most often used in poetry

rime-part of a syllable that contains the vowel and all that follows it (i.e.the rime of bag is ag and the rime ofswim is im)

rubric- a method for scoring student works, scoring criteria at each score point of the scale

sensory words-words that relate to the senses of touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing

sensory imagery - a set of mental pictures or images that relate to the sense of touch, taste, smell, sight,and hearing

shared writing- students and teacher compose text collaboratively

sight words- words that are recognized immediately

similes- a comparison of two things using like or as. These are used in expository and narrative writing

sorting activities - Sorting and classifying are fundamental parts of life and are used on a daily basis. Sortingactivities should begin with two very different objects before moving on to similar objects, and three or moreobjects

S.O.S.- (Sentence Opening Strategy) The student highlights the first three words of each sentence to makesure sentence beginnings are varied.

specificity - the quality of being specific rather than general

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sSunshine State Standards-(SSS)- Florida’s curriculum framework that describes what students should beable to do. Teachers are required to teach the content of the SSS, the FCAT, and assess the achievement ofthese standards.

support- quality of details illustrating or explaining the central theme bare- use of single lists that focus onevents and reasons; extended-use of information that begins to clarify meaninglayered- use of a series of informational statements that collectively help to clarify meaningelaborated-use of additional details, anecdotes, illustrations, and examples that further clarify meaning

topic- the subject that you are writing about. It is given to you in the prompt.

transitional devices- words, terms, phrases, and sentence variations used to arrange and signal themovement of ideas. For example, next and then, in the end, another reason are transitional devises

unscorable- when someone does not receive a score based on the fact that the writing was illegible, blank,off topic, plagiarized, or wriiten in a language other than standard English

visualize- creating clear pictures in your mind

writing process- recursive steps of prewriting, drafting, revision, editing, evaluating and sharing that are usedin the development of a piece of writing.

story elements - setting, characters, problem, events, solution, ending

write alouds- modeling aloud what the writer is doing, thinking and rethinking while composing text

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resourcesresourcesresourcesresourcesresources

The Writing Teacher’s ToolboxCarol FrankCarson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc.2003

Writing Mini-LessonsDorothy P. Hall & Elaine WilliamsCarson-Dellosa Publishing Co., Inc.2003*This book is available for all elementary grade levels.

Descriptive WritingJennifer Overend Prior, M. Ed. & Diana StephensTeacher Created Materials, Inc.2000

Razzle Dazzle WritingMelissa ForneyMaupin House Publishing, Inc.2005

Primary Pizzazz WritingMelissa ForneyMaupin House Publishing, Inc.2005

Dynamite Writing IdeasMelissa ForneyMaupin House Publishing, Inc.1996

The Writing IdeasMelissa ForneyMaupin House Publishing, Inc.1996

The Writing MenuMelissa ForneyMaupin House Publishing1999

Using Picture Books to Teach WritingRuth CulhamScholastic, Inc.2004

A Writer Teaches WritingDonald MurrayHoughton Mifflin Company1985

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Books, Lessons, Ideas for Teaching the Six TraitsGreatsource Education Group2001

10 Easy Writing Lessons That Get KidsReady for Writing AssessmentsMary RoseScholastic, 1999

15 Easy Lessons That Build Basic Writing Skills in Grades K-2Mary RoseScholastic, 1999

On Writing: a memoirStephen KingScribner, 2000

Six traits websitesSix traits websitesSix traits websitesSix traits websitesSix traits websites

http://edina.k12.mn.us/concord/teacherlinks/sixtraits/sixtraits.html

http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/writing/menu.html

www.nwrel.org/assessment/about.php

http://senior.billings.k12.mt.us/6traits

www.webenglishteacher.com/6traits.html

www.proteacher.com/0070038.shtml

www.olympus.net/personal/skoehler/6trait

www.asd5.org/asd/6trait

www.kent.k12.wa.us/staff/LindaJancola/

www.flowingwells.k12.az.us/staff%20Development

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