Language Arts Research Reports – Writing your final

draftTrait Focus: Word Choice plus Editing & Revision

Week of March 7, 2011

A look at our week3/7/11

Complete your final draft◦ It may be handwritten neatly, or◦ IF typed, please use 12 point, Times New Roman

font, 1” margins top, bottom, left, right◦ Remember to include a list of our sources in a

bibliography

Our goal this week

Monday – Specific nouns and adjectives Tuesday – Strong verbs Wednesday – Choosing the right words for

your audience Thursday – Writing a strong opening Friday – Powerful, precise language Everyday – editing and revising

6+1 Trait Focus: Word Choice

Choose specific nouns and adjectives to make your descriptions more precise.

Word Choice

Let’s read this story together – we want to replace the vague adjectives and general nouns with better words that could provide a more accurate description. ◦ Jot at least five that your hear/see

Conventions focus –add commas after introductory words or phrases

My Aunt Nora (p. 74)

Edit your final draft - look for vague adjectives and general nouns.

Circle five of these words and replace them with better words that provide a more accurate description.

When you are done, begin writing your FINAL DRAFT

Your task

Show me five vague words and your precise replacement words.

Assessment

Strong VerbsTuesday, March 8, 2011

Choose strong, specific verbs to show exactly what is happening. Avoid tired, overused verbs.

How many forms of the verb walk do you see in this story (pg. 78)?

Let’s look at an improved version of this same paragraph.

Strong Verbs

With a partner, read Survival of the Fastest and circle the tired verbs.

Each person needs to rewrite an improved version of this paragraph.

Conventions focus – fix incorrect forms of their, there and they’re in your improved paragraph.

Strong verbs

Edit your research papers looking for tired or overused verbs. Change them to strong, specific verbs.

Show me when you’re done.

Your task today

Turn in your improved paragraphs Show me the verbs you’ve circled and the

strong, specific verbs that you have added. Reminder: your final draft is DUE FRIDAY

Assessment

Choosing the right words for your

audienceWednesday, March 9, 2011

Let’s look at two research reports. Which version of the report would your teacher rather read? Why? (pg 90)

The right words for your audience

Work with a partner on this next essay. Cross out the overly formal words and replace them with one from the box.

Conventions focus: practice writing compound sentences.

The right words for your audience

Peer editing – trade research reports with your language arts partner.

Acting as “critical friends” provide feedback using these sentence starters:Positive: (provide three specific comments)

“I like…..” “It was effective when you…”

Critique: (provide two specific comments) “I wonder if…”

“Have you thought about…”

Your task today

Your peer editing comment sheet Your edited paragraph

Assessment

A Strong OpeningThursday, March 10, 2011

To write a strong opening and get your reader’s attention, use powerful, precise language.

A Strong Opening

Let’s look at two versions of an opening paragraph. In the second paragraph the writer uses certain techniques to get our attention.

A Strong Opening

Working with your language arts partner, write two examples of each technique

A Strong Opening

Peer Editing – exchange research reports with your language arts partner. Read only the first paragraph.◦ Does the author use a certain technique to get

your attention? Use the critical friends protocol from

yesterday to provide feedback.

A Strong Opening

Positive: (provide three specific comments)“I like…..” “It was effective when you…”

Critique: (provide two specific comments) “I wonder if…”

“Have you thought about…”

Critical Friends Protocol

Powerful, Precise Language

Friday, March 11, 2011

Use powerful, precise language to make your reader want to keep reading.

Powerful, Precise Language

Rewrite the first paragraph of the LuCille Ball story – use the facts from the box to help you.

Conventions focus – fix misspelled plural nouns.

Powerful, Precise Language

Read your story one last time – are there any word choices you can change to make your language more powerful and precise?

TURN IN YOUR WRITTEN OR TYPED FINAL DRAFT

Your Task Today

Next week we begin our novel studies! It will be fun to share a book together, and it will give you practice using advanced reading comprehension skills like: synthesis, inference, prediction and connecting.

Have a GREAT weekend – you’re worked hard, and I can’t to read your final drafts!

Looking ahead