The following words are over-used, or over-simplistic and should therefore be eliminated from your formal writing vocabulary! Please check your paper for any of these words prior to turning in. If you find a no-no word, either replace it with a stronger word or re-order to remove the word entirely.
A LOT
AN EXAMPLE IS WHEN...
BEAUTIFUL
BIG, BORING, BAD
I COULD
CUTE
EVERYONE
EXTREMELY
FINE
FUN
GOOD
GET, GOT, GOTTEN
HAD
I, MY, MINE
INTERESTING
IN THE BOOK
IS WHEN, IS WHY, IS WHERE, IS HOW, IS BECAUSE
JUST
KINDOF
LIKE, LIKES
MANY
NICE
OBVIOUS, OBVIOUSLY
PRETTY
QUOTE, THIS QUOTE SHOWS, QUOTATION
REALLY
SINCE (at the beginning of a sentence)
SO
TERRIBLE
THE
THE REASON IS BECAUSE...
THING, NOTHING, SOMETHING, ANYTHING, EVERYTHING
THIS IS WHY...
THIS SHOWS...
VERY
WAS
WE, US, OURS
WONDERFUL
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Verb Swap
from e. whitney
I am a huge fan of looking at grammatical examples that aren’t working and cognitive dissonance.
Pull a text you’re reading in class, type it up on a single page, swap out a few verbs that aren’t correct to make them incorrect, and present it to the class as if it were just fine.
Then start to work through the paragraph/text to think about figurative language, effective similes, or whatever other non-grammatical issue you might be teaching at the time. Eventually (or early) kids will start to feel a little uncomfortable if you read through the incorrect usage. This is more a hook than anything else, but the connection between oral language and written language is something that I believe strongly that kids must understand (which is why split infinitives are accepted now, “ain’t” will probably some day be an acceptable word, etc)
Make a chart that over time that shows patterns (one chart a day that takes 3-4 minutes a day to complete + tiny amounts of daily discussion, and then over the course of several days start to compare the patterns that are being noticed). Patterning is significantly easier to show on a white board if the ending is written in a different color when modeling it for the kids. There are many questions that could be asked.
Examples (this is for verb tense, but the same principle applies for subject/verb agreement)
Infinitive Past Present Future
To reduce You, we, they reduced You, we, they reduce You, we, they will reduce
To believe
To turn
To churn
To realize
Infinitive Past Present Future
To reduce It, he, she reduced It, he, she reduces It, he, she will reduce
To be
To deceive
To dismount
To keep
I am a huge fan of looking at grammatical examples that aren’t working and cognitive dissonance.
Pull a text you’re reading in class, type it up on a single page, swap out a few verbs that aren’t correct to make them incorrect, and present it to the class as if it were just fine.
Then start to work through the paragraph/text to think about figurative language, effective similes, or whatever other non-grammatical issue you might be teaching at the time. Eventually (or early) kids will start to feel a little uncomfortable if you read through the incorrect usage. This is more a hook than anything else, but the connection between oral language and written language is something that I believe strongly that kids must understand (which is why split infinitives are accepted now, “ain’t” will probably some day be an acceptable word, etc)
Make a chart that over time that shows patterns (one chart a day that takes 3-4 minutes a day to complete + tiny amounts of daily discussion, and then over the course of several days start to compare the patterns that are being noticed). Patterning is significantly easier to show on a white board if the ending is written in a different color when modeling it for the kids. There are many questions that could be asked.
Examples (this is for verb tense, but the same principle applies for subject/verb agreement)
Infinitive Past Present Future
To reduce You, we, they reduced You, we, they reduce You, we, they will reduce
To believe
To turn
To churn
To realize
Infinitive Past Present Future
To reduce It, he, she reduced It, he, she reduces It, he, she will reduce
To be
To deceive
To dismount
To keep
Friday, October 26, 2007
The Art of the Thank You Letter
Great thinkers are able to piece together words into sentences and sentences into paragraphs that yield a desired emotional impact on the reader, thus your audience. If your letter is written effectively, your reader will have that emotional reaction.
2. Brainstorm in small groups what they remember about the person--what he/she did, how he/she was helpful.
3. Pass out note card. On one side, write the name and address information. On the other side, write the desired outcome. What are the key thoughts on how you want your reader to feel after he/she reads your letter?
from E. Witney
4. Brainstorm on the rest of the card memories you have of this person.
5. Use a teacher model to demonstrate how you blend in a story/memory into a note to evoke emotion and appreciate.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Saturday, October 6, 2007
To Write
To write in English is based on the root word writan-- "to score, outline, draw the figure of." In short, it's meant to be more of an art than strictly a communication.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Norms
norm (nôrm) Pronunciation Key
n.
1. A standard, model, or pattern regarded as typical: the current middle-class norm of two children per family.
n.
1. A standard, model, or pattern regarded as typical: the current middle-class norm of two children per family.
Independent Thinking...
Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.
Thomas J. Watson
Thomas J. Watson
Precis Card
pré·cis (prā'sē, prā-sē') Pronunciation Key
n. pl. pré·cis (prā'sēz, prā-sēz')
A concise summary of a book, article, or other text; an abstract.
Front of Index Card:
Title Genre
Author
Summary
Back of Index Card:
Characters
Theme
Conflict
Important symbols (elements will vary)
Allusion
Quote
Teaching Notes:
• Front of note card always the same; back of note card is customized according to information learned
• Précis cards are usually for impact works—novels and films
• Can be used cross-curriculum
• Use highlighters to highlight important terms/ideas.
• Cards begin in 5th grade and stay with student all years
• Where Précis Cards are stored are up to teacher—with student on in classroom
n. pl. pré·cis (prā'sēz, prā-sēz')
A concise summary of a book, article, or other text; an abstract.
Front of Index Card:
Title Genre
Author
Summary
Back of Index Card:
Characters
Theme
Conflict
Important symbols (elements will vary)
Allusion
Quote
Teaching Notes:
• Front of note card always the same; back of note card is customized according to information learned
• Précis cards are usually for impact works—novels and films
• Can be used cross-curriculum
• Use highlighters to highlight important terms/ideas.
• Cards begin in 5th grade and stay with student all years
• Where Précis Cards are stored are up to teacher—with student on in classroom
Monday, August 6, 2007
In-class, timed writing
In-class, timed essays should be written frequently throughout the term and intended to be read as first drafts, such as:
* an argument constructed in response to a prompt
* an analysis of an argument in a passage
* a rhetorical and style analysis of a passage
* an analysis of language, tone, and theme in a poem
* an expository or descriptive essay based on a work of literature (open-ended questions)
from Laying the Foundation
* an argument constructed in response to a prompt
* an analysis of an argument in a passage
* a rhetorical and style analysis of a passage
* an analysis of language, tone, and theme in a poem
* an expository or descriptive essay based on a work of literature (open-ended questions)
from Laying the Foundation
How to annotate
Annotation is like having a conversation with a piece of literature--it allows active readers to ask questions, comment on meaning, and mark events and passages they want to revisit.
One way a student annotates is by closely reading a text--finding patterns and contrasts. This close reading leads a reader to realize that their own lives are also marked by patterns and contrasts, and noticing these can reveal meaning in their own lives, much like the author reveals meaning in text.
Annotation takes place:
* During the initial reading
* During class discussion when a particular passage is being discussed
Students annotate by writing in the margins, highlighting, and circling meaning full words in order to organize their relationship with the text.
Annotations also help readers remember crucial pieces of text for exams or for finding the perfect quote for an essay.
There are three levels of reading:
* reading on the line
* reading between the lines
* reading beyond the lines
The first levels answers the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, why).
The second level interprets the text. What does the passage represent, suggest, or personify?
The third level, students move beyond the text to connect universal meaning. How does this text connect with my life? for the world? Students connect literature with their own experiences and with universal meaning.
from Laying the Foundation
One way a student annotates is by closely reading a text--finding patterns and contrasts. This close reading leads a reader to realize that their own lives are also marked by patterns and contrasts, and noticing these can reveal meaning in their own lives, much like the author reveals meaning in text.
Annotation takes place:
* During the initial reading
* During class discussion when a particular passage is being discussed
Students annotate by writing in the margins, highlighting, and circling meaning full words in order to organize their relationship with the text.
Annotations also help readers remember crucial pieces of text for exams or for finding the perfect quote for an essay.
There are three levels of reading:
* reading on the line
* reading between the lines
* reading beyond the lines
The first levels answers the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, why).
The second level interprets the text. What does the passage represent, suggest, or personify?
The third level, students move beyond the text to connect universal meaning. How does this text connect with my life? for the world? Students connect literature with their own experiences and with universal meaning.
from Laying the Foundation
Sunday, August 5, 2007
What we value about great writing
Fun/Joy:
Great writers enjoy writing. As such writing needs to be something that is presented with enthusiasm in every classroom. Great writing must be celebrated. We must provide audiences for our kids to present their writing.
Process:
Writing is an incremental process, and that process (arguably) needs to manifest itself in all classes on all assignments. We need to clearly articulate that process among our staffs so that it becomes an expectation.
Work as Craft:
Because writing is a process rooted in intention, it necessitates constant reflection. Our kids need to know and reflect on their work as a matter of craft. Too often our kids treat writing assignments as akin to other short-lived assignments (tests, quizzes, etc.) that they need simply to “get through”. They fail to see their written work as worthy of refinement.
Critical Thought:
We need to demand complexity of thought and interpretation in our kids’ writing. Persistent, deep inquiry is the root of critical thought and should be present and valued across content areas.
Tenacity:
Without doggedly pursuing excellence, our kids will not grow as writers. To facilitate this, our teachers need to create structures that encourage tenacity. The writing process must be such that such that the challenge presented in a given in assignment is commensurate with a students’ skill set, with each assignment building on the previously mastered skill.
Time :
We must dedicate time on teaching writing explicitly.
Providing Models :
Great writers look for and use models and find inspiration from various sources.
Great writers enjoy writing. As such writing needs to be something that is presented with enthusiasm in every classroom. Great writing must be celebrated. We must provide audiences for our kids to present their writing.
Process:
Writing is an incremental process, and that process (arguably) needs to manifest itself in all classes on all assignments. We need to clearly articulate that process among our staffs so that it becomes an expectation.
Work as Craft:
Because writing is a process rooted in intention, it necessitates constant reflection. Our kids need to know and reflect on their work as a matter of craft. Too often our kids treat writing assignments as akin to other short-lived assignments (tests, quizzes, etc.) that they need simply to “get through”. They fail to see their written work as worthy of refinement.
Critical Thought:
We need to demand complexity of thought and interpretation in our kids’ writing. Persistent, deep inquiry is the root of critical thought and should be present and valued across content areas.
Tenacity:
Without doggedly pursuing excellence, our kids will not grow as writers. To facilitate this, our teachers need to create structures that encourage tenacity. The writing process must be such that such that the challenge presented in a given in assignment is commensurate with a students’ skill set, with each assignment building on the previously mastered skill.
Time :
We must dedicate time on teaching writing explicitly.
Providing Models :
Great writers look for and use models and find inspiration from various sources.
Lesson: Analysis of Introductions
The introductory paragraph below is example of an excellent, well-developed analysis.
In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men some characters rise above the despair of the Great Depression and create an inner reality filled with hope. Impoverished laborers in the novella during the 1930’s California are caught in a seemingly never-ending cycle, finding work wherever possible, losing their jobs, and moving on to the next farm. In the face of this cycle of woe, the main characters, George, short “with restless eyes and sharp, strong features”, and Lennie, “a huge man” with biologically limited intelligence, together share a hope for a better life. The companions sustain motivated, purposeful lives by dreaming of their own farm, with rabbits, crops, chickens, and a warm stove, which they could call their own. When the traveling partners find work at a ranch in the Salinas Valley, they encounter old and crippled Candy, the discriminated African-American Crooks, and Curley’s lonely wife. All have different outlooks on managing the trials and tribulations of the Depression. While some characters abandon their hopes for a better future, others embrace their dreams, and as a result, cope better with their hardships.
Author: rising 9th grader, private school
These attributes are from the analysis the above writing sample.
• Creative title restating theme in three words or less
• Link author and title near beginning and keep together
• Embed the novel and/or historical event’s setting
• Include literary terms that enhance meaning
• Theme/argument can be restated but subtly
• Add characterization descriptions if it helps your point
• Embed quotes, but vary how and how much
• Use alliteration and assonance to create a subtle rhythm
• Use the pattern sparingly
• Few, if any pronouns
Attached word document shows the paragraph example.
Lesson Plans:
Day 1: Assignment--Analyze an article that show two sides of an issue. Write a response showing both sides, but ultimately showing which side you favor. Students work on draft individually. Mini-lesson: graphic organizers to get your thoughts organized.
Day 2: Think/Pair/Share--Share your draft with two peers. Find boring words, check logic of argument, presentation of both sides, and finally, author’s point of view. Mini-lesson: what makes a great peer edit.
Day 3/4: Analyze and compare introductions of two papers. End result: chart of best practices for introductions
Day 5: Revisit original assignment, rewrite, and publish.
Strength in Adversity
In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men some characters rise above the despair of the Great Depression and create an inner reality filled with hope. Impoverished laborers in the novella during the 1930’s California are caught in a seemingly never-ending cycle, finding work wherever possible, losing their jobs, and moving on to the next farm. In the face of this cycle of woe, the main characters, George, short “with restless eyes and sharp, strong features”, and Lennie, “a huge man” with biologically limited intelligence, together share a hope for a better life. The companions sustain motivated, purposeful lives by dreaming of their own farm, with rabbits, crops, chickens, and a warm stove, which they could call their own. When the traveling partners find work at a ranch in the Salinas Valley, they encounter old and crippled Candy, the discriminated African-American Crooks, and Curley’s lonely wife. All have different outlooks on managing the trials and tribulations of the Depression. While some characters abandon their hopes for a better future, others embrace their dreams, and as a result, cope better with their hardships.
Author: rising 9th grader, private school
These attributes are from the analysis the above writing sample.
• Creative title restating theme in three words or less
• Link author and title near beginning and keep together
• Embed the novel and/or historical event’s setting
• Include literary terms that enhance meaning
• Theme/argument can be restated but subtly
• Add characterization descriptions if it helps your point
• Embed quotes, but vary how and how much
• Use alliteration and assonance to create a subtle rhythm
• Use the pattern
• Few, if any pronouns
Attached word document shows the paragraph example.
Lesson Plans:
Day 2: Think/Pair/Share--Share your draft with two peers. Find boring words, check logic of argument, presentation of both sides, and finally, author’s point of view. Mini-lesson: what makes a great peer edit.
Day 3/4: Analyze and compare introductions of two papers. End result: chart of best practices for introductions
Day 5: Revisit original assignment, rewrite, and publish.
What is great writing?
What we believe about great writing:
* Critical thought is a prerequisite to good writing
* The more you thoughtfully write the better you get at writing.
* Writing takes time; learning how to write takes time
* Everyone is a writer.
* There is a connection between writing, thinking, reading
* Teaching kids to read as writers
* Reading, writing, speaking, and thinking are inextricably intertwined; can’t pull them apart
* Writing mastery is the single greatest predictor of success in college
* If you want to change the world, you must be an eloquent writer, thinker, and speaker
* Kids must be immersed in a world that values good thinking; saturated with quality models
* Writing is a process and a craft
* Writing is as essential to daily life as breathing, and not something that is purely academic.
* Critical thought is a prerequisite to good writing
* The more you thoughtfully write the better you get at writing.
* Writing takes time; learning how to write takes time
* Everyone is a writer.
* There is a connection between writing, thinking, reading
* Teaching kids to read as writers
* Reading, writing, speaking, and thinking are inextricably intertwined; can’t pull them apart
* Writing mastery is the single greatest predictor of success in college
* If you want to change the world, you must be an eloquent writer, thinker, and speaker
* Kids must be immersed in a world that values good thinking; saturated with quality models
* Writing is a process and a craft
* Writing is as essential to daily life as breathing, and not something that is purely academic.
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