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Relevant Learning Objectives

Understand and obey copyright and plagiarism laws. Demonstrate mastery of the 8 parts of speech in writing and speaking. Follow accepted research paper format. Increase knowledge and use of word processing and publishing programs. Write supported analytical responses to literature. Compose narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive works. Use standard English in all written and oral presentations and works. Use all pronoun cases correctly. Edit and revise for consistency of tone and focus in written works. Use increasingly sophisticated techniques in oral presentations. Use appropriate resources for writing projects. Write with increased sophistication of support.

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8/12/2009Copyright © 2009 International Learning Corporation

Understand and obey copyright and plagiarism laws. Students should be able to produce written works that paraphrase and synthesize various sources, avoiding any type of plagiarism. Tutorial:

This skill tackles two words the student may not be familiar with: Copyrighted material- original works protected by laws of the United States. You are not allowed to copy these works and pass them off as your own. This includes books, poems, research articles, movies, music, and other original works. Plagiarism- taking someone’s words or ideas as if they were your own; a piece of writing that has been copied from someone else and is presented as being your own work. The first thing the student may do when assigned a big writing project is head to the library, media center, or the home computer to begin his or her research. An important writing skill for all subject areas is learning how to use copyrighted material appropriately to avoid plagiarism. The student has many choices when taking research notes. He or she can do the following: Use direct quotations Summarize in his or her own words Cite the sources used Using direct quotations from research materials is a convincing technique that works well in introductory and concluding paragraphs. The student must remember to include the name of the person who said or wrote the original words. Most research material will be summarized and then put together in the student’s written works. Help the student practice his or her summarization skills by working together to reword information from encyclopedias and the Internet. You can research some of his or her interests together or help the student summarize material for a school research paper. Citing information means recording the source from which the information came. This way you are giving credit to the person who did the research or who wrote an article. There are a variety of citing styles: bibliography format, endnotes, footnotes, etc. The teacher will explain the format he or she prefers. Most formats require the title of the research book or name of the website, the page numbers or volume numbers used, the copyright date, and the author, if applicable. Activity Monitoring the student’s research and writing abilities is best done with a school assignment. You can complete the following steps with a writing assignment from any subject area--reading, science, or social studies in particular. Writing a Report and Avoiding Plagiarism

1. Write down your topic or assignment 2. Brainstorm ideas for writing about this topic



3. Gather information about your topic from a variety of sources 4. Record the following information for EVERY source:

Title of book, magazine, article or web site name Author Publisher or web site address Copyright information (may not be applicable for some web site information, but

you can look toward the bottom of the page or on-line article) Important facts taken from this source

5. Organize your information in outline form or on note cards 6. Write your rough draft, citing information as appropriate 7. Edit and revise rough draft 8. Write final draft 9. Write a bibliography or works cited (list of sources)

Completing each of these steps should help the student create a solid piece of writing while avoiding plagiarism.

Review:What does the term copyright mean? What does it mean to plagiarize something? What can you do to avoid plagiarism?



Demonstrate mastery of the 8 parts of speech in writing and speaking. Students should speak and write using all eight parts of speech appropriately. Parts of speech include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. Tutorial:

At this level, the student should be familiar with all eight parts of speech. He or she should use them correctly in both speaking and writing. Verifying the student’s understanding of this skill is a big task. You might find that some parts of speech have already been mastered, while others need more work. Activity 1: Review Begin by reviewing each part of speech with the student. If he or she has trouble with a particular part of speech, find additional exercises in his or her grammar book. If the student has a strong grasp of each part of speech, you can move on to the last activity, "Enhanced Practice." Encourage the student to write each definition on a note card or in a notebook. He or she can use this for reference for school assignments, etc. Have the student write the name and definition on one side of the card and write examples of the part of speech on the other side.

noun: a person, place, thing, or idea Examples: bicycle, love, aunt, doctor, plant, happiness, desk



pronoun: word used in place of a noun Examples: she, he, her(s), his, it(s), they, them, their(s), I, me, my, mine, we, us ours, you, your(s) verb: word used to express action or a state of being There are three types of verbs: action, linking, and helping. Ask the student to write examples of each type on the back of the note card. Examples: -action: jump, fly, eat, sleep -linking: forms of "to be" used alone, for example: I am happy. I was at the store. The puppies were asleep. -helping: forms of "be," "have," and "can" used in conjunction with other verbs, for example: I can climb that tree. She is eating her lunch. That man has been playing chess for thirty years. adverb: word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb; often ends in -ly; tells how, when, where, how often, and how much -modifying another adverb: The pretty bird flew very quickly out the window. adjective: word used to modify a noun or pronoun; tells what kind, how many, and which one; the articles a, an, and the are also adjectives Examples: -modifying a noun: The silly clown made balloon animals. -modifying a pronoun: He is smart. conjunction: word used to connect two words or groups of words. There are three types of conjunctions: correlating, coordinating, and subordinating. Here are some examples, but check the student’s grammar book for a complete list. Examples: -correlating: both...and; either...or; neither...nor; not only...but also; whether...or -coordinating: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet -subordinating: after, although, because, before, if, until, whether, while interjection: a word or phrase that shows surprise. For example, "Oh no!" or, "Ouch!" or, "Wow!" preposition: a word that relates a noun or pronoun to another word. Here are some examples, but check the student’s grammar book for a complete list. Examples: -The bird flew through the window. -Give that book to me. -The gerbil crawled under the table. -We ran into the store to avoid the rain. Activity 2: Enhanced Practice, Speaking The following activity asks the student to both identify and use the parts of speech during a discussion. Notice the "trick" questions and be sure the student responds appropriately. Correct answers are underlined or placed in parentheses for your convenience. Remember, you will SAY the following things--do not have the student read them on the paper.



1. Tell me the adverb in the following sentence: The very ugly duckling turned into a swan. 2. What was the preposition in that sentence? (into) 3. Tell me which words are pronouns in the following sentence: Melanie and I went to the

store so we could buy candy. 4. Use this subordinating conjunction in a sentence: because. (answers will vary) 5. Use the adverb "funny" in a sentence. (The student should recognize that funny is an

adjective, not an adverb.) 6. What is the interjection in the following sentence?

Oh, no! I burned the birthday cake I was baking for my dad! (Oh, no!)

Activity 3: Enhanced Practice, Writing Print the following paragraph four times. Each time, have the student search the passage for the different parts of speech that are identified before the passage. At the top of the first copy, write Nouns and Pronouns, the second copy, Verbs and Prepositions, the third copy, Adjectives and Adverbs, and the fourth copy, Conjunctions. Have the student identify the parts of speech listed at the top of the page. Correct responses are provided for your convenience.

A pond sits behind our house. In the winter, it gets very cold, so it freezes. My family skates on the icy pond and plays hockey. We invite the neighbors over and happily drink warm cocoa. My family and neighbors love the pond!

Nouns and Pronouns (Nouns are underlined, while pronouns are in bold.)


Verbs and Prepositions (Verbs are underlined, while prepositions are in bold.)


Adjectives and Adverbs (Adjectives are underlined, while adverbs are in bold.)


Conjunctions (They are underlined.)


If the student needs more practice, you can repeat this exercise with excerpts from magazine or newspaper articles. *It is important to note that the same word can be considered different parts of speech, depending on how it is used in the sentence. For example, in the sentence, Some students love to read, Some is an adjective. In the sentence, Some are still in the box, Some is a



pronoun. Also, this tutorial does not cover adjective and adverbial clauses.

Review:Name the eight parts of speech. Give an example of each type.



Follow accepted research paper format. Students need to follow an accepted format when writing a research paper. This includes using appropriate format for citing sources, creating a bibliography, and organizing writing around a thesis. Tutorial:

Students will be required to write numerous research reports during their middle and high school years, so it’s important that they understand how to obtain and organize their information as well as how to choose, evaluate, and document their sources. The following activity will involve a biographical research report. Have the student choose a person that he or she will learn about in school this year so that the student can apply the research to a school assignment. If not, the student should select a person who he or she is interested in learning more about as his or her research topic. There are two main style formats for research papers. The first is MLA. It’s a style format commonly used for literature, arts, and humanities. The other most popular style is APA, which is often used for psychology, education, and other social sciences. The main difference is the format each style uses for the list of resources used for research within a paper. This list is usually called a works cited or bibliography. Later in the lesson we will discuss this list and its proper format. There are two good reference books that you might consider purchasing that will be helpful for writing research papers and essays. Both books can be purchased at www.amazon.com or can be found in most bookstores. If the books are not in stock, most stores can order them for you and receive them within a couple of days. Write Source: a Book for Writing, Thinking and Learning by Sebranek Kemper Meyer is geared towards seventh graders and above. It’s an excellent source to help students master the writing process and learn all the forms of writing. It can be used as a reference for most language arts and writing skills and includes examples of the correct format for works cited, footnotes, and bibliographies. Another good resource book to have on hand is Research: The Student’s Guide to Writing Research Papers by Richard Veit. It includes everything a student needs to know about library and Internet research, using both primary and secondary sources, MLA and APA styles of documentation, and evaluating sources and integrating them appropriately in a paper. It’s important to have such a resource on hand, because it will cover details regarding style and format: citing sources, cover page, margins, font size, spacing, and footnotes. Activity: Writing a Research Paper For this activity, you will need the following:

Library access Internet access is optional Notebook paper Unlined paper Index cards Writing instruments MLA or APA reference guide or source similar to those listed above

Explain to the student that he or she is going to research a famous person and write a



biographical research report based on that research. If there is a list of suggested possible subjects, allow the student to choose from one of those. If not, encourage the student to pick a person that he or she would like to learn more about. Take a trip to the library armed with the materials listed above. You can either allow the student to check out materials and bring them home, or he or she can work at the library. Sometimes it’s easier to do the research at the library, as some reference materials cannot be checked out. If the student’s teacher gave you a format to follow, adhere to that. Otherwise, print out the following guidelines and suggested order for his or her research, and discuss each one. Once you feel confident that the student understands each step, begin!

1. Choose a subject. 2. Gain insight about your subject by consulting a variety of resources. (These can include

biographies, magazine articles, Internet articles, encyclopedias, reference books, videos, and television programs.)

3. Develop a purpose statement. (One or two sentences that tell what you hope to accomplish in your paper.)

4. Write the purpose statement on an index card. For example, "I plan to tell about the life of Harriet Tubman and her contributions to the emancipation of slaves. I will explain her role in the Underground Railroad."

5. Develop a preliminary outline that can be a simple list of ideas to cover in your paper in the order that you plan to address them. It does not have to be detailed. The purpose of the outline is to guide and organize your research. You may add some things to your outline and delete others as you learn more about your subject. (Refer to a reference guide to review outline format, or do an Internet search for examples.)

6. Use your index cards to record information as you research. Remember to refer to your outline. You may quote, summarize, or paraphrase your sources as you take notes.

7. On the back of each card be sure to write down the bibliographical information. This should include the title of the book or other source, the author, the copyright date, pages, publisher, and city in which it was published. If you use a direct quote, make sure you write the page number the quote came from. If you use the same source for several cards, you can just write the information on the back of the first card.

8. Number your cards as you research! For example, all cards with a number 1 on them have information from source number 1. This information will be necessary when you create your works cited at the end of the paper. The works cited is a list of all the resources that you used to write the paper. It is the last page of your research paper.

9. Prepare a final outline when you have finished with your research. 10. Arrange your note cards in piles by referring to your final outline. After they are

organized, number each card so that you keep them in order. These numbers will be different than the numbers used to tell what source the information was taken from. You may want to write them in a separate area on the note card to differentiate.

11. Write your rough draft by referring to your numbered note cards. They should contain all



the information that you acquired during your research. 12. Your paper should include an introduction and a conclusion. 13. You should include a thesis statement within your introduction, usually toward the

end. (The thesis statement is your purpose statement in a revised form. For example, "Throughout her life, Harriet Tubman made unselfish contributions that improved the lives of many African Americans.")

14. Write the body of your paper. It should develop the main ideas in your outline. 15. Write a conclusion for your research that restates the information included in your

introduction, summarizes the major points of your body, and again states the thesis using different wording.

16. Have at least one other person edit your rough draft. 17. Rewrite a final draft in pen or on a word processor. (Make sure to follow guidelines

regarding line spacing, font size, etc.) 18. Refer back to your note cards to create a works cited. (Use MLA or APA reference

guide.)

Review:How would you begin if you were going to research a topic? Where would you find your information? Explain the process you would use, from deciding on a topic, to writing the final paper.



Increase knowledge and use of word processing and publishing programs. Students should have a broad understanding of word processing and publishing programs commonly used to produce written works or presentations.

Even though there are many word processing programs and desktop publishing programs used by schools around the country, they all accomplish the same job; they provide a way to publish written works. Simply put, word processing just means typing your written work on a computer. Desktop publishing programs add "bells and whistles" to the written work, such as pictures and sound.

Tutorial:

Word Processing

Just as the student puts his or her name on handwritten papers and obeys rules of formatting, such as indenting paragraphs and writing between the margins, there are formatting features to help create a nicely written piece in word processing programs.

The student should be able to perform these word processing functions:

create paragraphs add page numbers use the spell check feature edit (cut and paste content) create a title page use features such as bolding, underlining, and italicizing know how to change font style, size, and color change spacing from single-space to double-space

Desktop Publishing

Again, just as the student may add hand-drawn sketches and diagrams or add pictures cut from magazines to his or her handwritten papers, the student can add pictures, diagrams, and even video and sound by using desktop publishing programs. PowerPoint and Adobe Photoshop are some examples of popular desktop publishing programs.

The student should be able to perform these desktop publishing functions: insert graphics create a simple slideshow rearrange text layout Activity

Spend some time with the student on a computer. At home, at the public library, or at school, play around with some word processing and desktop publishing programs. Practice the program functions mentioned above. Every program has a help menu and offers guided tutorials of various functions.



For Further Practice

Ask the student to create a short paper or report on a topic of interest, such as a favorite sports team. Review the end result and offer suggestions and point out positive aspects of the paper.

Review:List 5 things you can do using a word processor that you could not do using pen and paper.



Write supported analytical responses to literature. Students should be able to write responses to literature that include personal analysis. They should reference the text when necessary to support their assertions. Tutorial:

As the student advances in his or her academic career, critical thinking skills become more important. Not only will the student be required to say whether he or she likes a text or not, but he or she will also need to form thoughtful opinions about books, poems, or short stories. At this level, the student must also give evidence from the written work to support his or her opinion. Sometimes these analytical responses will be required during a test or classroom activity, while other times the student may have to write a longer response as a homework assignment.

Writing an Analytical Response Like any other report or essay, a response to literature should meet the following criteria:

Contains a main idea Contains an introduction, body, and conclusion Cites evidence from the text to support the main idea Shows a deep understanding of the text through analysis of implied meanings, figurative

language, symbols, or tone & mood Contains correct grammar, mechanics (punctuation & capitalization), and spelling

To practice this skill, let’s start with something short and fairly easy to read: a poem. The poems listed below appear in many textbooks and anthologies (collections of poems). You can check the student’s textbook or head to the library to find a suitable poem. You can also look on-line by searching for title and author. Allow the student to skim the different poems to see if there is one he or she particularly enjoys. (Or perhaps one that is easy to understand if the student is not a huge fan of poetry.) Of course, if the student already has a favorite poet or poem, he or she may choose that.

"The Road Not Taken" ~ Robert Frost "Casey at the Bat" ~ Ernest Thayer "We Real Cool" ~ Gwendolyn Brooks "The Raven" ~ Edgar Allen Poe "Theme for English B" ~ Langston Hughes "If I Can Stop One Heart from Breaking" or "I’m Nobody Who Are You?" ~ Emily Dickinson "My Shadow" ~ Robert Louis Stevenson "The Highwayman" ~ Alfred Noyes "If" ~ Rudyard Kipling "Still I Rise" ~ Maya Angelou

Analyzing the Poem Once the student has chosen a poem, he or she should read the poem in its entirety. (Shorter poems can even be read aloud.) Discuss the poem with the student to verify understanding. In his or her analysis of the poem (as with any analysis of literature), the student will want to show that he or she understands both the basic and complex elements of the poem. On a



sheet of notebook paper, have the student answer the following questions. (Eventually the student will combine these answers to write his or her analysis.)

1. What is this poem about? 2. Who is the speaker of this poem? 3. Does this poem contain any other characters? If so, who or what? 4. Does the poem contain any figurative language, such as simile, metaphor, imagery, or

personification? If so, where? 5. Does the figurative language contribute to the poem’s meaning? 6. Would you recommend this poem to your friends? Why or why not?

When we analyze literature, it’s important to find evidence from the text to support our ideas and opinions. Once the questions above have been answered, ask the student to find evidence from the poem that supports his or her answers. Evidence might be a word, a line, or an entire stanza from the poem.

Writing the Response Usually, we write analytical responses in response to a question, either on a test or from the teacher. Using his or her answers from the first section, have the student write a response to the following question:

Is this poem appropriate for other readers your age? Why or why not?

Using the criteria listed earlier in the activity as a guideline, have the student write three to five paragraphs about his or her poem. Encourage the student to read over his or her response before giving it to you. The student should verify that the body of the essay supports the main idea. The student should also check the spelling, grammar, and mechanics one last time. Perhaps the student would like to type the finished piece on the computer.

Read the student’s analysis, verifying that he or she meets all the criteria. Discuss the essay with him or her, being sure to mention the areas in which the student did well. If there is room for improvement, give the student constructive feedback.

As the year progresses, the student can apply this exercise to other writing activities. Whenever he or she reads a story, poem, or novel, you can discuss the text and encourage the student to cite evidence from the text to support his or her opinions and ideas.

Review:When someone asks your opinion about a book that you read, is it enough just to say that you liked it or that you didn’t care for it? What are four different things that you might include in a book report or response to literature?



Compose narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive works. Students should be able to compose narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive works. At this level, works should be 400-600 words and organized around a central idea. Tutorial: At this level, the student will be expected to write a variety of pieces in the different subject areas. For example, a creative story for language arts, a report on a historical figure for social studies, or an informative piece about plants or animals for science. The student can apply these techniques to any of these assignments. You should encourage him or her to write grammatically correct, well-organized information, regardless of the subject area. Activity 1: Reviewing Process and Form Begin by reviewing the steps of the writing process for the student.

Next review the different writing forms with the student. You can follow the links to see detailed explanations and examples of each form. Descriptive writing: creative pieces designed to entertain the reader by telling an account in the first or third person. Narrative and personal essays are types of descriptive writing. (See link for "Narrative Writing" for examples.)



Narrative writing: a descriptive piece that tells a story, usually in the first-person ("I"). The account may be fictional, so the "I" used might be an imaginary or made-up narrator. (Guide to Grammar and Writing: Narrative and Descriptive*) Expository writing: a piece designed to instruct, describe, or explain; also called informative writing. (Stanford University: Expository Writing*) Persuasive writing: a piece designed to convince the reader to change his or her way of thinking or take action; also called argumentative writing. (Guide to Grammar and Writing: Argumentative Essay;* click on "Sample Essay" at bottom of page) Activity 2: Follow an Example A wonderful way to practice writing is to mimic or model an author or style that you enjoy. Over the course of the week, ask the student to find examples of each type of writing form. Encourage him or her to think of his or her favorite authors, articles, or stories to find examples. The student can look on-line, in his or her textbooks, at the library, or on his or her own bookshelves. At the end of the week, look at each example with the student. Verify that he or she has chosen correctly. If not, discuss the choices with the student and find a better example. Now ask the student to choose his or her favorite piece out the selections. Tell the student that he or she is going to model this author’s writing form and style. The student’s piece should be 400 - 600 words long and should follow the steps of the writing process. Remind the student to model the author’s word choice, sentence style, and overall format. Of course, if the student has chosen a novel to model, he or she need not write an actual novel--just model his or her writing style after the author’s. Once the student has completed the piece, discuss what the type of piece the student chose. Is it expository, narrative, or persuasive? Ask the student if he or she enjoyed this writing style. How might his or her piece be different if it were in another form? Alternative Writing Activity If the student has a writing assignment for school, you can use the above process for that assignment. Remember, you want the student to understand the writing form, as well as use the writing process! *Web Addresses in full: Narrative: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/narrative.htm Expository: http://www.stanford.edu/~arnetha/expowrite/info.html Persuasive: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/argument.htm

Review:Explain the four different types of essays. What is the purpose of each type?



Use standard English in all written and oral presentations and works. Students should be able to speak and write using standard English with a variety of audiences. Standard English refers to language agreed upon as acceptable in most situations. Tutorial:

Throughout the day, our language reflects the audience we are speaking with. When speaking to coworkers or work supervisors, we use professional, standard English. At home or with our friends, our language tends to be more relaxed. We feel comfortable using slang and other casual language.

The student must be comfortable and confident speaking and writing standard English to succeed at school, after-school jobs, and eventually on his or her own in a variety of situations.

Activity Have the student write two letters. The first one will be addressed to one of his or her friends. The second will be to the principal of his or her school. The goal is to illustrate the difference in language choices when writing for two different audiences.

Letter 1 Have the student write a brief letter, 1-2 paragraphs in length, to one of his or her friends. The student can write about any topic you find appropriate. Here’s a sample:

Anna Banana!

What’s up, girl? So are you going to that cool block party next week? No way am I missing it! We can hang with Stevo and scarf down burgers. Ain’t he movin’ soon?

Later, Banana! James

Letter 2 This letter is for the student’s principal. Instead of using nicknames, incorrect grammar, and slang as in Letter 1, the student should now use standard English. Here’s a sample:

Dear Mrs. Tantelle,

Welcome to La Mesa Middle School. It must be exciting to move from Ohio to become the principal of a California middle school. My family is from Columbus, Ohio, as well! I wish you the best of luck in learning about the students here at La Mesa. I’ll introduce myself the next time I see you.

Sincerely, James Kendall

After both letters are written, discuss the differences with the student. Help the student identify slang, incorrect English, or nicknames the student may have used in the letter to a friend. Explain that this style is acceptable when writing to or speaking with friends and



perhaps family members.

Does his or her letter to the principal contain any slang or incorrect English? Help the student identify any nonstandard English and find an appropriate replacement.

Quick tip for parents on the go: While driving in the car with the student and his or her friends, listen for popular slang terms or trendy use of incorrect English. You might also talk to the student about how language used by disc jockeys or talk radio show hosts compares to a news anchor. Do some disc jockeys use nonstandard English? Do news anchors use more formal language? This activity could be a fun way to open up communication between you and the student, and you may even learn some new slang terms!

Review:What it the difference between formal and informal language? Name a time you might use informal language. Give an example of a time it would be important to use formal language.



Use all pronoun cases correctly. Students should understand the different types of pronouns and be able to apply them to their writing. Tutorial:

By this level, the student will be familiar with the term "pronoun." He or she has read them for years and has used them in his or her own writing. It’s important to include pronouns in your writing so that you aren’t constantly writing the same noun again and again. Using pronouns will keep the student’s sentences from becoming repetitive. There are several different cases of pronouns. Begin by asking if the student can name some common pronouns. (The student will probably come up with I, you, he, she, it, we, you, and they.) These are called personal pronouns, and they take the place of nouns in a sentence. Tell the student that there are three different cases of pronouns: subject, possessive, and object. It gets a little bit more complicated at this point, because there are also first, second, and third person pronouns. Not only that, but some pronouns are singular and some are plural. Because there is so much information included within this tutorial, we are going to use a chart to review, and in some cases, introduce, the different pronoun cases. Activity 1: Become Familiar with the Different Pronoun Cases Items needed for this activity:

Pronoun Chart below Small spiral notebook Pen or pencil

Begin the activity by printing or recopying the Pronoun Chart below and reviewing the entire chart with the student. Be sure to spend as much time as you need, so that the student has a solid understanding of the different cases. Emphasize that subject pronouns will occur before the verb in the sentence, and object pronouns will occur after the action of the sentence. Reviewing the examples for each will be helpful.



When you feel confident that the student understands the different pronoun cases, have him or her glue or tape the chart into his or her notebook. The student can add to this notebook in the future, when presented with new terms or information, and refer back to it as a reference. Activity 2: Identify Pronoun Cases Within Text Items needed for this activity:

Newspaper or magazine article Highlighter Pronoun chart from first activity Three different colored markers

Have the student select an article from a newspaper or magazine. Ask him or her to first go through and highlight every pronoun that he or she finds. Then, tell the student to go back and identify each as subject, possessive, or object pronouns. He or she should use one marker to write the letter "s" above all subject pronouns, a second marker to write a "p" above the possessive pronouns, and a third marker to write a "o" above all object pronouns. Ask the student to identify which type of pronoun was most common. Finally, can he or she orally identify each pronoun as singular or plural? Activity 3: Use Various Pronoun Cases Within Sentences Items needed for this activity:

Notebook paper



Pen or pencil Pronoun chart from first activity

Ask the student to write a creative short story. The story should contain at least 3 examples of each type of pronoun:

1. Possessive 2. Object

Have the student underline the pronoun(s) in each sentence. Then ask him or her to tell you if it is first, second, or third person. Finally, the student should be able to tell you if it is a singular or plural pronoun. If he or she has difficulty with any part of this activity, refer back to the chart for clarification. A grammar textbook is also a good reference if the student needs more examples or practice. At the end of the activity, point out that using pronouns will make his or her writing less repetitive.

Review:What is a pronoun? What are the pronoun cases? Name a singular possessive pronoun. Name a plural subject pronoun.



Edit and revise for consistency of tone and focus in written works. Students should be able to edit and revise for tone and focus in written works. Thinking about their purpose for writing should help them develop the correct tone. Tutorial: Ask the student if he or she remembers when he or she first started writing in school. What were some of the things the student remembers writing? The student will probably mention letters, then words, and finally sentences. Ask the student if he or she remembers creating a paragraph for the first time. Chances are, the student thought little about how to organize the sentences. As the student progressed through elementary school, the organization and structure of his or her writing should have improved and also become more complex. Ask the student to review the parts of a paragraph. (He or she should be able to name the topic sentence, body sentences that include supporting details and examples, and a concluding sentence.) Why does the student think it’s important to begin with a topic sentence? A topic sentence should be the guide for the rest of the sentences in the paragraph. What happens when a writer doesn’t stick to the topic? (The writer loses focus and often gets off track.)

Activity 1: Editing and Revising for Focus For this activity, you will need the following:

Notebook paper and pencil Highlighter

Ask the student to write an essay that begins with the following topic sentence. "If I were going to choose any type of pet, it would have to be a ______________." (He or she should fill in the blank line with a type of pet. The student should develop a short essay or report based on this topic sentence.)



The student should have experience writing essays or reports, but you can review the following format.

Introductory paragraph that contains a topic sentence. First body paragraph that contains his or her first major detail and supporting sentences

that explain or give examples of the major detail Second body paragraph containing second major detail, etc. Third body paragraph containing third major detail, etc. Concluding paragraph that restates or summarizes the information presented in the four

preceding paragraphs and never introduces new information

After the student completes the rough draft, remind him or her to go through each of the three body paragraphs and verify that the major detail in each supports his or her original topic sentence. (For example, each major detail should give one reason the student would want that animal as a pet or a reason it would make a good pet.) What about the supporting sentences and examples? Are they also focused on the topic sentence? Did the student get off track by mentioning other animals that might make good pets? It’s okay to include other animals to compare or contrast to his or her pet, but they shouldn’t make the reader think it might be a better choice! Encourage the student to use a highlighter to edit and then revise any sentences that do not support the topic sentence. Once he or she has finished, check over the draft and point out any sentences that you think might not fit the focus of the topic. When the student has written his or her final draft, discuss the improvements the student made to the essay by concentrating on the focus of the piece. Tone By this level, the student should be a competent writer. He or she has probably spent a good deal of time concentrating on the organization of his or her writing. One area of writing that is much more abstract than the structure and organization of the piece involves the tone of the story. That is, how the story makes the reader feel. The tone can be sad, angry, playful, funny, serious, or even professional. You can often identify the author’s tone by his or her purpose for writing. For example, would an author who is writing a short story have the same tone as one who is writing a chapter for a science textbook? How would you expect them to differ? Activity 2: Edit and Revise for Tone and Focus For this activity, you will need the following:

Notebook paper Writing instrument Highlighter

Ask the student to think of four different tones a writer might use and write them down on a piece of notebook paper. Then ask the student to think of a topic of interest. Some possibilities include the following:

A particular type of animal A place the student would like to visit A friend, relative, or pet



A current issue in the news

Ask the student to write four rough draft paragraphs about the topic, one for each of the four tones that he or she chose. For instance, if the student chose hummingbirds as his or her topic, the student could write an angry paragraph about things caused by humans that jeopardize their health, a humorous paragraph about all of their odd characteristics, an informational paragraph (with a professional tone) that provides the reader with facts about the species, and a playful paragraph that suggests that the hummingbird replace the American eagle as our national bird. Share these examples with the student before he or she begins writing. Once the student has written the four rough drafts, ask him or her to read each one to you. After the student finishes reading each paragraph, provide feedback regarding how the student created the tone for the piece. The student should use a highlighter to note any suggestions for improvements. Referring back to Activity 1, the student should also have maintained focus within each paragraph. Make sure that his or her supporting statements and examples reinforce the topic sentence. Point out any statements that don’t clearly do so. When you have offered feedback for each of the four paragraphs, have the student edit and revise the original paragraphs to produce final drafts containing appropriate tone and focus. You can repeat Activity 2 with any school writing assignment.

Review:What does "writer’s tone" mean? Name 3 different tones a writer might use. How do you make sure you have a focus when you write a paragraph?



Use increasingly sophisticated techniques in oral presentations. Students should be able to vary speaking volume, speak at an appropriate tempo, and enunciate clearly during oral presentations. Tutorial:

By this level, the student has had some experience presenting and listening to oral presentations. Hopefully, the student is becoming a comfortable public speaker. Early on, he or she probably focused mainly on the content of the presentation and less on the actual delivery. Helping the student to improve his or her delivery of such presentations will make him or her a more successful speaker in all areas, not just within the classroom, but also in real-life scenarios such as job interviews and college entrance interviews. Ask the student to brainstorm some public speaking situations that could be important in his or her future. Point out that because a speech, or other oral presentation, is written to be heard rather than read, it’s imperative that it sound good as well as look good! Ask the student what things he or she should be aware of when giving an oral presentation. The student should mention speaking loudly and clearly enough to be understood by the audience, using visual aids, using appropriate body language (gestures, eye-contact, posture), and conveying conviction or passion about the topic. Discuss the importance of the presentation characteristics mentioned above by asking the student to think about, and then compare and contrast, a really good and a really bad oral presentation that he or she has observed. What set the good presentation apart from the bad one? (The student should mention things such as, "One speaker seemed to really believe what he said, the other seemed less convincing," or, "One speaker made eye-contact with the audience most of the time, but the other hardly looked up from her notes." Activity 1: Observe and Critique Characteristics of an Oral Presentation Items needed for this activity:

Access to a television set Oral Speaking Criterion Checklist (below) Pen or pencil

Begin by printing out two copies of the following checklist (or you can copy them yourself by hand if you don’t have access to a printer) and view an oral presentation with the student. It can be live or taped. If it is an election year, it will be easy to observe a candidate’s speech or commercial on television. If not, you could view a newscast and observe one of the news anchors. You can even go to the library and check out a video of a famous speech. Some videos of well-known speeches can be found online, such as speeches given by John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Before you begin, go over each of the criteria on the list and discuss what each one means. For example, in the first category, ask the student what he or she thinks "appropriate enthusiasm/emotion/conviction" means. Talk about visual aids and how they can add to a presentation, and so on. As you view the presentation together, each one of you should complete the checklist. When the speech/presentation is complete, compare your observations and discuss. If you feel that you want to spend more time on this activity, compare a local newscast to a national one. Ask the student to point out the differences in the speakers’ presentations.



Activity 2: Use Advanced Techniques to Give an Oral Presentation Items needed for this activity:

Copy of Criterion Checklist Pen or pencil

Ask the student if he or she knows what a PSA (Public Service Announcement) is. If he or she is not sure, explain that it is an announcement on television or the radio that contains a strong message about something usually related to a charity or nonprofit group (such as a fundraiser for the Humane Society or a marathon to raise money for cancer research). It might even be helpful if you can observe one on television or hear one on the radio. Ask the student to think of something that he or she feels strongly about. Brainstorm possible topics if the student has difficulty with the task, or make suggestions yourself. Once he or she has chosen a topic, ask him or her to write a one paragraph PSA for it. It doesn’t have to be longer than two minutes. By making it shorter, you will be able to help the student concentrate less on the content and more on the actual delivery. When the student has completed the PSA, give him or her time to practice presenting it. Make sure that the student has a copy of the oral presentation criteria to refer to while practicing; the checklist will provide the guidelines for creating a successful presentation. Now it’s time for the student to give his or her presentation! If possible, have classmates observe the student’s presentation. You could give each observer a copy of the checklist to mark while he or she is speaking. When the student has finished the presentation, have all observers share their opinions with him or her. Make sure to concentrate on all of the positive things that the student did during the delivery, while constructively including suggestions for improvements. After receiving all feedback, the student could make adjustments to his or her presentation, practice, and present it again. His or her second presentation should be an improvement over the first, if the student listened to the feedback and made changes to his or her delivery style. It will be helpful to keep the checklist around for future presentations. This checklist can be used as a guideline for book reports, school speeches, and presentations of research for the science fair, etc.



Review:Why are some speeches better than others? Name three things that can make one presentation better than another, besides the content.



Use appropriate resources for writing projects. Students should be able to recognize high-quality information sources for a variety of writing projects. Tutorial: Evaluating resources is an essential skill for the student, not only in the language arts classroom, but also in any class that requires projects, reports, etc. So what exactly are we talking about when we discuss resources? Resources are the sources of information used when creating reports, projects, essays, and other written works. A resource could be an encyclopedia, a magazine, someone you interview, the Internet, written records at town hall; the list is endless. Even though most of us like to jump on the Internet for our first source of information, it’s not always the most appropriate resource, and it’s not always correct! The most important thing for the student to remember is that the resource has to match the assignment. For example, one can get appropriate information about tiger habitats from an encyclopedia at the library or an online encyclopedia. An older brother or sister who loves tigers is not an appropriate resource. Why not? Because the older sibling is not a recognized authority on the subject matter. He or she may not have the correct information. Activity To help the student understand what constitutes a good resource and what doesn’t, go through the following list and ask him or her to suggest a good place to begin research on that topic. After each project is a list of appropriate resources; the student’s answers should be similar to the listed resources. Project: Get local opinions on the new professional baseball stadium being built in town. Resources: neighbors, friends, and town hall officials Project: How much will it cost to build the new baseball stadium? Resources: town hall officials or other local government figures Project: Compare rabbits and hares. How are they similar? How are they different? Resources: an Internet encyclopedia or an encyclopedia from a library; informational books about rabbits and hares Casually quizzing the student about his or her research for various projects is an ongoing way to monitor whether the student is using appropriate, high-quality resources.

Review:Name four different sources that would be appropriate to use if you were writing a report. What makes something a good source of information?



Write with increased sophistication of support. Students should use a variety of techniques to support their written work. At this level, support includes analogies, paraphrasing, direct quotations, and information from authoritative sources. Tutorial:

At this academic level, the student will be writing a variety of texts for his or her various classes: book reports, informative pieces for social studies and science, and creative writing for language arts, just to name a few. For many assignments, the student will be expected to write informative reports on a particular topic. The better the student supports his or her main ideas, the stronger his or her informative pieces will become. Activity 1: Types of Support Begin by discussing the different types of support with the student. It might be helpful if the student records the definitions in a notebook or on note cards. This way, the student will have easy access to the cards for future writing assignments. Analogies: comparisons of two seemingly unlike things that brings greater understanding of one of the things to the reader. Example: Writing a book report is like making a sandwich--the introduction and concluding paragraphs are the bread, and the supporting paragraphs are the meat and cheese. Paraphrasing: restating ideas from another text in order to clarify meaning. Direct quotations: quoting either a text or a person word-for-word. Authoritative sources: sources of information commonly accepted to contain valid and reliable information; sources of information written by an expert on a particular topic. Once the student has written down the types of support, ask him or her why using these support techniques would improve a paper or report. Ask the student to give you examples of when to use each type. Activity 2: Using Support For practice, the student can complete the activities below. Throughout the school year, however, you should make sure the student uses some of these support techniques in his or her informative reports. Analogy Practice Practice writing analogies using the following familiar topics. We’ve provided a few samples to get you started, but have the student write at least one analogy for each topic.

1. Topic: Learning to ride a bike Example analogy: Learning to ride a bike is like learning to tie your shoelaces. It takes practice, but once you’ve learned, you’re not likely to forget.

2. Topic: Butterfly Metamorphosis Example analogy: When a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, it is like a flower blooming. You begin with a small, closed bud--the cocoon- and end up with a beautiful flower--the



butterfly. 3. Topic: George Washington Becomes the First President 4. Topic: A Food Chain 5. Topic: Making Homemade Bread

Paraphrasing Find a few informative pieces, such as a newspaper or magazine article. Choose one paragraph. Ask the student to tell you the main idea of the paragraph. Correct any misconceptions he or she might have. Next, have the student write one or two sentences RESTATING the main idea in his or her own words. Have the student continue practicing paraphrasing with a variety of informative pieces. He or she can restate the main idea and a specific fact or detail. Remember--when paraphrasing, the student must use his or her own words. Authoritative Sources Give the student the following list of topics. Ask him or her to list two authoritative sources that would contain information on the topic. Possible answers have been provided for a few of the topics if the student has trouble coming up with sources. Remember to cover up or remove the possible answers at first, so the student can attempt this on his or her own.

1. Topic: A disease, such as polio or cancer Possible Authoritative Sources: online medical journal, a doctor, medical magazine

2. Topic: The Vietnam War Possible Authoritative Sources: a history book, a book about the Vietnam War, a war veteran

3. Topic: The Tour de France bicycle race 4. Topic: President George W. Bush 5. Topic: Shakespeare or another famous author

Direct quotations Continuing with the previous exercise, ask the student to find a quote about each topic from a reliable source or sources. This may require a trip to the library, or the student can also use the Internet to search for direct quotations. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations is a popular choice when searching for quotations. Remind the student that the above activities are only practice. The student should begin using these types of support in his or her school assignments.

Review:What are you showing support for when you are writing? Define paraphrasing and explain why a writer would use it in his or her writing. Why would a writer include direct quotations from an authoritative source?



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