Children's book

Guidelines for Children’s Book Revision-Six weeks test

Write the title. Titles of books always get underlined.
Write the author’s name, illustrator’s name and any other names that the publisher has credited. Then add: Adapted by (your name)
Highlight any “be” verbs in the text. Work to rewrite the sentence in the active voice.
Find an appropriate place to add a prepositional phrase to the beginning of a sentence.
Find an appropriate place to add an appositive phrase to a sentence.
Find an appropriate place to add a gerund phrase to a sentence.
Find an appropriate place to add a participial phrase to a sentence.
Find an appropriate place to add an infinitive phrase to a sentence.
Find an appropriate place to combine two sentences using a subordinate conjunction.
Make sure you use complete sentences.
Remove any redundancy.
Check punctuation for accuracy.
Make sure the reader can follow and understand the plot without the benefit of pictures.

In order to get credit for the requirements above, you may not use the elements that the author provided for you. You must add those elements yourself. For example, if the original text has infinitive phrases, you may not claim those; you must add another of your own. Highlight and label all phrase additions.

Grammar

This week we have finished grammar!!! You need to check the book for Participles, Gerunds, and Infinitives. We had worksheets for each. Ask me about those.

Most importantly....Choose your two best power writing paragraphs to turn in for a test grade. You need to make sure you have revised them both to the active voice and then add the following:
*prepositional phrase to the beginning of a sentence
*an appositive phrase
*a participial phrase
*a gerund phrase used as a direct object
*an infinitive phrase used as an adverb

Highlight and label all 5 phrases

Also for a daily grade....turn in all 10 power writing paragraphs that you revised to the active voice.

Third power and grammar

Wednesday and Thursday we have corrected your third power paragraphs to remove fragments, run-ons, comma splices and any other sentence structure errors. Most importantly, we worked to remove all "be" verbs from your writing!!!! Remember, no more passive voice in your writing! Over the weekend, type all ten power paragraphs, in their new forms, so that you can just "plug in" the grammar elements as we study them next week.

On Friday, my block classes completed worksheets for appositives and prepositional phrases. You can find the instructional material in the grammar book pgs. L91-98. Pick up the worksheets when you return to class.

Active Voice

On Monday, we took the Power Writing test.

Tuesday we studied active/passive voice in the grammar book pg L201-204. We completed a worksheet over voice. Please pick up the worksheet from me. I changed the instructions for Section B. I want you to rewrite all of section B in the active voice.

Now hear this.......From this day forward, you may only write in the active voice. Please commit these "be" verbs to memory and avoid using them in your writing:
am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been

For block classes, we covered both Monday and Tuesday material in one day.

TEST

Power Writing Test on Monday!!!!!!!!

3rd power paragraphs

Use the 10 paragraphs you wrote in second power and now turn those paragraphs into 3rd power. It's easier than it sounds. Remember that 3rd power just means ELABORATION. 3rd power must also take the 2nd power one step further. So, add an elaboration sentence after each 2nd power sentence to create the 3rd power paragraphs. You'll now have the following pattern 1-2-3-2-3.

Vocabulary Lesson 3

I wish I could figure out how to upload a worksheet that I didn't create but I'm not that good yet! If you missed Wednesday (or Thursday for the A block), we completed a vocabulary packet that you'll need to ask me for.

Transition words

Appendix D
Transitions
(Bridges, Signals, Semaphores)

2nd Power Transitions…
another
first
moreover
the other
second
furthermore
also
third
above all
next
besides
in addition to
finally
then
to begin with
firstly
secondly


Repetition of a word, words, or idea from 1st power: Rain causes two problems. Rain causes floods. Rain causes mudslides. OR...
Rain causes two problems. Rain makes children sad. Rain makes parents mad.

3rd Power Transitions…
specifically
for example
in other words
restated
to explain
for instance
to describe
translated
to particularize
to exemplify
to narrate
to support
to compare
to contrast
to expand
to dfine
to qualify
to concede
to refute
to evaluate
to identify


Repetition of a word, words, or idea from 2nd power: Rain causes two problems. Rain causes floods. Floods destroy bridges. Rain also causes mudslides. Mudslides destroy homes.

Terminal Signals…
in conclusion
to sum up
in summary
to conclude
as a result
for these reasons
as one can see
in short
I conclude that

Red-Alert Signals…
however
but
nevertheless
on the contrary

Sequence
again, also, and, and then, besides, finally, first…second…third, furthermore, last, next

Time
after, before, crrently, during, eventually, finally, formerly, immediately, initially, lastly, next, previous, simultaneously, until

Comparison (similar)
likeise, similarly, in the same way, also, once more, again

Contrast (different)
however in contrast, on the other hand, at the same time, in spite of this

Example
for example, for instance, specifically, such as, to illustrate, more specifically

Cause and Effect
as a result, therefore, consequently, for this reason, because of this, with this in mind, due to

Place
here, there, nearby, beyond, above, adjacent to, further on, closer to, opposite to, to the left or right

Summary or Conclusion
as a result, as I have said, in summary, therefore, to summarize, in conclustion, on the whole, overall, to put it briefly, given these facts

2nd power paragraphs

Use your "List Yourself" topics to create 2nd power paragraphs. Remember that means 3 sentences only; a topic sentence with 2 detail sentences. Refer to your class notes if you need a refresher or come to tutorials for help in the afternoon.

Power Writing

We began the Power Writing program today. Please check out the power point presentation attached. You'll need to pick up handouts for your notes and get topics that your class worked on. (they're on the green sheet)




Power Writing
Power Writing is a method…
To help you organize what you want to write, and
To help you write clearly, concisely, and logically

Power Writing acts as a foundation for your writing
At first, your writing may seem plain and boring when you are learning the basics.
…but then you add style, and your plain writing transforms into an interesting and unique piece. Just like a house can have style, so can your writing.

Power Writing assigns numbers to each sentence…
1st Power Sentence
Contains the main idea or topic sentence
May state a number

Example:
My parents gave me permission to go camping for two reasons.

2nd Power Sentence
Contains general or broad information
Refers to the 1st PS (Power Sentence)
Example:
First, I did all my chores.
(This sentence contains broad information because we don’t know what the chores were.)

1st and 2nd Power Sentences Together:My parents gave me permission to go camping for two reasons. First, I did all my chores. Secondly, I earned good grades.

1st Power Sentence (PS) = Topic 2nd Power Sentences give information that refers to the 1st Power Sentence

3rd PS (Power Sentence)
Contains specific information
Refers to the 2nd PS directly above it

Example:
My parents gave me permission to go camping for two reasons. First, I did all my chores. I vacuumed my bedroom, and I cleaned my bathroom.
(This 3rd PS tells something specific about the chores, so it is
giving more info about the 2nd PS right above it.)

Let’s put these sentences together to form a paragraph. We’ll have a paragraph containing five Power Writing sentences: 1-2-3-2-3

My parents gave me permission to go camping for two reasons. First, I did all my chores. I vacuumed my bedroom, and I cleaned my bathroom. Secondly, I earned good grades. I received an 85 in math because I did my homework every day.

Sometimes you will see Power Writing numbers written vertically to show the relationship of the sentences to each other.
1
2-3
2-3

So the first 3rd Power Sentence tells exactly what chores the writer completed. It gives specific info about the 2nd PS right above it.1-2-3-2-3

My parents gave me permission to go camping for two reasons. First, I did all my chores. I vacuumed my bedroom, and I cleaned my bathroom. Secondly, I earned good grades. I received an 85 in math because I did my homework every day.

The next 3rd Power Sentence tells exactly what the writer did to get good grades. Therefore, it gives information about the 2nd PS directly above it.

4th Power Sentence
Contains very specific information
Refers to the 3rd PS (Power Sentence) directly above it

Example:
It took me about two hours to clean only because my bathtub had lots of black mold around the edge.

When we put it together, we have a Power Writing paragraph: 1-2-3-4-2-3-4

My parents gave me permission to go camping for two reasons. First, I did all my chores. I vacuumed my bedroom and cleaned my bathroom. It took me about two hours to clean only because my bathtub had lots of black mold around the edge. Secondly, I earned good grades. I received an 85 in math because I did my homework every day. Sometimes it was hard to complete my assignments when I had soccer practice on school nights.
1
2-3-4
2-3-4

Okay, we have a paragraph written in a clear, concise, and logical way but it is boring. However, you can transform a logical but boring piece of writing into something interesting by adding style.

Try these simple methods: 1. Vary sentence beginnings2. Use vivid vocabulary 3. Use figurative languageLook at the next slide to see style changes added…

Having a foolproof plan helped me easily win my parents’ permission to go camping. No matter what, I completed my chores when I was told. Vacuuming the house went quickly, but scrubbing my bathroom posed problems. It could take me two hours to complete both jobs because of the intensive effort required to free the black mold blooming along the edges of my tub. Next, I maintained good grades even in my hardest subject. By doing my homework every night, I earned an 85 in math. However, maintaining this nightly homework routine was difficult on evenings I returned home from soccer practice exhausted.

As you can see, we maintained the foundation of the paragraph. In other words, though it sounded better because it had style, it was still written in a logical way.

So when you write, always have the Power Writing foundation so it is organized, but then add lots of style to make it interesting.

Basic Foundation Foundation + Style= Interesting

Why doesn’t my teacher just let me write the way I want?
Because your teacher …
Wants you to excel.
Wants you to grow as a writer, to get better at what you can do.

Remember: Words are the outer clothing of our ideas.
-Agatha Christie, author

Why doesn’t my teacher just let me write the way I want?
Because your teacher …
Wants to give you the tools to organize your thoughts, so you can communicate with others.
Remember: If people can not write well, they can not think well. And, if they can not think well, others will do the thinking for them.
- George Orwell, author

There is more to learn about Power Writing
How to write an introduction
How to write a conclusion
How to write longer pieces
But don’t worry… your teacher will help you, step-by-step, until your are writing great things.