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Improving Your Writing

Unit Plan

Improving Your Writing

Objectives

In this unit, students learn how to become effective writers by including sentence variety, transition words, and powerful vocabulary in their writing. Students will:

  • explore the usage and importance of sentence variety, transition words, and powerful word choice in writing.
  • analyze the quality of good writing by reviewing the effectiveness of sentence variation, transition words/phrases, and powerful language through the use of picture books, short stories, and individual writing pieces.
  • apply the traits of sentence variety, transition words, and powerful vocabulary to individual pieces of writing.
  • evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of creating a writing piece that includes sentence variety, accurate transition words, and powerful word choice.

Essential Questions

How do grammar and the conventions of language influence spoken and written communication?
What is the purpose?
What makes clear and effective writing?
What will work best for the audience?
Who is the audience?
Why do writers write?
  • What makes clear and effective writing?
  • How do grammar and the conventions of language influence spoken and written communication?

Related Unit and Lesson Plans

Related Materials & Resources

The possible inclusion of commercial websites below is not an implied endorsement of their products, which are not free, and are not required for this lesson plan.

  • “Source Book of Short Text.” The Comprehension Toolkit: Language and Lessons for Active Literacy by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis. Firsthand, Heineman, 2008.
  • WritingFix: Teaching Writing Can Be the Most Enjoyable Part of the School Day! Sponsored by the Northern Nevada Writing Project. http://writingfix.com/index.htm

 

Formative Assessment

  • View

    Short-Answer Items:

    Ask each student to:

    • define transition and explain the importance of using transition words accurately when developing a writing piece.
    • define sentence variety and explain two ways in which a writer can use sentence variety.
    • explain why choosing the best, most appropriate word is important when crafting a piece of writing.
    • It is important to use transition words accurately so the reader is not confused and the writing piece maintains a logical order or cohesive structure.
    • Two ways a writer can use sentence variety are by varying the length of his/her sentences and by avoiding repetitive sentence beginnings.
    • Choosing the best, most appropriate word is important because it allows a writer to communicate his/her ideas clearly and make his/her writing pieces more exciting.

    Short-Answer Key and Scoring Rubrics:

     

     

    Points

    Description

    3

    Student correctly answers all questions by

    • defining transition and explaining the importance of using transition words accurately when developing a writing piece.
    • defining sentence variety and explaining two ways in which a writer can use sentence variety.
    • explaining why choosing the best, most appropriate word is important when crafting a piece of writing.

    2

    Student correctly answers two of the three questions by

    • defining transition and explaining the importance of using transition words accurately when developing a writing piece.

    AND/OR

    • defining sentence variety and explaining two ways in which a writer can use sentence variety.

    AND/OR

    • explaining why choosing the best, most appropriate word is important when crafting a piece of writing.

    1

    Student correctly answers one of the three questions by

    • defining transition and explaining the importance of using transition words accurately when developing a writing piece.

    OR

    • defining sentence variety and explaining two ways in which a writer can use sentence variety.

    OR

    • explaining why choosing the best, most appropriate word is important when crafting a piece of writing.

    0

    Student’s answer is absent or insufficient.

     


    Performance Assessment:

    Each student will complete one of the performance tasks listed below:

    • Write a poem that includes an example of each writing trait (sentence variety, transition words, and word choice).
    • Write a song or rap that includes an example of each writing trait (sentence variety, transition words, and word choice).
    • Write a descriptive paragraph that provides an example of each writing trait (sentence variety, transition words, and word choice).

    Hand out the Word Choice Checklist for students to use to evaluate effective word choice in their written work (LW-6-1-3_Word Choice Checklist.doc).

     

    Performance Assessment Scoring Rubric:

    Points

    Description

    3

    Student completes one of the tasks and accurately includes an example of all three of the required writing traits: sentence variety, transition words, and word choice.

    2

    Student completes one of the tasks and accurately includes an example of two of the required traits: sentence variety, transition words, and word choice.

    1

    Student completes one of the tasks and accurately includes an example of one of the required traits: sentence variety, transition words, and word choice.

    0

    Student demonstrates a lack of understanding of the task or makes no attempt to complete one of the performance tasks.

     

Final 05/03/2013
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