Focus Question: How does adding transitional words and phrases to your piece improve the quality of your writing?
Part 1
“What are transitions? When do you make transitions during the school day? What actually happens when you make a transition?” Guide students to understand that a transition allows students to move smoothly from one place to the next.
“Transition words in your writing are similar to the transitions you make during school. You transition from one class to another, moving from one classroom to the next, changing from one subject to the next, smoothly. Transitions in your writing should also be smooth and move the reader from one place to the next place, holding the ideas in your sentences and paragraphs together. Some transition words are meanwhile, then, next, however, and therefore. Without transition words, your writing would make abrupt stops and starts, and it would be difficult to understand.
“Transition words and phrases show relationships between ideas, but they do not automatically create relationships between ideas for your reader. So, as a writer, you need to use transition words and have enough context in a sentence or paragraph to show that the relationship is clear. As I read Dogzilla, keep track of the words and phrases the author uses to move from one sentence or paragraph to another.”
Read the picture book Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey aloud to model how transition words and phrases are used in writing that is clear and concise. Have students keep a running record of the transitional words and phrases they hear by writing them down on a piece of notebook paper.
When you’re finished reading, write the term transition on a piece of chart paper and allow students to share their findings orally while you record their responses.
Hand out the Transition Words/Phrases resource (LW-6-1-2_Transition Words.doc) and review these transition words with students. Point out that different transition words are used for specific purposes, such as showing time, order, examples, comparisons, and illustrations.
“In the story Dogzilla, the transitional words and phrases were used well, which allowed for good organization and developed relationships between the ideas of the story. However, if these transitional words and phrases were used ineffectively, or not at all, that would have disrupted our understanding of the story.”
Post a portion of the story for students for reference. Take a few minutes to reread a couple of pages from the story Dogzilla with inaccurate transitional words/phrases inserted in the place of the actual transitions. This will serve as an example of how choosing inaccurate transitions leaves a reader feeling confused, even when the story is otherwise coherent.
Model the same structure again for students, but this time leave out the transitional words and phrases when you read a couple of pages in the story. Discuss how this lack of transitions affects the story.
Language Skills Mini-Lesson
Take ten minutes to use Dogzilla to illustrate correct usage of some frequently confused words. “Before we move on, let’s quickly look at a couple of examples in this story for correct usage of the frequently confused words ‘your’ and ‘you’re.’” Spell these examples and write them on the board so that students know to which forms you are referring. “Listen for three examples of these words as I read. On a scrap of paper, number to three and write how each usage is spelled. In the first half of the story, the Big Cheese says, ‘Get those paws in the air—you’re coming with us!’” Pause to allow students to write. “On the next page, the soldiers yell, ‘Run for your lives!’” Pause. “On the page after, the Big Cheese agrees that his troops are not men but mice, saying, ‘You’re right! . . . Wait for me!’”
Have students share their answers with a partner. They should be: 1. you’re, 2. your, and 3. you’re. “What is the difference between these two words?” Guide students to discover that “you’re” is a contraction for “you are,” (“You are coming with us,” and “You are right!”) whereas “your” is a possessive pronoun that shows ownership of something (“Run for your lives!”)
“Write a sentence that correctly uses each form. Share with a partner and double check each other’s work.”
Part 2
Put students into small groups of three to four, and give each group one of the wordless picture books listed in the Materials section.
In this hands-on activity, students will be actively engaged in choosing transition words and phrases to create a story structure that has an appropriate sequence and flow, thus developing the relationship between ideas and improving the reader’s understanding of the story.
“Your group’s goal will be to create a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end that encompasses the key events in the wordless picture book by using appropriate transitional words and phrases. It is important to understand that you do not need text for every page in the book.” Write these directions on the board so that students remember the purpose of the task. Students should use the transition words/phrases (LW-6-1-2_Transition Words.doc) to help them.
One way to approach this task is to have students write out the action of the story first, then return to the sequence of events to add transitions. This way they can focus on one task at a time.
Allow students approximately 30 minutes to complete this task. As students are working, walk around the room to monitor students’ understanding and engagement. If it seems that all students are not actively involved, give each student within each group a different colored pen or pencil. Students should write their sentences with their distinctly colored pen. As you walk by, you can easily note who is participating by viewing the multicolored, running log of sentences. Consider limiting the number of turns each student can take to further ensure equal participation. Help any group that may need additional guidance.
Each small group will share its story with the rest of the class. Have students focus on indicating each transition and why they included it. Allow the listening students to give feedback on each group’s transition use in its story.
After each group has shared its story, have students individually complete the Transition Words Checklist (LW-6-1-2_Transition Words Checklist.doc) to evaluate their group’s story. You could also assign a peer review of another group’s work using this sheet. You may wish to include a space on this evaluation for teacher comments as well.
Extension:
- For students who may need additional practice, ask them additional questions to better evaluate their ability to use transition words appropriately. Ask students the following questions and have them explain and give examples to support their responses:
- Does the writing include words that indicate the relationship between the ideas?
- Can you follow the organization or train of thought of the writer?
- Does the author jump from one idea to another too quickly?
- You can also read aloud the picture book Meanwhile by Jules Feiffer to show how the appropriate use of this transition word is used throughout the text. Then have students work with you to insert incorrect transition words in the place of the transition word meanwhile. This will solidify for students how inserting inappropriate transition words creates an unclear message for readers.
