October 23, 2014 - Thursday

1.  Focus on precise nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
Can you identify nouns? Let's see! Prove it!

2. Print a copy of your artifact draft. If you don't have the draft, print a copy of one of your previous essays.

• Using colored pens and markers, highlight or underline all nouns in pink or red.
• Now highlight or underline all verbs in blue or purple.
• Do you have any adjectives? Highlight or underline those in orange or yellow.
• What about adverbs? Highlight those in green.

Your paper should have a variety of colors once you have finished highlighting. If any color is missing or sparse, try adding a few more nouns, verbs, adjective, or adverbs. You will submit the colorful draft on Tuesday, October 28.


 3.Consider this sentence: The child looked out the window. Let's S-T-R-E-T-C-H it! ( Whole class activity.)

Now it is your turn. Each table will be given a brief sentence. Your job is to expand it.  Choices:

The bird was in the yard.	A car stopped in front of the house.
Lunch was wonderful.	The lady reached for a mop.
He went home.	It was cold.
It was hot.	They sat by the water.
The lock clicked.	Neighbors hollered!

Post your group expansion in CANVAS. Post in the spot for the person whose last name is closest to the end of the alphabet. Bet sure all names are on the post.

4. Taking a look at sentence variety - See the orange sheet.

• Number each sentence.
• On the orange sheet, write down the number of words in each sentence. Are you "mixing it up," or are all of your sentences the same length? Now is the time to vary the length of your sentences. You will submit the orange paper on Tuesday the 28th.

5. One notecard - give your paper and the notecard to someone else in the room.

• Read the paper.
• Write three positive comments on the card and three suggestions or questions for the author to answer. Sign your name on the card and return the card and the draft to the owner.
• On the back of the notecard, write a note to yourself. What do you like about your essay? What do you need to do during the revision process. Consider all of the activities we did today. You might suggest to yourself that you add a few vivid verbs. Maybe all of your sentences are the same length, and you need to use sentence variety. Maybe you did not elaborate and need to add details. Sign your name on the card. You will submit the reflection/suggestion card to me on Tuesday. Keep it safe! Follow your own advice and the good advice of your editor.

6. Homework:  Revise your artifact essay and post it in CANVAS by the beginning of class on October 28. The posted draft is worth 75 points. The additional 25 points will be awarded for the colorful draft, the orange number chart, and the reflection/recommendation card.