Super Sentences

Submitted by NWREL Staff

Traits: Ideas, Sentence Fluency
Grade Level: Early Elementary (1-3), Late Elementary (4-), !iddle Sc"##l ($-%), &i'" Sc"##l ((-1))
Time: 1-)* minutes
Supplies:
Sentence stri+s f#r +rimary students
3 , cards f#r #lder students
Lesson Description:
1) -e'in by s"#.in' students a sim+le, unad#rned but c#m+lete sentence/ E,am+le0 1I .ent f#r a .al2/1
)) 3s2 students t# 4erbali5e t"e 6uesti#ns a sentence li2e t"is "#+efully brin's t# t"eir minds--W"ere did y#u '#7
Were y#u al#ne7 W"y did y#u '# #n t"is .al27 W"at did y#u see #r d# #n t"is .al27 W"en did y#u '#7 8id y#u
c#me bac27
3) 9sin' t"ese ideas, students .ill t"en add s#me life t# t"e sentence-details, descri+ti#n, etc/-t# "el+ it bec#me a
1su+er sentence/1 E,am+le0 1Last ni'"t, my d#' Rufus and I t##2 a l#n' .al2 t"r#u'" t"e dar2 .##ds/1
4) :"ese su+er sentences s"#uld be s"ared al#ud bef#re bein' dis+layed (a Su+er Sentences bulletin b#ard) under
t"e #ri'inal sentence t# em+"asi5e t"e c"an'es t"at .ere made/
Adding Voice
Submitted by NWREL Staff
Traits: ;#ice
Grade Level: Early Elementary (1-3), Late Elementary (4-), !iddle Sc"##l ($-%), &i'" Sc"##l ((-1))
Time: 1*-1 minutes
Supplies:
#4er"ead (#r indi4idual c#+ies) #f 14#iceless1 +assa'e
c#+ies #f t"e Si, :rait Sc#rin' <uide (+df file)
Lesson Description:
1) =lace t"e +assa'e #n t"e #4er"ead and "a4e a student read it al#ud/ 3s2 f#r #+ini#ns ab#ut t"e +iece--."at did
t"ey t"in2 ab#ut t"e .ritin', s+ecifically its 4#ice7 See if t"ey can c#me u+ .it" sin'le .#rd descri+ti#ns #f t"e 4#ice
in t"is +iece--flat7 b#rin'7 lifeless7 dull7 W"at 6uesti#ns c#me t# mind--."#7 ."at7 ."en7 ."ere7 ."y7 "#.7--as
t"ey l##2 at t"is .ritin'7 &#. .#uld t"ey sc#re t"is f#r 4#ice usin' t"e Si, :rait Sc#rin' <uide7
)) Wit" a +artner, "a4e students discuss t"e criteria f#r str#n' 4#ice and re.rite t"e +assa'e, attem+tin' t# 14#ice it
u+/1 :"eir '#al is t# earn a 11 in 4#ice f#r t"is +iece/
3) Reread t"e #ri'inal 14#iceless1 .ritin', t"en "a4e t"e 'r#u+s s"are al#ud t"eir ne. 14#icy1 4ersi#ns/
4) :al2 ab#ut ."at .as added #r c"an'ed t# im+r#4e t"e 4#ice/
Sam+le +assa'e0
I .as really e,cited ab#ut '#in'/ It .#uld be t"e best day #f t"e summer/ We .ere '#in' t# '# raftin'/
!y m#t"er, fat"er, br#t"er, and sister '#t t# '#/ :"ey .ere e,cited, t##/ !y dad 2ne. a l#t #f stuff ab#ut raftin'/
:"is .#uld be neat/
W"en .e '#t t# t"e ri4er, it l##2ed bi'/ :"e .ater .as m#4in' fast/ I '#t scared/
It turned #ut t# be fun/ We ate sand.ic"es and dran2 +#+/ I .#re a life >ac2et and '#t .et/
It .as t"e best t"in' I did all summer/
Sna+s"#ts
Rational: ?ne #f t"e main +r#blems students face in .ritin' '##d st#ries is t"at t"ey fail t# add interestin' details/
:"is less#n .ill "el+ students t# t"in2 ab#ut details and add t"em in im+#rtant secti#ns #f t"eir st#ries/
Objective: :"e student .ill analy5e a st#ry "e@s"e "as .ritten and find +laces t# add s"ar+ +"ysical details/
Strategies:
Lecture- E,+lain t"at .riters are li2e cinemat#'ra+"ers .it" .ide an'le lenses and 5##m lenses/ :"ey #bser4e life
in fine, minute detail, +ull #ut t# ma2e s.ee+in' 'enerali5ati#ns, and t"en 5##m bac2 in t# ma2e t"#se
'enerali5ati#ns c#me ali4e .it" detail/ :"is tec"ni6ue is called a 1sna+s"#t1/
Read s#me e,am+les #f sna+s"#ts #f c"aracters and +laces/ &ere are s#me0
Characters and actions
!a 2issed t"em b#t", and tuc2ed t"e c#4ers in ar#und t"em/ :"ey lay a."ile, l##2in' at !aAs sm##t", +arted "air
and "er "ands busy .it" se.in' in t"e lam+li'"t/ &er needle made little clic2in' s#unds a'ainst "er t"imble and
t"en t"e t"read .ent s#ftly, s.is"B t"r#u'" t"e +retty calic# t"at =a "ad traded furs f#r/ From Laura Ingalls Wilder's
Little House in the Big Woods
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Far #ut in t"e c#untry t"ere .as an #ld Ne'r# .#man .it" "er "ead tied in a red ra', c#min' al#n' a +at" t"r#u'"
t"e +ine.##ds/ &er name .as ="#eni, Dac2s#n/ S"e .as 4ery #ld and small and s"e .al2ed sl#.ly in t"e dar2
+ine s"ad#.s, m#4in' a little fr#m side t# side in "er ste+s, .it" t"e balanced "ea4iness and li'"tness #f a
+endulum in a 'randfat"er cl#c2/ S"e carried a t"in, small came made fr#m an umbrella, and .it" t"is s"e 2e+t
ta''in' t"e fr#5en eart" in fr#nt #f "er/ :"is made a 'ra4e and +ersistent n#ise in t"e air, t"at seemed meditati4e,
li2e a c"ir+in' #f a s#litary little bird/
S"e .#re a dar2 stri+ed dress reac"in' d#.n t# "er s"#et#+s, and an e6ually l#n' a+r#n #f bleac"ed su'ar sac2s,
.it" a full +#c2etE all neat and tidy, but e4ery time s"e t##2 a ste+ s"e mi'"t "a4e fallen #4er "er s"#e-laces, ."ic"
dra''ed fr#m "er unlaced s"#es/ S"e l##2ed strai'"t a"ead/ &er eyes .ere blue .it" a'e/ &er s2in "ad a +attern
all its #.n #f numberless branc"in' .rin2les and as t"#u'" a ."#le little tree st##d in t"e middle #f "er f#re"ead,
but a '#lden c#l#r ran underneat", and t"e t.# 2n#bs #f "er c"ee2s .ere illuminated by a yell#. burnin' under t"e
dar2/ 9nder t"e red ra' "er "air came d#.n #n "er nec2 in t"e frailest #f rin'lets, still blac2, and .it" an #d#r li2e
c#++er/ From "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty
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It came #n 'reat #iled, resilient, stridin' le's/ It t#.ered t"irty feet ab#4e "alf #f t"e trees, a 'reat e4il '#d, f#ldin'
its delicate .atc"ma2erAs cla.s cl#se t# its #ily re+tilian c"est/ Eac" l#.er le' .as a +ist#n, a t"#usand +#unds #f
."ite b#ne, sun2 in t"ic2 r#+es #f muscles, s"eat"ed e4er in a 'leam #f +ebbled s2in li2e t"e mail #f a terrible
.arri#r/ Eac" t"i'" .as a t#n #f meat, i4#ry, and steel mes"/ 3nd fr#m t"e 'reat breat"in' ca'e #f t"e u++er b#dy
t"#se t.# delicate arms dan'led #ut fr#nt, arms .it" "ands ."ic" mi'"t +ic2 u+ and e,amine men li2e t#ys, ."ile
t"e sna2e nec2 c#iled/ 3nd t"e "ead itself, a t#n #f scul+tured st#ne, lifted easily u+#n t"e s2y/ Its m#ut" 'a+ed
e,+#sin' a fence #f da''ers/ Its eyes r#lled, #stric" e''s, em+ty #f all e,+ressi#n sa4e "un'er/ It cl#sed its m#ut"
in a deat" 'rin/ It ran, its +el4ic b#nes crus"in' aside trees and bus"es, its tal#ned feet cla.in' dam+ eart", lea4in'
+rints si, inc"es dee+ ."ere4er it settled its .ei'"t/ It ran .it" a 'lidin' ballet ste+, far t## +#ised and balanced f#r
its ten t#ns/ It m#4ed int# a sunlit arena .arily, its beautifully re+tile "ands feelin' t"e air/ From "A Sound o
!hunder" by "ay Bradbury
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Places
S"e c#uld see in t"e #+en s6uare bef#re "er "#use t"e t#+s #f trees t"at .ere all a6ui4er .it" t"e ne. s+rin' life/
:"e delici#us breat" #f rain .as in t"e air/ In t"e street bel#. a +eddler .as cryin' "is .ares/ :"e n#tes #f a distant
s#n' ."ic" s#me#ne .as sin'in' reac"in' "er faintly, and c#untless s+arr#.s .ere t.itterin' in t"e ea4es/
:"ere .ere +atc"es #f blue s2y s"#.in' "ere and t"ere t"r#u'" t"e cl#uds t"at "ad met and +iled #ne ab#4e t"e
#t"er in t"e .est facin' "er .ind#./ From"!he Story o an Hour" by $ate Cho%in
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!aniac "ad seen s#me ama5in' t"in's in "is lifetime, but n#t"in' as ama5in' as t"at "#use/ Fr#m t"e smell #f it,
"e 2ne. t"is .asnAt t"e first time an animal "ad reli4ed itself #n t"e ru'less fl##r/ In fact, in an#t"er c#rner "e
s+#tted a f#rm #f relief t"at c#uld n#t be s#a2ed u+ by ne.s+a+ers/
Fans and b#ttles lay all #4er, al#n' .it" crusts, +eelin's, c#res, scra+s, rinds, .ra++ers -- e4eryt"in' y#u .#uld
n#rmally find in a 'arba'e can/ 3nd e4ery."ere t"ere .ere raisins/
3s "e .al2ed t"r#u'" t"e dinin' r##m s#met"in' -- an #ld tennis ball -- "it "im #n t"e t#+ #f t"e "ead and b#unced
a.ay/ &e l##2ed u+ -- int# t"e lau'"in' faces #f Russell and =i+er/ :"e "#le in t"e ceilin' .as s# bi' t"ey b#t"
c#uld "a4e >um+ed t"r#u'" it at #nce/
&e ran a "and al#n' #ne .all/ :"e +eelin' +aint came #ff li2e c#rnfla2es/
N#t"in' c#uld be .#rse t"at t"e li4in' and dinin' r##ms, yet t"e 2itc"en .as/ 3 >ar #f +eanut butter "ad cras"ed t#
t"e fl##rE s#me#ne "ad '#tten a runnin' start, >um+ed int# it, and s2iied a br#.n, #ne-f##t trac2 t# t"e st#4e/ ?n t"e
table .ere ."at a++eared t# be t"e remains #f an aut#+sy +erf#rmed u+#n a lar'e bird, +#ssibly a cr#./ :"e
refri'erat#r c#ntained t.# f##d 'r#u+s0 mustard and beer/ :"e raisins "ere .ere e4en m#re abundant/ &e s+#tted
se4eral #f t"em m#4in'/ :"ey .erenAt raisins0 t"ey .ere r#ac"es/ From &aniac &agee by 'erry S%inelli
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Remind t"e students t"at di''in' dee+er f#r details .ill "el+ create verisimilitude f#r t"e reader ."ic" .ill en'a'e
t"e reader in t"e st#ry m#re dee+ly/
Writin'-
If t"e students "a4e a draft #f a st#ry, "a4e t"em l##2 f#r +laces ."ere t"ey c#uld insert a sna+s"#t .it" m#re
detail/ !ar2 a carat at t"e s+#t/ ?n a se+arate +iece #f +a+er, "a4e t"e students list #r .eb 1 details ab#ut t"e
c"aracter, +lace #r acti#n/ Write a sna+s"#t/ S"are t"e sna+s"#t .it" a +artner and "a4e t"e +artner as2 6uesti#ns
ab#ut m#re detail/ Re.rite t"e sna+s"#t and insert it int# t"e st#ry/
If t"e students "a4e n#t .ritten a st#ry "a4e t"em t"in2 ab#ut a +ers#n t"ey 2n#. .ell/ :"in2 #f a m#ment in time
t"at t"ey remember .ell, a sna+s"#t in t"eir mem#ry #f t"is +ers#n/ :"ey s"#uld cluster details ab#ut t"is m#ment/
N#. t"ey s"#uld .rite f#r )* minutes ab#ut t"is m#ment/ 3fter t"ey "a4e .ritten t"eir first draft, s"are t"eir
sna+s"#t .it" a +artner/ Write d#.n 6uesti#ns t"eir +artner "as ab#ut t"eir +ers#n and re.rite t"eir sna+s"#t .it"
m#re detail/ Finally, "a4e t"e students dra. a +icture ab#ut t"eir +ers#n includin' all t"e details in t"eir sna+s"#t/
Tuning Your Voice
:"e f#ll#.in' s"#rt .ritin' assi'nments .ill "el+ y#u tune y#ur 4#ice/ 8escribe eac" #f t"e f#ll#.in' e,+eriences,
t"in's, #r #b>ects fr#m a different +ers+ecti4e/ :ry t# assume t"e r#le #f eac" +ers#n/ &#. .#uld "e #r s"e
describe t"in's7
1/ a +iece #f c"eese ca2e
a/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a +ers#n ."# is #n a strict diet/
b/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a "un'ry lumber>ac2 ."# "as been .#r2in' all day/
)/ a deer
a/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a "unter/
b/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f an animal ri'"ts acti4ist
3/ a 'ame .innin' s"#t durin' t"e last sec#nd #f a bas2etball 'ame
a/ 8escribe t"e s"#t fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a fan fr#m t"e .innin' team/
b/ 8escribe t"e s"#t fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a fan fr#m t"e l#sin' team/
4/ t"e t#+ #f a bun'ee >um+in' +latf#rm
a/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a t"rill see2er ."# l#4es t"e adrenaline rus" #f suc" acti4ities/
b/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a first time >um+er/
/ a "ea4y metal r#c2 c#ncert
a/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a se4enty-year-#ld 'randm#t"er/
b/ 8escribe it fr#m t"e +ers+ecti4e #f a si,teen-year-#ld !etallica fan/

I li2e t"e ab#4e assi'nment because itAs s"#rt en#u'" t# d# se4eral different scenari#s in class/ It als# +r#4ides a
'reat #++#rtunity t# intr#duce 4#ice and s"are student .ritin'/