Eng. 7

Assignment: Sentences

1. Make a copy of your "self evaluation," rename it as "Sentences"
2. Label your first 20 sentences as simple, simple complex, compound, compound complex
3. Underline all independent clauses, bracket [ ] all dependent clauses
4. Do this if you are unsure: Put complete subject in red font, complete predicate in blue font
5. Share with Doug DeGroot, click "send email notification"

One underline = SIMPLE

Two underline = COMPOUND

Bracket = COMPLEX -- though you still must decide if it is simple or compound

Self Evaluation for Parent-Teacher Conferences:

Write two essays about yourself. Each essay is 300 words. One is about your academics the other is about your behavior.

Create a Google Document. Save it as Self Evaluation: Your Name. Share it with Mr. Doug DeGroot.

FIRST give yourself a grade A-B-C-D-F, then explain what you mean in 300 words

Suggestions for writing these essays

Academics:

• Amount of time you spend on school work
• When during the day or night you start doing school work
• When during the day or night you finish doing school work
• How is your grade in class accurate
• What do you do to improve your grade, and which of those are you doing
• What grade are you capable of getting
• How well do you use class time to work on school work
• How soon before the bell rings do you pack up your stuff for the end of class: seconds before, one minute before, four minutes before
• Do you do your best work
• Are you happy with your grade
• Are others happy with your grade
• What can you do to improve your academics

Behavior:

• Do you get in trouble
• If you did get in trouble, what would it be for
• Have you ever sat in the hall
• Has a teacher ever told you, by name, to be quiet; what were you doing
• Have you ever missed instructions and then asked the same questions that was just asked by another student
• Do you chit-chat in class
• Do you daydream in class; should you daydream in class
• Are you well behaved; what is an example
• Do you misbehave; what is an example
• Do you tease some people
• Do you help some people
• Are they the same people
• Are you happy with your behavior
• Are others happy with your behavior
• What can you do to improve your behavior

This will be graded on ideas, organization, and sentence fluency.

Organization

For introduction I gave a _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For details I gave a _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For pattern I gave a _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For transitions I gave a _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For conclusion I gave a _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For predictable I gave a _____

and this is why I gave that score:

Ideas

For summarizing I gave a score of _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For the knowledge that the writer shows I gave a score of _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For focus (staying on one issue) I gave a score of _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For explanations I gave a score of _____

and this is why I gave that score:

For questions I gave a score of _____

and this is why I gave that score:

Assignment given on Wednesday that is due on Thursday Feb 27

1. Share your story with two people in your class; you are assigned the people you share with
2. Read their story
3. Tell them something that you like about their story
   1. Do NOT write "good job," "awesome," or some other meaningless comment
   2. Do write a specific example of what you like, do be detailed, do explain yourself
4. Below are items in purple font. These are the Traits of Writing. Pick four of them.
5. Give the other person comments on two that they did well and two that they did poorly on
6. Tell them which trait and which letter your comment goes with
7. USE COMPLETE SENTENCES

Assignment given on Tuesday that is due on Wednesday Feb 26

Writing assignment for "My Favorite ________."

1. Type your essay
2. Make it exciting to read--go for "WOW!" not "blah"
3. A high school student will read what you write
4. They will evaluate your writing for one of these: ORGANIZATION, WORD CHOICE, SENTENCE FLUENCY or IDEAS (one--NOT all four)
5. Do use words from here and from here

WORD CHOICE

Word choice is the careful selection of words that fit audience, topic, and purpose. Well-chosen words create vivid images. When used precisely, they clarify meaning and aid understanding. The words you choose influence the effectiveness of your writing. Word choice involves more than learning a lot of new words; it involves learning to use the words you already know.

Guide to letters

1. Clarity: The writing is clear, striking, original, and precise
2. Purpose and audience: The vocabulary is perfectly suited to the audience and purpose
3. Vocabulary: Words are lively and distinctive; unusual words are defined
4. Balance: The overall writing is neither too inflated nor too simplistic
5. Verbs: Powerful verbs precisely describe the action, giving it energy and vivid imagery
6. Modifiers: Modifiers are used with restraint and enhance meaning, voice, and imagery

Sentences

Sentence fluency is about the sound and rhythm of language. The way sentences are woven together affects tone, voice, clarity and meaning. A narratives (stories) may have a poetic, musical qualities, like drumbeats. A business / professional writing relies on short, direct, succinct sentences to relay a message in an efficiently. As with any of the traits, sentence fluency is context-sensitive--it varies with the type of writing being done, what the purpose is, and who the audience is.

Guide to letters

1. Natural: Sentences sound natural. They go together like someone talking, instead of writing
2. Read aloud: Reading aloud is easy
3. Beginnings: Sentences begin in different ways
4. Variety: Some sentences are short, others long; some have clauses, others have phrases
5. Complete: Sentences are complete: no run-ons, no fragments (see definitions below)
6. Dialogue: Dialogue (two characters talking) sounds natural if used

ORGANIZATION

Organization gives your ideas a direction to go, a purpose for being included, and momentum to all the writing. Organization guides a reader from one idea to the next. Readers can follow patterns. You create a pattern when you organize. You always need a good beginning, middle, and end. The start sparks interest; the conclusion wraps it up.

Guide to Letters

1. Introduction -- The start, first sentence or paragraph; makes readers want to keep reading
2. Support -- Big ideas and little ideas that work together. Small details support the big ideas
3. Pattern -- Ideas follow a pattern that makes sense
4. Transitions -- One idea connects to the next idea; these connections are called transitions
5. Conclusion -- The writing has a final paragraph that summarizes important items
6. Predictable -- Readers can predict the kind of information that will appear later

Ideas

Your ideas are the heart of your writing. Ordinary ideas turn into ordinary writing. Intriguing ideas turn into intriguing writing. Whatever you write, give it a fresh perspective. Use details to help readers see your topic in a new way.

Guide to letters

A. Summarize: How easy or difficult is it to summarize what you have real

B. Knowledge: Does the writer know or not know what he or she is writing about

C. Focus: Is the writing on one topic or does the writing ramble

D. Explanations: Are there details to help explain, is information supported with examples, do these details and support help or hurt?

E. Questions: Could a reader be left with questions? What mentioned but not explained?

Assignments

Class Projects