Connecting Grammar and Writing: Passive Voice

This week we will continue our series on strategies for helping students connect grammar and writing. This week's focus is passive voice. It's a long one, but passive voice is difficult for most students to grasp!

Write each of the following instructions on a separate index card:

Drop a pen on the floor.

Set a book on the desk.

Throw away a piece of paper.
Sharpen your pencil.

Next, ask for student volunteers. Give the first volunteer the first card. She should follow the directions on the card but not read the card out loud. Ask the class to create a sentence to describe the action that just took place. Students will probably say something like Courtney dropped her pen on the floor.

Write that sentence on the board or overhead and ask students to rewrite it so that pen is the subject. If students suggest The pen fell on the floor, point out that fell doesn’t accurately describe the action. Students should then come up with a sentence such as The pen was dropped by Courtney.

Ask students to make some observations about the two sentences. Most will say that the first one sounds better. They might also notice that the second one is longer. Explain that the second one is an example of passive voice because the subject is not active—it’s passively receiving the action.

Bring up the second volunteer and lead students to generate another pair of sentences such as  Kevin set the book on the desk. and The book was set on the desk by Kevin. This time ask students to establish a grammatical definition of passive voice by noting what the two passive examples have in common.

Students should realize that a “to be” verb followed by a past participle creates passive voice. When students are creating sentences for the third scenario, instruct them to use present tense verbs: Sydney throws away the paper. and The paper is thrown away by Sydney. This step helps students see that passive voice does not mean past tense. Just because the sentence contains a past participle doesn’t mean that the whole verb phrase is past tense!

After students create their fourth set of sentences, add the following sentence to the board: Matthew has sharpened the pencil. Many students will identify has sharpened as passive voice because of the helping verb has. Point out, however, that has is not a “to be” verb and therefore does not fulfill the grammatical definition that they have agreed upon. In addition, Matthew is active in the sentence. Finally, try The pencil has been sharpened by Matthew. Students should be able to correctly identify has been sharpened as passive voice.

Be sure to explain to students that passive voice, although stylistically inferior to active voice, is not grammatically incorrect. Although writers should avoid it in most situations, there are times when it is acceptable—or even preferable. For example, I was born in Texas would sound pretty silly as My mother bore me in Texas! Sometimes we need to emphasize the recipient of action rather than the instigator: Most “how to” books are written by adults. And sometimes we really don’t know who is responsible for an action (or we know but don’t want to tell): The jewels were stolen during the night.

Finally, have students look through their drafts of a current writing assignment and highlight all “to be” verbs. Then ask them to check each one to determine whether or not it is followed by a past participle. Once students identify passive voice in their assignments, they should rewrite those sentences. If they believe that a particular instance of passive voice is stylistically acceptable, they should be prepared to explain their reasoning. Invite a few students to share their before-and-after sentences.

When students turn in their next final drafts, they should highlight any intentional passive voice verbs they used and write a note in the margin explaining why they chose passive over active. This type of annotation will show you without question which students understand and which ones still need more practice.

Tune in next week for another specific strategy for connecting grammar and writing in your classroom!

(This strategy comes from Burnette Writing Process, available from DGP Publishing, Inc.)

Need a lesson for a specific area of writing? 

Leave your request as a comment, and we'll get right on it!

Connecting Grammar and Writing: Sentence Structure

This week we will continue our series on strategies for helping students connect grammar and writing. Last week we focused on descriptive writing. This week's focus is sentence structure.

Most students take very few risks with sentence structure. They write short, simple sentences with little variety--usually because they don't know how to incorporate variety, they are too lazy for serious revision, or they know that short sentences are safer from an error standpoint. (The less risk students take, the less chance they'll make a "mistake" and lose points. That makes me sad.)

So how do we get our students to step out of their sentence structure comfort zones and incorporate some real and meaningful variety?

Sentence combining. Old technique. New twist.

Give each student or group of students a different pair of related simple sentences. (Tip: Put pairs of sentences on index cards and laminate them. Then you can use them for years.) Here is a sample pair:

Jay will like that new shirt. 
Jay is always wearing stylish clothes.

Note: It's easier if the subjects are the same. For more of a challenge, go with something like this pair: Jay will like that shirt. Stylish clothes look good on Jay.

Next, give students a list of ways to combine their sentences. Your list will vary based on the level of your students, but here are eight samples (note the use of grammar terminology):

1. two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction
2. one independent clause with a compound verb
3. an adverb dependent clause followed by an independent clause
4. a sentence with a nonessential adjective clause
5. a sentence with an introductory participial phrase
6. a sentence with a gerund or gerund phrase as the subject
7. a sentence with an introductory prepositional phrase
8. a sentence with an appositive

Students will compose a sentence for each of the combinations on your list. Here's what that looks like:

1. two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction
 Jay will like that new shirt, for he always wears stylish clothes.
2. one independent clause with a compound verb
Jay always wears stylish clothes and will like that new shirt.
3. an adverb dependent clause followed by an independent clause
Since Jay likes stylish clothes, he will like that new shirt.
4. a sentence with a nonessential adjective clause
Jay, who always wears stylish clothes, will like that new shirt.
5. a sentence with an introductory participial phrase
Wearing his new shirt, Jay looks very stylish.
6. a sentence with a gerund or gerund phrase as the subject
Wearing that new shirt will make Jay happy since he likes stylish clothes.
7. a sentence with an introductory prepositional phrase
In his new shirt, Jay looks stylish.
8. a sentence with an appositive
Jay likes his new shirt, a very stylish one. 

Students have now practiced sentence revision, punctuation, and application of grammatical concepts. Allow them to discuss their results. Which structures do they prefer? Why? 

The next time students are revising a piece of writing, remind them of this activity. Challenge them to include AND LABEL three or four of these structures in their final drafts. When you read the papers, you will see more variety, and the annotations will show you the extent of each student's understanding.

Tune in next week for another specific strategy for connecting grammar and writing in your classroom!

(This strategy comes from DGP Plus: Building Stronger Writers, available from DGP Publishing, Inc.)

Need a lesson for a specific area of writing? 

Leave your request as a comment, and we'll get right on it!

Connecting Grammar and Writing: Descriptive Paragraphs

It's so exciting when students are working through their Daily Grammar Practice and the light bulbs come on! And it's even more exciting when they make connections between grammar and their own writing!

But what do you do if your students are having a little trouble making those connections? This is the first post in a series that will address this issue.

It's important to use the language of grammar when you teach writing lessons, and it helps tremendously if your students annotate their writing accordingly.

Suppose you have assigned a descriptive paragraph, and students have written their first drafts. Obviously, you don't want to see paragraphs merely cluttered with adjectives! Let's pull in some grammar.

As a group, brainstorm a list of ways to add description besides using adjectives. It might help to look at some good examples of descriptive writing. Include grammatical concepts as well as literary concepts if you'd like. Here's a sample list (your list will vary based on the age of your students):

specific verbs
specific nouns
adverbs
prepositional phrases
dependent clauses
appositives
participles/participial phrases
absolute phrases
onomatopoeia
similes
personification

Next, put students in small groups, and give each group some chart paper and markers. Show them an interesting picture. Here's one of my favorites:

On the board, write a very bland sentence about the picture. For example,

The bear held the fish.

Have each group embellish the sentence using the suggestions on the brainstorm list. When they have a descriptive sentence they are proud of, have them write it on their chart paper AND LABEL the descriptive elements. Share sentences with the class. Here's an example:

Finally, students should return to their own descriptive drafts. Challenge them to incorporate some of the descriptive elements they have just practiced. When they turn in their final drafts, require them to annotate their work by HIGHLIGHTING AND LABELING the elements they are proud of, just like they did in their group sentence.

Your students have now improved their writing by using their knowledge of grammar concepts. And they have demonstrated their understanding by annotating their work.

Tune in next week for another specific strategy for connecting grammar and writing in your classroom!

(This strategy comes from DGP Plus: Building Stronger Writers, available from DGP Publishing, Inc.)

A Book Report of a Different Color: Part 3

This is the third and final post in a series about engaging, creative assignments that can be used with your choice of literature. These assignments will get your students writing as well as thinking critically about themes, characters, setting, mood, etc! 

Here are five ideas for this week. Be sure to look back at the last two posts for more!

#11. Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it! Write an obituary for each character that dies in the play, novel, etc. If you’re not familiar with obituaries, read a couple from a local newspaper to see how they’re set up.

This assignment isn’t too challenging but encourages students to think about characterization as well as plot elements.

#12. Choose a character from (your choice of literary work) and draw an illustration that represents him or her. Here’s the catch: Your picture can’t be of the actual character. It must be some kind of abstract art that represents the character. Attach your illustration to a paragraph or two that explains why you illustrated the character the way you did. Be specific.

Here are a couple of student examples. The first one includes the written explanation as well. Students create their own symbolism in this more advanced assignment, and they focus on characterization as well.

#13. Choose a character from the novel, play, etc. Pretend to be that character, and create a scrapbook page about a particular event from the novel, play, etc. Be creative. Include pictures, mementos, journaling (that’s writing about the items on the page or about the event), and anything else you can think of that would be appropriate.

Here is a student example. This assignment makes students consider tone, mood, characterization, plot elements, and even setting. 

#14. If all the world’s a stage, you must have costumes! Choose a character from the play, novel, etc. and create a costume or costume part for him or her. You can make your piece from fabric, cut it out of paper, or use recycled household objects—whatever works! Don the costume, take a picture, and attach it to a paragraph explaining why you chose this particular costume for this particular character. Why this design? Why this color? Explain it all! And feel free to wear it to class!

It’s amazing how much fun students have with this remake of the old elementary school book character day. I’ve had everything from a pair of cross-gartered yellow stockings (Twelfth Night) to chains (A Christmas Carol) to a red “A” (Scarlet Letter). Some even wear their costume pieces around school all day!

#15. The game is afoot. Create a board game for (novel, play, etc.). Make it really relevant to the literature and include some elements of skill so a player has a better chance of winning if he or she has read the work. Bring in the game along with necessary pieces and directions so we can play.

Here is a student sample. This game encompassed several different Shakespearean plays, but most students base their games on just one novel or play. Either way, students must have a complete understanding of the work to produce a quality game, and they have a great time playing all of the games when they’re finished. I keep a collection of dice, pawns, spinners, etc. for them to use if needed.

I hope you have picked up a few new ideas in these past three posts. We’ll be moving on to a different topic next week, so be sure to come back!

A Book Report of a Different Color: Part 2

This is the second in a series of posts about engaging, creative assignments that can be used with your choice of literature. These assignments will get your students writing as well as thinking critically about themes, characters, setting, mood, etc!

Below are five ideas for this week. Be sure to look back at last week’s post and check back next week for more!

#6. Produce a (your choice of novel, play, etc.) newspaper. Include things like obituaries, advice columns, pictures, articles, comics, horoscopes, opinions, puzzles, advertisements, play reviews, recipes, etc. The sky is the limit, but be sure to capture the tone of the (novel, play, etc.). Have some fun!

Here are a couple of student examples. I love how creative the students get with this assignment, and they really have to think about all aspects of the literary work. I've even had students submit their newspapers in plastic newspaper bags!

#7. To be or not to be: that is just one of the questions.  Pretend you are a magazine or newspaper reporter. Choose a character from (novel, play, etc. of your choice) to interview. Write out your questions and the character’s responses. The topics for the questions are up to you but should be somehow related to the literary work.

This assignment forces students to think about characterization as well as the details of the plot. Some students enjoy recording the interviews.

#8. If music be the food of love, write a song! That’s right. Pretend you’re producing (Title of Literary Work), the Musical. Write one of the songs that will be in the musical. Be sure to tell who sings it. It could be a solo, a duet, or even a song for the whole cast. It might be fun to borrow a melody from another song—or even write your own accompaniment—and actually sing your song, but that’s optional. It should have some musical qualities either way, though.

Here is an example of a CD cover a student made to go along with this project. He wrote lyrics for only one of the songs listed, but just coming up with titles required critical thinking. Some of my more musically gifted students have put their lyrics to music and performed their songs for the class!

#9. Get a job! Choose any character from the (novel, play, etc.). Decide what type of career would suit that character, and write a resume for him or her. You’ll have to get really creative for this one! Make up information if you need to, but stay true to the character.

This assignment obviously focuses on characterization, and it requires students to really dig into the text for relevant details. It also has a practical application for older and/or career-minded students.

#10. Ready for a little comic relief? Choose a scene from (literary work of your choice) and write it up like a comic strip. While it isn’t necessary to include all of the lines (or dialogue) from the original text, your comic should capture the gist of the scene. Can’t draw? Stick figures and clip art are fine! Or try www.makebeliefscomix.com.

This is a more basic assignment, but students still have to synthesize the plot, characters, and tone of the work. The student who created the second sample below used makebeliefcomix.com. 

Be sure to check back next week for still more creative literary assignments! Meanwhile, please leave a comment below and/or share our blog with other teachers who enjoy new ideas. :)

The Keys to Writing Good Summaries

Summary: a brief, concise recapitulation of a previous statement 

Key: something that affords a means to achieve, master, or understand something else; a very important or controlling thing; chief, major, essential, or fundamental

Why have I mentioned these definitions? What does a key have to do with writing a summary?

Teachers know that when we ask a student to write a summary, we want that student to come up with a short statement giving the main points of a paragraph, article, or book. We, as teachers, think students know how to do this. (After all, they innately know how to use all the latest technology!) 

But the fact is that students do not know how to write summaries. We know this because when we ask them to summarize, they either give us one sentence or regurgitate the whole article back to us. Yet, we often assign summaries without really teaching students how to write them. 

So how then should we teach them?  Below are the keys to writing good summaries.

Key #1: Students need to know what you expect when you ask them to write a summary. Tell them, but also find as many well written summaries as you can and let students read them. You can find them on book jackets, in book and movie reviews, on the Internet, or possibly in your own students' writing portfolios. Read the summaries and discuss them. 

Key #2:  Give students a short article or selection to read. All students should read the same selection. Discuss.

Key #3:  Working as a group, have students make a list of five or six important or key words in the article or selection. Explain that key words are the most important words in the selection. These words help the reader understand the selection; if the words were missing, the selection would not make sense.

Key #4:  Still working as a group, have students use the key words to write three or four sentences about the selection. Remind students that they should write the summary in their own words and should not copy sentences from the selection. Also, let them know that it is not always necessary to use all of their key words. Using the length of the article as a guide, you should specify the number of sentences that you want them to write. For a longer article or book, the number might be slightly higher. By giving students a limit, you are forcing them to be concise and focus their thoughts on the main idea of the selection.

Key #5:  Follow this procedure several times with different articles or books that the entire class has read. Then give the students opportunities to read articles, find key words, and write their own summaries.

I have used these keys to teach students of all ages to write concise, thoughtful summaries. You will be surprised at the improvements you will see in your students’ summary writing over a short period of time just by following these five simple keys on a regular basis.

Post by Judith Holbrook.

Daily Reading Practice provides students with the opportunity to identify key words and write a summary each week. Visit http://www.dgppublishing.com/reading.htm to learn more!

Writing Teacher vs. Writing Coach: You Make the Call

Do you spend hours marking errors on a set of writing assignments only to see those same errors again on the next assignment? And the next? Does it frustrate you so much than you’ve considered throwing in the towel? Don’t change your career; just alter your job description a bit! Instead of a being writing teacher, consider becoming a writing coach.

I love analogies, so indulge me if I seem to digress. My 12-year-old son Beck plays golf competitively. Even if you know nothing about golf, I’m sure you know that every sport involves a variety of different skills. A player who masters these skills enjoys success in his or her sport. Writing, too, involves a variety of different skills. A student who masters these skills enjoys success in his or her writing. 

At each of Beck’s golf lessons, his coach chooses some area of the game as a focus. It may be putting, chipping, or hitting the ball off the tee. Then he focuses even more. If Beck is working on his tee shot, his coach watches a few swings and makes one or two adjustments. By focusing on these little details, Beck is able to improve his tee shot. Perhaps it’s still not perfect, but his coach will tweak a little something else next time. 

Imagine what would happen if the coach watched Beck play 18 holes of golf and then told him everything he had done wrong during the entire round! Beck would be frustrated, he would have learned nothing (except that he’s a lost cause), and he would probably not play any better the next time. 

Seems ridiculous, doesn’t it? What coach would do that? Yet, that’s the approach we typically take as writing teachers. We assign an entire essay and then tell students everything that’s wrong with it (and possibly point out a few strengths). Students are frustrated, learn nothing, and fail to improve the next time.

As writing coaches, we must allow students to focus on just a few aspects (no more than six) of their writing in each assignment. Let’s say one of those focus skills is using a variety of sentence beginnings. Teach students about that skill. Show them some good examples. Then lead them to revise with that skill in mind. Then when you assess the papers, evaluate only for that skill and the handful of others selected for this assignment (such as effective topic sentences, transitions, or voice). There may be subject/verb agreement errors in the paper; but if that wasn’t a focus for this time, let it go for now. (But make yourself a note so it can be a focus for next time.) 

Sounds crazy, right? But does Beck’s coach say, “Great job with your tee shots today, but your chipping is really bad” when Beck wasn’t even working on chipping? No, his coach evaluates the tee shots and saves the chipping feedback for another lesson. I’ll bet it drives the coach nuts to see other bad habits and not correct them all at once, but he knows that improvement comes from mastering some aspects of the game rather than floundering at all of them. Eventually, if given the chance to focus, mastery will come in each area.

As writing coaches, we must also remember that every student may not need to focus on the same skills. While one student may need to focus on parallel structure in this week’s assignment, another might need to focus on avoiding sentence fragments. If Beck’s back swing is flawless, his coach doesn’t focus on it anyway just because his other students are struggling with it. Coaches differentiate very well.

An amazing side effect of coaching is that students feel a sense of accomplishment. They believe they can do something right even if everything’s not perfect. Further, they become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. After years of focused lessons, Beck can now tell his coach what his trouble spots are, and he can tweak his game himself in many cases. Imagine a student saying, “Overall, I think this paragraph is pretty strong, but I’m struggling a little with my pronoun references.” 

Students regularly toss around such statements on the playing field of the writing coach.

For more information about using focus skills to coach writers, visit http://www.dgppublishing.com/writing.htm

SPECIAL THIS WEEK! In honor of this week's blog post, you can get Focused Writing or the Burnette Writing Process Teacher's Manual for just $25 (instead of the regular price of $36.95) if you order online at www.dgppublishing.com by August 1, 2013.