writing and reading: lesson 8

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Writing and Reading:Lesson 8

Grade 6

2Copyright © Ed2Net Learning, Inc.

Warm up: Homonyms

Remember: Homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings and different spellings.

Choose the correct word for each sentence below. Can you explain what each boldfaced word means?

The (manner, manor) has been used as a guesthouse for the past 25 years.

The students attending the seminar will (earn, urn) college credit.

The shorts are a bit tight around her (waist, waste).

The expansion will (ad, add) 190,224 square feet to the medical center building.


Multiple Meaning Words

Read the first sentence below. Then choose the next sentence that uses the underlined word in the same way as in the original sentence. Can you use context to explain the meanings of the word?

The professor showed us a picture of a hind, or a female red deer.

We gazed at the beautiful hind in the forest. The puppy was unable to reach over the fence,

even while standing on its hind legs. The creature walked on its hind legs.


Review

Sentence fluency: One way to make writing interesting is to write sentences that sound different from each other. Writers do this by beginning sentences differently and making some sentences long and others short.

A sentence must have both a subject and a predicate. The simple subject is the subject without the words that describe or modify it. The simple predicate is the verb without the words that modify it.

A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate. An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand

alone as a sentence

A dependent clause does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence. Dependent clauses usually begin with a subordinating conjunction like before.


More review

When you combine two or more independent clauses, you form a compound sentence.

When you combine at least one independent clause with at least one independent clause, you form a complex sentence.

Sentence combining is a way to make one, smoother, more detailed sentence from two or more short sentences.

When you are revising a draft, remember as much as you can about what makes writing good. Think about your audience and what you can do to express your ideas clearly and to make your writing interesting.

Your revision: Did you enjoy perfecting the draft you chose for revision? Do you think you made important improvements?


The Writing Process: Editing

Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing are the steps of the writing process. Writers often repeat the drafting and revising steps several times, and many times they choose only some of their drafts to complete all the way to publication.

Today, we will focus on editing. Your final step before publishing or sharing your writing with a real audience (not just a teacher! ) is to be sure you have followed the Standard conventions of written English (spelling, capitalization, grammar/usage, punctuation, paragraphing).


Writing Trait: Conventions

Why is it important for a writer to follow Standard conventions of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar?

Convention comes from the Latin word for agreement. In our society, agreements or conventions govern our lives.

Readers’ eyes and brains are trained; readers have definite expectations for written language.

When a text does not meet our expectations, we are thrown. Do you remember your reaction when you have found

typographical errors in books? Most people stop reading and focus on the errors!


Common spelling errors and commonly misused words

In Standard written English, a lot and all right are always two words.

The word definite has no a’s. Then is a word about time (when something

happened). Than is a comparison word. Anyways is a non-Standard form of anyway. Loose means “free or untied.” Lose means “to

misplace or fail to win.


Your turn

Circle the word that best completes each sentence. It is time to consider all the facts and (than, then) make

a decision. I decided to pour out my heart to her, and (than, then)

she told all my friends what I had said. I had to resist the urge to spend more money (than,

then) I could afford. Do not get your (lose, loose) coat sleeve caught in that

machinery. "There is no way," the coach explained, "to (lose, loose)

the game now."


Can you spot correctly spelled words?

Circle the correctly spelled word.

1. exist exis exxist exust

2. cax caox coax coaxx

3.cioncide coincide coincidi cuancidi

4.violati voilati voilate violate

5. electic electric eletric elecric

6. pirish perrish perih perish

7. Ravinousravenuos ravenos ravenous

8. paket packit packet packut

9. appointment appiontmennt appiontment appiontent

10.bananza bonanze bonenza bonanza


Apostrophe: an important punctuation mark

An apostrophe is used to form contractions or to show possession (ownership).

Common contractions: don’t, hasn’t, haven’t, it’s, didn’t, I’m. The apostrophe is written in place of the missing letter or letters.

Ownership: Add apostrophe and an s to most singular nouns but just an apostrophe to most plural nouns.

his sister’s room (belonging to his sister)

his sisters’ room (belonging to his sisters)

Do NOT use an apostrophe to form plurals (except the plural of a letter or a numeral—4’s, A’s).


Your turn

Add apostrophes where necessary to show a possessive word.

Our coachs rules are hard to follow sometimes. We dropped the buckets contents and had to

start all over again.

Add apostrophes where needed in contractions. "I cant throw a baseball," Kevin admitted. Im glad you werent late getting here because I

dont want to miss the movie. He hadnt eaten for over 12 hours and was faint

from hunger.


Subject-verb agreement

The simple subject is the subject without the words that describe or modify it. The simple predicate is the verb without the words that modify it.

A compound subject has two or more simple subjects, and a compound predicate has two or more simple predicates.

If you use a singular subject, you must use a singular verb. If you use a plural subject, use a plural verb.Correct: His grandparents lives in Charleston.Incorrect: His grandparents live in Charleston.


Your turn

He (doesn’t/don’t) like it.

Some of the votes (seem/seems) to have been miscounted.

Lamar (travel/travels) to South Carolina every summer.

Cyrus and Theo (wait/waits) for their friend.

The men (love/loves) the outdoors.

She (take/takes) him fishing.

(Has/have) your friend returned the videos?


Complete sentences

A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate.

An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

All sentences must contain at least one independent clause.

Sometimes the subject is understood, instead of stated:

Put this over there. (The understood subject for commands is

you.)


Your turn

Decide if each of the following is a complete sentence, a fragment that is missing a subject, or a fragment that is missing a verb.

Writes in a personal journal. His original songs at the talent show. Discussed their fact-finding mission and what they

expect to accomplish. She ran fast. Showed that 43% believe that education should be

Congress' top priority. Open the door.


Break


Vocabulary: Context Clues

We’re going to start working on antonyms as context clues. Remember that antonyms have opposite meanings. Writers may include an antonym as a contrast for an unfamiliar word in the same sentence or sentences that surround it.


Your turn

The hypothetical version of the story was far from what really occurred.

In this sentence, the word hypothetical means true actual made up or uncertain real

Even from far away, the luminous glow of the city's lights could be seen against the dark sky.

In this sentence, the word luminous means invisible bright black dark


Sheila's incredulous attitude frustrated the rest of us because we were trying to tell her the truth about her best friend.

In this sentence, the word incredulous means unbelieving formal innocent violent

Some people are reticent, while others talk about their feelings freely.

In this sentence, the word reticent means open secretive talkative


Similes and Metaphors

Underline the comparisons you find. Then remember them so you can answer questions about them.

Tyreek had to sign up for a community service project. Hmmm. What would he enjoy doing? Emptying the park's trash cans would be as smelly as a skunk reunion. Picking up trash along the road was as appealing as eating a worm sandwich. Collecting paper for recycling would be as dull as sawdust. Donating canned goods to a food pantry would be as exciting as watching dust bunnies gather under his bed. Visiting people in nursing homes would be like wearing sandpaper underwear.


Tyreek blinked. He had to stop being negative. There was no getting around it. He had to choose something. He closed his eyes. He held up a finger and used it like a spear, stabbing at the paper on the desk. Carefully, almost fearfully, he opened his eyes to see what he had chosen. He peered at the line where his finger was pointing. Then a grin as wide as Tennessee spread across his face. Tyreek would volunteer at the rabies clinic! He would help cute little cats and dogs get their shots, and he would score points with animal lovers.


Eating a worm sandwich would be a great community service projectboringappealingunappealing

Wearing sandpaper underwear would becleverpleasantappealinguncomfortable

How was Tyreek's finger like a spear? He liked poking holes in papers with it.It was long and sharp.He could use it to jab at thingsIt was a dangerous weapon


This question requires inference, as well as understanding the simile.

Why was Tyreek's grin as wide as Tennessee? He was going to avoid community service.He had so many projects from which to

choose.He knew he would enjoy working with

animals.He was pretending to be happy.

When you make an inference, you use your own knowledge and experience, along with the text, to draw a conclusion.


Editing and Publication This is the final part of the writing process.

When you edit, you check your revised draft to be sure it is as close as possible to being error-free. It’s okay to ask someone else to look at your revision, as well, since it can sometimes be hard to find your own errors.

Writing is communication, so the publication step is an important one. Remember that you are always writing for an audience. Be sure to consider the following guidelines for an appealing presentation:

*My layout makes my piece easy to read.*I’ve used the right amount of white space.*There aren’t too many fonts.*My headings help the reader find information.


This week’s assignment

Edit your revised draft and prepare it for publication.

Ask at least four people, including at least two who are not related to you, to read your edited draft.

When you submit your homework, include a description of each reader’s responses to what you have written.


Submitting Your Homework

Please email your homework to the following address within the next four days:

[email protected]


You did a wonderful job today!

writing and reading: lesson 8

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