Unit Title: Persuasive Writing The Great Gatsby Lesson No.

. 5/September 13, 2013 Lesson Objectives & Specific Learning Outcomes: SWBAT: Cognitive (know/understand): 15. (Unit unknown) 15.1 Students will understand that better word choice creates better writing. 15.2 Students will know that choosing active verbs engages the reader. Affective (feel/value): 16. (Unit unknown) 16.1 Students will value the time spent on grammar usage. Performance (do): 17. (Unit unknown) 17.1 Students will be able to choose better verbs for more compelling writing. SOLs: 11.7 The student will self- and peer-edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing. b) Use verbal and verbal phrases to achieve sentence conciseness and variety. c) Distinguish between active and passive voice. Materials Needed: Being specific Cracking code worksheets. Procedures/Instructional Strategies [Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.] Beginning Room Arrangement: Students are seated in desks: half the class facing the other, vice versa. (Regular arrangement). 1. [5 min.] Bridge: Students will complete a Do Now related to differentiating between passive and active voice in writing. The bell has rung, so please take your seats, take out a sheet of paper, and lets begin with our warm up. Today well be talking about the difference in passive and active voice. Which one do we use in our writing? Students respond hopefully with active. Exactly. We need to be direct, and using a passive tone or voice in our writing isnt necessarily hitting that. So lets take 4 minutes and complete this warm up.

There are only 3 sentences to complete, and please write down the sentence as it is and your correction. 2. [12 mins.] Step 1: Students will complete an activity about using more active verb choice. Keeping this active and descriptive writing in mind, today were going to talk about some verb choice and phrases that bring our writing even more to life. When you read a lot of the same sentences such as I am, she is, they are, etc. doesnt it sound a little boring. Youre not really engaged with the writing. This is what we want to change. Whether its creative, persuasive, formal, SOL prompts, we dont want to bore our reader or seem like what were talking about isnt that important. How you write dramatically affects the way it is received. Lets look at the first prompt: The car went down the road. What does that tell us? Students respond with where the car went. It does say that, but does it really say anything else. Im aware we dont know the context for those of you who are about to say that, but the point is that this sentence in particular isnt very descriptive. It doesnt speak to us from the page. Take a second and try to use a different verb other than went to make the sentence seem more appealing to the reader. Students work. What did you all come up with? Students will respond with various answers. Wonderful! Those are all good ways in which we can make that sentence more appealing. Now the challenge ensues and becomes a little more demanding of your brains. There are 4 sentences at the bottom of your handout. They are very plain and mundane to really read. Our challenge is to make them more active and use better verbs and descriptions. This is how we would write if we were doing so more creatively. I fully believe enjoying the writing makes doing it a lot easier. I have an example that I did of the first one. Complete the exercise with the students referring to PPT.

Although were not writing novels as our essays, we need to keep in mind the different verb choices we can make. Now lets take the same sentence together and make it descriptive, active, and direct as if we were going to use it in out papers. Students must come up with many of the ideas. Accepted examples can be: The day starts warm and sunny. I ran home, excited about the weather. The weather permitted them to go outside. This is important for when we write theses papers. We need to think about verb choice. Not only can it change the meaning of the sentence, but make the sentence more engaging for your reader. Repeatedly putting that Fitzgerald says or Gatsby is doesnt appeal to me, and shouldnt be the most appealing to you. Part of your challenge is to try and not to use the verb to be more than 5 times. There are instances where it is necessary, but this is your challenge. This will help you think of different verbs to use. 3. [3 mins.] Step 2: Students will be given a handout for MLA format requirements that we will discuss/go over. Im going to give you a handout referencing MLA format. Most of you should have experience with it, so therefore this might be redundant. This is necessary, and if you forget, its a nice reference sheet so youre welcome. Your papers will be written in this format, excluding some of the citations. Since were all referencing the same text, a works cited sheet isnt necessary. However, if you choose to use outside sources, please cite them accordingly. You are more than welcome to use online citation generators to help you. I have no problem with this resource. Take a second and read over it, then well get ot any clarifications or questions. 4. [2 mins] Closure: Students will be reminded when the paper is due and when the peer editing workshop will take place. Ladies and gentlemen, when is our paper due? Students should respond with 9/19. When are they due in class for peer editing? Students respond with 9/18.

Remember to bring in a typed copy of your paper on Wednesday, because not every person can read your handwriting and its easier to make comments on a typed, double-spaced paper. Thank you everyone! Methods of Assessment: (for evaluating the specific objectives listed above) Formative: Being Specific Worksheet (SOLs 11.7 b, c) (SWBAT 15.1, 15.2, 16.1, 17.1): o Students will complete the worksheet that asks them to practice choosing verbs that are more specific and elaborative than the to be verb. This will help students write their final Gatsby essay and create more active and alive writing. In Retrospect: (Reflective notes following my instruction) There should have been a connecting factor for the students to understand the relation between active voice and better word choice. I could see it in my head, but as I reflected on my lesson, I think there should have been clearer directions and insight into the last part of the lesson. I could tell the students would sometimes get confused, so I should have gotten rid of the second part of step 1 and put more emphasis that you need both active voice and better word choices in your more formal writing. I think that my directions are becoming clearer, and that my tones of voice are severely improving. I can change from more enthusiastic to serious without getting very mean, and I know it signals to my students that its time to pay attention. Materials Appendix: (Included are all supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers, handouts, etc.) Snuffles Gets Active Warm Up: The active voice occurs then the subject performs the action. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is acted on by another agent. Look at the following examples: Passive Voice: Snuffles was taken to the vet by mom. Active Voice: My mom took Snuffles to the vet. Eliminate the passive voice from your writing as much as possible. In the beginning, it will seem impossible, but after a while it will get easier, and youll notice that your writing has become far more interesting and punchy. Rewrite the following sentences, changing the passive voice to the active voice. The exam was administered by the teacher. Georgias outfit was chosen by the saleswoman. The city was invaded by barbarians.