The Writing Revolution Weekly Bell Ringer Topics 2015

The Writing Revolution: Weekly Bell Ringer Topics 2015 – 2016 6 th, 7 th, and 8 th Grades

What is The Writing Revolution? • The Writing Revolution (TWR) was created to help content area teachers incorporate the required literacy standards into lessons without too much additional work or strain being put on those content area teachers. • The goal of TWR is to increase students’ academic writing across all content areas.

How to Use this Power. Point • Each weekly bell ringer focuses on one topic that is related to the literacy standards in your content area. • The first two slides of each week’s topic were designed to refresh the teacher on the specific concept and its rules. • Along with a definition and description of the concept being reviewed, teachers will find examples and nonexamples on the second slide of each week. • The last slide contains the topic/task to be completed by students in the content area teacher’s classroom.

What are the Expectations for Content Area Teachers? • Review the weekly concept prior to asking students to complete the task, so you are familiar with the topic. • Have students complete the weekly task three times a week. – This could be completed as a bell ringer, exit slip, or quick formative assessment during class. • At the end of the week, look through the students’ work to check for mastery. • Inform your grade-level English teachers of approximately how many of your students mastered the weekly concept during your next grade-level meeting or through email. • In order to encourage students to try their best on these tasks, please assign a small grade for this work in your classroom grade book.

Expectations for Content Area Teachers Continued • Once the skill has been introduced in English class and practiced in your classroom, please hold students accountable for each basic skill on all future writing assignments. • This will help us build a culture of academic writing across all subject areas.

Helpful Hints for Implementation • Save this presentation as your own before you begin modifying this Power. Point. • Add pictures, sounds, animations, etc. to best suit your teaching style as well as your students’ needs. • If you already have a presentation created for your bell ringers and exit slips, copy the task slides into your existing Power. Point.

Lesson One : August 17 – 21 • Topic: Capitalization and Punctuation – All sentences should begin with a capital letter and end with punctuation. – Sentences may end with a period, question mark, or an exclamation mark. – When an “i” is used alone, it should always be capitalized. – When proper nouns are used, they should always be capitalized.

Lesson One : August 17 – 21 Capitalization and Punctuation Examples: Non-Examples: • The Roman Empire • the roman empire was vast and powerful • An organism is an individual form of life individual form of Life that is capable of growing,

Lesson One : August 17 – 21 Capitalization and Punctuation • Content Topic: • Task: Write one sentence using correct capitalization and end punctuation.

Lesson Two : August 24 – 28 • Topic: Sentences with Action Verbs – Verbs explain what is happening in a sentence. – Action verbs demonstrate what the subject or subjects are doing in a given sentence. – If a person can complete or do what is happening in a sentence, then the verb is an action verb.

Lesson Two : August 24 – 28 Sentences with Action Verbs Example: • A cell-membrane forms the outer surface of the cytoplasm of a cell and regulates the passage of materials in and out of the cell. (forms and regulates = actions of cell-membrane) Non-Example: • A cell-membrane is a thin membrane. (is = linking verb that links the subject to its complement)

Lesson Two : August 24 – 28 Sentences with Action Verbs • Content Topic: • Task: Write one sentence using an action verb.

Lesson Three : Aug 31 – Sept 4 • Topic: Sentences with Linking Verbs – Verbs explain what is happening in a sentence. – Linking verbs are used to connect the subject of the sentence to the complement as well as show a state of being. – Frequently used linking verbs include: is, am, are, was, were, been, being, become.

Lesson Three : Aug 31 – Sept 4 Sentences with Linking Verbs Examples: • The Spartans were warriors who trained from the age of seven. (“were” links the Subject, Spartans, to its complement, warriors) Non-Examples: • The Spartans were feared because they trained from age seven to become warriors. ( were = a helping verb; “were feared” forms the verb phrase)

Lesson Three : Aug 31 – Sept 4 Sentences with Linking Verbs • Content Topic: • Task: Write one sentence using a linking verb.

Lesson Four : September 8 – 11 • Topic: Sentences with Helping Verbs – Helping verbs come before the main verb to create a verb phrase. – Frequently used helping verbs include: has, had, have, does, did, can, could, may, might, must, should, will.

Lesson Four : September 8 – 11 Sentences with Helping Verbs Examples: • We will divide the numerator by the denominator in order to convert the fraction to a decimal. (will = the helping verb; it “helps” form the verb phrase, “will divide”) Non-Examples: • The numerator is the top number on the fraction. (is = a linking verb, linking “the numerator” to its complement “the top number”)

Lesson Four : September 8 – 11 Sentences with Helping Verbs • Content Topic: • Task: Write one sentence using a helping verb to form a verb phrase.

Lesson Five : September 14 – 18 • Topic: Using Commas with Introductory Phrases – Commas should be used to set off introductory phrases that generally contain four or more words. – Introductory phrases should be used when citing textual evidence using the Point-Evidence-Discussion (PED) method. – Frequently used introductory phrases: • • • In paragraph _____ of the article, In the article “_____”, the author states, Based on evidence from the article “_____”, For example, For instance, (***These are exceptions to the four or more words requirement*** They are two-word introductory phrases that requires a comma. )

Lesson Five : September 14 – 18 Using Commas with Introductory Phrases Non-Examples: • In the text, it explains how all • In paragraph five of the matter is made from atoms. text, it says that there are three states of matter. (a comma is not needed after “in the text” since it is an • For instance, liquid is one introductory phrase that is state of matter. less than four words) • Colorful vegetables are high in vitamin C; for example bell peppers contain a lot of vitamin C. (Place a comma after “for example”. )

Lesson Five : September 14 – 18 Using Commas with Introductory Phrases • Content Topic: • Task: Write one sentence with an introductory phrase to cite textual evidence.

Lesson Six : September 21 – 25 • Topic: Using Commas with Quotes – Commas should be used to set off a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence. – A comma should come before the opening quotation mark. – If the direct quote is in the middle of a sentence, a comma should also follow the closing quotation mark.

Lesson Six : September 21 – 25 Using Commas with Quotes Examples: • “For score and seven years ago, ” is how Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address begins. • “One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world, ” says Malala Yousafzai. • According to renowned scientist, Albert Einstein, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. "

Lesson Six : September 21 – 25 Using Commas with Quotes • Content Topic: • Task: Write one correctly punctuated sentence containing a direct quotes to cite textual evidence.

September 28 – 30 • Topic: No writing lessons this week due to quarter finals