Miguel Such Vocational High School

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Table of Contents
Section 1: Why Read? Annotating Text & Color Marking Levels of Questioning Determining Theme Determining Tone Determining Mood TPCASTT DIDLS SOAPSTONE Literary Terms Friendly Letter guideline for reading letters RAP Fiction/Nonfiction Section 2: Why Write? References for Writing Get Rid of Get Action Verbs Descriptive Words Prepositions, helping and linking verbs Transitional Words/Phrases Banned Word List Words to replace very and said Punctuation Rules Lindbergh Writing Rubric Section 3: Why Speak? Oral Presentation Guide Section 4: Why Investigate? MLA Format Outline Format Research Help Useful Information MAP Hints 3 4 5 6 7-9 10-12 13 14 15 16-19 20-21 22 23-24 25 26-33 26 27 28-29 29 30 31 32 32-33 34 35 36-37 38 39-42 43-44 45-47 48 49

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Section 1:

Why Read?

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Instructions for Annotating a Text

What is annotation?
The official definition is To furnish (a literary work) with critical commentary or explanatory. Annotation helps you think critically about what you are reading. While the amount of annotation may vary widely from page to page, any thoughtful notes you add to a text will help you to read more critically any thoughtful attempt to annotate your book will help you to understand the reading as you read. We will work with a number of ways to annotate a text. Below are basic instructions for annotation.

A Way In: Color Marking Passages

What is Color Marking? Color marking is a process of looking through a microscope at a passage to better understand the writers techniques, whether they be narrative, as in prose fiction, or poetic, as in poetry. This process applies to all passages. You will need three highlighters () to complete color marking. Steps in Color Marking: 1. Use different colors to identify elements as directed by your teacher: 2. Color 1= Color 2= Color 3=

Carefully examine what is going on within the passage and think about how it relates to the passages before and after (how is the device or motif delivering theme?)

3. Based on your color-marking, ask yourself these questions to prepare for discussion: a. Is one color predominant? Why? b. Is there some logical progression of literary devices? Why? c. How do the devices reinforce and/or illustrate the content of the passage? d. Is a specific tone or mood created by the marked material? 4. Based on your answers to these questions and any others you think appropriate, CODE each color marked with INFERENCES you draw about the use of that particular device or motif. In other words, be prepared to discuss your findings. Examine techniques and try for insights beyond the superficial (surface/plot) level. Color markings provide ideas for essays. Consider each a rough draft; strive for original thought and precise diction. Color markings will prepare you not only for the rigor of this class but for your future classes as well.

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Levels of Questioning
If two of us think the same thing, then one of us is unnecessary There are different levels of questions that you can ask about a piece of literature. As many of you already understand, there is depth to reading as well as writing. Learning to ask intelligent, structured questions will help you to comprehend more fully the text you are reading. Levels of Questions

Definition Skill Recall

Demonstrates previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts, and answers Demonstrates understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions, and stating main idea Demonstrate ability to examine and break information or concepts into parts by identifying different components, making inferences, and finding evidence to support generalizations Demonstrate ability to present and defend opinions by making judgments about information, the validity of ideas, or quality of work on criteria

Key Words
who, what, when, where, choose, find, how, define, label, show, list, name, relate, recall, select compare, contrast, demonstrate, interpret, explain, illustrate, outline, rephrase, summarize, show, classify analyze, categorize, dissect, divide, examine, distinguish, infer, conclude, hypothesize

Questions
How would you explain? How would you show? Can you select? Who were the main? Can you list three? How would you compare? How would you interpret? Which statements support? How would you rephrase? Which is the best answer? How would you summarize? How would you classify? What do you think? What conclusion can you draw? How would you classify? What evidence can you find? What is the relationship? How would you distinguish? What is your opinion of? How would you evaluate? How would you select? How would you judge? Why was it better or worse?

Comprehension

Analysis

Evaluation

criticize, defend, determine, evaluate, judge, justify, recommend, interpret, prioritize, criteria, prove, assess, decide, support, importance, estimate

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Determining Theme
What is Theme? Theme is a message about life or human nature that is communicated in the piece of writing, but not stated. How do I find it? You have to find out what the author is trying to say. Here are some questions that may help: What topics/subjects are being brought up? What is the author saying about those topics/subjects? In what ways does the main character change? What has the character learned by the end? What information does the title reveal? What is the main conflict and what is the outcome?

What do I do with the information now? Theme must be a statement about the subject-which means, a complete sentence! Theme must be stated as a generalization about life; you cant use events or characters from the piece in the sentence. Stay away from words like every, all, always, etc Theme is the central and unifying concept in the story; it must account for all the major details of the story and not be contradicted by the story. There is no one way of stating theme. Avoid any statement that reduces the theme to a clich. A theme is not Love is Blind. Create a theme statement. Feel free to use the information below.

Theme Statement: In________________________ by ____________________, the author shows that __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________. Step 1: What topics are being brought up? Ex: Justice, truth, racism Step 2: What is the author saying about that topic? Ex: She is explaining that sometimes outcomes arent really fair because of prejudice. Sometimes the truth is overlooked by people. Step 3: Write the statement and REVISE to perfection! Ex: In the novel Holes, Louis Sacher shows the value of loyal friendship. 6

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Determining Tone
What is tone? Tone is the speakers attitude toward the subject, the characters or the readers, which is revealed by the authors diction. Some tone words: angry disgusted hollow ironic dejected sarcastic soothing humorous content excited sweet melancholic passive hurt desperate romantic facetious harsh depressed persuasive confused superficial upset nervous cheerful ecstatic afraid questioning artificial paranoid loving pleasant agitated tired inquisitive sharp sympathetic disappointed arrogant

authoritative surprised pleading scornful numb enthusiastic

condescending coarse cynical hating snooty cheery consoling

dreamy lighthearted humble instructive .manipulative contradictory aggravated calm friendly brash apologetic joyful

disinterested uninterested proud encouraging vibrant whimsical

Activity 1: Explain the difference between the following sets of words: Silly/Giddy-silliness implies an element of childish behavior whereas giddiness implies happiness. You can be giddy without being silly. Sad/sentimental Angry/upset Mocking/sarcastic Shifts in Tone-To demonstrate how complex a speakers attitude might be or how an author might have one attitude toward the audience and another attitude toward the subject, watch for these clues in a shift in tone: Key words (but, yet, nevertheless, however, etc) Punctuation (dashes, periods, semicolons, etc) Stanza and paragraph divisions Changes in line and stanza or in sentence length Sharp contrasts in diction

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Activity 2: Read and analyze the following poem. Answer the question that follows with examples from the poem to support your argument.

Bed in Summer Robert Louis Stevenson In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light. In summer, quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day. I have to go to bed and see The birds still hopping on the tree, Or hear the grown-up people's feet Still going past me in the street. And does it not seem hard to you, When all the sky is clear and blue, And I should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day? What is the authors tone towards the person to whom he is speaking? Tone word: __________________________________________________________ Explain: __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Determining Mood
(and telling the difference between mood and tone) What is Mood? Mood is the feeling a reader gets from a piece of writing. It is the atmosphere created by the author. Some literature makes us feel happy, sad, angry, etcMood is often created by setting. Activity 1: Identify the mood of the following passage and explain using examples from the text. Try not to use a word already used in the text.
Winter Garden Vivian Zabel Stark naked flower stalks Stand shivering in the wind. The cheerless sun hides its black light Behind bleak, angry clouds, While trees vainly try To catch their escaping leaves. Carpets of grass turn brown, Blending morosely with the dreary day. Winter seems the death of life forever.

Mood word:____________________________________________________________________ Explain____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

Spring Garden Vivian Zabel Stunningly dressed flower stalks Stand shimmering in the breeze. The cheerful sun hides playfully Behind white, fluffy, cotton-ball clouds, While trees whisper secrets To their rustling leaves. Carpets of grass greenly glow Blending joyfully with the day. Spring brings life to death.

Mood word: ____________________________________________________________ Explanation:________________________________________________________________________

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

So, what is the difference between tone and mood anyway?

Think of it this way: Tone is how the author feels; mood is the way the author is trying to make you feel. Here are some steps to follow to tell them apart: Step1 Find a scene or passage in the fictional text to analyze and read it through out loud. Step2 Write down the sensory feelings you have while reading. Are you angry, left in suspense, or curious? Step3 Describe the setting. How are the objects and people described? Try to draw an image of what you read. Step4 Write Mood at the top of this page. Mood is the term used to describe the feeling of a piece of literature. When you read a novel and get a feeling of suspense or mystery, this is the mood you are uncovering. Step5 On another piece of paper write down what you think the author thinks about the characters or subject in the story. How does the author treat these elements? Are they sarcastic, pessimistic or hopeful? Step6 Write Tone at the top of this page. Tone is the word used to describe the authors opinion about the story, character or events. Tone can be found in fiction and non-fiction by looking at the way the author describes things and what words they choose. Step7 Practice! The key to learning is repetition. Try to find the mood and tone of different pieces of fiction and non-fiction. Keep practicing until you know youve got it.

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Using TPCASTT for Analysis of Literature

T P C

Title

What do the words of the title suggest to you? What denotations are presented in the title? What connotations or associations do the words possess? Translate the piece in your own words. What is the piece about? What meaning does the piece have beyond the literal meaning? Form Point of View Symbolism Diction Details Figurative Language Imagery Allusions

Paraphrase

Connotation

A S T T

Attitude

Other Devices (antithesis, apostrophe, sound devices, irony, oxymoron, paradox, pun, sarcasm, understatement) What is the speakers attitude? How does the speaker feel about himself, about others, and about the subject? What is the authors attitude? How does the author feel about the speaker, about other characters, about the subject, and the reader? Where do the shifts in tone, setting, voice, etc. occur? Look for time and place, keywords, punctuation, stanza divisions, changes in length or rhyme, and sentence structure. What is the purpose of each shift? How do they contribute to effect and meaning? Reanalyze the title on an interpretive level. What part does the title play in the overall interpretation of the piece? List the subjects and the abstract ideas in the piece. Then determine the overall theme. The theme must be written in a complete sentence.

Shifts

Title

Theme

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Using DIDLS for Analysis of Literature

Diction

I D L S

Images/ Imagery Details Language

The connotation of the word choice. Look at adjectives, nouns, verbs, adverbs, negative words, positive words, synonyms, contrast. L: low or informal diction (dialect, slang, jargon, colloquial) E: elevated language or formal diction (polysyllabic, sophisticated syntax, elegant word choice) A: abstract or concrete diction o Abstract refers to words that denote ideas, emotions, conditions, or concepts that are intangible o Concrete refers to specific words that describe physical qualities or conditions D: denotation and connotation o Denotation refers to the exact literal definition of the word o Connotation refers to implicit meanings of words: suggestions, associations, and emotional overtones Identify images and sensory details. Sensory details may include: smell, taste, touch, sight, sound, organic (internal senses: knots in the stomach), and kinesthetic (physical movements: scrunching up of the nose). specifics the author includes about facts or his opinion Words that describe the entire body of words in a text, not isolated bits of diction Rhetorical Devices -- The use of language that creates a literary effect to enhance and support. Literary Devices : alliteration, symbolism, simile, metaphor, personification, analogy, etc How structure affects the readers attitude. Consider the following patterns and structures: Does the sentence length fit the subject matter? Why is the sentence length effective? What variety of sentence lengths are present? Sentence beginnings Variety or Pattern? Arrangement of ideas in sentences Arrangement of ideas in paragraph Pattern? Punctuation

Syntax/ Sentence Structure

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

SOAPSTONE
Questions Answer with specific textbased evidence

S=Subject O=Occasion

What is the subject of the piece? What events prompt the speaker to speak? Is there an immediate cause or a later occasion that gives the piece a larger meaning? To whom is the author speaking? How do you know this is the intended audience? What was the creators message to the audience? What does he/she hope to accomplish? What conclusions can you draw about the speaker? What is the creators attitude toward the subjects of the piece? The audience? The occasion?

A=Audience

P=Purpose

S=Speaker T=Tone

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Literary Terms: 1. alliteration: the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words 2. analogy: a comparison of two things, alike in certain aspects; particularly a method used in EXPOSITION and DESCRIPTION by which something unfamiliar is explained or described by comparing something more familiar 3. antagonist: a force working against the protagonist (main character); it may be another character, society, a force of nature, or even a force within the main character 4. antonyms: words of opposite meaning 5. authors purpose: the authors reason for creating a particular work can be to entertain, inform/explain, express an opinion, or persuade the reader. 6. character: the person(s), animal(s), or imaginary creatures that performs the action in a story a. round: many traits, faults as well as virtues b. flat: one dimensional, only see part of them c. dynamic: develops and grows over the course of the story d. static: never changes, remains the same throughout the story e. foil: a character who serves as a contrast or challenge to the main character 7. characterization: techniques a writer uses to create, reveal, and develop his/her characters a. direct: comments about the characters nature/personality b. indirect: i. physical description ii. characters thoughts iii. characters words/speech iv. characters actions v. what others say about the character 8. complications: small problems in the rising action that adds to the suspense of a story

9. conflict: a problem or struggle between two or more opposing forces a. internal conflict i. person vs. self: A character struggles with himself and his thoughts/feelings/emotions b. external conflict i. person vs. person: One character has a problem with another character(s)

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate? ii. person vs. society: A character has a problem with society, the school, the law, or a tradition iii. person vs. nature: A character struggles against an element of nature: a blizzard, hurricane, extreme heat, flood, etc. iv. person vs. fate (God): A character struggles with a problem that seems to be out of his/her control 10. connotation: an implied meaning of a word, in addition to the dictionary meaning 11. denotation: the literal meaning of a word, the dictionary meaning 12. dialect: a form of language that is spoken in a particular place or by a particular group of people 13. dialogue: the words that characters speak to each other 14. fiction: a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact 15. figurative language: language that says one thing but means another including irony, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, etc. 16. flashback: the action of the story reverts back to events in the past to reveal plot, character details, and theme 17. foreshadowing: a technique used by a writer to provide hints of future events in a story 18. genre: a type or category of literature including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama 19. hyperbole: extreme exaggeration 20. idiom: an expression whose meaning is different from the meanings of its individual words 21. imagery: words and phrases appealing to the readers five senses 22. inference: logical guess or conclusion based on evidence 23. irony: a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens/exists 24. metaphor: a comparison of two things NOT using like or as 25. monologue: a speech given by one character in a play 26. mood: the feeling a reader gets from a piece of writing 27. moral: the lesson that the writing teaches 28. narrative: any writing that tells a story 17

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

29. nonfiction: written works intended to give facts or true accounts of real things and events 30. onomatopoeia: a word that imitates the sound it represents 31. personification: the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea 32. plot: The storys action and a series of events. typically contains five parts: a. exposition: the beginning of the story in which the setting and characters are introduced b. rising action: the problems that arise as characters try to solve conflict c. climax/turning point: the point of greatest interest or suspense in a story d. falling action: the events of the story that lead to the ending/resolution e. resolution: the end of the story in which the conflict or problem is resolved 33. poetry: an imaginative awareness of experience expressed through meaning, sound, and rhythmic language choices so as to evoke an emotional response 34. point of view: the perspective from which the story is told a. first person point of view: The narrator is a character in the story and uses pronouns like I, me, my, we, etc. b. second person point of view: The narrator is addressing YOU and tells you what to see, think, say. c. third person limited point of view: The narrator is not a character and knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character. d. third person omniscient point of view: The narrator is not a character in the story and knows the thoughts and feelings of more than one character.. 35. prediction: a guess about future events supported by knowledge from the text 36. prose: ordinary writing as distinguished from verse 37. protagonist: The main character who is involved in the storys conflict. 38. rhyme: a pattern of words that contain similar end sounds 39. rhythm: a recognizable pulse, or "recurrence," which gives a distinct beat to a line and also gives it a shape 40. setting: the time and place of the storys action 41. simile: a comparison of two things using like or as 42. stanza: a unified group of lines in poetry similar to a paragraph 43. style: a way of writing that involves how something is said rather than what

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate? 44. symbol: a person, place, thing, or object that stands for something beyond itself 45. synonyms: words that have the same or nearly the same meaning 46. text-based support: evidence from a text in the form of direct or indirect quotation 47. theme: a message about life or human nature that is communicated in the story 48. tone: expresses the authors attitude toward his or her subject

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

FRIENDLY LETTER outline for reading letter September 12, 2013 Dear Alicia, I am reading Inheritance by Christopher Paolini. It is an exciting book and well worth waiting for it. His characters are very believable and strong. Eragon gets angry at his friends when they disagree with him, but because he believes he is right, he follows his own plan. When they are attacked in the tunnel, Eragon doubts himself and wishes he had followed someone elses plan. That is the way I felt when my plans didnt work out. School is wonderful! I really like it. My classes are great, but my favorite is Communication Arts. I am doing very well in all classes. Please write back soon!
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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Your friend,

Ideas for Letters

I wonder what____________means. I really dont understand the part where. Are you like any of the characters in this book? Explain. Does anyone in the book remind you of someone you know? Explain. I think the setting is important because One character I like is ________because. One character I dislike is __________because This part of the book reminds me of something from my own life. What advice would you give to a character in this book? If you could be a character from this book, who you be and why? Do you like this book so far? Why or why not? What do you think the title means? Do you think the title fits this book? Explain. Would you change the ending of this book? If so, what would you change? Which part of this book do you think is the most important? Would you like to read something else written by this author? Why or why not?
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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

If you were a teacher, would you tell students they should read this book? Why or why not? What do you predict will happen the next time you read? I was surprised when What do you wish would happen in the book?

RAP
R A P Restate the question Answer the question Prove the answer Begin the answer by restating what the question is asking. Answer all parts of the question completely. Prove your answer with at least 2 pieces of text support!

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Fiction: not based on fact fantasy mysteries science fiction historical fiction action humorous graphic novel horror folk lore romance realistic fiction

Nonfiction: based on fact autobiographies biographies histories text books-science how to newspapers magazines journals diaries book of records essays speeches travelogues referencesdictionaries
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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

thesauruses almanacs

Fiction VS Nonfiction Discuss: What do you need to do differently as a reader when you pick up a fiction
piece versus a nonfiction piece?

Fiction Pre-reading strategies:

Preview by looking at the title and pictures and predict what the story will be about.

Nonfiction

Preview the title to see what the piece is about. Look at subheadings to see what details will be covered. Look at pictures captions, vocabulary, and graphics.

During reading strategies:

Track the events in the story and make predictions. Clarify ideas and Clarify and make adjustments to your thinking from your original

new vocabulary and think about questions that come to mind. Summarize as you read. Post reading strategies:

previewing. Summarize as you read.

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Summarize story. Determine tone, mood, theme, and authors purpose of the piece. Evaluate and reflect.

Summarize main ideas and supporting details. Evaluate tone and bias of the author. Determine authors purpose and if this is a reliable source.

**Note: Authors purpose determine tone.

Section 2: Why Write?

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

REFERENCES FOR WRITING

Get Rid of Get

arrive become convince earn persuade prepare receive understand purchase buy arrive take locate accomplish influence see hire grasp grab win take persue retrieve profit gain request take ask
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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

reach obtain

achieve overcome

ACTION WORDS
aching bashing bubbling beeping beaming blistering blinking blaring blinding battering bickering babbling crowing clucking creeping crackling coughing clanking chugging chatting clucking crunching cackling chanting crooning dribbling dazzling drifting engulfing entertaining flailing fuming floating flowing flapping flaring flittering flopping flickering glistening grinding gunning grinding gliding glaring glowing glittering groaning hooting hissing inviting jumping jerking kissing kicking laughing lighting loaning mumbling mocking moaning munching nailing nicking popping pouncing pattering piling pounding plopping peeping quacking reflecting roaring rattling rumbling shimmering shrieking sloshing sputtering sprinkling slapping sizzling soaring sizzling sparking smoking splashing streaking smashing scolding sailing trilling thumping thundering twinkling whipping whisking whirring wailing winking wheezing whistling yapping yelling zooming

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

dribbling dancing

leaping

spinning squawking

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS
Sight: flashy branching thin scalloped flared tubular swollen jutting fiery fragile miniature frightened hardy orderly exhausted worn dull formal twiggy shapely ruffled oval hollow lumpy irregular blazing pale timid terrified strong straight tired old drab frail elegant split broken winged shapeless frilled crimped conical cylindrical rotund chubby clustered padded proportioned angular verdant fresh pasty sickly shy fearful hysterical tall healthy robust curved loose ugly cheap used tied muddy stout scrolled skinny rolled crinkled wiry portly tufted triangular clean small tearful lean sturdy crooked messy packed wide tampering square unruffled calm sunny pleasant pendulous wild scrubbed tiny nervous slender lively awkward shabby rigid heavy

Touch: cool steamy slippery silky rough fragile furry Taste: tangy

cold damp mushy gritty thick tender

icy wet oily satiny pulpy prickly

lukewarm fleshy crispy sandy dry hairy

tepid rubbery elastic smooth dull fuzzy

warm tough leathery sharp thin feathery

gingery

hot

burnt

overripe

spoiled 28

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate? rotten spicy bittersweet Smell: sweet acrid musty reeking fresh fishy Sounds: crash bang shout bawl stomp clash bedlam earsplitting patter bleat still faint Fast: hurry skip unripe peppery bland raw oily hearty alkaline buttery mellow sickly pungent aromatic savory dank gamy thump roar whine rumble discord riot blatant rowdy whit snap zing Slow: creep slouch saunter slink medicinal fishy salty bitter sugary crisp scented burnt perfumed putrid stench piney boom scream squawk slam jangle racket deafening disorderly rustle hiss gurgle odorous mouldy spicy damp earthy rancid thunder screech bark clap rasp brawl raucous twitter crackle swish melody

minty acidy stagnant fragrant gaseous tempting mildewed heady sharp rotten sour spoiled thud bump smash explode yell whistle rage blare stamp nose clamor tumult pandemonium hubbub murmur piercing hum whisper peep buzz speechless mute inaudible run dart scamper scramble

crawl bend sneak stalk

plod tiptoe stray edge

Prepositions: about along behind beyond for near over to upon Helping verbs: above among below by from of since toward with across around beneath down in off past under within against at beside during into on through until without after before between except inside out throughout up outside

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate? is am was were are have has had be being been were tastes grows can could shall should will would may might must do does did

Linking verbs: is am being be been appears

was remains sounds

are seems continues

turns becomes

feels

Transitional Words and Phrases

Using transitional words and phrases helps papers read more smoothly. They provide logical organization and understandability and improve the connections and transitions between thoughts. A coherent paper allows the reader to flow from the first supporting point to the last. Transitions indicate relations, whether within a sentence, paragraph, or paper. This list illustrates "relationships" between ideas, followed by words and phrases that can connect them.

Transitions:

in addition moreover underneath third similarly equally to conclude however accordingly as a result

soon further while equally important first between besides finally as though to begin with yet so that therefore thus consequently hence otherwise instead of on the other hand

next again farther last first of all unfortunately though although then notwithstanding
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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

Banned Word List

The following words or phrases are forever banned from use in your writing-no matter how formal or informal! get very good nice a lot got fun great happy big said just lots well fine every so

Hi, Im going to tell you about In this paragraph He/She says I think/believe Due to the fact that and stuff/and things You (in expository writing) Thanks for reading my paper. The End

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Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate?

List of words to replace very intensely exceedingly bitterly surely especially unusually Truly richly mightily powerfully immeasureably Infinitely severely shockingly slightly incredibly fully

List of words to replace said blurted grunted grumbled growled spat seethed sneered rebuked whinged jeered scoffed snarled frown grimaced scowled stammered stuttered slurred

blubbered burped belched sighed whispered muttered murmured lied cursed evaded exaggerated reported laughed snorted smirked grinned chortled stirred remarked suggested interjected

pointed out added offered answered countered continued reminded remembered reminisced panted puffed huffed breathed coughed wheezed gasped exasperated gave in conceded apologized told

stated commented claimed called called back spoke spoke up interrupted cut-off injected corrected shouted spouted joined in screamed told off admonished snapped insisted disagreed objected 32

Why Read? Why Write? Why Speak? Why Investigate? disapproved frowned warned gestured cautioned denied agree confirmed shrugged retorted nodded responded decided approved reassured admitted assured soothed acknowledged asked pleaded appealed inquired requested queried questioned demanded commanded

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KEEP Punctuation Rules - When do I use it?

Periods At the end of a declarative sentence At the end of an imperative sentence After numerals and letters in outlines After an abbreviation or an initial Question Marks At the end of an interrogative sentence Exclamation Marks At the end of an exclamatory sentence After a very strong interjection (Help!) At the end of an imperative sentence that exclaims Commas To separate items in a series (dogs, cats, and birds) To separate a direct quotation from the rest of a sentence To separate the day of the month from the year To separate the names of a city and a state To separate a name from a title (Barack Obama, President) To set off adjectives in an appositive position To set off introductory words like no and now To set off transitional words like however, moreover, and nevertheless To set off a name used in direct address (Zach, please come here.) To set off most words used in an appositive After the greeting in a friendly letter (Dear John,) After the closing in any letter (Sincerely,) After a mild interjection within a sentence (Oh, I almost forgot.) After an introductory clause or phrase

Before the conjunction in a compound sentence Whenever necessary to make meaning clear Apostrophes To show possession In contractions To form plurals of letters, figures, signs Quotation Marks To enclose the exact words of a speaker Around titles of short plays, short stories, short poems, chapter titles, and songs

Colons In writing time (6:45) To introduce a list After the greeting in a business letter Semicolons To join independent clauses in a compound sentence when a conjunction is not present Underlining Below handwritten or typewritten titles of movies, newspapers, books, magazines, ships, and trains ItalicsTo identify typed titles of movies, newspapers, books, magazines, ships, and trains Hyphens In writing compound numbers (twenty-two) To divide a word at the end of a line Parentheses

To enclose material that is supplementary, explanatory, or interpretive

GRADE:

LINDBERGH DISTRICT WRITING RUBRIC 6 Mastery

Designates a clearly impressive piece of expositional or referential writing
The main idea is very clearly stated, and the topic is effectively limited, successfully unifying the work as a whole.

5 Mastery
Designates an effective piece of expositional or referential writing
The main idea is clear, and the topic is limited, unifying the work as a whole.

4 Developing
Designates a competent piece of expositional or referential writing
The main idea is clear or clearly implicit, and the topic is partially limited, providing a degree of unification to the work as a whole. A logical plan is signaled by transitions; the essays beginning and end are somewhat effective; most major ideas are set off by paragraphs which mainly have stated or implied topics.

3 Developing
Designates an adequate piece of expositional or referential piece of writing
The main idea is unclear, and the topic is only partially limited; with a lesser degree of unification to the work as a whole.

2 Non-Mastery
Designates a rudimentary piece of expositional or referential writing
The main idea is unclear, and the topic is unlimited; the work lacks unity.

1 Non-Mastery
Designates an incoherent piece of expositional or referential writing
The subject and main idea are unclear; no apparent attempt has been made to limit the topic or to unify the work.

FOCUS

(IDEAS)

ORGANIZATION

A logical plan is signaled by highly effective transitions; the essays beginning and end are clearly and effectively related to the whole; all major ideas are set off by paragraphs which have clearly stated or implied topics.

A logical plan is signaled by some transitions; the essays beginning and end are clearly and effectively related to the whole; almost all major ideas are set off by paragraphs which have clearly stated or implied topics.

There is an attempted plan which the reader must infer; the essays beginning and end may be ineffective; some major ideas are set off by paragraphs which may have stated or implied topics.

There is no clear plan; the essays beginning and end are not effective; few major ideas are set off by paragraphs.

There is no discernable plan; no attempt is made to compose an effective beginning and end; major ideas are not set off by paragraphs.

NAME:

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

(IDEAS)

The work consistently reflects complexity through in-depth analytical thinking and observations and original insights supported by concrete, specific evidence. The sentences demonstrate a variety of structural patterns, relate to each other and the paragraph topic, and are subordinate to the topic; the word and phrase choice is precise, vivid and sophisticated; the tone is appropriate and consistent. There are no major mechanical errors (e.g. agreement) and only one or two minor errors (e.g. spelling); format is correct.

The work reflects complexity through analytical thinking and observations with some insight, and is supported by concrete, specific evidence. Paragraphs are built on logically related sentences; word and phrase choice is consistently accurate; tone is appropriate and usually consistent.

The work reflects some degree of complexity, analytical thinking and insight, and is supported by concrete and specific evidence. Sentences in paragraphs are subordinate to topics; word choice is almost always accurate; tone is sometimes appropriate.

The work reflects little complexity, analytical thinking and insight, and is supported by concrete but generalized evidence.

The work reflects no complexity, analytical thinking or insight, and is supported by imprecise, unclear or redundant evidence. Sentence relationships at times are confusing; word choice is frequently inaccurate; tone is inappropriate.

The work reflects no attempt at complexity, analytical thinking or insight and has few supporting details.

STYLE N2SSWTSW

(SENTENCE FLUENCY, WORD CHOICE, VOICE)

Sentences may not be subordinate to topics; word choice is generally accurate; tone is often inappropriate.

Sentence relationships must be inferred; word choice is often confusing; tone is inappropriate or distracting.

CORRECTNESS Major: sentences grammar Minor: capitals spelling

There is only one major mechanical error or a few (four) minor errors; format is correct.

There may be two major mechanical errors or a few (four) minor errors; format is mostly correct.

Some (four or more of each) major or minor mechanical errors are present; format is somewhat correct.

Many (six or more of each) major or minor mechanical errors cause confusion; format is incorrect.

Many varied major and minor errors occur, making the paper difficult to read; format is incorrect or missing.

punctuation Source material is incorporated logically, insightfully and elegantly; sources are documented accurately. Source material is incorporated logically and proficiently; sources are documented accurately. Source material is incorporated logically and adequately; sources are documented accurately for the most part. Source material is incorporated but sometimes inappropriately or unclearly; documentation is occasionally accurate. Source material is inappropriately or unclearly incorporated; documentation is infrequent and/or inaccurate. Source material is never incorporated or incorporated inappropriately or unclearly; documentation is inaccurate and/or infrequent.

(CONVENTIONS) REFERENCES

Comments:

Section 3:

Why Speak?

Oral Presentation Guidelines

Purpose and Content: A well documented, well planned, and well-structured presentation can be ineffective if the presentation is delivered poorly. The delivery phase can make or ruin a presentation. The purpose of an oral presentation is to provide key points on which to focus in the delivery of the presentation, and to maximize its effectiveness. Delivering a Presentation: The delivery phase of an oral presentation can make or ruin a presentation. There are four key factors in the successful delivery of a presentation. 1. Timing: Timing is of crucial importance. Do not ramble or talk needlessly. Some people simply freeze, and some cannot sit down when they get on their feet to talk. Try to stick to the prepared speech. Judge your timing by practice. (Many class presentations run anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes.) 2. Attention Span: The level of audiences attention during a presentation varies considerably. In general, the attention is high at the beginning of the presentation, but tends to fall after 10 minutes. Therefore, it is important to highlight or repeat key ideas during a long presentation.

Something like, Let me summarize what I just said will boost the level of attention. It is also important not to simply fade away at the end of the presentation. Never leave the audience at a low level of attention. The speaker should use some clue to alert the audience to the fact that the end is coming, and that there is some summary or highlight to be expected. Never end a presentation with This is the end of my presentation, thank you. 3. Personal Approach: Personal features of the speaker have a major impact on how the presentation is received. A. Gesture: These can be used to highlight points or to make additional emphasis when needed. Do not, however, repeat the same gesture for more than ten times in a single presentation. B. Voice: The speaker should use sufficient volume to be heard. Modulation is also important. It is the process of varying the pitch or level of the voice. Speaking in a monotone manner or at the same level might put the audience to sleep. A monotonous high level voice should also be avoided since it might be tiring to listen to. C. Eye Contact: The speaker should make every attempt to look at the eyes of the audience as often as possible. You will gain trust, involvement and interest. The smaller the size of the audience, the more eye contact is needed. D. Breathing: It is important to continue to talk in a loud voice. Breathing can also be used to generate a pause, and to emphasize an earlier discussed point.

Speech Preparation
The preparation of a speech may require considerable time. This is because the effectiveness of the presentation has to be maximized. An oral presentation should aim at conveying a message to an audience, but at the same time it must emphasize only the major points. Even though too much detail in a presentation will lead to a loss of focus, an oral presentation is not necessarily superficial or lacking in rigor. One thing that makes giving a presentation somewhat difficult is to condense facts into concise ideas. Effective presentations need good visual aids and logical sequence. I. Visual Aids: Visual aids help to make a presentation more effective, mainly because they crystallize ideas, and they assist in the retention of information. Visual aids also keep the speaker on track and generate interest. Rules to observe when preparing visual aids: A. Keep it simple B. Minimize words C. Use large points D. Use exact phrasing E. Use color

F. Prepare handout (your audience can make notes on the handout) II. Logical Sequence Step 1. Tailor the message to match the audience. Step 2. Your visual aid may look perfect on the computer screen but may print out or project very differently. Have only one key message per slide, overhead or flip chart. This allows the presenter to reinforce the key point without the audience reading ahead to the next key point. Step 3. Adequate rehearsal is essential for a good presentation to create a comfortable flow in the presentation as a whole. Step 4. After giving a presentation, evaluate how the presentation went. If possible, every member of the audience should be asked to complete an evaluation sheet for the speaker.

Section 4:

Why Investigate?

MLA Formatting Guidelines

MLA (Modern Language Association) style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and using the English language in writing. MLA style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental un-credited use of source material by other writers. General Guidelines Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper. Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font like Times New Roman or Courier. The font size should be 10-12 pt. Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise instructed by your instructor). Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. Indent the first line of a paragraph one half-inch (five spaces or press tab once) from the left margin. Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, onehalf inch from the top and flush with the right margin.

Use italics throughout your essay for the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, providing emphasis. .

Formatting the First Page of Your Paper Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested. In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text. Double space again and center the title. Don't underline your title or put it in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case, not in all capital letters. Use quotation marks and italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text, e.g., o Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Morality Play o Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking" Double space between the title and the first line of the text. Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number;

How to create a MLA formatted document

From the Start menu choose New Microsoft Word Document. When the dialogue box opens, select Blank Document. The alternate method is to go to Programs, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word. Once the Word document opens, complete the following steps to format your paper MLA style: Setting up your blank document: Your paper should have a 1 inch margin, be double-spaced, with no extra space before or after paragraphs. Go to the Page Layout tab. Select Margins, click on Normal. Click on Orientation and make sure you have selected Portrait. Double-space your document On the Home tab, go to the Paragraph group and click on the line spacing option

Line spacing You need to select the down arrow, click on 2.0 for double spacing. Remember to remove space before and after paragraphs.

Change the font to Times New Roman, size 12 Now you are ready to begin typing the heading for your paper.

Inserting a page number Go to the insert tab. Select Page number. You will find this under the Header & Footer section.

Once you click on page number, select Top of Page, Plain Number 3. The page number is on the right side. Simply type your last name, hit the space bar. Make sure you change the font to Times New Roman, size 12 because it will default to Calibri, size 11. To close the header, double click on the page OR go back to the Insert tab and select CLOSE HEADER AND FOOTER.

Now that most of your paper is set up, it is time to type the heading for the first page of your document.

The heading for your paper: Start at the top of the page. Type the following: Your first and last name Your teachers name Name of the class Day Month Year

Here is an example:

Outline Format
What is an Outline?
An outline is a formal system used to think about and organize your paper. For example, you can use it to see whether your ideas connect to each other, what order of ideas works best, or whether you have sufficient evidence to support each of your points. Outlines can be useful for any paper to help you see the overall picture.

There are two kinds of outlines: the topic outline and the sentence outline. The topic outline consists of short phrases. It is particularly useful when you are dealing with a number of different issues that could be arranged in a variety of ways in your paper. The sentence outline is done in full sentences. It is normally used when your paper focuses on complex details. The sentence outline is especially useful for this kind of paper because sentences themselves have many of the details in them. A sentence outline also allows you to include those details in the sentences instead of having to create an outline of many short phrases that goes on page after page. Both topic and sentence outlines follow rigid formats, using Roman and Arabic numerals along with capital and small letters of the alphabet. This helps both you and anyone who reads your outline to follow your organization easily.

Sample Outline
Pelleqin 1 Finnegin Pellequin Mr. Shakespeare English 1 Honors 20 August 2008 My Sample Outline Thesis: This is where you put your thesis statement. Notice there is no numeral or letter. See the Writing Thesis Statements page in this booklet for help writing your thesis. I. Introduction-A main point follows a Roman numeral A. Minor points use capital letters B. Each minor point must refer to or be a part of the major point above 1. If there are sub-points below the minor point, use Arabic numerals. 2. Notice that each point is indented from according to its importance. 3. Each sub-point must be related to or a part of the minor point it follows. a. If there are points below sub-points, they use lower case letters.

b. They are indented below the sub-point and are related to the sub-point or part of the sub-point above it. 1.) Sometimes, there are even smaller subdivisions, 2.) And these use Arabic numerals with a parenthesis. C. The next minor point below the major point II. Body I-Next Major point follows Roman numeral II. A. Minor point B. Minor point 1. Sub-point 2. Sub-point

Important Points to note: 1. Each new major point, minor point, or sub point is indented under the other. 2. The entire outline is double spaced. 3. If you have an A, or major point, then you must have a B. The same is true for minor points and sub-points. 4. The outline should have a full MLA heading.

RESEARCH HELP DATABASES & MORE

From any Internet connection go to the Lindbergh School District home page at: www.lindberghschools.ws. 1. Click on Library Resources on left side of the home page. 2. Select Databases and scroll down to make a selection.

DATABASES
Biography in Context, Gale Student Resources in Context, and Grolier:
User ID: sperreng, Password: sperreng ( lower case) (User ID and password needed for access at home.)

Biography In Context: contains biographical information on over 380,000 people

from throughout history, around the world, and across all subject areas. Information includes encyclopedia, magazine, and newspaper articles, as well as suggested websites.

Gale Student Resources in Context: contains millions of reference, newspaper,

and periodical articles, as well as primary sources, charts, maps, graphs, tables, and video/audio clips. This is a thorough source with content pertaining to all subject areas.

Grolier: contains two different databases--Multimedia Encyclopedia (provides

encyclopedia and magazine articles, websites, maps, and images) & America the Beautiful (provides encyclopedia articles, websites, biographies, timelines, games, and almanac information relating to the United States of America).

Gale Net
User ID: lindberghlibrary (lower case) (User ID needed for access at home.)

Gale Net: contains multiple databases on a variety of topics. A few of the more helpful
ones are described below. 1. General Onefile: contains news and periodical articles on a wide range of topics: computers, current events, environmental issues, hobbies, law, literature and art, politics, science, social science, sports, technology, and many general interest topics. It provides access to millions of full-text articles, many with images. Updated daily. (continued on back)

Gale Net (continued)

2. Discovering Collection: covers the core curriculum areas, including history, literature, science, social studies, and more. Discovering Collection provides a premium selection of reference material, primary sources, creative works, and

multimedia, including hours of video and audio clips. This is an excellent resource for country information.

3. Junior Edition: is designed for students in junior high and middle school with access to a variety of indexed and full-text magazines, newspapers, and reference books. Topics covered are current events, the arts, science, popular culture, health, people, government, history, sports and more.

4. Kids InfoBits: was developed especially for beginning researchers in Kindergarten through Grade 5. The content is from the best elementary reference sources and magazines. This database covers geography, current events, the arts, science, health, people, government, history, sports and more.

5. InfoTrac Newstand: is a full-text newspaper database which contains articles from over 1,000 newspapers, and allows the user to search by title, date, headline, or newspaper section.

******************************************************************

St. Louis County Library Online Resources

Website: www.slcl.org
Databases: There are a wide variety of databases available. Simply go to the website listed above, and click on Databases from the menu. Under the menu, there is link labeled Databases for Students. Once you click on this option, links to specific databases appear. Some of the titles include: African-American History Online History Resource Center (U.S. and World) Science Online Biography Reference Bank Select Issues and Controversies Gale Student Resources in Context Culture Grams ProQuest Newspapers World Book Online

eMedia: From the main page of the website, click on eMedia from the menu. You will be brought to a page where you can access e-books, audiobooks, and videos. NOTE: Library card number required for access to databases and eMedia

Useful Links
Citations-Explains the rules of citations (Please continue to refer to this website as the rules change periodically.) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Citation Builder http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/

MAP
7 Hints for Doing Your Best on the Test
(By the way, these work for ALL tests!)

1. Include specific examples from the text. 2. Do NOT begin an answer with a pronoun (He, She). Use the persons name. 3. Do NOT write outside in the page margins. 4. Include a title and labels on graphic organizers. 5. Use RAP when writing a response. 6. Eliminate answers you KNOW are wrong first. Then, choose the best answer. 7. Fill your belly and rest your body.

*Show that test who is boss, and make yourself proud!