User's Manual

W RITE ON! LESSONS FOR NEO
Write On! Lesson Categories and Teaching Supplements
261
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NEO
User Manual
Poetry and
Word
Building
(Continued)
Where the
Sidewalk
Bends
By reading and writing poems on themes that have been
developed by some of their favorite poets, students gain
greater control over poetic language, rhythm and imagery.
The Process
of Writing
Character
Sketch I
Activities on Character Sketch I have students practice six
strategies for developing a character: description, setting,
dialogue, interaction, action, and narrative. Files are
arranged to give students practice in recognizing and
imitating techniques in the order shown above. One or more
techniques for study and imitation can appear in any one
lesson. Students are encouraged to use a variety of
techniques in their own writing. All files can be used by
students working individually, in pairs, or in cooperative
groups.
Finding a
Writing
Style I
Sentence structure, use of vivid and appropriate language,
maintaining and varying tone, using metaphor, and the effect
of point of view are topics addressed. Passages from the
following novels are used and become models of writing
styles: Island of the Blue Dolphins, Where the Red Fern
Grows, A Wrinkle in Time, The Red Badge of Courage, The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer, The Wind in the Willows, The Lion, the Witch and
the Wardrobe, and My Side of the Mountain.
Letters,
Forms,
Applications
Writing a good letter, whether for friendship or business, is a
skill to be encouraged. Forms for writing letters are modeled
to give practice in writing both formal and informal letters.
Then, too, students in intermediate grades are on the verge of
the form-filled world that many adults dislike but take for
granted. Filling out a form can be intimidating! To ease
anxiety, a variety of forms are described and students are
given practice in filling out a form for a present or future
need. Forms described range from a form used to obtain a
library card to a form used for reporting a theft.
Moral
Dilemmas I
Students are provided with several moral dilemmas. Prewrite
activities lead student writing groups through a brainstorm of
ideas and thoughts about each dilemma, further analysis and
refinement, and the writing of a position statement or
statements. Then each student writes an essay supporting his
or her chosen position and stating their personal feelings on
the issue. Students carry their essays through first draft, peer
review, and final proofreading. Through healthy discussion
and debate on these issues, students can learn a lot about
themselves and their values as well as gain practice in group
discussion and decision-making and in writing expository
essays on relevant issues.
2_Middle School (Continued)