Download Writing - Skills Tutor

SkillsTutor
Writing
Classroom Guide
Table of Contents
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................................ 1
Basic Skills Lessons ............................................................................................................................ 2
Quizzes ..................................................................................................................................................2
Thinking Skills Lessons ........................................................................................................................2
Tests ......................................................................................................................................................3
Reproducible Worksheets ......................................................................................................................3
Basic Skills Lesson Summaries .................................................................................................................. 5
Language Mechanics ............................................................................................................................7
Language Usage ....................................................................................................................................8
Sentence Structure ................................................................................................................................9
Clear Writing and Paragraphs..............................................................................................................10
Thinking Skills Lesson Summaries............................................................................................................11
About Thinking Skills..........................................................................................................................11
Lesson Content ....................................................................................................................................11
Lesson Summaries ..............................................................................................................................12
Thinking Skills Worksheets........................................................................................................................15
Assignment Sheet...................................................................................................................................... 25
© 2001 Achievement Technologies, Inc.
All rights reserved.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Getting Started
This product is a comprehensive resource for diagnosing and remediating students’ basic
Writing skills.
The SkillsTutor management system (OTS) provides several important features:
•
Tests students’ skills, providing both pretests and posttests to make initial assessments and
gauge student progress
•
Makes assignments, based on students’ pretest results
•
Monitors student scores and completion of activities
•
Produces reports for individual students
•
Provides online documentation
This guide outlines the content and activities of Writing. Information on the management system
(OTS) is provided under separate cover in the SkillsTutor User’s Guide.
6 1 6
Basic Skills Lessons
Each lesson begins with one or more screens that review a concept. Lessons continue with a
number of multiple-choice questions to reinforce the student’s understanding of the topic, as
illustrated below.
These instructions will help the student take full advantage of the features of SkillsTutor lessons:
•
Use the mouse to answer questions: click on the correct answer.
•
Click Hint for help in answering a question.
•
If a question is missed, the student will be told why the answer is wrong. The student
should read the response carefully, and try again. The student cannot move to the next question until the current question is answered correctly, so reading and answering carefully will
save time.
•
The student may review the instructional material at any time during the lesson by clicking
Review. After going through the review screens, the student returns to the question that was
being answered before the review. The student may return to the question before completing
the review by clicking Resume.
•
There may be times when the student needs to exit the program before completing an activity.
To end an activity, close the activity window.
•
When the student finishes answering all of the questions in an activity, a score is displayed.
The score, expressed as a percent, is the number of questions answered correctly out of all
the questions attempted.
Quizzes
Quizzes operate similarly to lessons. However, quizzes have no introductory instructional material, and they do not require you to answer each question correctly before moving to the next
question. Detailed feedback is provided for all questions.
Thinking Skills Lessons
Each Thinking Skills lesson begins with a scenario or story that presents a problem to solve.
This is the theme that is carried through the entire lesson, and the problem is solved as the
lesson progresses.
The opening scenario or story is followed by a discussion of the thinking skill needed to solve the
problem. Step-by-step instructions and examples for using the thinking skill are provided on screen.
The problem is solved through a series of questions which require the student to use the steps
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involved in the thinking skill. Some of the questions have only one right answer. Other
questions have more than one correct answer.
For a question of this type, read carefully and select as many of the answers as seem appropriate. To select an answer, click the box next to it to place an X in the box. If a box is marked by
mistake, click again to remove the X. Click the Hint button for help in answering a question.
Click the Check button to see feedback for answers.
At the conclusion of the lesson, a summary screen highlights the thinking skill that was used
and the problem that was solved in the lesson. Then the score for the lesson is presented. The
score is based on points accumulated, rather than the number of questions answered.
Tests
SkillsTutor offers content-area pretests and posttests modeled on standardized tests. Pretests and
posttests have no introductory instructional material. Like the questions for quizzes, the test
questions are presented in multiple-choice format to give students practice in answering
standardized-test questions. After each test, students have the opportunity to review the questions they missed. Feedback is provided for each missed question.
Reproducible Worksheets
SkillsTutor contains reproducible worksheets for each Thinking Skills lesson. The worksheets
may be used to extend the computer activity or as a homework assignment. They are provided
in this documentation and may be printed from the online version of the documentation, or photocopied from the printed version.
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Basic Skills
Lesson Summaries
Writing contains 53 lessons, 9 quizzes, and 8 tests in a hierarchical arrangement designed to
continually reinforce the concepts presented. On the following pages, there is a description and
example for each basic skills lesson. The lessons are arranged in the following content areas:
•
Language Mechanics
•
Language Use
•
Sentence Structure
•
Clear Writing and Paragraphs
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Lesson
#
Lesson
Title
Lesson Description
Example
Writing: Language Mechanics
1
Capitalization and Punctuation
in Letters
Students correct capitalization and punctuation
errors in highlighted parts of letters.
Highlighted: 8585 trout street
Correct: 8585 Trout Street
2
Identifying Errors in Personal
Letters
Based on what they learned in lesson 1, students correct capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling errors in highlighted parts of a personal
letter.
Highlighted: Dear Aunt Margaret
Correct: Dear Aunt Margaret,
3
Identifying Errors in Business
Letters I
Based on what they learned in lesson 1, students correct capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling errors in highlighted parts of a business
letter.
Highlighted: I am planning a spring trip to
Cape cod, and I hope to spend several days
in Provincetown.
Correct: I am planning a spring trip to Cape
Cod, and I hope to spend several days in
Provincetown.
4
Identifying Errors in Business
Letters II
Based on what they learned in lessons 1 and 3,
students correct capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling errors in highlighted parts of a business
letter.
Highlighted: Sincerely Yours,
Correct: Sincerely yours,
5
Capitalization and Punctuation
in Quotations
Students review the rules for capitalization and
punctuation in quotations. They correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling errors in highlighted portions of Benjamin Franklin’s Poor
Richard’s Almanac.
Highlighted: “early to bed and early to rise,”
Franklin wrote, “makes a man healthy,
wealthy, and wise.”
Correct: “Early to bed and early to rise,”
Franklin wrote, “makes a man healthy,
wealthy, and wise.”
6
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages I
Students correct capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling errors in highlighted portions of a
passage from Plato’s famous Apology.
Highlighted: Socrates had alot of very powerful enemies, and they eventualy had him
condemmed to death.
Correct: Socrates had a lot of very powerful
enemies, and they eventually had him condemmed to death.
7
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages II
Students correct capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling errors in an interview by a school
newspaper reporter.
Highlighted: Every Month, Jamie writes a
column for the “Arts and Entertainment”
section of her school newspaper.
Correct: Every month, Jamie writes a column for the “Arts and Entertainment” section of her school newspaper.
8
Using Commas with Clauses
and Phrases
After students learn the difference between
essential and nonessential clauses and
phrases, they correct punctuation errors in two
passages.
Highlighted: The town, which has been
known as an educational and literary center
since the early 1800s was home to several
famous authors.
Correct: The town, which has been known
as an educational literary center since the
early 1800s, was home to several famous
authors.
9
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages III
Based on what they learned in lessons 1, 7, and
8, students correct capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling errors in an article about jazz.
Special emphasis is placed on the punctuation
of essential and nonessential clauses.
Highlighted: According to many people,
jazz is Americas greatest contribution to the
music of the world.
Correct: According to many people, jazz is
America’s greatest contribution to the music
of the world.
Lesson
#
10
Lesson
Title
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages IV
Lesson Description
Example
Based on what they learned in lessons 1, 7, 8,
and 9, students correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling errors in a passage that
describes the photocopying process known as
“xerography.” Special emphasis is placed on
the punctuation of essential and nonessential
clauses.
Highlighted: The process, which is called
xeroxing, was invented by the American
physicist Chester Carlson.
Correct: The process which is called xeroxing was invented by the American physicist
Chester Carlson.
Writing: Language Usage
1
Nouns—A Review
Students learn that a noun is a word that is
used to name a person, place, or thing. They
also learn that a proper noun is a word that
names a specific person, place, or thing.
Nouns: woman, home, book
Proper Nouns: Bobby, Idaho, Ford
Easily confused nouns:
The principle was very clear.
The principal was very clear.
2
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages I
Students identify several types of language
usage and language mechanics errors found in
a passage that describes the invention of the
zipper.
Judson died in 1909, under the allusion
(illusion) that his invention was a failure.
3
Pronouns—A Review
Students review the use of pronouns in
various forms (e.g., subject, object, possessive,
reflexive, relative, and indefinite pronouns).
Subject: He liked the apples.
Object: Mark like them.
Possessive: These gloves are yours.
Reflexive: Give yourself a break!
4
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages II
Students identify and correct language usage
and language mechanics errors found in a personal letter about the misadventures of a weekend camper.
Her (She) and I argued the whole time over
what to buy and how to cook it.
5
Verbs—Number and Form
Students review the correct use of verbs and
learn about three of the most common errors in
verb usage: incorrect number, incorrect verb
form (or tense), and incorrect verb for the context of the sentence.
Singular - The tenor sings very well.
Plural - The tenors sing very well.
6
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages III
Students identify and correct several types of
language usage errors found in a passage that
describes some aspects of franchise business
enterprises.
The parent company owns the business's
name, patents, and trademarks; but local
businesspeople own and operates (operate) each retail outlet.
7
Verbs—The Six Tenses
Students learn that the tense of the verb should
agree with the tense implied by the rest of the
sentence.
Present - I call this meeting to order now.
Past - She called the meeting to order yesterday.
Future - He will call the meeting to order
next Friday.
8
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages IV
Students identify and correct several types of
language usage and language mechanics
errors found in a passage about weather
satellites.
Their (they) measure cloud-cover, snow
and ice, ocean and air temperatures, and
the greenness of vegetation.
9
Adjectives and Adverbs—A
Review
Students review the use of adjectives and
adverbs. Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other
adverbs.
The green car passed us. (Adj.)
The car passed us quickly. (Adv.)
10
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages V
Students identify and correct several types of
language usage and language mechanics
errors found in a passage that describes the
eating habits of the Venus flytrap.
The Venus flytrap is a plant that regular
(regularly) captures and eats insects.
Lesson
#
Lesson
Title
Lesson Description
Example
11
Prepositions—A Review
Students learn that prepositions show the relationship among various words in a sentence.
The books in the box are ready to be
shipped.
(In the sentence above, the relationship
between the books and the box is shown by
the preposition “in.”)
12
Identifying Errors in Prose
Passages VI
Students identify and correct several types of
language usage and language mechanics
errors in a passage that describes the historic
race to reach the South Pole.
He could of (could have) waited to see how
Amundsen fared, but instead he pushed
ahead with his own plans.
Writing: Sentence Structure
1
Complete and Simple Subjects
Students learn that the simple subject is the primary word or words that name the person,
place, or thing discussed in a sentence, and the
complete subject is the simple subject plus any
words that modify the simple subject. Students
identify complete and simple subjects in sentences.
My sister Janette works at the mall.
Simple Subject: sister
Complete Subject: My sister Janette
2
Complete and Simple
Predicates
Students learn that the simple predicate is the
verb in the sentence, and the complete predicate is the verb plus the verb description in the
sentence. Students identify simple and complete predicates in sentences.
Jane walked quickly and with determination.
Simple Predicate: walked
Complete Predicate: walked quickly and
with determination
3
Predicate Nominatives
Students learn that a predicate nominative is a
noun or pronoun which follows a linking verb
and describes the subject. Students identify
predicate nominatives in sentences.
The award is a scholarship.
Predicate Nominative: scholarship
Subject: award
Linking Verb: is
4
Predicate Adjectives
Students learn that a predicate adjective is an
adjective that follows a linking verb and
describes the subject. Students identify predicate adjectives in sentences.
The orchestra seemed large.
Predicate Adjective: large
Subject: orchestra
Linking Verb: seemed
5
Direct Objects
Students learn that the direct object is a noun or
pronoun that receives the action
of the verb or is affected by it. Students identify
direct objects in sentences.
He ate two apples.
I won the game.
6
Patterns in Sentences
Students identify patterns in sentences.
Allison and Dennis wrapped the gifts.
Subject: Allison and Dennis
Predicate: wrapped
Direct Object: the gifts
7
Sentence Fragments and
Run-On Sentences
Students identify complete sentences,
sentence fragments, and run-on sentences.
Complete: Martin went to the party.
Fragment: After the sun disappeared.
Run-On: Mike is going to the party Alice is
staying home.
8
Combining Short Sentences
Students use conjunctions and other
connective words to combine short
sentences.
I like candy. I like cake. I also like ice cream.
I like candy, cake, and ice cream.
9
Combining Subordinate Ideas
Students combine sentences by placing the
main idea in an independent clause and placing
the subordinating idea in a dependent clause.
I had to rest because I was sleepy.
Main Idea: I had to rest
Subordinate Clause: because I was sleepy
Lesson
#
Lesson
Title
Lesson Description
Example
Writing: Clear Writing and Paragraphs
1
Misplaced Modifiers
Students learn that to write clear sentences,
they must place modifiers as close as possible
to the words being modified.
Unclear: Gina returned a sweater to the
store that was too small.
Clear: Gina returned a sweater that was too
small to the store.
2
Dangling Modifiers
Students learn to identify sentences that contain dangling modifiers and two-way modifiers.
A dangling modifier does not clearly or reasonably refer to another word in the sentence. A
two-way modifier can be interpreted in more
than one way.
Dangling: When only 3 years old, John’s
father joined the army.
Two-way: Cara said after dinner she wanted
to dance.
3
Unclear Pronoun Reference
Students identify sentences in which the pronouns have clear antecedents. An antecedent
is a word or words that a pronoun replaces.
Unclear: Robert and Neil shared his lunch.
Clear: Wendy admitted that she was at
fault.
4
Nonparallel Grammatical Forms
Students learn that parallel ideas should be
expressed in the same grammatical form.
Incorrect: Eddie likes reading and to write.
Correct: Eddie likes reading and writing.
5
Wordiness
Students identify wordiness in writing. They are
taught to correct wordiness by avoiding
repeated ideas, redundant phrases, and wordy
phrases.
Repeated idea: On a regular basis, Bill periodically mows the lawn every other week.
Redundant phrase: large-sized
Wordy phrase: due to the fact that
6
Unnecessary Tense Shifts
Students identify unnecessary shifts in verb
tense.
Incorrect: She walked up to me and asks
me to dance.
Correct: She walked up to me and asked
me to dance.
7
Double Negatives
Students learn to avoid using two negatives in
the same phrase.
Incorrect: I didn’t get nothing in the mail.
Correct: I didn’t get anything in the mail.
8
Identifying the Topic Sentence
Students learn to select the best topic sentence
for a paragraph. This sentence identifies the
main idea, or the topic, of a paragraph.
On the whole, Maryland has a pleasant climate. Snow is infrequent in the winter.
Spring often begins in February. Mild fall
weather extends through November. In the
summer, it can be hot and humid, but the
average temperature is only 86°.
9
Developing the Topic Sentence
Students learn to identify sentences that support the ideas stated in topic sentences.
Topic sentence: Jay Weston is one of the
best running backs in our football league.
Supporting idea: He has great speed and
quick moves.
10
Irrelevant Sentences
Students learn to identify irrelevant sentences
in paragraphs.
The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of
dog. The poodle, however, is the most popular dog in America. Chihuahuas weigh
between 2 and 6 lbs. However, some Chihuahuas have weighed a mere 16 ounces.
11
Connecting Ideas in a
Paragraph
Students select appropriate connectives to link
ideas in a paragraph. Lists of connectives and
their functions are provided.
The roads were wet and slippery. Therefore, Natalie drove slowly.
12
Paragraph Logic and
Organization
Students arrange sentences in a paragraph in a
clear and logical order. They are presented with
three common ways to organize sentences:
chronological order, sequence order, and order
of importance.
Jill baked sugar cookies. First she gathered
the ingredients. Next, she combined the
ingredients. Finally, she put the cookie
dough on cookie sheets and placed them in
the oven.
Thinking Skills
Lesson Summaries
About Thinking Skills
To complement the efforts of teachers and programs focused on incorporating thinking skills (or
skills labeled as “higher order thinking,” “critical thinking,” “creative thinking,” “reasoning,” or
“problem-solving”), Writing includes thinking skills lessons as an integral part of its instruction.
Each Thinking Skills lesson provides students with direct instruction in a specific thinking skill.
Several different thinking skills are addressed and are repeated across different content areas.
The lessons instruct students in a step-by-step thinking process they can use each time they are
faced with a problem that requires them to use that thinking skill. We have chosen to group the
Writing thinking skills in two broad categories:
1. Extending Knowledge
Analogies
Classification
Sequencing
2. Drawing Conclusions
Induction
Problem Solving
Decision Making
Lesson Content
Each lesson begins by placing one of the thinking skills in the context of a problem or scenario
that ties the lesson together. After instruction in the thinking skill, students answer questions
related to the opening scenario that combine the targeted thinking skill as well as basic skills
learned in previous lessons. By the end of each lesson, students have practiced basic skills content and a thinking skill while solving a “real life” problem.
As you introduce your students to these lessons, you might find it helpful to point out the following features:
1. After the title screen, a problem or scenario is presented. This is the theme of the entire lesson and is solved as the lesson progresses.
2. The opening problem is followed by direct instruction in a specific thinking skill. A step-bystep process is presented to help students focus on the thinking skill that will be used to
respond to the opening problem. If students wish to reread any part of the scenario or steps,
they can return to these screens from any of the questions by selecting Review.
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3. A set of questions walks the students through the steps of the thinking process introduced in
the instruction. Through this sequence of questions, students apply their basic skills knowledge to solve the opening problem. Unlike the rest of the SkillsTutor lessons, many of the
questions in these lessons have more than one correct response to a multiple-choice question. Students should read carefully and mark as many of the boxes as seem appropriate to
answer each question.
4. At the conclusion of the questions, a summary screen highlights again the thinking skill that
was used and the problem that was solved in the lesson. Students then see their score for the
lesson, based on points accumulated rather than just the number of questions answered. This
scoring procedure tallies a point for each correct response given to a single question.
Lesson Summaries
On the following pages you will find a lesson summary and strategy or example for each of the
Writing Thinking Skills lessons. For teachers who want to focus on a particular thinking skill
with one or more students, this chart makes it easy to locate related lessons. Group discussion is
always encouraged as a means of improving metacognition, or getting students to think about
their thinking processes.
You will find a reproducible worksheet for each Thinking Skills lesson. The worksheet may be
used by students at the completion of the computer lesson or as a homework assignment. Each
worksheet concludes with a “Write Idea” which is a suggested writing activity that should help
students think through the process learned in the lesson and apply it to a new situation. Answer
keys are not provided for the worksheets since many of the activities are open-ended and do not
lend themselves to single “correct” answers. Encourage students to verbalize the thinking
processes they use on these worksheet questions. You might also have students discuss their
worksheet answers in small groups and correct each other’s papers.
6 12 6
Topic
Lesson Title
Lesson Summary
Analogies
Students compare relationships between pairs of terms.
Language Use
Teaming to Prepare
for a Test
Students learn a process for understanding
and solving analogies while helping their
team prepare for a test.
Example/Strategy
Students solve incomplete
analogies focusing on language
usage.
these : children :: this : child
break : broke :: lie : lay
dog : itself :: person : himself
Classification
Students determine the attributes of items and then group them into categories according to these
attributes.
Clear Writing and
Paragraphs
Writing and the
Constitution
Sequencing
Students examine information appropriate for sequencing, decide on a sequencing scheme, and then
arrange the information in order.
Language Usage
Editing a Sports
Story
Students edit a sports story by selecting
words that are suitable in intensity. By
sequencing according to intensity, students
determine the most appropriate words to
use as they edit.
Students sequence words
according to each word’s
emotional intensity.
Clear Writing and
Paragraphs
Writing a Humorous
Story
Students sequence sentences in a
paragraph written by someone who has
had a very bad day.
Students practice sequencing by
placing events in chronological
order.
Induction
Students examine the patterns in specific facts and then draw appropriate conclusions or generalizations.
Language
Mechanics
Sticky Keys and
Sticky Rules
Students analyze a memo to determine
which computer keys are malfunctioning
and which punctuation rules the writer
needs to review.
Students construct a chart to
organize and recognize patterns in
the punctuation errors on a memo.
Clear Writing and
Paragraphs
Editor of the
Pardeeville Gazette
Students use inductive thinking to discover
the rules about modifiers that a columnist
for the Pardeeville Gazette does and does
not know.
Students construct a chart
identifying patterns in a
columnist’s writing. From
specific observations, students
derive a general statement
concerning the columnist’s
understanding of rules about
modifiers.
Problem Solving
Students identify a goal and limiting conditions. Then they identify and evaluate possible solutions to the
problem.
Sentence
Structure
Matching Pets with
People
Students use the problem-solving process
to match pets with their owners.
Students construct a matrix to
complete and eliminate possible
owner/pet matches.
Favorite Toys
Students use the information provided in
complex and compound sentences as clues
to match children with their favorite toys.
Students construct a matrix to
complete and eliminate possible
child/toy matches.
Students use classification to assign
students to small groups for tutoring based
on errors made in their writing samples.
Students use Venn diagrams to
group and classify numbers.
Decision Making
Students identify the choices related to an unresolved issue. They evaluate their choices and reach an
appropriate decision.
Language
Mechanics
Who Should Be
Interviewed?
Students assume the role of a personnel
director and use decision making to decide
the best candidate to interview.
Students use weighted criteria to
judge the letter writing ability of
job candidates.
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Name:
Date:
Language Mechanics: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Decision Making: Who Should Be Interviewed?
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify what you are trying to decide.
Identify your choices.
Identify the standards important to the decision you are making.
Rate each standard according to its importance in making your
decision.
Score your choices according to how they meet each standard.
Multiply the scores of your choices by the rating for each standard.
Add each choice’s points for each standard. Then make your decision
based on the choice with the greatest number of points.
5.
6.
7.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
You must decide the best applicants to interview for the job of customer service clerk. After you review
their letters, you base your decision on how well the applicants know the mechanics of writing.
Directions: You get two letters, one from Lisa and one from Kevin. Use the chart below to rate their
skills. Then decide who is best. Choice scores are as follows: No errors, score = 3; Moderate errors
(1 or 2), score = 2; Many errors (more than 2), score = 1.
16 Norfolk St.
Stratford, CT 064
Aprill 12, 1997
23 Hill St.
Avon, CT. 06001
April 14, 1997
Personnel Director
Magnet media Corporetion
124 London Drive
New District, OH
Personnel Director
Magnet Media Corporation
124 London Drive
New District, OH 44851
Dear Sir:
I don't have time to list all my experience, so just let me say
that I think working for your company would be great fun.
Dear Sir:
For three years I have been a customer service clerk for Hays
Supply Co. I can bring this experience to Magnet Media
Corporation.
Yours truly,
yours truly,
Lisa Smith
Kevin Grey
Decision Question: Who is the best candidate to interview?
Lisa
Kevin
Heading (1)
Inside Address (2)
Greeting (2)
Closing (2)
Informative Message (3)
TOTALS
Write Idea: Select three states you would like to visit. Use the steps of decision making to decide which
of the three states is the best for your next vacation. Remember to list your standards and to rate them by
their importance to your decision.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Language Mechanics Lessons 1-4
Name:
Date:
Language Mechanics: Thinking Skills Lesson 2
Student Activity
Induction: Sticky Keys and Sticky Rules
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Examine the available information.
Look for patterns in the information you have
examined.
Make a general statement or conclusion that
explains patterns you observed.
Make more observations to see if your conclusion
holds up.
Here is the chart you created for the lesson:
Using inductive thinking, you concluded that the SHIFT key on Wayne's computer was not working. You
also concluded that Wayne did not know the rule about when to use question marks.
Punctuation
Mark
Apostrophes
Quotes
Commas
Colons
Semicolons
Periods
Question marks
Correct
Left Out
1
0
7
0
0
8
0
2
0
5
0
0
0
3
Replaced
Apostrophe
Semicolon
Period
Directions: There has been a computer keyboard error. Some wires have been crossed. Two letters (keys)
have gotten mixed up. Whenever one letter is typed, the other letter is printed. And whenever the other
letter is typed, the first letter is printed.
In the following passage, two words have been misspelled. The rest of this garbled passage is due to the
computer error. Use induction to find out which two letters have been mixed up and which two words
have been misspelled.
Generelly sfeaking, the frincifals op fhotografhy as an art porm began to emerge in the
early 1900s. Innovations in fhotografhic equifment, such as lighter amd more fortable
cameras, encouraged the use op fhotografhy as a way op recording news events.
Write Idea: The teacher in the computer lab would like to know how you solved the problem with the
mixed up keys. Write an explanation of how you solved this problem. Give details of the steps you
followed. Explain how you applied them to this problem.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Language Mechanics Lessons 5-10
Name:
Date:
Language Usage: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Analogies: Teaming to Prepare for a Test
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the analogy out loud using the words “is to”
and “just as.”
Determine the relationship in the complete pair of
words.
Apply the relationship from the first pair of words to
the second pair.
Pick the word that completes the relationship for the
second pair.
In this lesson, you used analogies to review for a test on pronouns and verbs. Here are some of the
analogies that you completed:
soccer players : kick :: baseball players : throw
these : children :: this : child
break : broke :: lie : lay
dog : itself :: person : himself
employee : someone :: all employees : everyone
Directions: Write a message to your teacher. Write at least three sentences describing how prepared you
are to take your test on pronouns and verbs.
Example: I am confident about taking Friday's test.
Now, look at your completed message. Among the sentences, find two pronouns and two verbs you could
use to write your own analogy problems. Replace these words with blanks in your message.
Example: _________ am confident about taking Friday's test.
Write an analogy for each of the words selected. Use colons to represent the analogy as it was done in the
lesson.
Example: __________: we :: he : they
Write Idea: Look at a newspaper or magazine article and identify properly used pronouns. Create
analogies that compare pronouns to the names of the people or things to which they refer.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Language Usage Lessons 1-6
Name:
Date:
Language Usage: Thinking Skills Lesson 2
Student Activity
Sequencing: Editing a Sports Story
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Study the data to be sequenced and identify
what the items have in common.
Decide on a sequencing scheme.
Arrange the data in order.
Test the order by checking relationships.
Look for other possibilities and, if necessary, revise.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
This lesson focused on sequencing words according to their intensity. By sequencing the words first, it
was easy to decide the best word to use in each sentence of the sports story.
Directions: Below you will find groups of words, objects, or figures that are in no particular order. Study
the data and determine relationships among the data. Next, determine a sequencing scheme and then try
to sequence the data using your sequencing scheme. (There may be more than one way to organize each
set of data.) Then write your sequencing scheme on the line below each set of data.
1.
ants crackers kittens igloos grasshoppers elephants
Sequencing scheme:_________________________________________________________
2.
Sequencing scheme:_________________________________________________________
3.
Sequencing scheme: ________________________________________________________
4.
Sequence these drawings to show the life cycle of a flower.
Sequencing scheme: ________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Write Idea: Look at the life cycle of the flower you just arranged in sequence. Write a paragraph
describing that life cycle. Organize your sentences from the flower's birth to its death. For fun, think
about giving your flower a name.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Language Usage Lessons 7-12
Name:
Date:
Sentence Structure: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Problem Solving: Matching Pets with People
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify your goal.
Identify limiting conditions.
Identify ways to meet the limiting conditions.
Identify and try possible solutions.
Evaluate your possible solutions.
Here is the story that appeared in the lesson:
You want to start a pet-care service, but you don’t know which neighbor owns which pet. In the lesson,
you used problem-solving steps to match each neighbor with the right pet.
Directions: Now you can create your own story. Your story can be about anything you want as long as
you follow the steps below.
1. Use the following three categories: burgers, pizza, tacos.
2. Use the names of three people.
3. Place the categories and names in the chart below.
(Names go on the left and the categories across the top.)
Place an N where you want no match and a Y where you want a match.
5. Write five clues that will lead to the solution of your problem.
A. ___________________________________________________________________________
B. ___________________________________________________________________________
C. ___________________________________________________________________________
D. ___________________________________________________________________________
E. ___________________________________________________________________________
6. Now give only the CLUES to a friend. Your friend must create his or her own chart to solve the
problem.
4.
Write Idea: Think of a real problem that you have had in your life. It could be how you found a job, how
you found time for homework, or how you found people to play on your softball team. How did you
solve this problem? Now that you know the steps of problem solving, how might you approach the
problem differently if it happens again?
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Sentence Structure Lessons 1-5
Name:
Date:
Sentence Structure: Thinking Skills Lesson 2
Student Activity
Problem Solving: Favorite Toys
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify your goal.
Identify limiting conditions.
Identify ways to meet the limiting conditions.
Identify and try possible solutions.
Evaluate your possible solutions.
Directions: In this lesson, complex sentences were used. One way to build a complex sentence is to
combine two independent clauses with the word “and.” Here is an example:
There are 60 minutes in an hour.
There are 24 hours in a day.
There are 60 minutes in an hour, and there are 24 hours in a day.
The sentences below contain clues to a problem. Some of the clues are compound sentences. It is
sometimes easier to break the compound sentences into smaller sentences as you work through the
problem. Create a chart to help you organize the clues.
1. Five friends ran a road race of 3 miles.
2. Travis finished in 25 minutes, and Ann finished faster.
3. Cody finished behind Travis, and ahead of Gina.
4. Mel ran one minute faster than Ann.
Who won the race? ______________________
Who came in last? ______________________
Write Idea: Create a problem that requires matching people (Leon, Evan, Sally, and Darla) with their
favorite food (pizza, ice cream, french fries, and hamburgers). List the clues that would solve your
problem. Explain the process you would use.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Sentence Structure Lessons 6-9
Name:
Date:
Clear Writing and Paragraphs: Thinking Skills Lesson 1
Student Activity
Induction: Editor of the Pardeeville Gazette
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Examine the available information.
Look for patterns in the information you examined.
Make a general statement or conclusion that
explains patterns you observed.
Make more observations to see if your conclusion
holds up.
In the lesson, you created a table showing the number of times André correctly used several rules for
clear writing. Here is the table:
Rules Concerning:
Clear modifiers
Misplaced modifiers
Dangling modifiers
Two-way modifiers
Clear pronoun references
Unclear pronoun references
Used
1
7
3
3
5
0
You concluded from this table that André does not know the rules for using clear modifiers. You also
concluded that André knows how to use clear pronoun references.
Directions: Here is some more of André’s article:
Pardeeville is finally getting a new sidewalk. However, a hose had a bad leak; it ran all
over the newly laid cement. What a mess—water tracks!
Does this new information strengthen or weaken your general statement that André does not know the
rules for writing sentences with clear modifiers? Does the new information strengthen or weaken your
general statement that André knows the rules for using clear pronoun references? Give specific examples
to support your statements.
Write Idea: Explain what it would take to disprove your conclusion that André does not know the rules
for using clear modifiers. Remember the steps in the process of induction.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Clear Writing and Paragraphs Lessons 1-3
Name:
Date:
Clear Writing and Paragraphs: Thinking Skills Lesson 2
Student Activity
Classification: Writing and the Constitution
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the items you want to classify.
Look for common elements and group items that
are alike.
State the rule that determines membership in the
group.
Place items in the group. If necessary, repeat steps
2 and 3 to form new groups until all items are
classified.
Here is the problem that appeared in the lesson:
You are tutoring a group of immigrants to the United States who are preparing for their citizenship test.
Your five students have been writing about the Constitution. However, you notice some errors in their
writing. To tutor them more effectively, you classify them into study groups according to the errors they
are making.
Directions: Here are writing samples from two more immigrants who are studying the history of the U.S.
Constitution. Follow the classification process and complete the chart. Then place Ngyn and Lia in
appropriate study groups with the other students.
Ngyn: The delegates met in Philadelphia in May 1787 and begin writing the
Constitution.
Lia:
Due to the fact that the Constitution was ratified by three-fourths of the states
at the constitutional convention, it becomes the law of the land March 4, 1789.
Writing Errors
Ian
Wordiness
X
Tense shift
X
Double negative
Nonparallel form
Anna
Ona
Yuri
X
X
Rosa
Ngyn
Lia
X
X
X
X
Write Idea: It is just after the Civil War, and you are leaving your home in Virginia to establish a
homestead out West. Using complete sentences, write about things you will need. Then classify them into
groups. Some of your categories might be things to build with, things to plant with, and things to hunt
with. In your sentences, avoid the errors that the students in the lesson made.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Clear Writing and Paragraphs Lessons 4-7
Name:
Date:
Clear Writing and Paragraphs: Thinking Skills Lesson 3
Student Activity
Sequencing: Writing a Humorous Story
STEPS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Study the data to be sequenced and
identify what the items have in common.
Decide on a sequencing scheme.
Arrange the data in order.
Test the order by checking relationships.
Look for other possibilities and, if necessary,
revise.
Here is what appeared in the lesson:
You wrote a humorous story about a day that started very badly. It began when you woke up late and had
to rush to find something to wear and to locate your school work. To write your story, you decided to
sequence the sentences in the order in which the events occurred.
Directions: Sequencing requires putting data in a logical order. The paragraph below is NOT in a logical
order. See if you can sequence the sentences in a logical way. Before you begin, think about the different
ways that sentences in a paragraph can be arranged.
Down on Cafeteria Food
For example, in the past three days, I’ve eaten fried fish, fried chicken, and fried
hamburgers. Please, food services’ staff, lunch does not have to be another period of torture
in our school day! Broiling or baking is a healthier way to prepare meats. I’m tired of
eating unfit cafeteria food, and I’m about to tell you why. The fruit I’ve had has been either
canned peaches, pineapple, or fruit cocktail packed in sugary syrup. Second, the meats are
always fried. First, I’ve bought a lunch for the past ten days and haven’t yet had a piece of
fresh fruit. Finally, the meals simply do not taste good. The meats taste like dirty motor oil,
the fruit like plastic, and the desserts like dried oats. If I’m going to eat unhealthy foods, it
should at least taste like good junk food!
Write Idea: Now create your own collection of data. Be sure there is a sequencing scheme, but don’t tell
anyone what it is. You could, for example, list all the students in your class and have an alphabetical
sequencing scheme, or you could make a list of animals of varying sizes. Write the data in no particular
order. Give the list to someone else to sequence.
Portions of this product are based on materials copyrighted by Mattel, Inc.
Clear Writing and Paragraphs Lessons 8-12
6 24 6
Assignment Sheet
This appendix contains an assignment sheet for all the activities in Writing. The assignment
sheet lists the available lessons and tests. The SkillsTutor management system will track the lessons and tests your students complete. However, it may be helpful to photocopy an assignment
sheet to help you plan lesson assignments or to help your students keep track of the lessons and
tests they complete.
6 25 6
6 26 6
Assignment Sheets: Writing Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Language Mechanics
•
Language Mechanics Pretest
1
Capitalization and Punctuation in Letters
2
Identifying Errors in Personal Letters
3
Identifying Errors in Business Letters I
4
Identifying Errors in Business Letters II
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 4
TS
Decision Making: Who Should Be Interviewed?
5
Capitalization and Punctuation in Quotations
6
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages I
7
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages II
8
Using Commas with Clauses and Phrases
9
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages III
10
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages IV
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 5 through 10
TS
Induction: Sticky Keys and Sticky Rules
•
Language Mechanics Posttest
Date Completed
Score/Progress
Assignment Sheets: Writing Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Language Usage
•
Language Usage Pretest
1
Nouns - A Review
2
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages I
3
Pronouns - A Review
4
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages II
5
Verbs - Number and Form
6
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages III
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 6
TS
Analogies: Teaming to Prepare for a Test
7
Verbs - The Six Tenses
8
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages IV
9
Adjectives and Adverbs - A Review
10
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages V
11
Prepositions - A Review
12
Identifying Errors in Prose Passages VI
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 7 through 12
TS
Sequencing: Editing a Sports Story
•
Language Usage Posttest
Date Completed
Score/Progress
Assignment Sheets: Writing Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Sentence Structure
•
Pretest on Sentence Structure
1
Complete and Simple Subjects
2
Complete and Simple Predicates
3
Predicate Nominatives
4
Predicate Adjectives
5
Direct Objects
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 5
TS
Problem Solving: Matching Pets with People
6
Patterns in Sentences
7
Sentence Fragments and Run-On Sentences
8
Combining Short Sentences
9
Combining Subordinate Ideas
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 6 through 9
TS
Problem Solving: Favorite Toys
•
Posttest on Sentence Structure
Date Completed
Score/Progress
Assignment Sheets: Writing Series
Activity
Date Assigned
Clear Writing and Paragraphs
•
Pretest on Clear Writing and Paragraphs
1
Misplaced Modifiers
2
Dangling Modifiers
3
Unclear Pronoun Reference
Q1
Quiz on Lessons 1 through 3
TS
Induction: Editor of the Pardeeville Gazette
4
Nonparallel Grammatical Forms
5
Wordiness
6
Unnecessary Tense Shifts
7
Double Negatives
Q2
Quiz on Lessons 4 through 7
TS
Classification: Writing and the Constitution
8
Identifying the Topic Sentence
9
Developing the Topic Sentence
10
Irrelevant Sentences
11
Connecting Ideas in a Paragraph
12
Paragraph Logic and Organization
Q3
Quiz on Lessons 8 through 12
TS
Sequencing: Writing a Humorous Story
•
Posttest on Clear Writing and Paragraphs
Date Completed
Score/Progress