Inside Language, Literacy, and Content [Level D]

Language and Grammar: Negotiate

Role-Play With a partner, act out a negotiation between two friends who are planning an afternoon together. One wants to go to a movie; the other wants to go skateboarding. Use some participles as adjectives as you negotiate to reach an agreement. Trade roles.

I have already seen that movie.

Yes, but this is the sequel. It’s not the same. We can skateboard over to the theater if you want.

Writing and Grammar: Write About a Story

Study the Models When you write, you want to make your readers excited about what they are reading. If you add details and combine ideas to vary your sentences, your writing will hold your reader’s interest.

Just Ok

Mother Earth looked around at her land. It was burning. The fire had burned for days. Mother Earth was tired. She breathed a dusty sigh. She listened. Suddenly she heard something. She felt rain. It hit her face. She laughed in the rain. The rain was pouring. She swallowed the rain. She turned it into a lake. The animals returned. They drank from the lake. They thanked Mother Earth. They sang a song of praise.

This writing is very choppy. There aren’t that many details, and it’s not very interesting.

Better

Mother Earth looked around at her burning land. The fire had burned for days. Mother Earth was tired. Breathing a dusty sigh, she listened. Suddenly she heard something. She felt rain hitting her face and watched as the rain put the fires out. She laughed in the pouring rain. Swallowing the rain, she turned it into a lake. The returning animals drank from the lake. Singing a song of praise, they thanked Mother Earth.

This writer adds details to explain what happened. The writer combines ideas to make the sentences smoother and more interesting.

Add Sentences Think of two sentences to add to the BETTER model above. Use details that will hold your reader’s interest.

Illustration of the pen icon WRITE ON YOUR OWN Write about another tale or legend you have read or heard. Use details to elaborate on ideas, and combine ideas to vary your sentences.