English 1 - Revising

10 minutes - Students worked on their grammar and vocabulary homework and any questions or problems they had we tried to resolve.

40 minutes - Today we worked on elements of revision with an eye to improving style.  We discussed the nature of style and how it relates to writing, and we covered three important elements that need to be considered in revision to help improve a story's style:

• Description: Here we talked about how to make bland statements more descriptive.  We looked at sample paragraphs and tried to find ways to improve on the detail in the sentence.  Students should look at their own stories and try to change every general, vague word for a more vivid, descriptive word or phrase.
• Figurative Language: While this is similar to description, here we are looking at specifically adding language that will evoke a striking image in the reader's mind.  We discussed the definition of figurative language, looked at examples in a poem, created more examples, and reviewed the dangers of cliche.  Students will eventually need to have at least 5 examples of figurative language in their stories.
• First Sentences: Lastly, we looked at sample opening sentences, and talked about the purpose and importance of an opening sentence.  Students need to review their openings and try to create an opening sentence that is engaging, intriguing, and draws the reader in.

Homework and Reminders

• Revise your story for style.  Look specifically at your descriptions, your use of figurative language, and your opening sentence.
• Bring your AR book tomorrow.
• Bring your report card on Monday.