Lesson #1: Beginning Sentences in Different Way
Materials:
• a copy of Whales Passing
• overhead transparency of “Key Qualities of the Sentence Fluency Trait”
(page 5)
• “Different Beginnings” printable (page 6)
• overhead transparency of “Think About: Beginning Sentences in Different
Ways” (page 7)
• paper, pencils, pens, markers, crayons
What to Do:
1. Display the overhead “Key Qualities of the Sentence Fluency Trait” and discuss how writers often vary the way their sentences begin to make them sound interesting to the reader.2. Read aloud these examples to students listen to these sentences?”
• I went to the park.
• I played on the swings.
• I jumped on the trampoline.
• I played with other kids.
• I got really dirty.
• I went home to change
Students should answer that the sentences all start with I. Tell them that when a writer uses the same word to start every sentence, it weakens the connection between the reader and the piece’s main idea. The reader winds up focusing on the redundant language rather than the central message
3. Read the following paragraph aloud to students and see if they notice a difference:
When I went to the park, I played on the swings and jumped on the trampoline
with the other kids. In fact, I played so hard I got really dirty, so I
went home to change.
Students should notice that the sentences have been pared down from six to two and that both begin differently.
4. Ask students if the first or second set of sentences was smoother and easier to listen to. Students should answer that the second set of sentences was easier to listen to.
5. Tell students you are going to share a book with them that contains sentences that begin in a variety of ways. Ask them to listen for those sentence beginnings as you read the book to them
.6. Read Whales Passing aloud, pausing to show the pictures as you go.
7. When you’ve finished, display the overhead “Think About: Beginning Sentences in Different Ways” and discuss why writers try to vary their sentence beginnings.
8. Distribute the “Different Beginnings” printable and ask students to examine the beginnings of sentences from Whales Passing in more depth. Reread Whales
Passing, pausing to allow students time to insert the missing words from the paragraph on the printable,as you read it aloud.
9. Ask students to make up two lines that whales might say to one another based on information Bunting provides, and record them on the bottom part of the printable. Remind students to begin each sentence differently
10. Ask students to form pairs and read their sentences of whale dialogue to one another. Once students have read, their partners should tell them the first word of each sentence to make sure they are, in fact, different. Ask for volunteers to share their pieces with the class.
11. Review the overhead “Think About: Beginning Sentences in Different Ways” and ask students what they learned from this lesson.
12. Display the pictures and whale sentences for the class to enjoy.
