ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES

SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT AND MUCH MORE

Planning Points

Approximate Time Needed: 1-2 days
Correlation to English I SCS 1.02, 2.03, 4.01, 6.01
Correlation to NC High School Exit Exam Competencies: C1, C2, C3, PI9, PI10, PI11

Lesson Objectives:

Students will analyze William Cullen Bryant's poem, To a Waterfowl and then create sentences addressing Bryant's main ideas about other animals and experimenting with different sentence types.

Materials Needed:

• To a Waterfowl, William Cullen Bryant
• Computers with word processing program and Internet access(preferred)

Description:

• Students do a quick read and identify that each stanza is one sentence. Students identify the main idea of each stanza. The eight stanzas can be summed up in these questions:
  • Where are you going?
  • What dangers do you face?
  • What habitat do you seek?
  • What instincts guide you?
  • What do I observe about you?
  • What do I learn from you?
  • What do I learn from you?
• Each student selects an animal he/she admires. The student may need to use available resources to gather enough information (a great reason to be on the Internet or a chance to use all those piles of old National Geographic magazines). Students who have limited reading skills can use the information-rich photos and captions in NG to gather information and can practice reading without being overwhelmed by the main text.
• The teacher may decide to do direct instruction on certain types of phrases or clauses and have the students apply their new learning to the assignment. The teacher may also do direct instruction on punctuation demands in complex sentences. Mini-lessons as students complete their research, respond to drafts and revise work well.
• Students should use highly descriptive words to describe the behavior of the animals and to describe the environments in which the animals lives.
• Students write sentences which have the same main ideas as Bryant's, but which are specific to their animal. Students will need to go back to the poem and read carefully to determine how Bryant added details by adding phrases and clauses. The students prefer to do this assignment on the computers because the goal is to see the sentences grow.

Assessment:

Depending upon particular goals, award points for

• various types of phrases or clauses used
• correct punctuation
• vocabulary
• quality of information
• overall effect

Additional Notes:

• Teaching language is more complicated than listing and completing specific goals or objectives, but if we must, then this activity can be used to address most of the goals in the English III curriculum. The poem may be used for all the traditional lessons associated with poetry analysis, but it is especially effective if you want to teach sentence improvement.
• This assignment certainly integrates science, computer skills, and library research skills. If the poems are to be displayed, students should illustrate them and therefore are including their art instruction.
• This activity has been adapted from a lesson submitted by Deanie Dunbar, Hyde County Schools.

Teacher's Notes:

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