1. You need: A pencil, eraser, highlighter and your ELA duo-tang
Writing Lesson 6:
Wake Up Writing With Strong Verbs
You need:
A pencil, eraser, highlighter and your ELA duo-tang

2. Purpose
In this lesson, you will practice replacing weak, overused verbs with verbs that transmit the clear, colorful images in your mind. Our goal is to create a piece of writing that our readers can imagine.

3. Before Examples
The boy went across the room toward the tray of chocolates. Sheila goes to her grandmother’s house after school. Our starving girl scout troop went to the cafeteria. Phillipa told her friend the secret; her friend beamed after hearing it.

4. Revision Tips Underline the verbs.
Brainstorm a mini-list of strong verbs that might be more effective.
Choose the verb that best expresses your ideas and creates a powerful mental image.

5. Brainstorm Box
Use these strong verbs to improve your descriptive writing:
WENT
STOMPED, TRUDGED, SKIPPED, CREPT, SLITEHRED, HURRIED, CHARGED
GOES
WALKS, RIDES, VISITS, PEDALS
TOLD
BLURTED, WHISPERED, SPILLED, CONFIDED

6. After Examples
The boy went across the room toward the tray of chocolates. The boy crept across the room toward the tray of chocolates. Sheila goes to her grandmother’s house after school. Sheila pedals her bike to her grandmother’s house after school.

7. HOW DID YOUR MENTAL IMAGES CHANGE WHEN YOU READ THE AFTER EXAMPLES?
Our starving girl-scout troop went to the cafeteria. Our starving girl-scout troop charged into the cafeteria. Phillipa told her friend the secret; her friend beamed after hearing it. Phillipa whispered the secret to her friend; her friend beamed after hearing it.
HOW DID YOUR MENTAL IMAGES CHANGE WHEN YOU READ THE AFTER EXAMPLES?

8. Activity 6 Replace each underlined verb with a strong verb:
The eagle went for a fish.
The orchestra conductor used his baton.
Armondo ate the banana split and said it was delicious.
After finding out she’d won the lottery, Pam walked across the living room and told her husband the news.
Genna went into the deep end of the pool and swam quickly to the other side.

9. Activity 6
The eagle went for a fish. The eagle dove for a fish. The orchestra conductor used his baton. The orchestra conductor swung his baton. Armondo ate the banana split and said it was delicious. Armondo devoured the banana split and exclaimed that it was delicious.

10. Activity 6
After finding out she’d won the lottery, Pam walked across the living room and told her husband the news. After finding out she’d won the lottery, Pam flew across the living room and screamed the news to her husband. Genna went into the deep end of the pool and swam quickly to the other side. Genna lept into the deep end of the pool and glided through the water to the other side.

11. Activity 6A
Tip: It’s okay to rearrange and add words when you revise. The race began and cheerleaders said a funny cheer. We were out of our seats because we wanted our runners to win. If we got this trophy, we would also get the district trophy.