1. Sentence Fluency

2. Crafting well-built sentences  The writer carefully and creatively constructs sentences for maximum impact. Transition words such as but, and, and so are used to successfully to join sentences and sentence parts.  Revise this paragraph. Don’t just focus on the transition words. Improve the sentences with colorful language and descriptions.  I wanted to get an iPod. I asked my dad for one. I asked over and over. I wanted an iPod very badly. I wanted it for my birthday. I waited until my birthday. I didn’t get an iPod that day. I was disappointed.  Discussion: What immediately “jumps out” at us? (Think Word Choice). Count the words in each sentence. In a read-aloud, how does this impede the paragraph?

3. Revision  I wanted an iPod so badly it was all I could think about, day and night. Imagine being to tune out the world and listen to your music any time, anywhere. Sweet. I asked my dad if he’d get it for me for my birthday, but I knew it was a longshot. Money has been tight, so I was pretty sure it wouldn’t happen. I was right. My birthday came and went, and no iPod.  Look at the sentences in your revision and write the word that each sentence starts with and count the number of words in each sentence. Create a chart like this:  First WordWord Count I6 Now, take out your drafts and create the same chart for one of your paragraphs.

4. PRACTICE CRAFTING WELL-BUILT SENTENCES  Write a sentence on any topic. Ex: Mary went to the store.  Pass your papers to the left and the next student writes a follow-up sentence but CANNOT use/repeat the first two words in the sentence anywhere in the follow-up sentence. Another catch: you cannot use the pronoun (ex: she).  Ex: you can’t write “She bought some eggs,” but you could write “Riding there on her bike took about fifteen minutes.”  Vote on the best paragraph to share. Remember to focus on ALL the traits!

5. Varying sentence types  Simple sentence: A sentence made up of one independent clause that may contain a direct object or prepositional phrase: “The students chose a book.” or “The students raved about the book.”  Compound: A sentence made up of two or more independent clauses, which are joined by a conjunction such as and, but or or: “The students raved about the book, and the author was delighted to receive complimentary emails.”  Complex: A sentence made up on an independent clause and at least one dependent clause: “When the author learned how much the students liked her work, she decided to write more books.”  Compound-Complex: A sentence made up of two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause: “When the author announced she was writing more books, the students were delighted, but she surprised them by writing about a difference subject than expected.”

6. Capturing Smooth and Rhythmic Flow  Swap your drafts with someone in your group. Choose three paragraphs (at random). Read those paragraphs aloud (quietly) and answer the following questions about each:  Is reading the entire paragraph aloud easy?  Do the sentences flow, one to the next?  Are there different types of sentences to enhance the main idea?  Be honest! If the answer is “no,” suggest a way for the author to make his/her writing be more smooth and rhythmic.

7. Breaking the Rules to Create Fluency  Incorporating sentence fragments  Repeating phrases  Starting sentences with conjunctions (and, but, because)  Using grammatically incorrect dialogue

8. Using Fragments Effectively  Write a character sketch using at least five sentence fragments effectively. Choose any character (ex: bus driver, teacher, lunch room monitor, 8 th grade student)  Example:  Jackie rolls tough. He thinks. Others think. Old guys see punk thug. Hat cocked. Baggies hangin’ dangerously low. Service-station shirt. Buzz cut. That’s how he rolls – with 50 Cent on a stolen iPod – strutting. Never giving much, nods slight. Cold eyes shade lost soul’s windows. Dropped out of school the day he turned sixteen. Wasn’t really there before. Didn’t reveal much. Oozed through the cracks. Jackie didn’t read in school because he didn’t learn to. Tight secret. Didn’t matter anyway.