Warm-up: Read this paragraph & decide which sentence should be first and be able to tell why.

Warm-up: Read this paragraph & decide which sentence should be first and be able to tell why. 1)The swamp is about 40 miles long, 30 miles wide, and covers an area of approximately 700 square miles. 2)The region is drained by the St. Marys and the Suwannee rivers. 3)The Okefenokee Swamp, the largest swamp in North America, is located in southeast Georgia and north Florida. 4)Some portions of the area are densely covered with swamp trees and low vegetation, others are grassy, and in still others, where the sandy soil comes above the surface of the swamp water, are pine groves.5)Over 20 species of mammals, 200 kinds of birds, and 60 varieties of reptiles inhabit the swamp.

Four Corners: The next slide contains a question and four possible answers. Each corner of the room represents A, B, C, or D. After you read the question, go to the corner that you think represents the correct answer and be able to defend your selection.

Conventions and Writing #1 Lesson 19

ELA9W1: The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and signals closure. • ELA9C1: The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats.

Which sentence is the most appropriate to include in a formal report on the history of the Nobel Peace Prize? • During the First World War, the Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded to anyone. • The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to those guys who started the Red Cross. • For over 100 years, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to really fantastic world leaders. • Jane Addams was the first American woman to get her act together to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

What is wrong with using phrases like “those guys,” “really fantastic” and “get her act together” in a formal paper? • During the First World War, the Nobel Peace Prize was not awarded to anyone. • The first Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to those guys who started the Red Cross. • For over 100 years, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to really fantastic world leaders. • Jane Addams was the first American woman to get her act together to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Evidence Used in Persuasive Writing

Evaluate the Relevance of the Evidence • To assess the relevance of your evidence, examine each detail and ask yourself if it helps to develop the point you want to make. • If not, you should probably discard the detail as irrelevant to your argument. • For example, if you were writing to convince your audience that Spike Lee is a great movie director, you probably wouldn’t include a statement naming his favorite restaurant. The statement has nothing to do with Lee’s ability as a director and would only distract your readers from your central point.

Which sentence would be the best to include in a persuasive essay that argues for high school students to be required to volunteer in their communities? • Parents would know where to find their children after school. • Volunteering helps students meet other students in the community. • Community work not only helps others but teaches students new skills. • Most teachers support students who volunteer in the community.

Answer = C • Why are the other answer choices weak?

Try it again.Which sentence would be the best to include in a letter to the school board requesting more money for the school band? • The school band is horrible because the uniforms are out of fashion. • You should give us more money because our band is awesome. • It isn’t our fault that the band is terrible, so you shouldn’t blame us. • Please consider supporting the band, which is vital to our school.

Answer = D • Why are the other answer choices weak?

Use of Adverbs An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb, an adjective, or another adverb by making its meaning more specific. Adverbs answer the questions when? Where? How? and to what degree? Many times (not always) you will know that a word is an adverb because it will end in “ly”. Examples: • She waited patiently. • The waiting room was overly crowded. • Kim carefully polished the car. • We were truly sorry. • Finally the storm is ending. • I hardly ever need to wear my boots.

Which sentence contains a grammatical error? Raise one finger for A, two for B, 3 for C and 4 for D. • Cody spoke quiet so I could not hear him. • The salesperson aggressively tried to sell the car. • Margaret played the piano extremely well. • The swimmer slowly climbed onto the diving board.

Run-on Sentences Avoid run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is two or more complete sentences written as though they were one sentence. Probably the most common type of run-on sentence occurs when two main clauses are separated by a comma rather than a period or a semicolon.

Example of a Run-on Sentence The street was flooded, the storm drains were clogged. Solutions: #1 The street was flooded; the storm drains were clogged. #2 The street was flooded because the storm drains were clogged. #3 The street was flooded. The storm drains were clogged. #4 Because the storm drains were clogged, the street was flooded.

Let’s take a class vote. Here is the sentence.The movie theater was crowded, everyone found a seat. • Since everyone found a seat, the movie theater was crowded. • If everyone found a seat, the movie theater was crowded. • The movie theater was crowded, because everyone found a seat. • Although the movie theater was crowded, everyone found a seat.

Why are answer choices A, B, and C not good answers?The movie theater was crowded, everyone found a seat. • Since everyone found a seat, the movie theater was crowded. • If everyone found a seat, the movie theater was crowded. • The movie theater was crowded, because everyone found a seat. • Although the movie theater was crowded, everyone found a seat.

Why is answer choice C the only sentence that is written incorrectly? • Even though it was cold outside, I enjoyed walking in the snow. • Having finished her homework, the music was turned on in her room. • Almost every weekend, the Jones family went hiking in the mountains. • When Thomas blew out his birthday candles, he wished for a car.

Which sentence is written correctly? Hint: Notice spellings. • The sudden change in the weather taught the students an important lessen. • The sudden change in the weather taught the students an important lesson. • The sudden change in the whether taught the students an important lessen. • The sudden change in the whether taught the students an important lesson.

Which sentence is written correctly? Hint: Notice spellings. Where are the misspellings? • The sudden change in the weather taught the students an important lessen. • The sudden change in the weather taught the students an important lesson. • The sudden change in the whether taught the students an important lessen. • The sudden change in the whether taught the students an important lesson.

Spelling makes a big difference!! What is the difference between whether and weather? What is the difference between lessen and lesson? lessen – to become less Let me lessen your load. lesson – something to be learned The driving lesson was very helpful. • whether - used to introduce the first of two or more alternatives It matters little whether we go or stay. Whether we go or whether we stay, the result is the same. • weather - state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc. The weather is bitter cold today.

The Use of Better and Best Use better to compare two things. Use best to compare more than two things. Of all the movie at the theater, the first one listed is the best. This is the best pizza on the bar. There are 30 houses on the block, but your house is the best! • This movie is better than the other one. • Pepperoni pizza is better than mushroom pizza. • I like the house better than the first one I lived in.

Which sentence is written correctly? • Pat has the best grades in our school. • Pat has the better grades in our school. • Pat has like the best grades in our school. • Pat has the more better grades in our school.

Answer choice A is correct. Why? • Pat has the best grades in our school. • Pat has the better grades in our school. • Pat has like the best grades in our school. • Pat has the more better grades in our school.

TREASURE HUNTFind the mistake in this sentence. Life on the Mississippi is Mark Twain’s memoir of the days he spent learning to pilot a steamboat that navigates the mighty Mississippi River. Life on the Mississippi is Mark Twain’s memoir of the days he spent learning to pilot a steamboat that navigated the mighty Mississippi River. Why is the word “is” correct in the first part of the sentence? Why is the word “Twain’s” the correct form of possession?

What did you learn today that helped you meet these standards? • ELA9W1: The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and signals closure. • ELA9C1: The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats.

Warm-up: Read this paragraph & decide which sentence should be first and be able to tell why.