Vary Sentences by Starting with Different Words

Author's Craft

Vary Sentences by Starting with Different Words

1. Focus

Objectives

Explain Using Varied Sentence Structures

In this mini-lesson, students will: ? Learn to vary sentence structure by

varying the way sentences begin. ? Practice varying sentence structure

using different words to begin sentences. ? Discuss how to apply this strategy to their independent writing.

Preparation

Materials Needed ? Chart paper and markers ? Interactive whiteboard resources

Advanced Preparation If you will not be using the interactive whiteboard resources, copy the modeling and practice texts onto chart paper prior to the mini-lesson.

Say: As informational report writers, it is important for us to present facts accurately and to clearly describe the topic. It is also important that we write interesting sentences. One way to engage readers is to change the way our sentences look and sound, or vary the sentence structure. One way we can do this is by using different words to begin our sentences. Today I'm going to show you how to write more interesting informational reports by using different words to start your sentences.

Model How Writers Vary Sentence Structure by Starting with Different Words

Display the modeling text on chart paper or using the interactive whiteboard resources.

Far across the world, fall is also when caribou leave their homes. Caribou are large deer, related to the reindeer. They spend summer near the Arctic Circle. But in the fall, the temperature drops. It gets very cold, and a lot of snow falls.

Modeling Text

Ask students to listen for different ways that the sentences begin as you read the text aloud. Consider creating a class anchor chart to summarize ways to vary sentence beginnings.

Say: I think this author does a nice job of varying how her sentences begin. Sometimes she starts with the subject of the sentence, and sometimes she uses phrases to start sentences. This provides variety. The first sentence begins with the prepositional phrase, "Far across the world," which takes me as the reader to another place. Then the author begins her next sentence with the subject of the sentence, caribou. The next sentence also begins with the subject of the sentence, but the writer uses the pronoun they to refer to the caribou. Then the writer changes how she starts her next sentence, by using the word but and the prepositional phrase in the fall. You may have heard that you are not supposed to begin a sentence with but or and, but if you don't do it too often, this is a good way to emphasize a point. You can also begin a sentence with prepositional phrases that start with words such as in, during, and after, and clauses that begin with words such as because, when, and since. The writer could use the same structure, such as subject, verb, object, all the way through. But this would not be as interesting to read. By beginning sentences in different ways, the author creates an interesting piece of text that I want to read.

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Benchmark Writer's Workshop ? Grade 3 ? Informational Reports ? ?2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC

Informational Reports

2. Rehearse

Practice Varying Sentence Structure by Starting with Different Words

Display the practice text on chart paper or using the interactive whiteboard resources.

The caribou travel south in the fall. The caribou try to stay safe from wolves. The caribou have to swim across rivers. The caribou live in the forests in winter.

Practice Text

Point out that each of the sentences in the paragraph starts in the same way-- with the subject of the sentence. Ask students to work with a partner to rewrite the sentences to vary the way they begin. Each pair of students should write down its sentences and be prepared to read them to the class.

Share Practice Sentences

Bring students together and invite partners to read their sentences aloud. Encourage students to compare the different ways pairs of students begin their sentences and decide which sentences sound most interesting. Record some of the best examples and post these as models for students to use as they revise their own informational reports.

3. Independent Writing and Conferring

Say: We learned that we can make our sentences more interesting if we vary the way we begin our sentences. We can start our sentences in different ways. Remember to vary the way you begin your sentences when you write your informational reports.

Encourage students to think about their sentence beginnings as they draft and revise during independent writing time. During student conferences, reinforce students' use of this and other strategies using the prompts on your conferring flip chart.

4. Share

Bring students together. Invite volunteers to read aloud examples of sentences with different beginnings.

Strategies to Support ELs

Beginning

Beginning ELs are still learning to articulate complete sentences in English. While other students work with partners, or during independent writing time, work with students to orally generate complete sentences, such as We read books, We write sentences, and We listen. Write students' sentences on chart paper and read them with students.

Intermediate and Advanced

Pair ELs with fluent English speakers during the partner activity. Provide suggested ways to vary sentence beginnings. Encourage ELs to orally create sentences using the different sentence beginnings. Write their sentences on chart paper and read them with students, underlining the beginning of each sentence.

Sometimes ______. In the spring, ______. Because ______. During ______. After ______.

All Levels

If you have ELs whose first language is Spanish, share these English/Spanish cognates: caribou/el carib?; migrate/migrar; temperature/la temperatura; variety/la variedad.

?2012 Benchmark Education Company, LLC ? Benchmark Writer's Workshop ? Grade 3 ? Informational Reports

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