Wex grade5 level-c:book1

WEX

The Writer’s Express
Level C / Book 1
Level C / Book 1
Level C / Book 1

Rules for Sharing
1. The reader reads loudly and slowly.
2. The reader calls on other students for
their responses.
3. The listeners respond by saying only
what the writer did well.
4. The listeners identify specific words,
phrases, or sentences that made an
impression.

The WEX Writer’s Mindset
WEX Writers:
WEX Writers:

1. Take academic and social risks.
2. Write about one thing that really grabs
their attention.
3. Experiment with their writing.
4. Support one another.
5. Write with the reader in mind.

Rules for Writing
Time
1. No talking.
2. No trips to the bathroom or water
fountain
3. Keep focused on your own work don’t distract your classmates.
4. Use the whole time to write.
5. Ask for help once, if necessary, then
continue writing.

Response Starters
1. I liked when you used the word ______ because ________.
2. You created a picture of the setting when you wrote ______.
3. You created a picture of the person when you wrote ______.
4. You created a picture of the moment when you wrote _____.
5. You created a picture of the object when you wrote ______.
6. When you described _________, it made me think of the
scene from the book _______ when the main character
__________.

Lesson One

Introducing the Writer’s Express (WEX)

WEX Journal Sample Page
Targeted Skill: ________________________ Date: _________________
Title: _______________________________________________________
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Revision Assignment

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Verbal Warm-Up
Raise your hand if...
you like eating.
you can remember eating something incredibly delicious.

while eating that incredibly delicious thing, you reacted in some way-- talking
or making a noise, moving or gesturing in some way, looking to see how
others reacted.
I’m sorry to do this to you, but now raise your hand if you can remember
eating something totally disgusting.
while eating that AWFUL thing, you reacted in some way-- talking or making
a noise, moving or gesturing in some way, looking to see how others
reacted.

Lesson 1- Prompt

Describe a moment when you ate
or tasted something disgusting.
Include details about where you
were and how the food looked, felt,
and tasted.

Lesson Two
Introducing WEX Sharing

Topics for Brainstorming
• Things that have numbers in them
• Things that move quickly
• Things that never move at all
• Kinds of stores
• Kinds of buildings
• Kinds of books
• Things that live in the ocean
• Things that live underground

Verbal Warm-Up
you or someone in your group laughed today.
you felt stressed out at some point .
you saw a facial expression or a gesture that showed thinking.
you and your group had any moments when ideas were coming fast.
anyone interrupted anyone else when they were talking.
there was a lot of talking in your group.
there was a moment of misunderstanding in your group.
you were looking forward to being the writer
you were dreading being the writer.

Lesson 2- Prompt

Describe one particularly
memorable moment during today’s
brainstorming activity. Include
dialogue, description, and details
that show why the moment was
so memorable.

Lesson Three
Introducing the Skill of Focus

Definition of Focus

To focus is to concentrate on
one specific moment, object,
or theme and use precise
details to write about it.

Sample Paragraph
Skill Drill- Focus

One time that I had trouble working with tools in art class. I had
a tough time with the paintbrush and watercolor. Lunch was
more fun for me because I had grape juice. At recess we were
feeding the birds bread. Tonight if I’m lucky I’ll get to go to the
movies. I like Saturday’s best.
What to Do:
1. Think of a single moment in time today, maybe when you
were in class.
2. Write at least five sentences about what happened during
that one small moment. Your goal is to focus ONLY on that
moment.

Lesson Four
Acting in Focus Theater

Focus Theater Activity
What I Did On the Weekend

Verbal Warm-Up
you felt successful at some point today.
you felt confused at some point today.
you overheard a conversation at some point today.
you were really paying attention at some point today.
you felt super hungry at some point today.
you laughed out loud at some point today.

Lesson 4- Prompt

Use detail to describe one
focused moment in your day.

Lesson Five

Focusing on Adding Detail

Sample Passage
Some kids were playing basketball on the court.
Someone was flying a kite in the field. Sitting under a
tree, a family had a picnic.

What to Do:
1. Choose one of the moments in the Sample Passage.
2. Write at least TWO more sentences that focus on the details of that
single moment.

Lesson Six
Focusing on a Moment

Sample Paragraph
Mel slipped on the ice. Fabian threw a snowball.
Everyone said how cold it was that day.

What to Do:
1. Choose one of the moments in the Sample Paragraph
2. Write at least three sentences that add detail about
that moment.

Verbal Warm-Up
your hilarious moment included a sibling.
it involved a friend.
it involved no one but you.
it involved your parents, teacher, or some other adult.
you were laughing inside as you wrote.
you think you’ll tell your story to a friend or relative in the next few days.

Lesson 6- Prompt

Describe a hilarious moment.
Make sure you use detail and
description to focus on just that
single moment.

Lesson Seven
Focusing on Perspective

Lesson 7- Prompt

Imagine that you suddenly shrank
to 1 inch tall and you’re about to
climb over the backpack you just
drew. Write a story about what
happens to you.

Lesson Eight
Focusing on an Object

Skill Drill
What to Do:
1. Choose an object from somewhere in the classroom.
2. Write three sentences about that object. Focus on the
object and describe it using very specific details. Try to
create a picture of the object in the reader’s mind.

Verbal Warm-Up
you have an object in your room at home that is important or special to
you.
you have an important object that you carry around with you.
you’ve owned an object for a long time.
you have an object that is new to you.
you have an object that was a gift to you.
you found your important object somewhere.

Lesson 8- Prompt

Describe something you own that
is important to you.

Lesson Nine
Focusing on Setting

Sample Paragraph
In art class I had fun. Janice got in trouble during lunch.
Carl acted silly in gym.
What to Do:
1. Read the passage and choose one sentence, such as,
“Janice got in trouble during lunch.”
2. Write the sentence you’ve chosen in your journal.
3. Write two more sentences that take place in the same
setting.

Verbal Warm-Up
you’ve ever been in a very crowded place.
you’ve ever been to-- a big concert, a professional sports
event, a giant supermarket, the school cafeteria.
you like being in crowded places.
you don’t like being in crowded places.

Lesson 9- Prompt

Write about a moment when you
were in a place that was very
crowded. Use details about sounds
to show the reader how crowded it
was.

Verbal Warm-Up
you have ever been bothered or irritated by a particular noise.
you ever felt calmed or soothed by a noise.
some noises make you feel nervous or on edge.
you can imagine the best sound in the whole world.
you can imagine where you are when you hear that sound.

Lesson 10- Prompt

Choose a sound that you hear
regularly or have heard in the
past. Describe the place where you
hear the sound and how you feel
when you hear it.

Lesson Eleven

Introducing Revision Assignments

Definition of a Revision Assignment

A quick, in-class assignment in which you
practice a specific skill by changing or
adding something you have written.

RA: Showing
Look at the sentence I bracketed. This is a
telling sentence. Write 2-3 more sentences
that help me picture the moment. Your
details should really convince the reader.

What to Do:
1. Complete the RA
2. Make sure you wrote 2-3 sentences
3. Check by comparing “before” with the
“after.”

Lesson Twelve
Introduction to Showing

Showing Emotions
Telling

Showing

Verbal Warm-Up
in the last few days you felt really happy.
in the last few days you felt proud.
in the last few days you felt frustrated.
you sneaked somewhere in the last few days.
you recently argued with a friend.
you recently were surprised and tried not to show it.
you recently had to do a chore that you hate doing.

Lesson 12- Prompt

recently felt a strong emotion.
Describe what made you feel that
way, and how you acted that
showed that emotion. Show how
every part of your face looked
when you felt that emotion.

Lesson Thirteen
Replacing Telling with Showing

Telling & Showing Sentences
Telling Sentence: The man was sad.
Showing Sentence: The man sobbed like his heart
was breaking. Tears spilled out of his eyes and
dribbled down his cheeks. Every few minutes he
blew his nose into a hanky.

What to Do:
1. Write the following sentence in your journal:
Telling Sentence: The girl was excited.
2. Write THREE sentences that show the
reader that the girl was excited.

Sample Sentences
Tony’s feelings were hurt.
Lisa didn’t get the joke.
Dave was an avid Bears fan.
Tia was frustrated.

Verbal Warm-Up
you remember the last birthday party you went to.
you remember what a friend or sibling looked like while opening a gift.
you ever opened a gift that you didn’t like in front of the person that gave it
to you.
you ever opened a gift and were surprised because you were expecting
something else.
you have ever given a gift and wondered if the person really liked it as
much as he or she said.

Lesson 13- Prompt

Describe a time recently when you
watched someone open a gift.
Write details about how they
reacted to show how they felt
about the gift.

Lesson Fourteen
Identifying Subjects & Predicates

Subject & Predicate Definitions
The subject of a sentence is who or what the
sentence is about.
It includes a noun: a person place or thing.
The predicate of a sentence tells what the subject
is DOING.
The predicate includes a verb (an action word).

Sample Sentences A - D
Sample Sentence A:
The girl slept.
Sample Sentence B:
The drowsy girl with brown hair slept as late as she possibly could
the first day of summer vacation.
Sample Sentence C:
The man, who was walking down the street, stopped at the traffic
lights on the corner.
Sample Sentence D:
The tall, thin man plucked his banjo in the park.

Sample Sentences 1 - 3
Harriet, who was starting to feel a little sick, sat down on
the bench.
The dress fluttered on the clothesline as the wind blew.
Mr. Smith, who was sweating profusely, slid down the
fireman’s pole.

Lesson Fifteen
Showing Subjects Relay

Sample Predicate

galloped swiftly across the finish line.

Sample Sentence
The seventeen hand chestnut
thoroughbred carrying the jockey in yellow
and green checked silks galloped swiftly
across the finish line.

Relay Race Directions
• 1. Pick a predicate
• 2. Write a showing subject that contains
at least FIVE words.
• 3. Punctuate your complete sentence.
• 4. Write MN over the main noun.
• 5. Return to your line.
• (See predicate sets, p. 111)

Verbal Warm-Up
you bumped into anyone today.
you saw anyone lose his or her balance.
you laughed at something that happened during the relay race.
anything happened during the relay race that you wish you didn’t
happen.
you think you took an academic or social risk today.

Lesson 15- Prompt

Write about one moment in the
relay race that sticks out in your
mind. Show exactly what you
were doing at that moment, and
describe how you felt.

Lesson Sixteen
Adding Showing Sentences

Showing Definition
Showing is writing that uses details
and descriptions to create a vivid
picture in the reader’s mind.

Telling Example
I went home. I was really tired. Then I ate my snack. It
was so good and really delicious.
The dog wanted to play.
The poodle bounded towards me and dropped the ball at
my feet.
What to Do:
1. Write 3-5 more sentences showing how the dog wants
to play.

What to Do
Telling Sentences:
- My sneakers were completely ruined.
- The dinner tasted delicious
- My brother was happy.
1. Write the first sentence in your journal.
2. Write two showing sentences to add to the telling
sentence.
3. Repeat steps 1 & 2, above, for the other telling
sentences.

Verbal Warm-Up
you noticed anyone being a show-off at school or at home this week.
you have ever done something just to get someone’s attention.
you have ever tried to communicate something without using words.
you have ever been involved in a performance of any kind.
you sometimes act in a way that’s not typical for you.

Lesson 16- Prompt

Think of one moment today (or
this week) when you saw someone
acting silly. Describe each motion
you made. Include the changing
expressions on your face.

Lesson Seventeen
Showing the Subject

The subject of a sentence is who or what the sentence is
about.
It includes a noun: a person, place or thing.
The predicate of a sentence tells what the subject is
DOING.
The predicate includes a verb (action word).

Sample Sentence A
Kiki, who had been standing all day,
shifted her weight from one foot to the
other.

Sample Sentences B
1. The boy pulled the window shut.
2. The noisy crowd crossed the street.
3. Jeremy, the youngest one in the group, stopped to look
in a store window.

What to Do:
1. Choose one of the numbered sample
sentences and write it in your journal.
2.Add two or three showing sentences that give
more information about the subject.

Verbal Warm-Up
you participate in a sport.
you ever tried to describe what happened during a game to
someone who wasn’t there.
you moved your arms and legs to show them what happened.
you remember a time when you had to do an action to show
someone else how to do it.

Lesson 17- Prompt

Imagine an instant replay in slow
motion of a moment when you
were doing something quickly.
Describe each motion you made.
Include the changing expressions
on your face.

Lesson Eighteen
Showing the Setting

Definition of Setting
The setting is the time and place of the action of a story.
This may include the hour, the time of day, the season of
the year, the period of history as well as the location of
the action.

1. Examine your photo carefully and discuss the details
you see with your partner.
2. Decide exactly where this setting is.
3. In your journals, make a list of all the setting details
that you can see in this photo, and don’t forget about the
part of the setting that deals with time.

Verbal Warm-Up
you have ever been in a place that felt really different from your home.
you have ever opened your eyes underwater.
you thought the world looked weird under the water.
you have ever been in a cave.
you have ever imagined living on another planet or in another galaxy.
you have ever imagined what it would be like if objects could talk or plants
could get up and move.

Lesson 18- Prompt

Close your eyes for a minute and
imagine a place that is very
different from this classroom, a
place that exists only in your own
imagination. Use all of the senses
to show what it’s like to be there.
Make it seem real.

Lesson Nineteen
Designing a Creature

Definition of Showing
Showing is writing with details and
descriptions to create a vivid picture in
the reader’s mind.

Verbal Warm-Up
If I told you that a creature from another planet came into
my house, you might each picture a different creature.
Okay everyone, let’s try it. Close your eyes. Imagine an
unbelievably strange creature from outer space. This is
the most bizarre creature you could ever imagine.
What does it look like? How does it move? How does it
sound?

Lesson 19- Prompt

Describe a creature from outer
space. Show what it looks like
and how it acts. Your main
purpose is to show what the
creature looks like so that
someone else can get a clear
enough picture of it to draw it.

Unit Three

Writing a Personal Narrative

Lesson Twenty
Defining the Personal Narrative

Setting is the time, place, and
circumstances of a story or narrative.

Definition of a Personal Narrative

A personal narrative is a true story about
a moment or event that the writer has
experienced.

Four Elements of a Personal Narrative
1. The writer tells a story that is true.
2. The writer is part of the story or saw the events
happen.
3. The writer uses detail to show what happened in the
story.
4. The writer uses detail to show what he or she thinks
and feels about what happened.

Rolling River by Alex
The river was still as we glided our way down stream in the
shiny canoe. I traced a small circle in the water with each
paddle stroke. I heard splashing water, sharp instructions, and
the smooth chirping of birds. Everyone was happy and calm.
We were paddling by tall trees and riverbanks covered with
ferns, far away from any roads. The edges of the river where
the water moved slower had rafts of lily pads, I imagined frogs
and turtles sitting on them but we were too far away to see any.
We couldn’t hear any cars or other city noises, and the rushing,
crushing world started to fade away. Currents of murky water
swirled around us.

Rolling River con’t
I put my hand in the brownish water. I caught a little heart shaped
leaf that floated by. The river currents carried us toward an old, dark
bridge. We paddled our way under the bridge, and tried to stay
there to hear our voices make echoes. Mostly we heard our paddles
splashing as we fought the currents in the shadowed water. When
we gave up and came out from under the bridge, we saw that at the
next bend in the river was a wooden doc.k. There were lots of
rowboats, canoes, and kayaks, people wearing bright red, orange,
or yellow shirts and hats stood out from the greens and browns of
the land and water. We were leaving one world and entering
another.

Choosing and entry to expand...
Ask yourself:
1. Do I really like this entry?
2. Is there even more I could write
about the event?

Lesson Twenty-One
Developing the Essay

Lesson 21- Prompt

Write about a second moment
that takes place in the same
setting as the journal entry you
chose.

Lesson Twenty-Two
Revising and Adding More Sentences

What to Do:
1. Underline two parts of your writing with good focus, showing, or
strong verbs.
2. Underline two parts that really need more details or better focus.
3. Write two or three more sentences to add to each of the parts
you underlined. Add more focus, showing, or strong verbs.
4. Read the passage with and without your revisions. Decide
whether you’re happy with each revision. If so, put a check next to
it. If not, change the revision, or decide not to use it.

Lesson Twenty-Three
Experimenting with Lead Sentences

Purpose of the Lead
The lead grabs the reader’s attention
and gives the reader a sense of what the
narrative will contain.

Strategies for Writing Strong Leads
Reveal the character’s thoughts as dialogue.
Use a sound effect.
Ask a question.
Make a shocking or surprising statement.
Give a detailed description of a setting.
Have the main character describe the setting.

1. Using the Strategies for Writing Strong Leads,
write as many different types of leads as you can.
2. Choose the lead that you like the most, and put
a star next to it.

Strategies for Writing Strong Leads
Use a Sound Effect

Life was going along okay when my mother and father dropped
the news. Bam! Just like that. - Superfudge by Judy Blume

Reveal Character’s Thoughts
or Dialogue.

It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened. No.
Wrong word, Jonas thought. Frightened meant that deep, sickening feeling
of something terrible about to happen. -The Giver by Lois Lowry

Make a Surprising
Statement

Turner Buckminster had lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for fifteen minutes shy of
six hours. He had dipped his hand in its waves and licked the salt from his
fingers. - Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt

Have the Main Character I should have been in school that April day. But instead I was up on the ridge near the old
mine above our farm whipping the gray trunk of a rock maple with a dead stick and
Talk to the Reader about the
hating Edward Thatcher. -A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
Setting (Circumstance)
It was one of those super-duper-cold Saturdays. One of those days that when you breathed out
Give a Detailed Description your breath kind of hung frozen in the air like a hunk of smoke and you could walk along and
look exactly like a train blowing out big, fat, white puffs of smoke. -The Watsons Go to
of the Setting.
Birmingham- 1964 by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Have the Main Character
Talk to the Reader about the
Setting (Place)

There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. There once was a very large
lake here, the largest lake in Texas. That was over a hundred years
ago. Now it’s just a dry, flat wasteland. -Holes by Louis Sachar

Lesson Twenty-Four
Adding Revisions & Forming Paragraphs

Rolling River by Alex
The river was still as we glided our way down stream in
the shiny canoe. I traced a small circle in the water with each
paddle stroke. I heard splashing water, sharp instructions, and
the smooth chirping of birds. Everyone was happy and calm.
We were paddling by tall trees and riverbanks covered with
ferns, far away from any roads. The edges of the river where
the water moved slower had rafts of lily pads, I imagined frogs
and turtles sitting on them but we were too far away to see
any. We couldn’t hear any cars or other city noises, and the
rushing, crushing world started to fade away. Currents of
murky water swirled around us.

leaf that floated by. The river currents carried us toward an old,
dark bridge. We paddled our way under the bridge, and tried to
stay there to hear our voices make echoes. Mostly we heard our
paddles splashing as we fought the currents in the shadowed
water. When we gave up and came out from under the bridge, we
saw that at the next bend in the river was a wooden doc.k. There
were lots of rowboats, canoes, and kayaks, people wearing bright
red, orange, or yellow shirts and hats stood out from the greens
and browns of the land and water. We were leaving one world
and entering another.

Revision Process
1. Read the first set of revision sentences and, in a circle beside it, write the number
1 with a colored pencil.
2. On the draft, put brackets or highlight around any words the revision will replace.
3. Insert a carat in front of the bracketed sentence or where the new sentences should
be added and write the number 1 in a circle above the carat.
4. Read the passage aloud with the revision added to make sure it sounds right.
5. Use the same process for revision 2 and any other changes you want to make.
6. Add the paragraph symbol
to mark the places where a new idea means that a
new paragraph should begin.

Lesson Twenty-Five
Editing & Writing the Final Draft

leaf that floated by. The river currents carried us toward an old,
dark bridge. We paddled our way under the bridge, and tried to
stay there to hear our voices make echoes. Mostly we heard our
paddles splashing as we fought the currents in the shadowed
water. When we gave up and came out from under the bridge, we
saw that at the next bend in the river was a wooden doc.k. There
were lots of rowboats, canoes, and kayaks, people wearing bright
red, orange, or yellow shirts and hats stood out from the greens
and browns of the land and water. We were leaving one world and
entering another.

Editing Process
1. Read your draft aloud to yourself, speaking
softly and slowly.
2. Use your colored pen to make corrections. Pay
special attention to capitalization & punctuation.
3. Read through the entire draft to make sure you
made all the necessary corrections.

Lesson Twenty-Six
Complete Sentence Relay Race

The subject of a sentence is who or what the sentence is
about.
It includes a noun: a person, place or thing.
The predicate of a sentence tells what the subject is
doing.
The predicate includes a verb (an action word).

Relay Race Rules
1. Run to the board.
2. Write a sentence with at least 8 words.
3. Circle the subject and underline the predicate.
4. Run back to your team, tag the next person, and sit
down on the floor.

Verbal Warm-Up
you felt like you rushed too much today.
you felt pressured during the game.
you expected the relay race to be challenging.
you were surprised by how easy it was.
you were surprised how hard it was.

Lesson 26- Prompt

Think about one moment today or
in the last week when you felt
challenged. Write about how you
felt and show what you did to
face that challenge.

Lesson Twenty-Seven
Main Nouns & Main Verbs

Skill Drill- Main Noun & Main Verb
Sample Sentences:
1. Amy, who was distressed about the fact that she didn’t understand
advanced Algebra, joined a study group called MathPath.
2. Twelve geese, their wings flapping up and down angrily, barged through
the white picket fence.
3. It wasn’t the first time Samantha had missed practice.
4. The moldy orange on the table rolled right over to my sandwich.
5. A tiny gold beetle scurried across the quivering leaf.
6. David, who obviously wasn’t the best basketball player in the world,
missed the hoop three times in a row.

1. Copy the sample sentences (2-6) into your journal.
2. For each sentence, label the main noun (MN) and main
verb (MV).

Verbal Warm-Up
you have ever tried to do two things at once.
you have ever tried to pay attention to two people talking at the same time.
you have ever tried to rub your head and pat your stomach at the same time.
you prefer to do just one thing at a time.
you like to do all sorts of things at once.
you can think of a moment when you had to do more than two things at once.

Lesson 27- Prompt

Think about a moment in time
when you were handling two
things at once. Describe the two
things you were doing (or coping
with) and show how you managed
to juggle two things at once.

Lesson Twenty-Eight
Showing Action-- Predicate Relay

Relay Race Directions
1. Pick a Subject.
2. Write a predicate of at least five words that shows the
action.
3. Punctuate your complete sentences.
4. Write a MV over the main verb.
5. Return to your line.

Verbal Warm-Up
Did anyone bump into anyone else today?
Did anyone lose his or her balance?
Did you laugh at someone that happened during the relay
race?
Did anything happen during the relay race that you wish didn’t
happen?
Did you think you took an academic or social risk today?

Lesson 28- Prompt

Write about one moment in the
relay race that sticks out in your
mind. Show exactly what you
were doing at that moment, and
describe how it felt.

Lesson Twenty-Nine
Introducing Strong Verbs

Sample Sentences
A. Jeff went through the door. He went down the hall. He
took a book off the table.
B. Jeff came in the door. He put his backpack on the
floor. He walked upstairs.

What to Do:
1. Imagine that Jeff is extremely happy.
2. Rewrite the sentences in your journals, replacing weak verbs
with strong verbs that indicate how happy and joyful Jeff is.

Verbal Warm-Up
Does anyone here watch sports?
Have you ever seen an instant replay?
Have you ever wanted to do something over again when you
were playing a sport?
If you haven’t played a sport, have you ever done something
else that was physically challenging, like learn how to swim?
Did you ever have to try doing something physical over and
over again to get it right-- like learn how to tie your shoes?

Lesson 29

Think of a specific moment when you
were playing a sport or a game.
Imagine a magic instant reply that
allows you to change the action in
that moment in any way you want.
Show the reader what happens,
using strong verbs associated with

Lesson Thirty

Finding a Place to Write Your Own Revision Assignment

RA: Showing
Bracket a Passage in your entry that tells more than it
shows. Now, change those telling sentences to 2-3
showing sentences.

What to Do:
1. Complete the RA
2. Make sure you wrote 2-3 sentences.
3. Check by comparing “before” with the “after.”
4. I’ll stop you after five minutes.

Lesson Thirty-One
Strong Verbs in Dialogue

Sample Dialogue A
“I don’t want any!” Pat said.
Jesse said, “Where do you think you’re going?”

Sample Dialogue B
“Watch out!” Erica ________ from across the field.
Paul drove to the ground as the baseball sailed over his head. “Wow!” he
________, looking up from the grass. “That was close.”
“Too close. You could have been hurt. This is not a safe place to have a
picnic,” ________ Thea. “Let’s move to the other side of the park.”
“You want to move,” ________ Paul, “don’t you?”
“Yes,” ________ Thea. “I would enjoy the day more if we could just eat our
picnic safely.”

Verbal Warm-Up
Raise your hand if you can answer yes to any of these questions:
Has anyone ever told you, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it that matters” ?
Have you ever had a conversation in which someone accused you of having the
wrong tone of voice?
Have you ever sensed that someone wasn’t telling you the whole truth, just from the
sound of his or her voice.
Has anyone you know ever whined in order to get something from someone else?
Have you ever tried to speak in front of a large crowd?
Can you think of a situation when it would be a good idea to yell?

Lesson 31

Describe one moment when you
changed your tone of voice (or the
way you were talking) while you
were having a conversation with
someone. Use strong verbs in
dialogue to show what the
conversation was like.

Lesson Thirty-Two
Varying Sentence Structure

Paragraph A
I opened the book. I looked at the pages. Then I saw the
picture. I saw blue and pink swirls. Then I saw thick red
splats. I wondered what it was. I touched it with my finger.
Then I realized it felt crusty. I looked closer and saw that
ketchup had dried on the blue and pink swirls. Then I
closed the book.

Ways to Vary a Sentence
Rearrange the words.
Change the verb.
Make it a question.
Make it an exclamation.

What to Do:
1. Choose another sentence from the paragraph to
rewrite four different ways.
2. Write the original sentence in your journal.
3. Write your four new sentences.

Verbal Warm-Up
Do you remember a time when you had to teach someone how to do
something?
Do you ever have to explain the rules of a game to a friend?
Can you think of a time when you had to show someone who didn’t know
what to do how to do something pretty complicated.
Have you ever tried to follow instructions that someone else wrote?
Have you ever gotten lost trying to follow someone else’s directions?

Lesson 32- Prompt

Write about a chore or job you
have learned to do. Show each
part of the process.

Lesson Thirty-Three
Writing Directions for Human Sculptures

Making a Human Sculpture
1. All team members must be a part of the human sculpture, except for
the facilitator.
2. Each member of the team must be interacting with at least one other
person. Making eye contact counts as interacting.
3. The team will help the facilitator describe how to create the sculpture.
4. The facilitator will write directions for how to create the sculpture on
chart paper.
5. Be specific! Another group ill try to recreate your team’s sculpture so
give them all the details they need.
6. Once the facilitator is finished writing the directions, try them out. Use
the written directions to recreate the sculpture. That way you can make
sure another group can follow them, and that they actually make sense.
Fix any parts that are unclear.

Verbal Warm-Up
Do you remember what it felt like to be part of the human sculpture?
Do you remember what you or someone else did with your arms to help create this
sculpture.
Do you remember if you or someone else bumped into someone else while creating the
sculpture?
Did anyone laugh while creating the sculpture?
Did anyone get angry, upset, or frustrated while creating this sculpture?
Did you have to get into an uncomfortable position to create this sculpture?
Did you feel perfectly comfortable while creating the sculpture?

Lesson 33- Prompt

Describe one moment when you
were trying to make your own or
someone else’s sculpture. Show
what it looked like and how it felt.

Lesson Thirty-Four

Showing Sequence-- Connecting Ideas in Time

Skill Drill- Combining Sentences
Example A:
The bear lumbered down the path. The raccoon
scampered up the pine tree.

Words That Tell When
Some words show the order in which the action happens.
while

before

after

when

Example B
Grandma knocked the caterpillar off the flower stem.
Grandma cut the fragrant roses to make a bouquet.

What to Do:
1. Write “Combining Sentences” at the top of a new page in your
journal.
2. Combine each of the following pairs of sentences using words
that show time relationships.
She tried on her mother’s shoes.
She clunked down the stairs.
He devoured the turkey sandwich.
He was so thirsty he gulped down the entire pitcher of lemonade.
The horse trotted across the grassy pasture.
The horse sniffed the air and looked around for the rest of the
herd.
The energetic Labrador Retriever pawed at the screen door.
The screen door swung open and let in the flies.

Verbal Warm-Up
you like making things.
you like making food.
you like making art projects.
you like building things.
you ever had to do two things at once while you were making
something.

Lesson 34- Prompt

made, built, or created something.
Show the reader what you made,
how you made it, and how you felt
making it.

Lesson Thirty-Five
Showing Cause & Effect

Example Sentences
A:
She worked hard on her astronomy project. She won a
prize at the science fair.
B:
She won a prize at the science fair, because she worked
hard to complete her astronomy project.
OR
Because she worked hard to complete her astronomy
project, she won a prize at the science fair.

What to Do:
Using the word “because,” combine each of the following
pairs of sentences to make one:
On the internet, I am researching the Hubble telescope. I am interested
in space exploration.
There was a strong wind during the storm. The tree swayed and some
small branches fell onto the cars.
I practiced running long distances. I am participating in a charity race
this weekend.
The crowd clapped and cheered and gave me a standing ovation. They
were amazed to see such an amazing performance by a fifth grader.

Verbal Warm-Up
you remember working hard for something you wanted.
you remember gaining respect of others for something you
did.
you remember helping someone in need.
you remember feeling proud of what you did.

Lesson 35- Prompt

Write about a time when you
were proud of something you
accomplished. Show the reader
the steps you took to complete
your accomplishment, what
happened, and how you felt.

Unit Five

Writing a Personal Narrative

Lesson Thirty-Six
Defining the Personal Narrative

Setting is the time, place, and
circumstances in which a story take place.

Definition of a Personal Narrative
A personal narrative is a true story about
a moment or event that the writer
experienced.

Four Elements of a Personal Narrative
1. The writer tells a story that is true.
2. The writer is part of the story or saw the events happen.
3. The writer uses detail to show what happened in the
story.
4. The writer uses detail to show what he or she thinks and
feels about what happened.

A Moment on the Farm by Mel
I stood in the field, just stood with the hoe in my hands. Not working. I am
just looking around. The sun is beating down making warm earth smells.
About 20 feet away a man is breaking clods of dirt with his hoe and singing “I
Been Working on the Railroad.” He makes a rhythm of the song match each
stroke with the hoe. All sorts of bits of stuff go flying into the air each time he
hits a clod. I am not hoeing because I am afraid. I am afraid of the bugs. I am
afraid of the buzzing bees that might fly by and sting me, of huge clicking
bugs crawling up my arm by surprise. I close my eyes and imagine bugs all
around and even start to feel them on me. I open my eyes and there IS a bug
on my shoulder. I am paralyzed with fear. The bug is round and orange with
black spots and tiny black legs. It does not bite me or sting me. I watch it
march down my sleeve and take off. Why was I afraid? I look at people
working. Remembering that the food must go to shelters and I am slacking I
want to help.

Lesson Thirty-Seven
Developing the Essay

Second Moment on the Farm by Mel
The work of hoeing is full of surprises, every time you break a big clod
of dirt you don’t know what you will find in it. I found a worm in one. It
was long and pinkish brown and looked slimy. I didn’t touch it or
anything but it was wiggling around and so I pushed some dirt on top of
it. I was finally getting good at hoeing but the row of dirt clods I was
supposed to be breaking up seemed to go on forever. I tried to work
faster. The faster I worked, the hotter I got. I was dripping sweat and
swiped my forehead and the back of my neck with my sleeve. I stopped
looking so carefully at each clod I clobbered. Any bugs that might be
there had no chance to get me because I was moving so fast. At least
that’s what I thought. I didn’t see the yellow jacket until it was too late. It
landed on my hand and I freaked out. I ran across the field screaming,
sure it was chasing me.

Lesson 37

Write about a second moment
that takes place in the same
setting as the journal entry you
chose.

Lesson Thirty-Eight
Revising and Adding More Showing

What to Do:
1. Underline two places where your writing has good focus,
showing, or strong verbs.
2. Underline two parts that really need more details or better
focus.
3. Write two or three more sentences to add to each of the parts
you underlined. Add more focus, showing, or strong verbs.
4. Read the passage with and without your revisions. Decide
whether you’re happy with each revision. If so, put a check next
to it. If not, change the revision, or decide not to use it.

Lesson Thirty-Nine
Experimenting with Sequence

Experimenting with Sequence
Carefully cut the two moments out of your journal.
Put one before the other and read how they sound in this
order. Switch the order and reread how they sound.
Choose the order that makes the impact you want to have,
and tape the pieces together in that order.
Write the new lead sentences to try out with your new or
original order.

Lesson Forty
Writing Transitions

Crafting Smooth Transitions
Rewrite the last sentence of the first moment and the first
sentence of the second moment in your journal on a new
page, leaving 4 or 5 lines in between.
In the space between the two sentences, add a sentence or
two that will help the reader move easily from one moment to
the next.
Copy the transition onto a strip of paper and tape it where you
want the transition to go between your two moments.

Lesson Forty-One

Adding Revisions & Forming Paragraphs

Lesson Forty-Two
Editing and Writing the Final Draft

Editing Process
1. Read your draft out loud and clearly.
2. Use your colored pen, pencil, or highlighter to make
any corrections. Pay special attention to capitaliation &
punctuation.
3. Read through the entire draft to make sure you found
all the errors and correct them.

Wex grade5 level-c:book1

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