2. What is The Writing Revolution?
• The Writing Revolution (TWR) was
created to help content area teachers
incorporate the required literacy standards
into lessons without too much additional
work or strain being put on those content
area teachers.
• The goal of TWR is to increase students’
academic writing across all content areas.
3. How to Use this PowerPoint
• Each weekly bell ringer
focuses on one topic that
is related to the literacy
standards in your content
area.
• The first two slides of
each week’s topic were
designed to refresh the
teacher on the specific
concept and its rules.
• Along with a definition
and description of the
concept being reviewed,
teachers will find
examples and non-
examples on the second
slide of each week.
• The last slide contains
the topic/task to be
completed by students in
the content area
teacher’s classroom.
4. What are the Expectations for
Content Area Teachers?
• Review the weekly concept prior
to asking students to complete the
task, so you are familiar with the
topic.
• Have students complete the
weekly task three times a week.
– This could be completed as a
bell ringer, exit slip, or quick
formative assessment during
class.
• At the end of the week, look
through the students’ work to
check for mastery.
• Inform your grade-level English
teachers of approximately how
many of your students mastered
the weekly concept during your
next grade-level meeting or
through email.
• In order to encourage students to
try their best on these tasks,
please assign a small grade for
this work in your classroom grade
book.
5. Expectations for Content Area
Teachers Continued
• Once the skill has been introduced in
English class and practiced in your
classroom, please hold students
accountable for each basic skill on all
future writing assignments.
• This will help us build a culture of
academic writing across all subject
areas.
6. Helpful Hints for Implementation
• Save this presentation as your own before
you begin modifying this PowerPoint.
• Add pictures, sounds, animations, etc. to
best suit your teaching style as well as
your students’ needs.
• If you already have a presentation created
for your bell ringers and exit slips, copy the
task slides into your existing PowerPoint.
7. Lesson One : August 17 – 21
• Topic: Capitalization and Punctuation
– All sentences should begin with a capital letter
and end with punctuation.
– Sentences may end with a period, question
mark, or an exclamation mark.
– When an “i” is used alone, it should always be
capitalized.
– When proper nouns are used, they should
always be capitalized.
8. Lesson One : August 17 – 21
Capitalization and Punctuation
Examples:
• The Roman Empire
was vast and
powerful.
• An organism is an
individual form of life
that is capable of
growing.
Non-Examples:
• the roman empire
was vast and
powerful
• An organism is an
individual form of Life
that is capable of
growing,
9. Lesson One : August 17 – 21
Capitalization and Punctuation
• Content Topic:
• Task: Write one sentence using correct
capitalization and end punctuation.
10. Lesson Two : August 24 – 28
• Topic: Sentences with Action Verbs
– Verbs explain what is happening in a
sentence.
– Action verbs demonstrate what the subject or
subjects are doing in a given sentence.
– If a person can complete or do what is
happening in a sentence, then the verb is an
action verb.
11. Lesson Two : August 24 – 28
Sentences with Action Verbs
Example:
• A cell-membrane forms the outer surface of the
cytoplasm of a cell and regulates the passage
of materials in and out of the cell.
(forms and regulates = actions of cell-membrane)
Non-Example:
• A cell-membrane is a thin membrane.
(is = linking verb that links the subject to its complement)
12. Lesson Two : August 24 – 28
Sentences with Action Verbs
• Content Topic:
• Task: Write one sentence using an action
verb.
13. Lesson Three : Aug 31 – Sept 4
• Topic: Sentences with Linking Verbs
– Verbs explain what is happening in a
sentence.
– Linking verbs are used to connect the subject
of the sentence to the complement as well as
show a state of being.
– Frequently used linking verbs include:
is, am, are, was, were, been, being, be, become.
14. Lesson Three : Aug 31 – Sept 4
Sentences with Linking Verbs
Examples:
• The Spartans were warriors who trained from
the age of seven.
(“were” links the Subject, Spartans, to its complement, warriors)
Non-Examples:
• The Spartans were feared because they
trained from age seven to become warriors.
( were = a helping verb; “were feared” forms the verb phrase)
15. Lesson Three : Aug 31 – Sept 4
Sentences with Linking Verbs
• Content Topic:
• Task: Write one sentence using a linking
verb.
16. Lesson Four : September 8 – 11
• Topic: Sentences with Helping Verbs
– Helping verbs come before the main verb to
create a verb phrase.
– Frequently used helping verbs include:
has, had, have, do, does, did, can, could, may,
might, must, should, would, will.
17. Lesson Four : September 8 – 11
Sentences with Helping Verbs
Examples:
• We will divide the
numerator by the
denominator in order
to convert the fraction
to a decimal.
(will = the helping verb; it “helps” form
the verb phrase, “will divide”)
Non-Examples:
• The numerator is the
top number on the
fraction.
(is = a linking verb, linking “the
numerator” to its complement “the
top number”)
18. Lesson Four : September 8 – 11
Sentences with Helping Verbs
• Content Topic:
• Task: Write one sentence using a helping
verb to form a verb phrase.
19. Lesson Five : September 14 – 18
• Topic: Using Commas with Introductory Phrases
– Commas should be used to set off introductory
phrases that generally contain four or more words.
– Introductory phrases should be used when citing
textual evidence using the Point-Evidence-Discussion
(PED) method.
– Frequently used introductory phrases:
• In paragraph _____ of the article,
• In the article “__________”, the author states,
• Based on evidence from the article “__________”,
• For example,
• For instance, (***These are exceptions to the four or more
words requirement*** They are two-word introductory
phrases that requires a comma.)
20. Lesson Five : September 14 – 18
Using Commas with Introductory Phrases
Examples:
• In paragraph five of the
text, it says that there are
three states of matter.
• For instance, liquid is one
state of matter.
Non-Examples:
• In the text, it explains how all
matter is made from atoms.
(a comma is not needed after
“in the text” since it is an
introductory phrase that is
less than four words)
• Colorful vegetables are high
in vitamin C; for example
bell peppers contain a lot of
vitamin C. (Place a comma
after “for example”.)
21. Lesson Five : September 14 – 18
Using Commas with Introductory Phrases
• Content Topic:
• Task: Write one sentence with an introductory
phrase to cite textual evidence.
22. Lesson Six : September 21 – 25
• Topic: Using Commas with Quotes
– Commas should be used to set off a direct
quotation from the rest of the sentence.
– A comma should come before the opening
quotation mark.
– If the direct quote is in the middle of a
sentence, a comma should also follow the
closing quotation mark.
23. Lesson Six : September 21 – 25
Using Commas with Quotes
Examples:
• “For score and seven years ago,” is how Abraham
Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address begins.
• “One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can
change the world,” says Malala Yousafzai.
• According to renowned scientist, Albert Einstein,
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never
tried anything new."
24. Lesson Six : September 21 – 25
Using Commas with Quotes
• Content Topic:
• Task: Write one correctly punctuated
sentence containing a direct quotes to cite
textual evidence.
25. September 28 – 30
• Topic: No writing lessons this week due to
quarter finals
