Week 3 Introducing... Sentence Openers

Hello IEW families,
Structure:
Unit I and Unit II Review
Unit I - Notemaking and Outlining
Unit II - Summarizing "SOME-arizing" from Notes (KWO)
New Style - Sentence Openers:
We introduced the new stylistic technique of using a variety of sentence openers to strengthen your student's writing.  We discussed how we normally use #1 openers (sentences that start with a subject) in our speaking and writing.  We learned how to use  #3 openers (sentences that begin with an -ly word), and the #6 sentence pattern (a very short sentence containing only 2-5 words) to create variety in our writing.  These new stylistic techniques will need to be included in their paragraphs this week about the "Oldest Story Ever Known".  Please have your child label all #1, #3, and #6 openers in their paper - left hand margin.
Review and New "Dress-up Drama" Activity with Style:
I hoped to get them very excited about using STYLE to make their writing more dramatic through the "Dress-up Drama" activity.  We focused on replacing boring "blahjectives" and "weak" verbs (BANNED WORDS) and using all style elements we have learned to dress-up our sentences. The students DRESSED-UP (used quality adjectives, strong verbs, -ly words, vocabulary), DECORATED (used alliteration), and INCORPORATED NEW SENTENCE OPENERS ( #3 -ly and #6 very short sentences) to make their fellow classmates dance, descend, and prance across the classroom.  The goal with all of these STYLE elements is to get the students to use them so often that they become very EASY to use and eventually second nature to them.
Weekly Assignment:
IEW Ancients Lesson 4 - "The Oldest Story Known" History Note - The Story of Gilgamesh is included in Volume One The Story of the World. This week we are writing a paragraph about the background of the story and next week we are going to tell the story of Gilgamesh in our assignment.  If you have The Story of the World Volume One it might be a fun bonus to read it this week. 
(1) Study IEW Vocabulary Words for Lessons 1-3
(2) Make a Key Word Outline of the paragraph page 22 "The Oldest Story Ever Known" by following the Outlining Rule (3-4 words and symbols and numbers are free).
(3) Cover the original paragraph.  Use only your outline to help you write a paragraph in your own words.  Add the dress-ups and the sentence openers listed on the checklist, page 23.  Underline only one of each dress-up (Adj, V, -ly, voc) and decoration (alliteration).  Label alliteration (allit) in the right margin.  Label sentence openers (#1, #3, #6) in the left margin.
(4) After a proofreading your paper, write a final draft. 
*****REMEMBER NO BANNED WORDS!*****
(5) Illustrate your paragraph if desired.  (OPTIONAL)

If you have any questions or concerns about the assignment this week please contact me.  I am always here to help. The students are doing an amazing job, I can see their confidence with the material growing each week.  The class participation is fantastic.  Have fun writing this week!!!
Blessings,
Mrs. Gaines