The document discusses 11 elements of effective adolescent writing instruction, including prewriting, process writing, study of models, and sentence combining. It then provides examples of mentor sentence activities and sentence building exercises teachers can use to help students improve sentence fluency. Assessment tools are presented to analyze students' sentence fluency skills in areas like complete sentences and sentence variety.
4. His room smelled of cooked grease, Lysol, and age.
Maya Angelou I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, p. 255
5. Mentor Sentence Directions
Part One
1. Read and discuss the Maya Angelou
sentence.
2. Write a sentence that follows the structure of
the sentence.
3. Share sentences orally (pairs, small groups,
and/or large group).
6. Mentor Sentence Activity
Part 2
1. Choose a book, magazine, or on-line
reading source.
2. Find a sentence you like that matches
the structure we’re studying.
3. Write the sentence in your journal or
on your paper. Cite your source.
4. Be ready to explain why you chose
this sentence.
11. Think about how these sentence structures work. Using the
handout, try sorting the 20 sentences into one of these
categories.
• Simple Sentence
• Comma in a Series
• Fanboys
• Opener
• Interrupter
• 2 joined independents;
• Closer
12. In-Depth Analysis/Assessment of Skills for 7th Grade
_____ Sentence Fluency
•
___ Complete sentences
___ No run-ons
___ Different lengths
___ Different beginnings
___ Solid simple sentences
___ Demonstrate compound sentence
___ Demonstrate complex sentence
___ Don’t start with and, but, or, so,
because (unless intro phrase)
Complete form and spreadsheet can be found in resource section.
23. Closure
• What practices are currently in place to
support students in organizing their writing
and building sentence fluency?
• Could you integrate some of today’s
strategies into your program?
• In what areas do your students need more
support?
• Do you have tools/practices in place to
identify your students’ areas of needed
support?