Ms. Couser's Writing  Expectations

Story parts are taught in isolation in the following sequence:

                              1. Beginnings

                              2. Middles

                              3. Ends

Each story part has specific characteristics as follows:

     Beginnings Should include an action, sound, or a thought/question.

           For example, 

                   1. An action - The lightning from the storm flashed as bright as the photographer's camera.  "flashed" being the action

                    2. Thought/Question - I wonder when the lightning from the storm is going to end.  What was struck by lightning out in the backyard?

                    3. Sound - BOOM! CRASH! Went the tree after it was struck by lightning.

Beginnings should also answer five out of six the following questions : who? what? where? when? why? how?

       Middles Should be the "meat" of the story. I describe the middle as the "Main Event". The "Main Event" can be fully elaborated answering the following questions:

                     1. Action: What did you do? (Tell it in slow motion)

                     2. Description: What did you see, hear, and feel?

                     3. Thoughts/Feelings: What were you wondering, worrying, or feeling?

                     4. Dialogue/Exclamation: What did you say or exclaim?

                     5. Sound Effect: What did you hear?

       Endings Should be extended in order to be satisfying. Endings can be elaborated by answering the following questions:

                      1. A Memory: What did you remember the most?

                      2. Feelings: How did you feel about what happened?

                      3. Wishes or Hopes: What would you wish or hope?

                      4. Decision: What did you decide?

                      5. Defining Action: What did you do?

Grammar, punctuation, and capitalization is taught using "Grammar With a Giggle". Students copy an incorrect sentence each morning, making any corrections needed with a red pen. We make the corrections whole class and discuss the reasoning and rules for the corrections. Vocabulary words are pulled from this activity for their Vocabulary Tests.