6th Grade Sentence Fluency- Day 1

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INTRODUCTION TO

SENTENCE

FLUENCY

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Don't forget, grab your guided notes to complete throughout our lesson!

SENTENCE FLUENCY

Sentence Fluency is the way your sentences flow on the page, making music for the reader. Some sentences may be short and choppy, like when intense action is occurring. Some may be longer and more descriptive. If a song was just one note played over and over at the same beat, it wouldn't be a very good song, would it? The same goes for your sentences. To make music on the page, you have to vary your sentence beginnings and lengths.

3 THINGS TO AVOID

1. Sentences are too choppy2. Sentences are too long and thus confusing3. Sentences all begin the same way

FOR EXAMPLE...

CURIOUS GEORGE GOES FISHING

Okay, I know this book is meant for little kids, but it is a great example of the three big things to avoid with sentence fluency!

THINK ABOUT

THIS

This sentence has five words.Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. However, several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

THINK ABOUT

THIS

Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences, and I use sentences of medium length.

THINK ABOUT

THIS

Then sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds like a crescendo with a roll of drums, a crash of cymbals – sounds that say, “Listen to this. It is important.”

A Dangerous Adventure

I ran through the woods and to the wooden bridge. My pulse was pounding in my ears. My feet flew as fast as I could make them go. I could hear my pursuer coming closer. I stopped short and turned around. I could see a bear on the bridge. It was looking right at me. I tried to decide what to do.

ANALYZING FOR SENTENCE FLUENCY

Check out the paragraph to the right, written by a student. Using the pen tool at the top right, circle the first word of every sentence. Then average the number of words in each sentence and write the number in a blank space on this slide.

A Dangerous Adventure

As I ran through the woods and down to the old wooden bridge, my pulse was pounding in my ears. Aching, my feet flew as fast as I could make them go. Behind me I could hear my pursuer coming closer. Abruptly, I stopped short and turned around. On the bridge, a bear stood menacingly staring at me as I tried to decide what to do.

COMPARING DRAFTS FOR SENTENCE FLUENCY

The student revised their paragraph based on some peer advice! Using the pen tool at the top right, circle the first word of every sentence. Notice how you read the paragraph now compared to the first draft. What did the student change?

VARYING YOUR SENTENCES

Let's play with the way you order the words in your sentences! Click on the Google Doc to do your assignment. Take the sentence below and rearrange the words to write three different sentences that all begin three different ways. For example, you could begin with "Up". Don't eliminate words - just rearrange them!

He laboriously dragged the stolen gorilla up the creaking stairs.

COMBINING YOUR SENTENCES

Adding to your three gorilla sentences, we're going to work on combining sentences to avoid choppiness! Take the sentences below and combine them into one! You may eliminate some words to avoid repetition.

The werewolf was snarling. The werewolf was filthy. The werewolf was hairy. The werewolf was sprinting straight for me.

<- If you did not click into the assignment on the last slide, here is the link again!

WAYS TO BEGIN A SENTENCE

click me!

There are many different ways to begin a sentence. Add to your gorilla sentences and werewolf sentences on Schoology by picking a topic and writing three sentences on that topic. EXCEPT, you must begin each sentence in a different way. Click the button above labeled "Click Me" to learn about the different ways to begin a sentence! Struggling to find a topic? Use mine! Topic = The world's cutest /deadliest animals

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

DEPENDENT & INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

Independent clauses are complete thoughts that can stand on their own. They have a subject (who or what is doing the action) and a predicate (the action in the sentence). Independent clauses are like adults. You can likely leave one on their own, and they will survive by themselves.

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A SENTENCE

EXAMPLE: JOEY WON THE BURPING CONTEST.

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

DEPENDENT & INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

DEPENDENT CLAUSES

Dependent clauses DEPEND on independent clauses for necessary context/information. They cannot stand on their own. Dependent clauses are like babies. Babies depend on adults to survive. They cannot survive on their own.

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A SENTENCE

EXAMPLE: AFTER SHE DRANK FIVE DR. PEPPERS,

THE SIMPLE SENTENCE

types of sentence structures

ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

A simple sentence contains one independent clause. These types of sentences are great when you want to be clear and concise or when describing action with short, choppy sentences that demonstrate urgency. Be careful not to use simple sentences repeatedly in your writing because these types of sentences tend to make reading out loud sound monotonous.

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

EXAMPLE: HE ALMOST STEPPED ON THE COPPERHEAD SNAKE.

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

types of sentence structures

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

A compound sentence includes TWO independent clauses. Now, you can't put two independent clauses together and call it good. That would be a run-on sentence! No, you have to use a comma and a conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So), or a semicolon. NEVER join two independent clauses with just a comma!

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

EXAMPLE: JOEY DRANK FIVE DR. PEPPERS, SO HE EASILY WON THE BURPING CONTEST.

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

types of sentence structures

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

WAYS TO JOIN TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES IN HOLY MATRIMONY:, CONJUNCTION SEMICOLON COMMA

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

types of sentence structures

TWO INDEPENDENT CLAUSES

My dad shaved his beard, so the baby didn't recognize him. Coldplay is my favorite band; I could listen to their songs for hours.

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

THE COMPLEX SENTENCE

types of sentence structures

ONE DEPENDENT + ONE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

A complex sentence contains one dependent and one independent clause. Remember: dependent clauses often start with words like "after" "until" "when" "if" "as", etc. . If the dependent clause comes first, add a comma between the clauses.

VARYING YOUR SENTENCE LENGTHS

EXAMPLE: AFTER JOEY DRANK FIVE DR. PEPPERS, HE WON THE BURPING CONTEST.

FINAL ACTIVITY

Add to your gorilla sentences, werewolf sentence, and five sentences beginning a different way

Choose a topic. Any topic! Write three different sentences on that topic. Make one of those sentences a simple sentence. Make another one a compound sentence. Finally, make one a complex sentence. Need a topic? Borrow mine! Topic = Things that sound crazy, but are true!

You can submit a picture in the submission box when done. remember to vary your sentence beginnings and lengths!