Since the beginning of the school year, each
Monday, I’ve been posting about the
importance of understanding the key elements of finely-crafted expository
nonfiction and helping students identify those features as they read and
include them as they write.
For the first few weeks, I focused on the
pre-writing process. Then, I turned my attention to text characteristics and
discussed text format, text scaffolding, and text density, text structure, and
voice. You can scroll down to read those posts.
pre-writing process. Then, I turned my attention to text characteristics and
discussed text format, text scaffolding, and text density, text structure, and
voice. You can scroll down to read those posts.
Today, I’m sharing some ideas about the
power of rich language and it’s close connection to last week’s topic—voice.
power of rich language and it’s close connection to last week’s topic—voice.
Authors carefully select each and every word
to craft text bursting with rich, powerful language that engages their young
audience. In some cases, figurative language infuses prose with combinations of
sounds and syllables that result in a lyrical voice. Consider this passage from
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by
Traci Sorell:
to craft text bursting with rich, powerful language that engages their young
audience. In some cases, figurative language infuses prose with combinations of
sounds and syllables that result in a lyrical voice. Consider this passage from
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by
Traci Sorell:
When
cool breezes blow and leaves fall,
we say otsaliheliga . . .
. . . as shell shakers dance all night around the fire,
burnt cedar’s scent drifts upward during the
Great New Moon Ceremony.
cool breezes blow and leaves fall,
we say otsaliheliga . . .
. . . as shell shakers dance all night around the fire,
burnt cedar’s scent drifts upward during the
Great New Moon Ceremony.
Notice
how the author employs alliteration, sensory details, and imagery to transport
young readers to the Cherokee Nation’s autumn Great New Moon Ceremony and show
them how special it is.
how the author employs alliteration, sensory details, and imagery to transport
young readers to the Cherokee Nation’s autumn Great New Moon Ceremony and show
them how special it is.
In
on the other hand, combining language devices like puns, rhyme, alliteration,
and surprising phrasing can make writing more humorous and playful, resulting
in a more lively voice. Consider these amusing headings from Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions,
and Murderous Medicines by Sarah Albee:
on the other hand, combining language devices like puns, rhyme, alliteration,
and surprising phrasing can make writing more humorous and playful, resulting
in a more lively voice. Consider these amusing headings from Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions,
and Murderous Medicines by Sarah Albee:
Toxic
Plots, Poison Pots, and Shipboard Shots
Plots, Poison Pots, and Shipboard Shots
I
Came, I Saw, I Poisoned
Came, I Saw, I Poisoned
Heir
Today, Gone Tomorrow
Today, Gone Tomorrow
You
Say Potato, I Say Be Careful
Say Potato, I Say Be Careful
Albee includes this kind of language to help middle-grade readers see just how “amazing and exciting and interesting
history actually is.”
Albee
notes that while her early drafts often include some lively writing, enriching
her prose with “humor and energy is something I usually do at a late stage
of revision. I carefully examine each sentence and think: How can I
make this funnier, or more vivid, for my reader?”
notes that while her early drafts often include some lively writing, enriching
her prose with “humor and energy is something I usually do at a late stage
of revision. I carefully examine each sentence and think: How can I
make this funnier, or more vivid, for my reader?”
The best way for
students to get a feel for the flow of rich, engaging expository language is to
analyze finely-crafted books. Invite students to choose one of the following
titles and type out a few pages.
students to get a feel for the flow of rich, engaging expository language is to
analyze finely-crafted books. Invite students to choose one of the following
titles and type out a few pages.
Frog Song by Brenda Z.
Guiberson
Guiberson
Giant Squid by
Candace Fleming
Candace Fleming
If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian
If You Hopped Like a
Frog
by David M. Schwartz
Frog
by David M. Schwartz
Planting the Wild
Garden
by Kathryn O. Galbraith
Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep by April Pulley Sayre
Garden
by Kathryn O. Galbraith
Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep by April Pulley Sayre
After
organizing the class into small groups based on the books they selected,
encourage the teams to identify key language features and highlight them with
different colors. Students may color the text in the computer file, or they can
print out the text and mark it up with colored pencils or highlighting markers.
The following color code works well for the titles listed above: red = vivid
verbs
blue = similes, metaphors, and other comparisons
green = alliteration
purple = repetition
orange = onomatopoeia
organizing the class into small groups based on the books they selected,
encourage the teams to identify key language features and highlight them with
different colors. Students may color the text in the computer file, or they can
print out the text and mark it up with colored pencils or highlighting markers.
The following color code works well for the titles listed above: red = vivid
verbs
blue = similes, metaphors, and other comparisons
green = alliteration
purple = repetition
orange = onomatopoeia
After students complete this task, invite
them to highlight these same language features in one of their rough drafts.
Can they find spots where replacing a verb or adding a comparison or language
device could strengthen their writing?
them to highlight these same language features in one of their rough drafts.
Can they find spots where replacing a verb or adding a comparison or language
device could strengthen their writing?
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