STEP-BY-STEP Writing, Book 1: A Standards-Based Approach, Second Edition - Linda Lonon Blanton 2008

Unit 4 Write about a Holiday or Celebration

Reading

Discuss. Ask and answer the questions with a partner. Share your partner's answers with the class.

1. What’s your favorite holiday or celebration?

□ my birthday

□ New Year’s Eve

□ Thanksgiving □ other: ...

2. When is the celebration? ...

3. Where do you celebrate?

□ at home

□ at a restaurant

□ at a parade

□ other: ...

4. How do you celebrate?

□ I sing.

□ I dance.

□ I eat special foods.

□ I wear special clothes.

□ other: ...

5. Who celebrates with you?

□ family

□ friends

□ other: ...

6. Why do you like this holiday or celebration? ...

Read. Read the passage about favorite celebrations.

Let’s Celebrate!

Today is Francisco’s favorite celebration. It’s December 3. It’s Francisco’s birthday. He is 16 years old today. Francisco’s family never forgets his birthday. They always have a birthday party at their apartment. Francisco’s friends and family usually come to the party. They play games and eat birthday cake. Francisco usually gets a lot of nice presents, too. He likes his birthday because it’s fun.

Maria’s favorite holiday is New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is on December 31. It is the last night before the new year. Maria usually celebrates New Year’s Eve at home. Maria’s family often celebrates New Year’s Eve with her. On New Year’s Eve, Maria yells “Happy New Year!” at midnight. Maria thinks New Year’s Eve is exciting.

Mr. and Mrs. Garcia like Cinco de Mayo. Mr. Garcia is Mexican. He’s from Puebla, Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is a traditional holiday in Puebla, but it’s very popular in the U.S. as well. Cinco de Mayo is on May 5. The Garcia family often goes to the Cinco de Mayo parade in Los Angeles. At the parade, people usually sing or dance. People sometimes wear special green, red, and white clothes, too. Mr. and Mrs. Garcia like Cinco de Mayo because it’s enjoyable.

Write captions. Write a sentence for each picture on page 41. Use sentences from the reading.

Vocabulary

Complete the sentences with words from the box. Use each word only once.

popular

presents

birthday

special

party

traditional

celebrates

holiday

dance

parade

1. Francisco’s birthday is December 3.

2. Francisco’s family always has a … for his birthday.

3. Francisco usually gets a lot of nice … for his birthday.

4. Maria’s favorite … is New Year’s Eve.

5. Maria … New Year’s Eve at home.

6. Cinco de Mayo is a … celebration in Puebla, Mexico.

7. It is very … in the U.S., too. People really like it.

8. The Garcia family often goes to the Cinco de Mayo … in Los Angeles.

9. At the parade, people usually sing or …

10. People sometimes wear … red, green, and white clothes.

Write the months in order.

November

May

April

July

January

December

June

August

March

September

February

October

1. January

2. …

3. …

4. …

5. …

6. …

7. …

8. …

9. …

10. …

11. …

12. …

Complete the chart with the correct country or nationality.

Grammar

> Learn more in the Grammar Reference, pages 131-141.

Complete the wh- questions. Then write complete answers. Use the information in parentheses.

1. Q: Where is Francisco’s birthday party?

A: (at his apartment) Francisco's birthday party is at his apartment.

2. Q: … is Cinco de Mayo?

A: (May 5) …

3. Q: … celebrates New Year’s Eve with Maria?

A: (Maria’s family) …

4. Q: … is Mr. Garcia’s favorite holiday?

A: (Cinco de Mayo) …

5. Q: … does the Garcia family celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

A: (go to the parade) …

6. Q: … does Francisco like his birthday?

A: (it’s fun) …

Prepositional Phrases

Complete the sentences with in, on, at, or to.

1. Francisco’s birthday is on Decembers.

2. Francisco’s friends usually come … his apartment.

3. Francisco always has fun … his birthday.

4. Maria yells “Happy New Year!” … New Year’s Eve.

5. New Year’s Eve is … December.

6. Cinco de Mayo is a traditional holiday … Puebla, Mexico.

7. People sing or dance … the parade.

Complete the sentences. Use the correct adverbs from the reading on page 40.

1. Francisco’s family never forgets his birthday.

2. They … have a birthday party at their apartment.

3. Francisco’s friends … come to the party.

4. Maria … celebrates New Year’s Eve at home.

5. Maria … celebrates New Year’s Eve with her family.

6. The Garcia family … goes to the Cinco de Mayo parade.

7. The people … wear special green, red, and white clothes.

Organization

Order of Importance

Write complete answers for the wh- questions. Use sentences from the reading on page 40.

Remember!

Use questions to research a topic. Use complete answers to start writing. Organize the information in order of importance. Think about the topic and audience. Ask yourself "What is important for the audience to know first about the topic?"

Write answers for the wh- questions. Use the complete answers from Exercise A. Then write the best title for the group of sentences.

(Title) ...

1. (What?) Maria's favorite holiday is New Year's Eve.____

2. (When?) ...

3. (How?) ...

4. (Why?) ...

Write the best title for the group of sentences in Exercise B.

Title 1: Maria’s Favorite Holiday

Title 2: How Maria Celebrates New Year’s Eve

Writing strategies

Sentence Combining

Change each sentence. Use the signal or connecting word in parentheses.

1. (and) Francisco’s friends come to his party. Francisco’s family comes to his party.

2. (and) They play games. They eat birthday cake.

3. (because) He likes his birthday. It’s fun.

4. (as well) Cinco de Mayo is a holiday in Puebla, Mexico and it’s popular in the U.S.

5. (or) At the parade, people usually sing. At the parade, people usually dance.

Remember!

Use signal words like too and as well to add information.

Use connecting words like or, but, and, or because to connect ideas or sentences.

Writing

Expository Writing

Expository writing explains, describes, or gives information to an audience. Writers often research a topic to find information. Magazine articles and informational reports are examples of expository writing.

Read. Read Irene's magazine article about American Independence Day.

Write sentences. Complete the information for Irene's celebration poster on page 47. Use words and sentences from her magazine article.

A Celebration Poster

Step-by-step writing

Purpose: Write about a Holiday or Celebration

Writing PROMPT

Make a celebration poster. Use wh- questions to research a favorite celebration. Write the complete answers to make your poster. Include a photograph or drawing for each answer.

STEP 1 Pre-write

Look at Irene's idea cluster. Copy the idea cluster or make one on a computer. Write the name of your celebration in the center. Complete the cluster with information about your celebration. Research any information you don't know.

Irene's Idea Cluster

STEP 2 Organize

Look at Irene's organizer. Organize your ideas. Copy the T-chart or make one on a computer. Complete a T-chart with sentences about your celebration.

STEP 3 Draft and Revise

Practice. Look at Irene's first draft. How can she improve it? Answer the questions.

1. What is important for the audience to know first about the topic?

Ⓐ Sentence 2

В Sentence 4

C Sentence 5

D Sentence 6

2. What is the best way to make the underlined part of sentence 2 more specific?

A Irene’s Independence Day

В Their Independence Day

C American Independence Day

D United Independence Day

3. Where is the best place to add the adverb usually to sentence 4?

A before celebrate

В before Independence

C before Day

D before with

4. What’s a better way to rewrite sentence 6?

A I like Independence Day but I like the fireworks.

В I like Independence Day because I like the fireworks.

C I like the fireworks because Independence Day.

D I like the fireworks or I like Independence Day.

Draft. Write a first draft for your celebration poster. Use your notes from Steps 1 and 2.

Revise. Read your first draft. How can you improve it? Look at the revision checklist. Revise your writing.

STEP 4 Edit

Practice. Look at the sentences. Choose the best word or phrase to complete each sentence.

1. My mother’s birthday is the … of May.

A three

В thirty

Ⓒ third

D thirteen

2. The … New Year celebration is very popular in San Francisco.

A China

В china

C Chinese

D Chinese

3. I … watch the fireworks on the

Fourth of July. I go every year.

A always

В don’t

C never

D sometimes

4. My best friend’s birthday is …

April 16.

A in

В at

C on

D to

5. Mr. Simm’s favorite holiday is …

A Independence day

В independence day

C Independence Day

D Independence Date

Edit. Reread your draft from Step 3. Look at the editing checklist. Edit your writing.

Peer Edit. Exchange drafts with a partner. Tell your partner what you like about the draft. Look at the editing checklist. Tell your partner how to improve the draft.

STEP 5 Publish

Make your celebration poster. Write it in your best handwriting or design it on a computer. Look at Irene's poster on page 47 for ideas. Remember to include a title, your name, and pictures of the celebration. Present your poster to the class.

Technology

Expanding a Keyword Search

Many countries have an Independence Day. Do a keyword search for the exact phrase "Independence Day celebration Vietnam" using quotation marks. What happens? You don't get many hits because your search is very narrow. Now search for the exact phrase "Independence Day celebration." Type the word Vietnam outside of the quotation marks. You get more hits because this expands the search.

Find five countries that celebrate an Independence Day. Make a list. Include the date of the celebration for each country. Cite your Internet sources.

Group writing

Work together to complete the information for one of the posters.

1. Look at the poster.    4. Your teacher writes captions.

2. Discuss the pictures.   6. Copy the captions.

3. Tell your teacher about each picture.

Timed writing

Choose one writing prompt. Complete the writing task in 45 minutes.

Writing PROMPT 1

Think about something you can do or make. Make a poster. Give instructions for each step. Use sequence words. Include pictures of your instructions.

Writing PROMPT 2

Think about a popular free-time activity. Make a poster. Use wh- questions to guide your research and organization. Include pictures of the topic. Write complete sentences under the pictures to make your poster.

Test Tip

Watch the time!

Total time: 45 minutes

Steps 1 & 2: pre-write, organize

✵ 5-10 minutes

Step 3: draft, revise

✵ 20-25 minutes

Steps 4 & 5: edit, publish

✵ 10-15 minutes

Self-check

Think about your writing skills. Check (✓) the answers that are true.

1. I understand....

□ food words.

□ action verbs.

□ celebration words.

□ months and ordinal numbers.

□ countries and nationalities.

2. I can correctly use...

□ the imperative form.

□ count and noncount nouns.

□ wh- questions and answers.

□ prepositional phrases.

□ adverbs of frequency.

3. I can correctly use...

□ a period.

□ a question mark.

□ an exclamation point.

4. I can combine sentences...

□ with signal words.

□ with connecting words.

5. I can organize my writing by...

□ time.

□ importance.

6. I can write to...

□ explain a procedure.

□ give information about an event.