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

Unit 6 Describe a Favorite Place

Reading

Discuss. Close your eyes and imagine you are in a park on a beautiful day. Answer the questions. Describe the park to your partner. Use sensory details.

1. Where are you?

2. What do you see?

3. What do you smell?

4. What do you hear?

5. What do you feel?

Read. Read Francisco's description of Oak Street Park.

A Day in Oak Street Park

Francisco Garcia

There are many interesting places in my neighborhood. One place is Oak Street Park. I am at Oak Street Park right now. It’s my favorite place. It’s 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. I am sitting on a bench and writing in my journal. Today is a beautiful day. It’s really sunny and hot. The sky is clear and bright. The air smells fresh and sweet.

The park is very crowded. Some people are young, and some people are old. Some people are tall, and some are short. Some people have long, straight hair. Some people have short, curly hair. One old man has no hair! He is standing in front of the park gate. A tall woman is standing beside him. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. They are talking and laughing loudly.

There are a lot of things happening around me. Many people are exercising. They’re walking quickly or riding their bikes. There is a food stand to the right of the entrance. A few people are eating lunch next to it. There is a handsome man to the left of the entrance. He is painting a picture very carefully. Across from me, a young girl is playing under a tree. Her brother is playing with her, too. They’re running and jumping happily. Their mother is sitting behind them. She is watching them quietly. Everyone is having fun.

Write captions. Write a sentence for each picture on page 67. Use sentences from the reading.

Vocabulary

Complete the chart with the opposite adjectives from the reading on page 66. Write the sentences in your notebook.

Remember!

You can use descriptive adjectives to add details. They can go before nouns or after the verb be.

The tall woman is in the park.

She is tall.

Some people have short, curly hair.

Their hair is short and curly.

Write the correct location phrases for each sentence. Use information from the reading and pictures on pages 66 and 67.

next to

beside

in front of

to the right of

off

under

across from

behind

Remember!

Location phrases tell where something is located.

I'm in my favorite place.

I'm at Oak Street Park.

1. Francisco is on a bench.

2. An older man is … the park gate.

3. A tall woman is … him.

4. There is a food stand … the entrance.

5. A few people are … the food stand.

6. A young girl is … Francisco.

7. The girl is … a tree.

8. The children’s mother is … them.

Complete the sentences about the Garcia family. Use the correct form of the verb.

run

watch

jump

laugh

talk

ride

exercise

paint

1. Francisco usually exercises at the gym in the morning.

2. Mr. Garcia often … TV in the evening.

3. Sometimes he … if a program is funny.

4. In her free time, Mrs. Garcia … beautiful pictures.

5. She often … with her friends on the telephone, too.

6. Maria often … in the park for exercise. She’s really fast.

7. She also sometimes … rope.

8. Francisco and Maria never … their bikes to school. Their school is very close.

Grammar

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

Imagine it is Saturday afternoon. What are the people doing right now? Change the sentences to the present continuous tense.

Present Tenses

The present continuous tense tells what is happening right now.

1. Maria and her friends play soccer every Saturday afternoon.

Maria and her friends are playing soccer right now.

2. Mrs. Garcia eats lunch with her friends every Saturday afternoon.

3. Francisco’s classmates exercise every Saturday afternoon.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Garcia watch a movie every Saturday afternoon.

5. Francisco relaxes in the park every Saturday afternoon.

Rewrite each sentence. Change the underlined words to object pronouns.

Object Pronouns

1. Francisco is writing in his journal. Francisco is writing in it.

2. There is a food stand to the right of the entrance. …

3. The boy’s sister is playing with the boy. …

4. An older man is talking to a tall woman. …

5. Francisco is watching the brother and sister. …

6. The children are playing across from Francisco. …

The sentences below are not true. Rewrite the sentences. Use the correct adverb from the passage on page 66.

Adverbs answer the question “How?” They give details about verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Many adverbs end in -ly. Really and very are also adverbs.

Adverbs

1. It’s not sunny. It's really sunny.

2. People in the park are walking slowly. …

3. A man is painting very carelessly. …

4. An older man and a tall woman are talking and laughing quietly. …

5. A brother and sister are playing sadly in the park. …

Organization

General to Specific

Number the sentences in order from general to specific. Then, write a paragraph. Write the sentences in the correct order.

Remember!

You can start with general information and then give specific details. In the reading on page 66, Francisco first describes the general setting (place and time) and tells what he is doing. Then he adds specific details about the characters (people). Then he describes the action (what is happening).

Group 1

I’m staying home and watching a movie.

1 It’s a cold, wet Saturday in Washington, D.C.

They are singing and dancing.

There are many people in the movie.

Group 2

Some people are playing football. Some people are relaxing.

Carson Beach is very popular. It has water sports, a picnic area, and food stands.

Carson City is very beautiful in the summer. It is a great place for a vacation.

The beach is always very crowded. Many people are at Carson Beach right now.

Writing conventions

Spelling

The words in the boxes are not spelled correctly. Rewrite the description. Correct the misspelled words.

Remember!

Many words are difficult to spell. Use a dictionary or spell check. See page 143 for a list of commonly misspelled words.

Writing

Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing tells how something looks, tastes, smells, sounds, feels, or makes a person feel. A detailed description makes the setting, characters, and action seem real. Stories and journal entries often use descriptive writing.

Read. Read the journal descriptions of these students' favorite places.

Write paragraphs. Look at the pictures on page 73. Write the correct paragraph under each picture.

Descriptive Paragraphs

Step-by-step writing

Purpose: Describe a Favorite Place

Writing PROMPT

Imagine you are in a favorite place. Write a journal entry. First, give general information about the place, time, and what you are doing. Then, give more specific information about the place and the people around you. Finally, give details about something that is happening near you.

STEP 1 Pre-write

Look at Olivia's notes. Imagine you are in a favorite place. Write notes about your favorite place in your notebook. Remember to include general information, specific information, and details.

STEP 2 Organize

Look at Olivia's organizer. Organize your ideas. Copy the chart in your notebook or make one on a computer. Complete the chart with notes for your description.

Step 3 Draft and Revise

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

1. What is the best way to combine sentences 3 and 4?

А I’m sitting at a table but studying.

В I’m sitting at a table or studying.

© I’m sitting at a table and studying.

D I’m at a table sitting studying.

2. What’s the best way to add more details to sentence 10?

A Some people are quiet and some people are loud.

В Some people are eating. Some people are talking.

C Some people are eating quietly. Some people are talking loudly.

D Some people are eating quietly. Some people talk.

3. Where should Olivia add this descriptive sentence?

A after Sentence 10

В after Sentence 11

C after Sentence 12

D after Sentence 13

4. What is another word for “the boy” in sentence 16?

A him

В his

C her

D he

Draft. Write a first draft of your descriptive paragraph. 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. There … a tall, older woman in the park.

Ⓐ is

В has

C have

D are

2. A woman is standing … me.

A across

В right

C behind

D next

3. Mary … right now.

A is paint a picture

В paints a picture

C painting a picture

D isn’t painting a picture

4. Alex is talking to … now.

A his

В she

C their

D them

5. Kerry is walking …

A very

В cheerful

C careful

D slowly

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

Write your descriptive paragraph in your notebook or on a computer. Look at the models on pages 72 and 73 for ideas. Remember to include your name and a title. Present your descriptive paragraph to the class. Do your classmates feel like they are in your favorite place with you?

Technology

Do an Internet keyword search for online ESL dictionary. Look up the word describe on three dictionary Web sites. Highlight the first definition in each dictionary. Use Ctrl+C or Command+C to copy the text. Open a new word processing document. Use Ctrl+V or Command+V to paste the definition. Remember to cite each source. Are all three dictionary definitions the same? Present your information to the class.

Group writing

Work in a group to write about one of these topics.

1. Choose your subject.    4. Add supporting information.

2. Study the information.    5. Revise and edit the writing with your group.

3. Write a topic sentence.    6. Present your group's writing to the class.

Topic 1

Write a persuasive paragraph to Heinle Publishing. Make suggestions and support your reasons.

Topic 2

Write a descriptive paragraph about this illustration. Describe the place and tell what is happening.

Timed writing

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

Writing PROMPT 1

You are planning a trip with a group of friends. Write a persuasive message to the group. Suggest where you think you should go. Write your opinion in the topic sentence. Write reasons for your opinion in three or more supporting sentences. Use interesting information and adjectives to persuade the group.

Writing PROMPT 2

Write a descriptive paragraph about the room you are in right now. First, give general information about the place, time, and what you are doing. Then, give specific information about the place and the people. Finally, give details about something that is happening.

Self-check

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

1. I understand...

□ neighborhood words.

□ sensory adjectives.

□ descriptive adjectives.

□ location phrases.

□ activity words.

2. I can correctly use...

□ there is/there are.

□ quantity adjectives.

□ the modal should for suggestions.

□ the present continuous tense.

□ object pronouns.

□ adverbs.

3. I can correctly...

□ indent my paragraphs.

□ write a topic sentence.

□ write supporting sentences.

□ fix spelling errors in a paragraph.

4. I can organize my writing by ...

□ main idea and details.

□ general to specific.

5. I can write to...

□ persuade.

□ describe a place.