Scott Foresman Reading Street

Genre Description
Writer's Craft Voice
Writing Trait Word Choice

Identify qualities of a character description.
Write a character description with a strong voice.
Focus on word choice.
Use a rubric.

Word Choice Work with students to use vivid words that appeal to readers' senses. A bilingual dictionary, picture dictionary, or thesaurus, as well as other home-language speakers, may help provide words that create pictures for readers.

FOCUS/IDEAS Strong supporting

details make the topic clear and interesting.

ORGANIZATION/PARAGRAPHS

The description reveals three character traits, each
supported by actions, and
builds to the most important
one.

VOICE Writing is engaging and

lively. The writer shows admiration for the subject.

WORD CHOICE The writer uses

vivid adjectives to describe
character traits (happy, fun,
wise) and strong verbs
(enjoys, whirls) to describe
actions.

SENTENCES Use of sentences

with varied structures creates clarity and interest.

CONVENTIONS There is

excellent control and accuracy, including use of complete sentences and no fragments.

Model the Trait

Improve Writing

Prewrite and Draft

Draft and Revise

Connect to Unit Writing

READING-WRITING CONNECTION

Boom Town tells how a clever girl helps a California town grow and prosper.
The story uses a sympathetic, humorous voice and vivid language to describe realistic characters.
Students will write a character description using vivid words to create voice.

MODEL WORD CHOICE Discuss Writing Transparency 1A. Then discuss the model and the writing trait of word choice.

The writer has used exact words to describe Pa. For example, happy and enjoys show that he is a cheerful person. The writer also creates word pictures that suggest Pa's personality; you can picture Pa singing and full of hope.

Writing Transparency 1A

with | without Answers

WRITER'S CRAFT

Voice

Display Writing Transparency 1B. Read the directions and work together to describe the voice of each passage.

GUIDED WRITING Some students may need more help with voice. Work with them to identify the voice of the narrator in the reading selection.

DEVELOP AN APPROPRIATE VOICE Tomorrow we will write a character description. I could write about Amanda. How could I show how I feel about her? I could write, "Amanda is very smart about business. I admire the way she sees how all different kinds of workers could make money in the town." These words show my admiration for Amanda.

Writing Transparency 1B

with | without Answers

READ THE WRITING PROMPT

on page 37 in the Student Edition.

Boom Town describes a girl who helps make a new town grow.

Think about a character from the story or a person you know who helps someone or something.

Now write a description of that character or person, using vivid words.

Writing Test Tips

Write details about some things the person does.
Explain how the person's actions show what kind of person he or she is.
Use vivid adjectives and strong verbs to make the person come alive.

GETTING STARTED Students can do any of the following:

Make a word web with the person's name in the center, then write character traits and actions that demonstrate each trait in connected circles.
Visualize this person in action and write what they see.
Show their feelings about the person in the description.

EDITING/REVISING
CHECKLIST

Do details make the person come alive?
Do my feelings and personality show?
Is every sentence complete?
Are words with short vowel sounds spelled correctly?

See The Grammar and Writing Book, pp. 50–55.

Revising Tips

Word Choice

Support description with words used in everyday speech. Change words that don't sound natural.
Choose details about the person that touch your feelings.
Show your feelings about the person.

PUBLISHING Students can fold a paper in half and draw their character on the "cover."

ASSESSMENT Use the scoring rubric to evaluate students' work.

Week 1

Describe a Character
41g–41h

Week 2

A Song 63g–63h

Week 3

Math Story 85g–85h

Week 4

E-mail 115g–115h

Week 5

Narrative Paragraph 141g–141h

Personal Narrative

PREVIEW THE UNIT PROMPT

Write a personal narrative about
a time that you worked hard for
something you wanted. Tell what
you wanted, why you wanted it,
and how you worked to get it.

APPLY

A personal narrative is a story about an interesting experience or event in the storyteller's life.
Vivid character descriptions and a strong voice make a personal narrative unique and show the writer's feelings.

Writing Workshop Describe a Character

Word Choice