Scott Foresman Reading Street

Genre E-mail
Writer's Craft Use Commands and Exclamations
Writing Trait Focus/Ideas

Identify the characteristics of an e-mail.
Write an e-mail that includes commands and exclamations.
Focus on focus/ideas.
Use a rubric.

Focus/Ideas Talk with English learners about what they plan to write. Record ideas and help them generate language for support. Help them tighten their focus by eliminating unrelated details. See more writing support in the ELL and Transition Handbook.

CONVENTIONS There is

excellent control and accuracy,
including correct punctuation of
commands and exclamations.

SENTENCES The story includes

commands and exclamations.

WORD CHOICE The writer uses

vivid words and details (soft
fur, white stripes).

VOICE Writing is engaging and

lively. The writer uses a
conversational tone.

ORGANIZATION/PARAGRAPHS

The paragraph moves clearly
from one part of the event to
the next.

FOCUS/IDEAS The e-mail

focuses on one topic and
uses strong supporting
details to elaborate on it.

Model the Trait

Improve Writing

Prewrite and Draft

Draft and Revise

Connect to Unit Writing

READING-WRITING CONNECTION

If You Made a Million tells about money, earning, and spending.
The nonfiction story focuses on increasing amounts, building to mind-boggling piles of cash.
Students will write an
e-mail using exclamations and commands, focused on spending $100.

MODEL FOCUS/IDEAS Discuss Writing Transparency 4A. Then discuss the model and the writing trait of focus/ideas.

I see that the writer
includes only sentences
that talk about the kitten
she found. Her purpose
for writing is to tell how she bought
the kitten. This means she needs
to begin with sentences that
explain how she found it and then
its owner. Her sentences are
focused and build to the exciting
purchase.

Writing Transparency 4A

with | without Answers

WRITER'S CRAFT

Use Commands and Exclamations

Display Writing Transparency 4B. Read the directions and work together to identify kinds of writing that use commands and emotions that exclamations express.

WRITE EXCLAMATIONS AND COMMANDS Tomorrow we will write an e-mail. What exclamations could I use in an email about spending $100? I might write "This is the best day of my life!" This would show I am excited and happy. A command such as "Look up this web site to see my new bike" would let my friend see the bike right away.

GUIDED WRITING Some students may need more help with commands and exclamations. Work with them to identify these kinds of sentences in familiar texts.

Writing Transparency 4B

with | without Answers

READ THE WRITING PROMPT
on page 111 in the Student Edition.

If You Made a Million suggests ways you could spend different amounts of money.

Think about how you would spend $100.

Now write an e-mail to a friend explaining what you would do.

Writing Test Tips

Write a list of things you would buy with the money.
Write a list of feelings you have about winning the money.
Write one command and one exclamation that will help describe your feelings and plans to your friend.

GETTING STARTED Students
can do any of the following:

Make a word web with the words Wish List in the center circle and things they have wished to buy in connecting circles.
Recall times when they have gotten an unexpected surprise and write how they felt about it.
Brainstorm vivid details to make their e-mail engaging.

EDITING/REVISING
CHECKLIST

Does my e-mail explain what I will do with $100?
Do I use vivid details to develop my e-mail?
Do I use some commands and exclamations?
Are words with long a, e, and o sounds spelled correctly?

See The Grammar and Writing Book, pp. 68–73.

Revising Tips

Focus/Ideas

Consider whether your imagination shows in each detail.
Make sure you focus on one main idea that you want to communicate.
Add words and details that you might use in talking to a good friend.

PUBLISHING Have students type their e-mails on a computer and send them to the friend to whom they are addressed. They may also print them out and post them on a bulletin board. Some students may wish to revise their work later.

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.
Use of commands and exclamations can make a personal narrative interesting and reveal the writer's voice.

Writing Workshop E-mail

Focus/Ideas