ANSWER KEY to Review and Correct Your Work

Writer’s Warm-Up

Part I. Term Identification

Directions: A new student has joined our writing community and I’ve asked you to introduce the following writer’s terms to them. In your own words, describe what each of the terms means.

**Key terms are highlighted**

Idea Generation is a stage in the writing process where writers generate ideas to write about

Prewriting isa stage in the writing process where writers plan out their writing by developing a graphic organizer.

Graphic Organizer isa tool used by writers to organize, plan, and sequence their writing details, ideas, and information.

Drafting isa stage in the writing process where write a complete first piece by referring to their graphic organizer.

Focus isthe topic the writer selects to write about.

Structure isthe pieces/parts that build a writing piece.

Revising isa stage in the writing process where writers change their writing by adding, removing, moving, and substituting/switching details, craft, and information.

Craft isthe techniques writers use to make their writing interesting and vivid to their audience.

Personal Narrative isa story told in first person about a personal experience that was meaningful.

Internal Story isthe feelings/emotions and internal dialogue (thinking) that connects to a story event/experience.

External Story isthe action and external dialogue that creates a story event/experience.

Part II. Fill In

Directions: Complete the statements and lists below.

1.)When revising, good writers work to change their writing.

2.)Good writers revise by:

Add

Remove

Move

Substitute OR Switch

3.)Good writers develop complete experiences by crafting the external and internalstories inside an experience.

4.)Good writers show a moment by using a balance of:

External dialogue(Speech)

Internal dialogue(Thinking)

Action

Emotions/Feelings

Description ORDescriptive Details (Figurative Language and Sensory Language)

Part III: Multiple Choice

Directions: Read each statement below and identify the best fitting answer by circling/highlighting the letter.

1.)A lead/hook is:

  1. the first sentence in each paragraph
  2. the message the writer is trying to express through their writing
  3. the first few sentences at the beginning of the story
  4. the claim/argument the writer is working to convince readers to agree with

2.)A lead/hook is used to:

  1. entertain the reading audience
  2. engage the reading audience
  3. persuade the reading audience
  4. inform the reading audience

3.)When developing a lead, it is important that a writer consider the ______, ______, and ______of their writing.

  1. character, setting, and conflict
  2. purpose, format, and message
  3. topic, purpose, and format
  4. beginning, middle, and end

4.)Consider the leads below for a story about a ride on a roller coaster. Which should the writer consider revising?

  1. Standing in line, I could feel the eager push and pull of the riders around me. The line seemed to stretch on forever, but I knew the wait would be worth it.
  1. Breathing began to be a struggle as I watched the terrifying course of the roller coaster. Hearing the shrieks of the riders, I was unsure if they were petrified or having the time of their lives. “Let’s go to the line for the front car!” Stanley yelled excitedly. I peered up once again at the coaster, and knew the front was definitely not where I wanted to be.
  1. One day while I was at the amusement park with my friend, Stanley, we waited in a really long line for the roller coaster. I was really scared about going on because the roller-coaster had lots of flips, but I knew I had to go on because Stanley wanted to.

Explain why the lead you selected needs revisions.

Lead C needs to be revised by the writer because it fails to fully engage the reading audience. The purpose of a lead is to hook in the interest of the readers and set the story into motion. This lead does not present interesting action, a reaction, or develop a sensory snapshot to help readers get into the story. Instead, it simply tells readers about what it happening so far. There is no show.

Explain how the writer might choose to revise.

The writer might choose to revise this lead by using one of the lead styles like action, reaction, external or internal dialogue, sensory snapshot, or a shocking statement.

For example, the writer could revise to write:

There is no way I’m going on that, I thought to myself as I stared up at the soaring and looping roller-coaster. With each twist and turn the roller-coaster took, I could feel fear begin to wrap intricate knots in my stomach.

Part IV. Application of Revising Skills

Directions: Using what you know about creating an experience, revise the tell statement below into a show moment. Be sure to create a full experience by using a variety of techniques. (Reminder: How can you check your revisions for the FULL experience?)

Tell Scenario: I took the math test.

Chewing the rubber eraser tipon mypencil, I tried to remember the R.I.D.E.S steps to help me solve the last word problem.I could hear the frantic scrambling of pencils as my classmates rushed to finish and check over their work before the bell.

I glanced over at the clock andrealized there were only five minutes left. Move it, Alyssa,I thought as I focused back on the problem. I re-read the problem, circling the key words and numbers that would help me achieve success. Then, I wrote out the equation, double-checking to make sure that I had set my signs up correctly.

“Two minutes!” Miss Dubek announced as she shuffled the already completed tests.It’s okay to be last, I reminded myself as I watched several students jump up to turn in their work. Returning my focus back to my test, I wrote out my answer statement and began to look over my test. As I double checked my units and final answers, I could feel my confidence rise like a tidal wave. I rocked this, I thoughtas I stood up to turn in my test.

Revision Key:

Internal

External

Revision into first draft – I revised to add in more internal dialogue, some action, and figurative language (simile). Looking over my writing, I can see that I used a variety of show techniques, like:

  • Action
  • Internal dialogue (thinking)
  • External dialogue (speech)
  • Description (sensory language and figurative language)
  • Feelings/Emotion