Editing Your WritingI CAN:• Develop grade-level appropriate writing • Use revision strategies • Use editing strategies • Use feedback from teachers and/or peers• Demonstrate proper usage of the eight

parts of speech in writing and speaking

Checkpoint 1 – Capitals and End Marks• Capitals / Ending Marks• Place three underlines under the

beginning letter • Circle each end mark• Check that a capital letter and the

correct ending punctuation are in place—if not, ADD THEM!

I CAN: use capitalization and punctuation correctly.

Checkpoint 2 – Complete Sentences•Read each sentence aloud. Listen and decide if it is a complete sentence. If not, correct it.

Checkpoint 3 - Strong Verbs

•Find and underline the verb(s), mark strong action verbs (S.V) or decide if they are weak verbs(W.V.) Draw a box around the weak verbs with a brown colored pencil. Notice repeating patterns and rewrite if needed.

I CAN: use verbs in multiple forms to achieve an effect

Weak Verbs or Weasel Words

is are was were ambe been being

seems appears becomebecame go get

got went

Checkpoint 4 - Spelling

•Look at each sentence and put an X through the banned words with a black colored pencil (things, stuff, got, a lot). •Write “sp” above misspelled words. Correct as needed.

I CAN: spell correctly

Checkpoint 5 - Emotion/DescriptionRead each sentence and check that you have really painted a clear picture of what is going on in that sentence. Use the five senses to elaborate your sentence so that it is descriptive.

Consider your own ideas/opinions to elaborate on the facts. Avoid the following phrases:

I think, I feel, I believe

Star with an orange colored pencil words that you feel are descriptive and paint a clear picture.

Do you need to revise sentences and add descriptive language?

Checkpoint 6 – Sentence Openers• Draw a box around the first three words of each sentence. • Analyze the type of opener • Noun/Pronoun• Article (a, an, the) • -ing word• Prepositional phrase• Clausal (Because)• Adjective • Adverb (-ly)Make changes so each sentence starts with a different opener. You may repeat each opener once within a paragraph.

Brushstrokes In Writing

Writing with a Painter’s Eye• Painting with Participles

• Hissing, slithering, and coiling, the diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.

• Painting with Absolutes• Claws digging, feet kicking, the cat climbed the tree.

• Painting with Appositives• The raccoon, a scavenger, enjoys eating turtle eggs.

• Painting with Adjectives Shifted Out of Order• The large bull moose, red-eyed and angry, charged the intruder.

• Painting with Action Verbs• The gravel road was on the side of the barn.• The gravel road curled around the side of the barn.

Checkpoint 7 - Information

• Read each sentence and think about the facts in that sentence. • Analyze the facts:• Are the facts related to the topic sentence?• Are the facts interesting?• Are the facts accurate?• Are there enough for a paragraph?• Do you provide supporting details for the facts?• Have you added your own thoughts and

knowledge?

Checkpoint 8 –Topic and Finalizing Sentences• Read and underline your topic (red) and

finalizing (purple)sentences. They should be the very first and last sentences. Circle three to four key words in both. Do they repeat or reflect the same three to four key words?• Does the finalizing sentence wrap up or

summarize all the facts found in the body of the paragraph?• Based on facts in Checkpoint 8, does the topic

sentence introduce briefly the facts discussed in the body? If not, edit and correct.

Checkpoint 9 - Transitions

•With a yellow colored pencil, circle any transitions used inside, at the beginning, or at the end of each paragraph. •Use your transition word list in your

binder. Transitions create fluency in your writing which connects ideas to one another.

Color Codes for Essays

Thesis RED -------------Topic Sentence RED -------Supporting Details BLUE -----Elaboration GREEN ------Finalizing Sentence PURPLE ---------

Restated Thesis RED -------------------

Transitions YELLOWYou should have several yellow spots throughout your paragraph.

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