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Lesson 6

We will edit our draft using standard English conventions.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I edit my Culminating Task essays using standard English conventions, including pronoun-antecedent agreement?

  • Can I edit my Culminating Task essays using standard English conventions, including correct capitalization?

  • Can I edit my Culminating Task essays using standard English conventions, including a variety of complete, controlled sentences and avoidance of unintentional splices, run-ons, and fragments?

  • Can I edit my Culminating Task essays using standard English conventions, including consistent, appropriate use of present verb tense and active voice?

Texts

There are no texts for this Lesson.

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss

We will review and explore the grammar and usage concepts that we focused on in this unit.

As a class, discuss some ways to improve your clarity in your essay by thinking about English conventions.

Review the grammar and usage issues that we have focused on in the unit, including any identified in your Mentor Sentence Journal. Remember the instruction on pronoun-antecedent agreement and capitalization explicitly taught in Section 1.

Activity 2: Read – Discuss

We will edit our draft essays for english conventions.

Step 1

Before finalizing your essay, edit your work for English conventions. First, conduct a spelling and grammar check for accuracy, and respond to the following question:

  1. When the computer prompts you with a red or blue line, indicating that there is an error, how will you know which fix is the right fix? Hint: It will not always be the first choice.

Step 2

Provide your partner with your essay and have them make edits pertaining to standard English conventions. Use these editing questions to guide the editing feedback:

  1. Read through the essay. Are there places where sentences run on or are not complete? Is each sentence complete with a subject and verb? Do some of the sentences need to be broken up into two sentences for clarity? Do the sentences sound smooth when reading them aloud?

  2. Is there a consistent verb tense? The essay should be written in the present tense with an active voice because this essay is about literature.

  3. Do pronouns match with their antecedents? Is there any confusion about which pronouns refer to which nouns?

  4. Is there correct capitalization? Are proper nouns capitalized?

  5. Is there correct punctuation? Are there commas, semicolons, colons, and dashes to set off phrases and clauses?

  6. Are all the words spelled correctly?

Activity 3: Write

We will edit our final drafts.

Edit the final draft of the essay based on your peer’s editing feedback. Be sure to focus on grammatical and usage issues that have been studied in the unit, including paragraphing, sentence structure, and punctuation, making sure your essay communicates the ideas as clearly as possible.

Prepare a final version of your essay, with proper citations for its evidence, to submit in the following lesson.

Activity 4: Write

Individually, we will review and evaluate the skills and knowledge we have learned throughout the unit.

Using the Culminating Task Progress Tracker, assess your own learning, work, and improvement in this unit.