1. Harold W. Smith Elementary School
Spivey Writing
Harold W. Smith Elementary School

2. Agenda Characteristics of Effective Writing Main Sentence Trunk
Precise Nouns and Vivid Verbs
Action Expander

3. Characteristics of Effective Writing Word Choice Conventions
Grammatically Correct
Sentence Fluency
Ideas
Varied Sentence Length
Voice
TPW list 3-5 traits of effective writing.
Presenter Says:

4. Main Sentence Trunk
who
what
action
The dog ran .

5. The 5 Criteria of Main Sentence Trunk
Capital letter
Subject (noun)
Predicate (verb)
Ending mark
Complete thought
TPW identify the 5 criteria of a main sentence trunk.
Presenter Says:

6. Your Turn! Write a Main Sentence Trunk.
Code it to reflect the five criteria.

7. Precise Nouns The animal moved. What kind of animal?
TPW revise their MST for word choice - precise nouns.
Presenter Says:
Although the Main Sentence Trunk may seem incredibly basic for older students, it is imperative that it be strong.
For example, the Main Sentence Trunk “The animal moved.” is a weak because the noun is not precise.

8. Vivid Verbs The kangaroo moved. How did the kangaroo move?
TPW revise their MST for word choice – vivid verbs.
Presenter Says:
Tell participants to revisit the verb in their MST.
Ask participants: Is the verb as vivid as it could be? If not, how could you make it so without adding an adverb?
Example:
The animal moved.
Synonyms for moved (jumped, kicked, hopped, hid, played, skipped, ran, galloped, loped)
Important: make sure that the verb tenses match! (link to verb tense study)
To scaffold:
Irregular Verbs
Isolate Verbs – don’t want students to add rest of sentence yet.
To Extend:
Change the tense of the verbs
flew-flies-will fly
How did the kangaroo move?
How can you make it more vivid without adding an adverb?
What verb relates to a kangaroo?

9. Human Sentences old man slept. The
TPW construct human sentences with capital and ending mark signals.
Presenter Says:
Ask a student to share their MST.
Select one of the students to come to the front.
Read the sentence as a class.
Teach the capital and period signals.
Read the sentence.
Presenter Actions:
Write the MSTs.

10. Action Expanders The kangaroo hopped. When? Where? How? Why?
TPW write an action expander sentence (where, why, how, when).
Presenter Says:
To make sentences more interesting we add “action expanders”.
The action marks has four peaks because it reminds the writer of the four questions they need to ask themselves to expand the action.
A writer asks themselves four questions: where, why, how, and when.
Where: prepositions
Why: conjunctions; complex sentences
How: adverbs
When:
How?
Why?

11. Action Expanders across the field over the grass by the river
anchor chart
Where?
across the field
over the grass
by the river
between the rocks
among the mountains
beside the fence
under the trees
Prepositional Phrases

12. Action Expanders the kangaroo hopped. By the river, by the river.
(with where)
the kangaroo hopped.
By the river,
by the river.
The kangaroo hopped

13. Action Expanders at night early in the morning late in the evening
anchor chart
When?
at night
early in the morning
late in the evening
at sunrise
yesterday
five days ago
before sunset

14. Action Expanders the kangaroo hopped By the river, at sunrise.
(with when)
the kangaroo hopped
By the river,
at sunrise.
by the river.
the kangaroo hopped
At sunrise

15. Action Expanders How? -ly slowly with without silently quickly by likeas
unlike
different than
slowly
silently
quickly
clumsily
timidly
sadly
happily
anchor chart
Adverbs

16. Action Expanders By the river, at sunrise. At sunrise by the river.
(with how)
the kangaroo hopped
By the river,
at sunrise.
silently
by the river.
the kangaroo hopped
At sunrise
silently

17. Action Expanders because* so that since to + action Why? Conjunctions*
anchor chart
because*
so that
since
to + action
Conjunctions*

18. Action Expanders By the river, at sunrise At sunrise by the river
(with why)
the kangaroo hopped
By the river,
at sunrise
silently
because she was looking for food.
by the river
the kangaroo hopped
At sunrise
silently
because she was looking for food.

19. Action Expanders
Text Structure
Noun Expanders

20. Noun Expanders Describers With and That Phrases Renamers and Repeaters
-ing and -ed
TPW identify the four ways to expand the noun.
Presenter Says:
In addition to action expanders, we can make sentences more interesting by adding “noun expanders”.
There are four primary noun expanders: describers, with and that phrases, renamers and repeaters and –ing and -ed.
Describers: adjectives
Renamers and Repeaters: saying the same thing in a new way
With and That Phrases: more description
***Describer + With & That Phrase = Surround the Noun

21. Noun Expanders color words size words shape words Describers nice
anchor chart
color words
size words
shape words
Adjectives
nice
pretty
Watch out for boring adjectives!

22. Noun Expanders (with describer) the kangaroo hopped by the river
At sunrise
silently
because she was looking for food.
large

23. Noun Expanders with a shaggy coat with a bow in her hair
With & That
Phrases
anchor chart
with a shaggy coat
with a bow in her hair
with blue eyes
that walked with a limp
that laughed at everything
that sang like a bird
nice
pretty
Watch out for boring adjectives!

24. Noun Expanders (with “with” phrase) At sunrise the large
with the brown fur
kangaroo
silently
hopped
by the river
because she was
looking for food.

25. Noun Expanders “Surround the Noun” At sunrise the large
with the brown fur
kangaroo
silently
hopped
by the river
because she was
TPW write a sentence using “surround the noun” as a guide.
Presenter Says:
***Describer + With & That Phrase = Surround the Noun
looking for food.
“Surround the Noun”

26. What do Students Need to Know to Transfer the MST to the Paragraph Level?
Types of Text Structures
Definitions
Reformatting maps/organizers
Questions
Presenter:
1. Pass out the Types of Text Structures handout for participants.

27. Definition Description
STRUCTURE
DEFINITION
SIGNAL WORDS
GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
QUESTIONS
Definition Description
The author explains a topic, idea, person, place, or thing by listing characteristics, features, and examples.
Focus is on one thing and its components.
For example
Characteristics are
Such as
Looks like
Consists of
For instance
Most important
*Look for topic word (or synonym) to be repeated throughout the text.
What specific person, place, thing, event, or concept is being described?
How is the topic described? (How does it work? What does it do? What does it look like? Etc.)
What are the most important attributes or characteristics?
How can the topic be classified? (For example, a robin can be classified as a type of bird.)
Sequence
The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order.
Describes the order of events or how to do or make something.
First, second, third
Next
Then, after
Before, prior to
Not long after
While, meanwhile
Simultaneously
At the same time
Following
Finally
At last
In the end
On (date)
At (time)
Directions
What sequence of events is being described?
What are the major events or incidents that occur?
What are the steps, directions, or procedures to follow? (What must be done first, second, etc.?)
What is the beginning event?
What other events or steps are included?
What is the final outcome, event, or step?
Compare and Contrast
The author explains how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different.
Differs from
Similar to
In contrast
Alike
Same as
As well as
On the other hand
Both
Either, or
Not only, but also
Yet, although, but
However
*Also look for “-est” words: best, fewest, tallest, etc.
What items are being compared?
What is it about them that is being compared?
What characteristics of items form the basis of the comparison?
What characteristics do they have in common; how are these items alike?
In what ways are these items different?
Presenter Says:
1. This is only a partial graphic of Text Structures. See your handout for the full information.

28. Transfer MST with Action Expander
to Narrative Genre
The girl swam.
to entertain +
While on vacation in Hawaii, the little girl swam in the ocean beside her big brother.
TPW apply Main Sentence Trunk with action expander to narrative genre of writing.
Presenter Says:
Take the MST “The girl swam.” and alter it so that it fits the narrative genre of writing, taking into account that the author’s purpose for writing is to entertain or deepen the reader’s understanding of the human condition.

29. Transfer MST with Action Expander
to Expository Genre
to explain
The girl swam. +
Upon receiving scuba certification, the girl swam along the coastline of California to catalog the types of indigenous water plants.
TPW apply Main Sentence Trunk with action expander to expository genre of writing.
Presenter Says:
Take the MST “The girl swam.” and alter it so that it fits the expository genre of writing, taking into account that the author’s purpose for writing is to explain, to inform, to describe and/or to persuade.

31. Taking the Action Expander to the Paragraph Level
The child cried hysterically because she couldn’t find her dog. Sniffle. When she settled down she began to look for Skeeter. Her eyes scanned the area. She looked all around the yard hoping that Skeeter was there. She got up from the swing. Walking to the front of the house she looked down the street quickly. Wait! Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small shape zip into the street. It was Skeeter.