This Week in Language Arts...

It was a great first week of school.  I know it's going to be a wonderful year.

A reminder: Floyd Dryden's Open House is on Tuesday.

This week in language arts, we'll explore and discuss verbs.  We'll work to identify the three types of verbs (action, linking, and helping) and we'll discuss how verbs affect writing.  Here are some of the handouts from this week...
-Verbs: Notes and Practice (includes a list of common helping verbs and a strategy sheet for identifying verbs)
-Nouns, Pronouns, and Verbs: Your Choice Activities
-Nouns, Pronouns, and Verbs Review
-Verbs Writing Prompts

When we talk about how verbs affect writing, we'll usually start with the idea that static or "to be" verbs (linking verbs such as "is" and "are") are not as strong as active, dynamic verbs; static verbs are often overused, when they should be used sparingly.  Verbs can make prose zoom and zing, but they have to be inventive.

Another way writing can get dulled down through verb choices is the use of the passive voice.  In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, rather than doing the acting.  For example, instead of writing, The ball was kicked by Jenny (passive voice), try Jenny kicked the ball (active voice).  The second sentence has more zip and avoids the static verb "was," making it the better choice (most of the time).