Teaching that just makes sense
WRITER'S STYLUS
Transforming Substance into Significance
Student Portfolio
Grade 5
For several years, we’ve been equipping teachers to
implement Writer’s Stylus, an exciting Clerestory Learning
K-12 instructional writing program. We’ve also been
working hard creating student materials to complement
the professional development component. These materials
merge mechanics (e.g., grammar, punctuation), revision
skills, and genre experiences into a cohesive program.
A few sample pages from the forthcoming fifth grade
materials follow.
Are you looking for a writing program?
writersstylus.com
© 2016 Clerestory Learning/Make Way for Books, LLC. All rights reserved. clerestorylearning.com
Writer's Stylus Student Portfolio
4 What are phrases, prepositions, & objects?
phrase
preposition
A phrase is a group of
words that does not
have a subject or a
predicate. A phrase may
have nouns or verbs in
it, but they do not act as
subjects or predicates.
A preposition is a
word that shows the
relationship between
a noun or pronoun and
some other part of the
sentence. For example:
The duck swam across
the lake. The noun lake
is “related to” the duck’s
action. The preposition
across tells us where
the duck swam in
“relationship to” the lake.
FOR EXAMPLE
leaning on the counter
across the lake
will have completed
a fascinating story
object
of a preposition
An object of a
preposition is the
noun being “related”
to some other part of
the sentence by the
preposition. In the
prepositional phrase
across the lake, the noun
lake is the object of the
preposition across.
prepositional phrase
130
A prepositional phrase is formed with a preposition,
an object of the preposition, and any words that come between them.
FOR EXAMPLE
The tourists walked through Yellowstone Park.
The runner in the red shirt won the race.
During the concert, the violinist’s music fell off the stand and onto the floor.
z a few common prepositions
about
above
across
after
against
among
around
as
at
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
by
down
during
except
for
from
in
into
near
of
off
on
onto
out
over
past
since
through
throughout
to
toward
under
until
up
with
REMEMBER that a word is or
is not a preposition because of
what it does in a sentence. Some
words in the list can play roles
other than prepositions. Also,
prepositions are sometimes more
than one word long. For example,
according to and instead of are
examples of prepositions that are
more than one word long.
© 2016 Clerestory Learning/Make Way for Books, LLC. All rights reserved.
Grade 5 Unit 4
MECHANICS Practice
Phrases, Prepositions, and Objects
In each sentence below, place parentheses around any prepositional phrases. Then, circle
each preposition and underline each object of a preposition. The first one has been done as
an example for you..
1. The coach ran ( across the field ).
2. The Gonzalo family moved to Australia.
3. I took swimming lessons from my older sister.
4. Justin accidentally kicked the ball through the window.
5. Have you ever been inside a space shuttle?
6. The coach had the players run up the bleacher steps ten times.
7. Why is it so dark inside the living room?
8. Above the door, we hung the welcome sign.
9. Mary bumped into her English teacher yesterday at the grocery store.
10. Did you read the article about last night’s basketball game?
11. Daniel chose the strawberry cake instead of the apple pie.
On the lines below each prepositional phrase, write a sentence that includes that
prepositional phrase. The first one has been done as an example for you.
1. near the barn
The tractor near the barn needs repair 2. after supper
continue on next page
© 2016 Clerestory Learning/Make Way for Books, LLC. All rights reserved.
131
Grade 5 Unit 4
revision skill
Prepositional Phrases
Read the sentences in the chart below.
ORIGINAL
REVISED
On a afternoon in autumn, I took
advantage of the opportunity to drive
through a Redwood Forest, around
winding cliffs, and beside the ocean until
sundown, when I hurried to my home in
time for dinner.
On an autumn afternoon drive, I
experienced a redwood forest, winding
cliffs, and beautiful ocean views, but as
the sun went down, I hurried home for
dinner.
Paul Revere’s ride in the night warned
people of the patriot mindset about the
approach of the British army.
Paul Revere’s nighttime ride warned
patriots about the British army’s
approach.
A few of the devices work with
electromagnets, which make use of
electricity to create fields of magnetism.
A few devices have electromagnets,
which use electricity to create magnetic
fields.
135
written reflection
Keep the pattern statement in mind: Complexity overwhelms clarity. In the chart above,
how would you describe the original sentences? Why?
Why are the sentences in the Revised column easier to understand and more interesting
to read? What did the writer do to improve the original sentences?
Unfortunately, some sentences overwhelm readers. In the last unit, we simplified our verb
tenses to prevent our writing from being too complex. In this unit, our focus is on limiting
how many prepositional phrases we use in a sentence. Too may prepositional phrases can
overwhelm a reader and make a writer’s intended meaning hard to understand.
© 2016 Clerestory Learning/Make Way for Books, LLC. All rights reserved.
Grade 5 Unit 4
revision skills Practice
Prepositional Phrases
IDENTIFY, REVISE, REVIEW
Read the following informative paragraph. Think about the revision skill goal: keeping
sentences clear by limiting prepositional phrases. Revise the sentences to make the
paragraph clearer. Make any other revisions that would strengthen or clarify each
sentence.
Prepositional Phrases
Identify
Identify all prepositional phrases.
Revise
Revise each sentence to eliminate as many prepositional phrases as
possible
Review
Review each revised sentence to make sure the sentence is clearer,
makes sense, and says all it needs to say.
Maps of the world show oceans and seas surrounding groups of islands and land, the
largest of which are the seven continents in their position on Earth. Europe, Asia, Africa,
North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica each have special features
that make them unique and interesting to study.1 For example, the highest mountain in
the world stands tall in Asia, which is the largest of the continents. e longest river in the
world winds through the continent of Africa, and the largest waterfall rushes over a cliff
on the continent of South America.2 No two continents are exactly alike and each one is
home to special types of climates, animals, and plants.
continue on next page
139
Writer's Stylus Student Portfolio
PREPARING TO WRITE
Sketching
Once the biologist researches the pronghorn and the related topics he wants to include
in his report, he organizes the details he’s found. He knows he’s going to begin his report
with an interesting anecdote about seeing a pronghorn outrun a coyote that was hunting
it. Then he’s going to develop a paragraph on each of his topics. Since informative report is
an expository genre, he knows each paragraph in his report should have a main idea that is
supported by related details. A paragraph on one of his topics may be organized this way:
Pronghorns do not jump fences. They
crawl under them with great speed.
Pronghorns use their speed to escape
predators, such as the American cheetah
Pronghorns can run up to 35 miles
per hour for distances up to four miles
Pronghorns can run as fast as 60 miles
per hour for short distances
148
Cheetahs are faster, but cannot run
as far as pronghorns
Pronghorns are one of the fastest
mammals on earth
To identify a main idea for each informative paragraph, you can ask yourself:
1. What is this paragraph going to be about? That is your topic.
2. What aspect of that topic is this paragraph going to be about?
3. What do I want to say about that aspect of the topic?
Your informative report will have one paragraph of introduction, at least three paragraphs
of information, and a concluding paragraph. Use the organizer below (and on the next
page) to arrange your topics and their supporting details. (You will use these to form your
paragraphs of information.) When you have the organizers completed, share them with
your editor.
© 2016 Clerestory Learning/Make Way for Books, LLC. All rights reserved.