Page 57 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade7_Flipbook

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CTIvITy .7
once Upon a Time: revising the beginning
LearNING sTraTeGIes:
Summarizing, Close Reading, Graphic Organizer, Rereading, Revisiting Prior Work
Type of Lead
Examples From Published Authors
Reaction: Some writers choose to open a narrative with a character thinking about or reflecting on the event.
“The Jacket,” by Gary Soto
My clothes have failed me. I remember the green coat that I wore in fifth and sixth grade when you either danced like a champ or pressed yourself against a greasy wall, bitter as a penny toward the happy couples.
Dialogue: Some writers choose to show the reader a key event, using dialogue between characters.
Charlotte’s Web, by E. B. White
“Where’s papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the
table for breakfast.
“Out to the hoghouse,“ replied Mrs. Arable. “Some pigs were born last night.” “I don’t see why he needs an ax,” continued Fern, who was only eight.
Action: Some writers choose to open a narrative with the main character doing something; this type of lead puts the reader right in the middle of the action.
Thank You, M’am, by Langston Hughes
She was a large woman with a large purse that had everything in it but a hammer and nails. It had a long strap and she carried it slung across her shoulder. It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking home alone, when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The strap broke with the single tug the boy gave it from behind. But the boy’s weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him to lose his balance, so instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk and his legs flew up. The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue-jean sitter. Then she reached down, picked up the boy by his shirt front, and shook him until his teeth rattled.
Learning Targets
• Examine the effectiveness of narrative openings.
• Revise opening paragraphs to enhance effectiveness.
Writing and Revision
1. Read this quotation about revision: “If a teacher told me to revise, I thought that meant my writing was a broken-down car that needed to go to the repair shop. I felt insulted. I didn’t realize the teacher was saying, ‘Make it shine. It’s worth it.’ Now I see revision as a beautiful word of hope. It’s a new vision of something. It means you don’t have to be perfect the first time. What a relief!” —Naomi Shihab Nye
Summarize what Naomi Shihab Nye means about revision. What does this quote make you think about writing and revision?
In the Beginning
2. Many writers struggle with how to begin their writing with an interesting lead.
A lead, or hook, comes at the beginning. Its purpose is to encourage your reader to keep reading. Review these types of leads, or hooks. Mark the important words in the definitions of the “Type of Lead” column.
30 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 7
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