Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language

by Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, Melinda Clark

Overview

Authors Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Melinda Clark lead a vibrant approach to grammar instruction in Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language. Here, young, emergent writers are invited to notice the conventions of the English language and build off them in this inquiry-based approach to instructional grammar. The book comes with standards-aligned lessons that can be incorporated in just 10 minutes a day. Patterns of Power’s responsive, invitational approach puts students in an involved role and has them explore and discuss the purpose and meaning of what they read. Students study short, authentic texts and are asked to share their findings out loud, engaging in rich conversations to make meaning. Inside you’ll find:

• Ready-to-use lesson plan sets that include excerpts from authentic and diverse mentor texts curated for grades 6-8
• Real-life classroom examples, tips, and Power Notes gleaned from the authors’ experiences that can be applied to any level of writer
• Resources, including a Patterns of Power Planning Guide and musical soundtracks, to use in classroom instruction or as handouts for student literacy notebooks

Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8 provides a simple classroom routine that is structured in length and approach, but provides teachers flexibility in choosing the texts, allowing for numerous, diverse voices in the classroom. The practice helps students build cognitive recognition and provides a formative assessment for teachers on student progress. With these short lessons, students will gain confidence and move beyond limitation to produce effortless writing in your class and beyond. The Patterns of Power series also includes Patterns of Power, Grades 1-5: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language; Patterns of Power en Español, Grades 1-5: Inviting Bilingual Writers into the Conventions of Spanish; Patterns of Power, Grades 9-12: Teaching Grammar Through Reading and Writing; and Patterns of Wonder, Grades PreK-1: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625315151
Publisher:	Stenhouse Publishers
Publication date:	03/26/2021
Series:	Pathways of Politics
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	11 - 13 Years

About the Author

For over thirty years, Jeff Anderson has inspired writers and teachers of grades K-8 with the power and joy of the writing and grammar. He has written eight books for Stenhouse Publishers. He also writes middle-grade novels.

Travis Leech, coauthor of Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, is currently a middle school instructional coach in Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, TX. He has thirteen years of experience in education, including teaching middle school English Language Arts and as a gifted and talented specialist. He has presented about engaging literacy practices and technology integration at the district, regional, and state levels.

Melinda Clark, coauthor of Patterns of Power: Inviting Adolescent Writers into the Conventions of Language, is currently the Academic Program Coordinator at John Jay High School in San Antonio, Texas. She has 31 years experience in education, including teaching middle school and high school English Language Arts, instructional coaching, independent consulting, and presenting at the district, regional, and state levels.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction: Wired to Be Inspired 1

Part 1 Getting Started with the Patterns of Power Process 15

Chapter 1 Into Planning: What Do You Need to Do Before Teaching the Invitations? 21

Chapter 2 Into the Classroom: How Do You Teach Conventions with the Invitation Process? 35

Chapter 3 Into Application: How Do You Nudge Writers to Apply Conventions? 59

Part 2 Into the Lessons with the Patterns of Power Process 91

Chapter 4 How Do Writers and Readers Use SENTENCES? 99

4.1 What's This About? Making Sense of Subjects in Sentences and Fragments 102

4.2 Use Sentences. Mostly: Making Sense of Simple Sentences 108

4.3 If There's No Verb, Nothing Happens … or Exists: Sentences Need Verbs 113

4.4 Adjective Pileup: Coordinate Adjectives 118

4.5 The Compound Spell: Don't Allow a Noun with Two Verbs to Startle You! 123

Chapter 5 Why Do Writers and Readers Need COMPOUNF SENTENCES? 127

5.1 Compounding Interest: The Compound Sentence 130

5.2 Don't Take That Tone with Me! The Compound Sentence and And 136

5.3 Two Sentences Are Better Than One: Compound Sentences 140

5.4 But I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking … Wait, I Did! Compound Sentence and For 144

5.5 I Will Not Be IgNORed: NOR-Version 148

Chapter 6 How Do Writers and Readers Use COMPLEX SENTENCES? 153

6.1 When Introductory Clauses … Subordinate Opener 156

6.2 To Comma, or Not to Comma: Subordinate Clause Closer 161

6.3 Comma Don't or Comma Do: AAAWWUBBIS Placement 166

6.4 Comma Which: A Relative Pronoun Clause 170

6.5 Comma Who, or No Comma Who? A Relative Pronoun Closer 175

6.6 Beyond the Breakwaters: More Than AAAWWUBBIS 181

Chapter 7 How Do Writers and Readers Use PHRASES and CLAUSES? 189

7.1 If You Continue … The Conditional Mood 193

7.2 Could You Say That Another Way? The First Interrupter Is an Appositive Experience 197

7.3 Double the Comma Fun: Interrupters 201

7.4 It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That -Ing: Participial Phrases as Closers 205

7.5 Creating a Setting: Prepositional Phrases 209

7.6 Closing Time: Ending Sentences with the Holy Renamer 214

7.7 Thatery and Whichery: The Essential and Nonessential Clauses That Tell Which One 218

7.8 Whodunit: Who or Comma Who'? What Makes a Clause Essential or Nonessential? 223

Chapter 8 What Does the MOOD of a VERB Do for Writers and Readers? 229

8.1 Subjects Come First: The Active Voice 232

8.2 Say It Plainly and Directly: What's Indicative of the Indicative Mood? 238

8.3 Write Commanding Sentences: That's Imperative! 242

8.4 To Be or Not to Be: The Basics of Infinitives 246

8.5 Wishes and Probability: If I Were You, I'd Understand the Subjunctive 250

Chapter 9 How Do Writers and Readers Use VERBALS? 255

9.1 Shopping for Participles: The Bling of Sentences 257

9.2 Inviting Understanding: Gerunds Are Activities 261

9.3 To Infinitive and Beyond! The Definitive Infinitive 266

Chapter 10 What Does PUNCTUATION Do for Writers and Readers? 271

10.1 This, That, and the Other: Serial Commas 277

10.2 And a One, and a Two, and a Three: Colons Introduce Lists 282

10.3 He Said, She Said, They Said: Colons Introduce Quotations 288

10.4 Birds of a Feather: Semicolons 293

10.5 Don't Be Afraid; Use Semicolons! 297

10.6 Dashing Through the Sentence: Dash Interruption 301

10.7 A Little Extra: Using Parentheses 305

10.8 Where We Put Extra Goodies: (Parentheses) 309

10.9 Wait for It … Ellipsis to Indicate a Pause or Break 314

10.10 Less Is More: Ellipses to Show Omission 318

10.11 Quotation Marks Dialogue 323

10.12 That's What's Up: Apostrophes 328

Chapter 11 What Do PRONOUNS Do for Writers and Readers? 333

11.1 Who We Are: Introducing Pronouns 336

11.2 My, My, My Boogie Shoes: Possessive Pronouns 342

11.3 Respect Yourself: Reflexive Pronouns 351

11.4 Make Yourself at Home: Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns 356

Chapter 12 How Do Writers and Readers Continue Using CAPITALIZATION? 363

12.1 Capitalize Names: It's a Date with Proper Nouns 366

12.2 Capitalizing on Shortcuts: Initials, Initialisms, and Acronyms 371

Chapter 13 What Other Amazing Things Can Writers and Readers Do? 377

13.1 Sophisticated Sentence Mash-Up: Compound-Complex Sentences 381

13.2 Comma Mash-Ups Can Be Gross: Coordinate Adjectives and Commas in a Series 387

13.3 Feeling Coordinated? Importance of Order with Noncoordinate Adjectives 392

13.4 Can You CorRELATE? Correlative Conjunctions 399

13.5 Conjunctivitis Connections: Conjunctive Adverbs 404

Conclusion: Connection over Correction 411

Appendix A The Patterns of Power, Grades 6-8 Soundtrack 413

Appendix B Patterns of Power Instruction in Remote Learning Environments 417

Professional Bibliography 425

Young Adult Literature Bibliography 427

Index 431

Editorial Reviews

For years, students have been handed sets of “I said so” rules as the standard means of learning language conventions. Patterns of Power moves beyond prescriptive rules to offer a series of steps that, instead, help students to recognize and internalize language conventions in a way that makes them better readers, writers, listeners, and speakers. Notice the patterns in sentences. Compare them with others. Try them yourself. Apply them. Edit them. I love how this book teaches students to really think about language.”

—Kelly Gallagher

“Patterns of Power will free you from the tyranny of old school grammar instruction and show you a process to guide adolescents toward joyful exploration and experimentation of crafting, creating, and conveying meaning. Whether you’re a grammar “phobe” or an expert sentence diagrammer, you will love this book.”

—Cris Tovani

“In a Patterns of Power classroom, the conventions of language become possibilities. Here, rules are replaced by invitations as our “wired to be inspired” middle school learners engage in honest inquiry, asking themselves and each other What can this convention do for me as a writer?”

—Lisa Thibodeaux, Director of Secondary Curriculum, TX

“Jeff Anderson is going to make me return to teaching middle school English Language Arts. This is the kind of book that would have made me feel like I could provide concrete, meaningful writing instruction to my students. I am grateful, however, that as an administrator I have the power to put this tool in the hands of all my teachers and allow the work of these authors to reach thousands of students.”

—Chad Everett, Middle School Principal

“Patterns of Power, 6–8 is a must-have for every teacher who longs to get their adolescents hooked on grammar. It gives middle grade teachers a simple, student-centered process that showcases what grammatical patterns do for readers and writers and how they lead to stellar writing.”

—Jodi Ramos, Middle School Teacher, Department Chair, and New York Times education contributor

“Jeff Anderson, Travis Leech, and Melinda Clark have crafted a gift for middle school literacy teachers and their students. Patterns of Power, 6–8 provides abundant lesson ideas for engaging student readers and writers in ways that improve comprehension, communication and self-expression, as well as a deeper look at why this approach works. Through students’ observations of authentic texts and focused exploration of writers’ craft and language use, you can increase their reading and writing confidence and skill. Clear, empowering, and effective!”

—Donalyn Miller, Texas educator and author

From the Publisher