Flames

Red tongues leaping skyward

A wall of flames

Directed by the wind,

Steadily moving,

Stealthily moving,

Radiating heat.

A wall of flames stretching toward the house

Charred path behind,

Demanding action,

Fast-paced decisions,

No time for fear,

No time to waste.

Process: I began with this line, “I was greeted by a wall of flames about 40 feet long and 2 feet high on the other side of my driveway yesterday afternoon.” from this post. (Link)

Goal:  Build in more description by bundling standards

CCSS Anchor Writing Standard 4. “Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.”

CCSS Writing 4.3.d. “Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.”

CCSS Language Standard 4.6. “Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).”

Craft:  twin phrases, repetition, specific words

How did this play with poetry add to the description from the original sentence?  How can “notebook play with words and ideas” provide revision practice?            How do you demonstrate/model this?

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum in March. Check out the writers and readers here.