Last Blog :)

I thought this chapter was pretty interesting. It really made me think of the definition of grammar. I always considered grammar to simply deal with words and how to use them correctly in a sentence. However, it looks like grammar goes beyond this. 
I really like how they discuss topic sentences. I really do not like topic sentences, because they can be very generic and dry. 50-80% of papers written by professionals do not contain a topic sentence. If they are not using topic sentences to introduce a new topic, then why are we teaching and requiring our students to have a topic sentence in each paragraph? Noden states that, "Writers create paragraphs in context, and that context often doesn't require topic sentences.
The book provided many great examples on how to introduce concepts to writing using different forms of grammar. Connecting the Logic of Images with Transitions was a great section! The list of transitional signal words and phrases were wonderful. (I would love to hang up a poster with this information on it in my future classroom!) This not only helps students with their writing, but it also increases their vocabulary and the way they write their paper. 
Again, I cannot stress how much I have enjoyed Noden's lessons! The strategies that he provides after every chapter in the book are awesome! I can really see myself using the methods in my classroom. 

Noden's Chapter 5 :)

Noden brings up many interesting ways to use grammatical chunks in the classroom. He gives many examples of chunking and use different methods to instruct students using these methods. I really enjoyed reading this chapter, because it gave me great ideas on how to use this in a classroom. I think that students would really enjoy learning about how to use grammatical chunking. I think a good way to introduce this to students would be by introducing the brushstroke methods and then leading it into writing paragraphs about random topics, and then lead that into writing a paper. Noden lists so many great examples of pieces that use the examples that he talks about. This would be a great introduction also to each chunking that I would introduce to students also.

I brought this up in my seventh grade classroom and I think that they really enjoyed this. I used the painting something that is invisible. I had to explain it a few times and give several examples before they fully grasped it, but in the end, they came up with some great pieces! It was really exciting, because they felt that they were doing "college level work!" They really got into it :)

Adjectives!

I was super excited to read Anderson's section on adjectives and adverbs, because they are my favorite parts of speech! I love when kids begin to figure out what adjectives are and they begin applying them to their own creative pieces. It is so interesting to observe how kids will pile adjective on top of adjective when they first begin writing. However, if one monitors their work, one can begin to tell how their writing style has changed. I think it is essential for students to know and have a clear understanding on how to use these parts of speech, because (personally) I think this makes or breaks a paper.
I find it so much easier to read a paper that is filled with vivid details about the scenery and the people who are in the story! Teachers should begin to show their students mentor texts from the beginning of the learning process on adjectives. I really liked the one that Anderson included : "Her eyes opened, closed, opened again, pale and opaque." This is a great example to show students so they don't just say, "She had pale and opaque eyes that constantly opened and closed."
I really like the AAAWWUBBIS as Titles that Anderson included as well when discussing adverbs. I know that I would love to have a sign displaying this and example written below it. It really helps me out when I am writing a paper so that I do not have a misused adverb clause. I know I get confused about where to insert a comma, so this may also address that issue with students who are unsure about this as well.
Again, I really can't emphasize enough how much I enjoy reading Anderson's book. He has really shown me how to use grammar effectively in a classroom without having to actually sit the students down and have them fill out boring worksheets and perform tidious activites that will not benefit them at all when it comes down to using grammar effectively.