Applying Verb Tense to Applying Verb Tense to Literary & Informational Literary & Informational

TextText

Using present tense Using present tense verbs, retell a literary verbs, retell a literary

text with audio & visual text with audio & visual reinforcementreinforcement

““It has long been understood that when people It has long been understood that when people see images at the same time as they hear or see images at the same time as they hear or

read information, understanding and retention read information, understanding and retention escalate.”—Robert E. Horn, Visual Language: escalate.”—Robert E. Horn, Visual Language:

Global Communication for the 21Global Communication for the 21stst Century Century

Sample Teacher Modeling TextSample Teacher Modeling Text

Besa and Amari, both 15 and betrothed to one another, Besa and Amari, both 15 and betrothed to one another, areare keeping watch of the outskirts of their small, 1793 African keeping watch of the outskirts of their small, 1793 African

village. They village. They seesee the Ashanti escorting white men toward their the Ashanti escorting white men toward their village, and they village, and they hurryhurry back to tell the elders to prepare a back to tell the elders to prepare a

welcoming feast.welcoming feast.

After the feast the visitors After the feast the visitors pullpull out guns and out guns and shootshoot the villagers, the villagers, sparing only the young. As the youth return to their village in sparing only the young. As the youth return to their village in

the morning, they the morning, they are capturedare captured and and putput in a slave coffle. in a slave coffle.

Amari and Besa Amari and Besa areare among those among those capturedcaptured and and marchedmarched to the to the slave ship. On board they slave ship. On board they are stackedare stacked in small storage racks in small storage racks

where they remain until their arrival in the United States.where they remain until their arrival in the United States.

They They arrivearrive in South Carolina where they are both put up for in South Carolina where they are both put up for auction. Amari auction. Amari is purchasedis purchased by Mr. Derby as a 16 by Mr. Derby as a 16thth birthday birthday

present for his son. Amari present for his son. Amari isis his personal slave. Besa his personal slave. Besa is soldis sold to to another family.another family.

Video Clip: The Slave Plantations of Colonial Times (2 minutes) This Video Clip: The Slave Plantations of Colonial Times (2 minutes) This clip is appropriate to the story, as it address life on a rice plantation in clip is appropriate to the story, as it address life on a rice plantation in

South Carolina (Amari’s experience). The clip can be muted and South Carolina (Amari’s experience). The clip can be muted and narrated or played with audio.narrated or played with audio.

After suffering much hardship and witnessing unmentionable horrors, After suffering much hardship and witnessing unmentionable horrors, Amari and an indentured servant Amari and an indentured servant decide decide to take their chances and run to take their chances and run away. Hearing they can seek refuge at a Spanish Fort in Florida, they away. Hearing they can seek refuge at a Spanish Fort in Florida, they

fleeflee to the south. to the south.

When they are hiding in a farmer’s barn, Amari When they are hiding in a farmer’s barn, Amari hears hears a familiar a familiar voice. It voice. It isis Besa. He Besa. He isis blind in one eye, crippled and laden with blind in one eye, crippled and laden with scars. They scars. They havehave to leave him behind in their quest for freedom. to leave him behind in their quest for freedom.

Video Clip: Escape Routes (1 minute 20 seconds) This clip Video Clip: Escape Routes (1 minute 20 seconds) This clip highlights many escape routes of slaves in Colonial America. It highlights many escape routes of slaves in Colonial America. It especially addresses the routes that were taken to Florida and especially addresses the routes that were taken to Florida and

further south. further south.

Finally, Amari Finally, Amari isis successful in her quest successful in her quest for freedom.for freedom.

►Note: Sharon Draper received the Coretta Note: Sharon Draper received the Coretta Scott King Award for juvenile text in 2006 Scott King Award for juvenile text in 2006 for Copper Sun. for Copper Sun.

►Note: Students and teachers can use Power Note: Students and teachers can use Power Point to engage all learners when teaching Point to engage all learners when teaching grammar and rhetoric.grammar and rhetoric.

►Note: This is a model story; any story or Note: This is a model story; any story or expository text can be narrated using expository text can be narrated using present tense verbs.present tense verbs.

► The intent is to incorporate grammar across The intent is to incorporate grammar across the high school curriculum, not isolate in the the high school curriculum, not isolate in the ELA forum.ELA forum.

This is a sample narrative of our 11-year-old daughter’s trip to This is a sample narrative of our 11-year-old daughter’s trip to Niagara Falls and Cleveland. She uses the verb tense model Niagara Falls and Cleveland. She uses the verb tense model

handout to focus on only present tense.handout to focus on only present tense.

StrategiesStrategies

► The goal is to integrate grammar and The goal is to integrate grammar and mechanics in all content area writing; eliminate mechanics in all content area writing; eliminate isolation of this expectation in only ELA.isolation of this expectation in only ELA.

► Apply verb tense expectations to all writing, Apply verb tense expectations to all writing, especially informational text.especially informational text.

► Utilize rubric to allow for flexibility in the Utilize rubric to allow for flexibility in the assignment: written, video, and audio text assignment: written, video, and audio text produced by students can be graded equally, produced by students can be graded equally, and it empowers students to choose favorite and it empowers students to choose favorite medium.medium.