Magic Pencil Gotcha
Created by Julie, Deb J, Avis , Karen M, Karen E, Luann, Deb B, Sue F, Sandy Mc, Tami K, Ruth P and Laura T,
1)Vocab: adventurous, melancholy; quotations, commas, usage (life live), capitals, paragraphing
A) hamlet the lead pencil was tired of leading a meloncholy life one day he said to himself i would really like to lead an adventerous live of excitment besides just always writing sentences
B) Hamlet, the lead pencil, was tired of leading a melancholy life.
One day he said to himself, "I would really like to lead an adventurous life of excitement, besides just always writing sentences."
2) Vocab: henceforth incredible usage (of off); adjectives in a series, commas, quotations, new paragraph
A) from this day henceforth i will embark upon a journey to see what i can discover remarked hamlet then he took an incredible chance when no one was looking he quietly quickly and suddenly began to roll off the desk he was upon.
B) "From this day henceforth, I will embark upon a journey to see what I can discover," remarked Hamlet. Then he took an incredible chance. When no one was looking, he quietly, quickly, and suddenly began to roll off the desk he was upon.
3) Vocab: remarkable, treacherous; capitals, commas in a series, usage (threw, through), usage (see, sea) clause at the beginning of a sentence
A) the fall was remarkable hamlet landed on a flat shiny cold surface and immediately began a treacherous roll threw a see of feet books and other assorted items because of his lack of experiences hamlet had never seen many of the objects that flashed before him during his quick journey across the classroom floor.
B) The fall was remarkable!(.) Hamlet landed on a flat, shiny, cold surface and immediately began a treacherous roll through a sea of feet, books, and other assorted items. Because of his lack of experiences, Hamlet had never seen many of the objects that flashed before him during his quick journey across the classroom floor.
4) Vocab: linoleum, astounding; possessive nouns compound sentences new paragraph
A) hamlets trip ended at the base of a bookshelf the roll had made him dizzy and he had to take a moment before he could focus on his surroundings before him was an expanse of white linoleum and the landscape was dotted with an astounding array of objects foreign to him
B) (P) Hamlet's trip ended at the base of a bookshelf. The roll had made him dizzy, and he had to take a moment before he could focus on his surroundings. Before him was an expanse of white linoleum, and the landscape was dotted with an astounding array of objects foreign to him.
5) Vocabulary: porous, ominous, apparatus; capitalization, showing possessive nouns, homophones (one/won, hole/whole, there/their, new/knew), punctuation, compound words (bookshelf, bookcase))
A. hamlet leaned his porous head back and looked up at the enormous book shelf it was then that he noticed the silver glinting monster sticking out of the side of the book case their was some type of turning crank on won side and an ominous looking whole about the same size as hamlets slender body on the other side somehow hamlet new this apparatus spelled danger
B. Hamlet leaned his porous head back and looked up at the enormous bookshelf. It was then that he noticed the silver, glinting monster sticking out of the side of the bookcase. There was some type of turning crank on one side and an ominous looking hole about the same size as Hamlet's slender body on the other side. Somehow Hamlet knew this apparatus spelled danger!
6)Vocabulary: menacing, unwaveringly; Homophones (feat/feet, whole/hole, waste/waist, blew/blue, through/threw, rap/wrap, knew/new), usage who/whom, quotation marks, capitalization
A. before hamlet could contemplate the menacing device any further he felt a warm sticky grip wrap around his lean body. The next thing he new he was being lifted threw the air. He was coming closer and closer to that silver monster he could feel his heart racing and he began to quiver. Just as his flat charcoal feat were about to be thrust into the whole on the side of the monster a child yelled hey that's my pencil the teacher walked over, grabbed hamlet by the waste and set him on the bookshelf. That is where the pencil will remain until we decide to who it belongs she stated unwaveringly hamlet blue out a long slow breath he could feel the safe smooth oak shelf under him and his heartbeat began to return to normal.
B. Before Hamlet could contemplate the menacing device any further, he felt a warm, sticky grip wrap around his lean body. The next thing he knew he was being lifted through the air. He was coming closer and closer to that silver monster. He could feel his heart racing, and he began to quiver.
Just as his flat, charcoal feet were about to be thrust into the hole on the side of the monster, a child yelled, "Hey that's my pencil!"
The teacher walked over, grabbed Hamlet by the waist, and set him on the bookshelf. "That is where the pencil will remain until we decide to whom it belongs", she stated unwaveringly. Hamlet blew out a long slow breath. He could feel the safe smooth oak shelf under him, and his heartbeat began to return to normal.
7. Vocabulary: temporary, surroundings, piercing; Punctuation, Capitalization, Prefix, Suffix, Adjectives in series, Homophones, Compound words
A. hamlet looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings that would be his temporary home from his spot on the third shelf he watched as the scenery in the class room suddenly changed hamlet herd a loud piercing and shrill noise that sent the children quickly out into the bright afternoon sun shine
B. Hamlet looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings that would be his temporary home. From his spot on the third shelf, he watched as the scenery in the classroom suddenly changed. Hamlet heard a loud, piercing, and shrill noise that sent the children quickly out into the bright afternoon sunshine.
8. Vocabulary: Volunteered, performance, discussed; Compound predicates, homophones, compound sentences, quotations, punctuation, capitalization
A. hamlet noticed the to remaining students who had volunteered to clean and feed the class pets he watched and listened as the students and teacher discussed there upcoming performance in the school concert the tired teacher loaded her bright blew bag and she exited the room with her too students The lights went out and the room turned dark Hamlet screamed dont leave me alone i am scared of the dark
B. Hamlet noticed the two remaining students who had volunteered to clean and feed the class pets. He watched and listened as the students and teacher discussed their upcoming performance in the school concert. The tired teacher loaded her bright, blue bag, and she exited the room with her two students. The lights went out, and the room turned dark.
Hamlet screamed, " Don't leave me alone ! I am scared of the dark !"
9) Vocabulary: commotion, composure, intact, subside, desperately, formidable; Capitalization & punctuation; compound sentences; usage; possessives; clause
A) trying desperately to keep him composure intact hamlet kept repeating i have nothing to fear but fear itself.and the silver monster on the far side of the bookshelf these words helped our abandoned heros panic to subside and before long he fell asleep suddenly there was a formidable commotion outside of the classroom door
B) Trying desperately to keep his composure intact, Hamlet kept repeating, "I have nothing to fear but fear itself, and the silver monster on the far side of the bookshelf." These words helped our abandoned hero's panic to subside, and before long he fell asleep. Suddenly, there was a formidable commotion outside of the classroom door.
10) Vocabulary: intruder, blaring, invasive, desperately, strident, intently; Capitalization & punctuation; word usage; series of words; contractions; appositive
A) hamlet listened intently was it time for school already the doors lock clicked the light switch flicked and in rumbled an intruder dragging a cart loaded with equipment of course hamlet didnt recognize this invasive character orville hempton the night custodian had arrived blaring strident sounds soon made hamlet forget that he had ever been left alone in the darkened room
B) Hamlet listened intently. Was it time for school already? The door's lock clicked, the light switch flicked, and in rumbled an intruder dragging a cart loaded with equipment. Of, course, Hamlet didn't recognize this invasive character. Orville Hempton, the night custodian, had arrived. Blaring, strident sounds made Hamlet forget that he had ever been left alone in the darkened room.
11. series of words, punctuation, cap. first word in sentence, cap. proper noun homophone, run on sentence, voc.-pondered
A. click swish click swish what was orville doing Hamlet pondered weather he should dare to roll toward the sound in order to get a better view of what was happening
B. Click, swish, click, swish. What was Orville doing? Hamlet pondered whether he should dare to roll toward the sound to get a better view of what was happening.
12. vocabulary: averted, emerged, contemplating; appositive punctuation, Caps. to begin sentence, proper nouns, possessive nouns
A. as hamlet averted his eyes toward orville he saw he was nearing the desk of _____________ the teacher hamlet watched comtemplating his next move he saw orville open the teachers candy jar and heard new crinkling sound emerge as orville ripped open a hersheys kiss
B. Hamlet averted his eyes toward Orville. He saw Orville was nearing the desk of ___________________, the teacher. Hamlet watched, contemplating his next move. He saw Orville open the teacher's candy jar and heard a new crinkling sound emerge as Orville ripped open a Hershey's Kiss.
13. vocabulary - ceased, periodically, glanced; paragraph, cap. first word in a sentence, punctuation, cap. proper noun
A. the crinkling sound ceased as orville munched the candy periodically orville glanced in the direction of the door as if he was expecting visitors
B. (P) The crinkling sound ceased as Orville munched the candy. Periodically, Orville glanced in the direction of the door as if he was expecting visitors.
14. vocabulary - focused, boisterous, hastened; cap. first word in a sentence, punctuation no compound sentence
A. suddenly the air was filled with boisterous laughter Orville hastened away from Ms. _______s desk and again focused on his work
B. Suddenly, the air was filled with boisterous laughter. Orville hastened away from Ms. _________'s desk and again focused on his work.
15. vocabulary -swaggered, hustled, idly, pitched; end punctuation; consistent tense from sentence to sentence; there, their, they're; too, two, to
A. Two teenage boys swaggered in to the room? They had a message for Orville. He is supposed to fix a leak in the school kitchen. As Orville hustled out the door, the two boys began talking about there favorite singing group. One of the boys idly picked up Hamlet and chewed on His side. Hamlet let out a scream. The boys didn't hear it because the sound was pitched to high for human ears.
B. Two teenage boys swaggered into the room. They had a message for Orville. He was supposed to fix a leak in the school kitchen. As Orville hustled out the door, the two boys began talking about their favorite singing group. One of the boys idly picked up Hamlet and chewed on his side.
Hamlet let out a scream. The boys didn't hear it because the sound was pitched too high for human ears.
16) vocabulary: reprieve, unconscious, hurled SF; capitalization proper noun, beginning a sentence; punctuation commas (around an appositive, words in a series); ending punctuation
A.) hamlet the pencil had a reprieve as the boy hurled him to the floor while exiting the room
B.) Hamlet, the pencil, had a reprieve as the boy hurled him to the floor while exiting the room.
A.) the soft springy rubbery tip prevented hamlet from being knocked unconscious
B.) The soft, springy, rubbery tip prevented Hamlet from being knocked unconscious.
17) vocabulary: surmised, corridor, pilgrimage; capitalization beginning a sentence, proper noun, punctuation end of a sentence (exclamatory, and statement), quotation marks
A.) since he was now on the floor hamlet surmised to continue his pilgrimage
A.) Since he was now on the floor, Hamlet surmised to continue his pilgrimage.
B.) what luck hamlet wailed he was now able to roll right out into the long corridor
B.) "What luck!" Hamlet wailed. He was now able to roll right out into the long corridor.
18. vocabulary: peered, deserted, thoroughfare; capitalization beginning of sentence, proper noun, punctuation end of sentence, possessive, end punctuation, run-on sentence, their/there new paragraph
A.) hamlet peered in both directions to his left was orvilles cluttered cart to his right their appeared to be a deserted thoroughfare
B.) Hamlet peered in both directions. To his left was Orville's cluttered cart. To his right there appeared to be a deserted thoroughfare.
19. vocabulary: wasteland, vast, stubby; capitalization first word in sentence, punctuation commas in a series, possessive pronoun him/his
A.) he continued him rolling journey across this vast flat wasteland of cluttered highway dotted with candy wrappers wadded up papers chunks of sticky chewing gum and what appeared to be stubby pieces of wood that seemed to remind him of something
B.) He continued his rolling journey across this vast, flat wasteland of cluttered highway dotted with candy wrappers, wadded up papers, chunks of sticky chewing gum, and what appeared to be stubby pieces of wood that seemed to remind him of something.
20. Vocab: arduous, boulevard, horizon; hyphenation (wide-open), commas to set off interrupters, commas to set off dependent clause, comma between two adjectives, who/whom
A. hamlet began the arduous task of turning to the right seeking the apparent safety and ease of the wide open boulevard that stretched toward the horizon suddenly however he stopped his heart racing in terror one of those battered broken stubs he had left behind reminded him of his good friend artemesius whom had mysteriously disappeared several weeks before
B. Hamlet began the arduous task of turning to the right, seeking the apparent safety and ease of the wide-open boulevard that stretched toward the horizon.
Suddenly, however, he stopped, his heart racing in terror. One of those battered, broken stubs he had left behind reminded him of his good friend Artemesius, who had mysteriously disappeared several weeks before.
21. Vocabulary: unobtrusively, apprehensively, reversed , companion paragraph (something new happened), conjunction (do not begin sentence with one), capitalization of a proper noun, subject pronoun (us "he", not "him"), homonym (heard/herd), comma to set off interrupters
A. And rolling as unobtrusively as possible, hamlet reversed his direction and apprehensively approached the wooden stub which resembled his friend Artemesius. Him and Artemesius had been good friends. Suddenly hamlet herd the sound of running feet.
B. Rolling as unobtrusively as possible, Hamlet reversed his direction and apprehensively approached the wooden stub which resembled his former companion. He and Artemesius had been good friends. Suddenly, Hamlet heard the sound of running feet.
22. Vocabulary: blurted, ecstatic, anxious, outstretched, mused, paragraph (something new happening), commas in a list, quotation marks at the beginning and end of a direct quote, capitalization at beginning of a quote, comma between quote and the rest of the sentence, capitalization of a proper noun
A. my pencil blurted out a familiar voice. The ecstatic relieved and anxious hamlet eagerly rolled to the outstretched hand. home at last he mused. This was only the first of numerous adventures of hamlet the pencil.
B. "My pencil," blurted out a familiar voice.
The ecstatic, relieved, and anxious Hamlet eagerly rolled to the outstretched hand. "Home at last," he mused.
This was only the first of numerous adventures of Hamlet the pencil.