Writing Strategies

Writing Strategies Cover

Captivate readers, ace writing tests, and express yourself clearly-Marko the Pencil will show you how. His Writer's Toolbox, packed with easy-to-implement strategies, will take your writing from mediocre to magnificent. Stories, essays, term papers, or standardized tests-whatever you write, Marko gives you proven strategies for getting remarkable results. This is the fun way to sharpen your writing skills.

Grades 4 & up
Total running time: Approx. 70 minutes

Order

Item

DVD Video

Price

$19.99

Product #

RL202

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Join in the fun as Marko helps a friend develop a real writing passage-demonstrating each of his tools in action. You'll learn how to:

  • brainstorm ideas for your assignment
  • consider your audience and identify your purpose
  • find a hook to interest readers
  • organize sentences and ideas effectively
  • avoid unclear pronouns
  • use transitional phrases
  • involve your readers with effective dialogue
  • enrich your work with similes, onomatopoeia, alliteration, personification, and more

This animated adventure is ideal for classroom use as well as individual practice. Although it was designed and tested with students in fourth grade, our team of educators discovered that students in higher grades (even high school and college) benefited from the review of writing tools and how to effectively integrate all of them into a writing passage.

We have included a special bonus section: Marko shows you how to proofread your work, and he reveals secrets to score well on multiple-choice writing tests. Plus, you will find free downloadable posters and support material at Marko's special website.

All of the students using this program during our research loved watching it and commented that many of the writing concepts that they had heard about in school finally made sense to them. The animation is spectacular and Marko's humor keeps students focused. We suggest that the main program be viewed at a separate session from the bonus material. The main Writing Program is 34 minutes in length. Students may review certain tools at any time, easily accessible from the DVD menu.

Proofing and Editing, Marko's bonus material is 37 minutes in length and helps students catch careless errors in their work. Students learn to proof for errors involving paragraphs, quotes, incomplete sentences, subject-verb agreement, misspelled words, punctuation, and much more.

Marko the Pencil is played by actor Vic Mignogna, Best Actor 2007, American Anime Awards and voice for many popular video games. Writing Strategies is perfect for boosting performance on any writing assignment, state-mandated writing test, or other type of writing exam. Students gain the skills they need to approach writing with fun and confidence.

Get started immediately by helping your child or your students learn the secrets to exceptional writing. We guarantee that you and your child or students will love this program.

Contents

Writing Strategies includes:

  • Marko's Song
  • Brainstorming Your Topic and Getting Started
  • The Arranger
  • The Hook
  • Transitional Cake
  • Colorful Words and Expressing Feelings
  • Personification
  • Dialogue
  • Similes
  • Onomatopoeia
  • More Practice Applying Marko's Writing Tools
  • Alliteration
  • Detecting Unclear Pronouns
  • How to Make A Lasting Impression
  • The Finished Story
  • Review of Marko's Writing Tools

BONUS MATERIAL

  • How to Proofread for Careless Errors
  • How to Score Well on a Multiple-Choice Writing Test
  • Marko's Posters for Becoming an Outstanding Writer

Quotes

Marko the Pencil, sporting a bow tie and a French accent, offers encouragement and selects tools to help her sharpen her writing skills. In each instance, he explains the tool, gives an example of how it works, and then asks the girl to try to incorporate it in her story. Marko explains brainstorming, identifying the audience, finding a hook, and organizing ideas. He suggests using language rich with dialogue, colorful words, similes, onomatopoeia, and ending with a lasting impression. The first part of the program deals with writing content, and the second segment covers proofreading by using writing samples and a multiple choice format to find mistakes. This is the perfect vehicle to teach the thought process involved in successful writing, and it does it with pizzazz. -Review from the School Library Journal by Marilyn Hersh, Hillside Elementary School, Farmington Hills in Michigan July 2008

The DVD had excellent wrting strategies that really went with what my youngster was working on at the time. It helped him to know where to begin. I also like the fact that the poster can be printed. I intend to print these as reminders for when he is working on his homework. The ability to choose one segment is great as well. -John S., parent

This DVD is attention getting and entertaining for many age groups. It's a great way to teach writing to students and/or your own children. It lends itself to several follow-up lessons in writing. A great tool to develop strong writing skills.-Mandy J., parent

The writing tools revealed through the story by Marko are helpful for any writer, and he shows HOW to use each tool introduced throughout the writing process. I think this DVD is an effective learning tool for parents and teachers who are instructing students on how to write properly. There is also a section on proofreading, which is essential in writing. The main menu is organized and easy to select the portion of the DVD you wish to view. -Kelly M.

I found this DVD to be very educational and entertaining. As a special education teacher for middle school students, I plan on using this DVD as a teaching tool.-Alan B.

"This product really explains, in a visual way, story elements such as sequencing, a hook, transition, colorful words, and more. The help that Marko gives is specific, useful, and immediately applicable. The writing process is often a painful one. This product helps by breaking it down into small steps. Even better, it uses visual cues that will help students, especially visual learners, keep the steps in mind." -Diana Lawsky, Instructor Magazine

"I never really knew how to use voice in my stories, but now I finally know what it is. I never understood what my teacher wanted me to do when she said to put feeling into my stories. Now I do." -Caleb L. Age 10

"Marko the Pencil knows all the insider tips for producing the most polished prose. He introduces viewers to his Writer's Toolbox, packed with smart, easy-to-implement strategies for improving writing-brainstorming for a topic; hooking readers; organizing sentences and ideas; using transitional phrases, personification, dialogue, similes, onomatopoeia, alliteration; and much more. Marko makes lessons meaningful and memorable by using real passages to demonstrate his writing tools at work. And his strategies are perfect for any writing assignment or standardized test. Also includes bonus materials: tips for proofreading and for acing multiple-choice writing tests." -Beth Hanlon, Educational Reviewer

"I like when Marko talks about details because details are a very important tool in writing. Even my 6-year-old brother liked watching this DVD. He said a talking pencil is funny." -Cortlyn N., Age 9