Getting Active and Passive

This lesson focuses on the active and passive voices, which are two different ways writers can structure and convey information in their sentences. The lesson spans two class periods. On day 1, students will learn what the active and passive voices are, encounter examples of them, examine how published writers use these voices, analyze those published examples, and consider why authors use the active and passive voices. On day 2, students will review key information about the active and passive voices, use these concepts in their own writing, and reflect on the impact of writing in each voice. The instructional process concludes with students answering an exit question about how they will use the active and passive voices in their future writing. The lesson's objectives are: students will understand the features of the active and passive voices; students will understand why authors use the active and passive voices; and students will be able to use the active and passive voices in their writing and reflect on the impact of doing so.