Active and Passive Verbs Lesson Plan

Lesson: Active and Passive Verbs
By: John Foley
Primary Subject: Language Arts
Grade Level: 9-12

NOTES: Use active verbs unless there is no reasonable way to get around using passive verbs.

EXAMPLE:

• "Joe hit him" is active and strong.
• "He was hit by Joe" is passive and weak.

NOTES CONTINUED: Use creative verbs rather than settling for ones that are merely serviceable.

EXAMPLE:

• "A red handkerchief was tucked in his pocket" is weaker and less interesting than...
• "A red handkerchief blossomed from his pocket."

EVIDENCE to SUPPORT ACTIVE WRITING: Stephen King, best known as a horror novelist, offers some excellent advice on active and passive construction in his memoir On Writing:

The timid fellow writes, "The meeting will be held at seven o’clock" because that somehow says to him, "Put it this way and people will believe you really know." Purge this quisling thought! Don’t be a muggle! Throw back your shoulders, stick out your chin, and put that meeting in charge! Write "The meeting’s at seven." There, by God! Don’t you feel better?

ASSIGNMENT: Rewrite the following passage using strong, active verbs. And don't be a muggle!

Randy was the subject of discipline by his science teacher. It wasn’t the first time he had faced corrective action. In middle school, the record for detentions was held by him. This time, the options for Randy may be worse – he could even be expelled. Ten days at home were required for students who were expelled. Fun after-school activities like baseball wouldn’t be allowed, either.

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This is a great way to teach about active and passive voice!

What was GOOD about Foley's lesson?

• Foley provides students with multiple examples to show them the difference between using active verbs and using passive verbs.
• Foley uses a famous author to show the importance of using active verbs rather than passive verbs.
• Foley asks students to apply what they have learned and edit a paragraph that is filled with passive verbs.
  

What would I do to IMPROVE Foley's lesson?

• Provide more examples and nonexamples of active verbs.
  
• Be specific on the assignment requirements and model what is expected of them
• Require students to watch the following YouTube video so they can acquire some background knowledge on active and passive verbs.