| | |  | Dancing & Learning | Home » » » Rock 'N Learn: Writing Strategies | | | | | | | Description: | | RL-202 Marko the Pencil helps students become better writers. Using Marko's Toolbox, students learn how to organize a story, create an interesting hook, use transitional phrases, and apply colorful words that show rather than tell. Students discover how to apply personification, dialogue, similes, and other tools for creating a lasting impression. This entertaining DVD is perfect for improving general writing skills and boosting scores on standardized writing tests. Includes proofreading and taking multiple-choice writing tests. Approx. 70 min. Grades 4-12. | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Vic Mignogna | | Director:
| Richard Caudle | | Format:
| Color, DVD, NTSC | | Language:
| English | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| Rock 'N Learn | | Run Time:
| 70 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| December 04, 2007 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 3 reviews |
| | | | Used and New: | | | |
| All | |
| $8.24 | Used
- Acceptable | | | $11.44 | New | | | $11.45 | New | | | $11.64 | Used
- Mint | | | $11.65 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $11.65 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $12.47 | New | | | $12.47 | Used
- Mint | | | $12.56 | New | | | $13.07 | New | | | $13.07 | New | | | $13.10 | New | | | $13.78 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $14.03 | New | | | $14.34 | New | | | $14.50 | New | | | $14.99 | New | | | $15.32 | New | | | $15.40 | New | | | $16.63 | New | | | $16.99 | New | | | $18.99 | New | | | $19.59 | New | | | $21.22 | New | | | $25.00 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $36.67 | New | | | $67.65 | Used
- Good | | | $119.99 | New | | | $1,000.00 | New | |
| New | |
| $11.44 | New | | | $11.45 | New | | | $11.65 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $11.65 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $12.47 | New | | | $12.56 | New | | | $13.07 | New | | | $13.07 | New | | | $13.10 | New | | | $13.78 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $14.03 | New | | | $14.34 | New | | | $14.50 | New | | | $14.99 | New | | | $15.32 | New | | | $15.40 | New | | | $16.63 | New | | | $16.99 | New | | | $18.99 | New | | | $19.59 | New | | | $21.22 | New | | | $25.00 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $36.67 | New | | | $119.99 | New | | | $1,000.00 | New | |
| Used | |
| $8.24 | Used
- Acceptable | | | $11.64 | Used
- Mint | | | $12.47 | Used
- Mint | | | $67.65 | Used
- Good | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 3 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 27 found the following review helpful:
 How to write rightJul 06, 2008
By Amanda Richards
This DVD is divided into two main sections of just over thirty minutes each. The first section covers the basics of story-writing, and although it is geared towards grade four and up, it is useful for anyone with a composition or report to write, or a story to tell.
Presented in cartoon format, the story-writer is a young girl, and her instructor an Italian pencil named Marko. We follow along as the girl writes a composition about her first camping trip, with Marko providing running advice and commentary.
As she writes, Marko pulls "tools" out of his toolbox to make the story better, and these are:
1. Arranger: putting your thoughts in order so as to capture the whole story in a logical and organized manner. Extraneous material that doesn't belong in the story is also edited out.
2. Hook: every story needs something to catch the reader's attention, and this includes specific actions, word pictures, interesting facts, conversations or questions.
3. Transitions: used to fill gaps in the storyline.
4. Colorful words: words used to emphasize the way things look, feel, smell, taste or sound.
5. Personification: giving human qualities to objects.
6. Dialogue: developing characters by having them speak to each other.
7. Simile: using words to say how different things may be similar.
8. Onomatopoeia: words pronounced like the sound they are describing.
9. Alliteration: words that begin with the same letter.
10. Lasting impressions: ways to end your story that will be remembered by your readers.
(Marko also discusses unclear pronouns and making sure that clear antecedents are used)
The second section deals with proofreading for capitalization, spelling, punctuation and double negatives, among others.
Also available on the DVD are printable posters covering the topics, and these are also available for downloading from markothepencil dot com in pdf or gif format.
I think that this is a very useful tool for helping children to improve their writing skills, and even my seven year old is now familiar with the terms "simile", "onomatopoeia" and "alliteration". Get this for a young, aspiring writer in your family, and leave a lasting impression.
Amanda Richards, July 5, 2008
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Not a bad ideaJan 27, 2012
By Amber MacDonald
When I first got this DVD I at first thought maybe I picked the wrong thing to review with my little girl only being in the 2nd grade. But, after the stories she is already having to write and understanding the different parts of writing stories I knew it was a really great thing. This really talks to the kids in away that keeps them focused and makes it really easy to understand. I know there are parts that she is still not understanding but I am sure she will catch on. Plus, the pencil talking is great for kids. I really like how not only does it tell you how to do things and explains but it also shows you in detail which for a lot of kids is much better seeing how to do something. I know that when she gets into the grades where this is really important she will already understand it and not struggle. This is one thing that is really hard for kids so for me I feel I am attacking it with her early. Which makes it where we can work and practice at a slow pace. Plus, for kids that are already in grades 4 and up this would help this so much in understanding and maybe enjoy writing.
2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Ready to WriteAug 10, 2010
By Barton Eagle
The video is for 4th grade and up but seems a little low budget to hold their attention. It has a girl and a talking pencil who helps her improve her writing. The strategies are great and is done in a teacher-student conference set up! We'll see if it holds their attention...
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