Magic 3’s

1. Magic 3’s This PowerPoint activity will introduce the writing technique of a “Magic 3.” Be sure to follow the links at the bottom of each page to navigate through the activity.

2. Magic 3 A “Magic 3” is a parallel group of words, usually separated by commas, that create a poetic rhythm or add support for a point.

3. Magic 3 The athlete, prepared,confident, and ready, took to the field. This sentence is an example of a simple Magic 3. The writer used three adjectives to describe the athlete. There is parallelism since the writer used three simple adjectives, not adjective phrases, to describe the athletes. Back Next

4. Magic 3 If I had a sticker on my shirt that said “Loser” of if my hair looked like a zombie’s or if I had spinach stuck between my teeth, she would tell the truth no matter what. Notice that this student used 3 phrases that all started with “If.” Using the same beginning word of the phrase contributes to parallelism (following a pattern when you create a sentence or phrase). Back Next Last sentence

5. Magic 3 What is the writer trying to convey? a. The writer is trying to convey that she is a “Loser.” b. The writer is trying to convey that her friend will help her in embarrassing situations. c. The writer is trying to convey that her friend is a “Loser.” d. The writer is trying to convey that she will help her friend in embarrassing situations. How does using a Magic 3 help to convey his/her thought? Click here to check your answer. Back Next Last sentence

6. Magic 3 Sometimes I wonder why the geeks get picked on. It’s always, “Hey, look, it’s the nerd boy again, going to his daily session of chess club,” or “Where do you think you’re going, smarty pants,” or “Brain on feet, do my homework for a while—say till school’s out-and I’ll try to get you a date with the girl who has glasses thicker than yours.” Back Next

7. Magic 3 Click on the best answer. The writer in this Magic 3 used a. Three descriptive phrases b. Three quotations showing what people have said c. Three actions The writer used ___ to create parallelism in this Magic 3. a. Complete sentences and name-calling b. Questions and name-calling c. Name-calling only Back Next Last sentence

8. Practice with Magic 3 Click on this link to add your best Magic 3 sentence to the description of what is going on right now in the classroom. When you’ve added your Magic 3 sentence, save the file and return to the PowerPoint. Here is an example: Pondering over the choices they made, critiquing the words on paper, and using their erasers fervently, students revised their essays. Back Next Last sentence

9. Apply a Magic 3 • Now that you’ve practiced with Magic 3’s, include one in your essay. • Highlight or underline the Magic 3 you have used in your essay.