Download Unit Plan: Sentence Fluency and Graphic Organizers Grade: 6/7/8

Unit Plan: Sentence Fluency and Graphic Organizers
Grade: 6/7/8
Unit Title
Sentence Fluency
Duration
2 weeks
Understandings
Essential
Questions
Skills and
Activities
A verb is a word that tells what a person is doing
A noun is a person place or thing
An adverb describes a verb
An adjective describes a noun
A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun
A proper sentence always has subject-verb agreement
A proper sentence always has tense agreement
A clause is a group of words that have a subject and a verb
A dependent clause cannot stand on its own
An independent clause can stand on its own
A simple sentence contains one independent clause and no dependent clauses
A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses and NO dependent
clauses
A run-on consists of two or more sentences written as though they were a single
sentence
A sentence fragment is part of a sentence that is written as if it were a whole sentence
(a dependent clause all by itself)
A complex sentence contains an independent AND dependent clause
There are four different types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative,
exclamatory
All proper nouns are capitalized
Graphic organizers help you organize and manipulate information visually
Why is it important to know the difference between the different parts of speech?
How does it help your writing to understanding the different kinds of sentences?
How can several types of graphic organizers change the way a select piece of
information is looked at?
How helpful to your brain is it to organize information visually?
Teacher lecture
Practice sheets and activities
Quiz
Pre Unit
Assessment
Formative
Assessment
Practice sheets and activities
Summative
Assessment
Quiz/test on the unit understandings
Standards and
Benchmarks
Aero Standard for Language Arts 6-8: W4
Resources
Language network TE + student editions
Attachments
Lesson layout below this document + sentence lesson
(Reflection)
Lesson Blocks
*Students should take notes throughout this lesson
Lesson 1: Parts of speech review
1. Put the 6 different parts of speech on the board (noun, verb, adverb, adjective, pronoun, proper
noun, propositions and conjunctions) and have students come up and write appropriate words
under each heading – review for accuracy
a. Focus on adverbs: end in “ly”
b. Green book pages, nounts: 36/ pronouns: 59, / verbs: 92, / adj:126 / adv: 134/ propositions:
152, / conjunctions:158
Lesson 2: Sentences
1. Review the parts of a sentence: subject verb object:
a. Green book: 186
2. Review the different types of sentences
a. See SENTENCE LESSON (BELOW)
b. Do exercises in green book187, 190, 191, 193, (198, 199 compound complex lesson)
3. Review kinds of sentences (dec, int. etc)
a. Do the exercise on page 17 of green book for practice – 17
Lesson 3: Punctuation and capitalization
1. Have students tell you what different types of punctuation exist and how and where they think they
are used (keep note on the whiteboard)
a. Periods, commas, question marks, exclamation points, colons, semi-colons, hyphens, dashes,
parentheses, apostrophes, titles
2. Review for accuracy and teach where needed using examples
a. Do exercises in green book: 252, 255, 263, 265, 267, 269
3. Discuss why punctuation is so important –
a. Show examples where punctuation mistakes can create wrong and often funny meanings
b. Show examples where punctuation can add power to your writing, and add meaning to your
words
4. Discuss capitalization and its importance
a. Note differences in cultures: German capitalizes all nouns, French don’t capitalize the same
things we do (class subjects etc)
Lesson 4: Graphic organizers
1. PPT of different types of GOs
a. Styles
b. Uses
2. Lesson on main idea/supporting idea/details/supporting details
a. Format example
b. Types of fruit example
3. Have them make a GO using main ideas etc as the theme with the grammar lessons they’ve been
learning
4. FOCUS: Concept maps
a. Create a concept map of teachers at AISB (some work elementary and secondary, some
work in admin and teaching) – show the various relationships
5. FOCUS: Outlines
6. Show how Prezi works
7. Show how to make GOs on the computer
8. Show how to make outlines on the computer
Lesson 5: Paper test
Sentence Lesson
Lesson 1: Clauses/Simple and Compound sentences/Complex sentences/Writing Process
CLAUSES
Clause: Group of words that have a subject and a verb
Two kinds of clauses: Independent and dependent
EX: Kate noted the day’s events in her journal before she went to bed.
S
V
IC
Obj
DC
Dependent clauses are usually preceded by: although, before, because, so that, when, while, that etc
Fragment: part of a sentence written as if it was a sentence. EX: Ghost towns usually around deserted
mines and oil fields.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR WRITING? Avoid fragments in your writing. (SENTENCE FLUENCY)
Exercise: Read the paragraph below and rewrite it eliminating the fragments.
My friend Derrick s a butterfly collector. He invited me to join him on Saturday. So that I could help him
catch butterflies for his collection. We hunkered down in our backfield and waited quietly. Because we
didn’t want to frighten away the butterflies. Derrick pointed toward the tall pink flowers nearby. We
watched the flowers sway in the breeze. While a beautiful orange and black monarch hovered over them.
Now I want to collect butterflies too.
SIMPLE AND COMPOUND SENTENCES
Simple sentence: Contains one independent clause and no dependent clauses.
Compound sentence: Contains two or more independent clauses and NO dependent clauses.
** Can be joined by a comma and coordinating conjunction OR a semicolon
** If it is the same subject on in both independent clauses – no comma needed
,
The choir rehearsed late on Tuesday; the director praised their work.
The choir rehearsed late on Tuesday and the director praised their hard work.
Coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, or, but, so yet etc
RUN-ON SENTENCE ALERT: When you put two simple sentences together using a comma but NO
coordinating conjunction (and, for etc). Ex. Most ghost towns are in ruins, some have been restored to
their original condition.
See exercise below 1st set for practice
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR WRITING? Too many simple sentences create choppy reading (SENTENCE
FLUENCY)
Exercise: Rewrite the following simple sentences into compound sentences
My grandfather enjoys listening to me sing. He has many favorite songs. I sing them for him every night. He
still has a pretty strong voice. He sometimes joins in for a few verses.
Exercise two: Combine sentences (page 191 in grammar book).
COMPLEX SENTENCES
Complex sentence: Contains one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.
Usually the dependent clause starts with words like: after, although, as, as if, as long, as soon as, as though,
because, before, even though, if, since, so that, than, unless, until, when, whenever, where, wherever,
while
Mr. Hernandez, who is a professional storyteller, performs at many different festivals.
IC
DC
IC
When Mr. Hernandez performs, he enchants the audience.
Young people love the way he tells stories because he changes his voice and wears costumes.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR WRITING: Helps clarify relationships between ideas – this happens BECAUSE this
happened, Kids love him BECAUSE he sings well etc. (SENTENCE FLUENCY)