Download Ideas for Teaching Grammar and Mechanics

Ideas for Teaching
Grammar and Mechanics
Objectives Covered by Language ISAT
Created by Meighan Perry and Rebecca Pyper
Order in Which Objectives Appear
Nouns
Linking Verbs
Action Verbs
Helping Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
Conjunctions
Interjections
Prepositions
Pronouns
Subject Complements
Clauses
Phrases
Semicolons and Colons
Quotation Marks and Italics
Commas
End Punctuation
Apostrophes
Types of Sentences
Fragments and Run-Ons
Capitalization
Active and Passive Voice
Comparatives and Superlatives
Eight Parts of Speech
Common Usage Problems
Each objective has approximately five possible lesson activities, and some contain
supplementary assignment materials as well. The activities meet the needs of different
learning styles and differing ability levels, and the title of the activity will inform the
teacher of the learning style and difficulty level of each activity.
2
Nouns
Curriculum
objective:
Review
753.02a The
student will identify
and use subjects
and verbs that
agree in number
and pronouns that
agree with their
antecedents in
person, case, and
number.
753.04c
The student will
write descriptive
text that portrays
people, places,
objects, emotions,
or events and
communicates a
complete sense of
and the writer’s
feelings of the
subject.
753.02a The
student will identify
independent and
dependent clauses
and prepositional,
appositive, and
verbal phrases (ex.
Gerund, participial,
and infinitive) to
write compound,
complex, and
compound complex
sentences.
1. Noun Categories (auditory, low)
Play the game like Scattegories; choose a letter and everyone must
come up with a word starting with that letter covering each kind of
category of nouns. There may be no repeats. Each student keeps his
own score for his or her own original words.
Categories: people (citizen), places (beach), visible things (tree),
qualities (wisdom), ideas (freedom), actions (decision), conditions
(health)
2. Forming Plural Nouns (visual, low)
Visualize one of the rooms in your house and all the objects in it.
List as many of the objects as you can remember. Beside each word on
your list write its correct plural form. If in doubt about the form, check
a dictionary (Writer’s Inc. Teacher’s Guide, pg. 98).
3. Collective Nouns (visual, linguistic, low)
The students will look at the group of animals and write the group
names (see attached).
4. Proper Nouns (auditory, low)
As a class ask the students to come up with people with proper titles.
Discuss how those titles are capitalized.
5. Noun Clause Flip and Folds (kinesthetic, visual, auditory, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 335)
Supplies
needed:
Scrabble
letter blocks
Small paper
bags
Dictionary
3 X 5 cards
Pictures of
animals from
the list
provided
Colored
paper
3
Nouns supplementary materials
Singular
Donkey
Bear
Cat
Cattle
Chicken
Deer
Dog
Duck
Elephant
Fox
Goat
Goose
Horse
Lion
Monkey
Sheep
Swan
Swine
Whale
Wolf
Plural
Herd
Sleuth
Clutter/Clowder
Drove/Herd
Brood/Clutch
Herd
Pack
Brace/Herd
Herd
Skulk
Tribe/Trip
Flock/Gaggle
Herd
Pride
Band/Troop
Flock/Drove
Bevy
Litter
Gam/Pod
Pack
(Sebranek, Patrick, Verne Meyer, and Dave Kemper. Writer’s Inc. Burlington: Write Source
Educational Publishing House, 1992.)
4
5
Linking Verbs
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify
and/or
combine
subjects and
predicates to
write
complete
simple and
compound
sentences.
1. Linking Verb is Like an Equals Sign (logical, low)
Have students write sentences on construction paper with one word on
each sheet and with an equals sign in place of the linking verb.
Ex. Charlie = an excellent runner.
On the back of the sheet with the equals sign, have students list as
many linking verbs as could possibly complete the sentence/replace the
=.
Ex. Is, was, has been
Share sentences with the class.
2. Linking Verb Song (musical, low)
Have students memorize the list of common linking verbs to a song
tune (the list included can be sung to the chorus of “Yellow
Submarine.” Sing daily for a week, then quiz students daily for a week,
having them list all the linking verbs.
Supplies
needed:
Construction
paper
Linking verb
list
Sentences
with linking
verbs on
overhead
transparency
Newspaper
3. Linking Verb Identification (kinesthetic, low)
Put students in groups or teams. Show one sentence on overhead and
ask them to find the linking verb. When they have identified it, they
must run to the chalkboard and be the first to write it down. Keep score
and give incentives for being the winner.
4. Linking Verb Confusion (linguistic, high)
Sometimes a group of linking verbs will be separated or divided by a
word that is not a linking verb (ex. She has not been very friendly
lately.). After students complete a short worksheet dealing with this,
give each student a section of the newspaper and have them identify
five more sentences that demonstrate this. Write the sentence and page
number where it was found and underline the linking verbs; do not
underline the potentially confusing word.
5. Linking Verbs as Links (interpersonal, high)
Students will interview a classmate and then write 20 sentences about
that person, each sentence containing a different linking verb. They will
then underline the linking verbs used.
Look at the list of linking verbs before writing interview questions to
help students come up with 20 questions so the resulting sentences will
contain the different linking verbs.
6
Linking verb supplementary materials
Linking verb list
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
Am being
Are being
Is being
Was being
Were being
Can be
Could be
May be
Might be
Must be
Shall be
Should be
Will be
Would be
Have been
Has been
Could have been
May have been
Might have been
Must have been
Shall have been
Should have been
Will have been
Would have been
Appear
Become
Feel
Grow
Look
Remain
Seem
Smell
Sound
Stay
Taste
Turn
7
Action Verbs
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify
and/or
combine
subjects and
predicates to
write
complete
simple and
compound
sentences.
1. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Verbs (visual, low)
Cut out pictures in magazines that show action. Glue these to a sheet of
paper and label them with an action verb.
Teacher idea: Cut out pictures in magazines that show action. Post
these on a large sheet of butcher paper and have student walk around
the room and label them with action verbs that describe the photo, not
repeating any action verbs that have already been written by other
students.
2. Action in Newspaper (linguistic, low)
Cut story from newspaper or magazine and identify/highlight 30 action
verbs.
3. Action Verb Charades (kinesthetic, low)
Supplies
needed:
Magazines
Draw from a bag of action verbs and act it out. Other students will
identify the action verb being demonstrated.
4. Complete the Analogy (logical, high)
Newspapers
Butcher paper
Bag
Action verb
strips
White paper
Coloring utensils
Present the following analogy: Action verbs are to sentences as
________ is/are to _________. In small groups, have students complete
analogy and prepare an explanation. Share these with the class.
5. Commemorate Action Verbs (visual, high)
Famous people and events are often celebrated in commemorative
stamps produced by the United States Postal Service. Ask students to
create a stamp commemorating action verbs and their contribution to
society. Students will need to include an image and phrase making their
message clear. Post these around the room when completed.
8
Helping Verbs
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify
and/or
combine
subjects and
predicates to
write
complete
simple and
compound
sentences.
Supplies
needed:
List of
helping
verbs
1. –ing Verbs (linguistic, low)
Write a list of verbs ending with –ing on the board. Ask students to
write one sentence for each of these words. When they are done, talk
about the sentences; many or most of the sentences will also contain a
helping verb. Identify the helping verbs and discuss their role in the
sentence as helpers rather than main (action) verbs.
2. Action Verbs to Helping Verbs (linguistic, low)
Provide students with a list of sentences containing action verbs (no
helping verbs). Ask them to change the verbs in the sentences so that
each one contains helping verbs. The tense of the sentence will likely
change, which is fine; focus on maintaining the gist of the sentence.
3. When We’re Helping, We’re Happy (naturalist, high)
Those who possess the “naturalist intelligence” relate a concept to an
experience in the natural world. Helping verbs literally help out the
action verbs or other verbs with which they appear. However, the
helping verb sometimes goes unnoticed, just making the complete
sentence possible. Ask the students to identify someone or something
in the real world that functions the same way a helping verb does:
giving aid without much recognition. Have students write a paragraph
in which they describe these helpers and how they are like helping
verbs.
4. Now Let’s Review (logical, high)
After describing helping verbs and showing several examples of
sentences with helping verbs, have the students put all books and
resources away and write their own definitions of what a helping verb
is. When do you see these kinds of verbs? Why? What is their purpose?
Then check for understanding.
9
Adjectives
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify and
use the
correct forms
of adjectives
and adverbs
and avoid use
of misplaced
modifiers.
1. Bulky Billboards (visual, low)
As you walk or drive through town notice the advertising billboards.
Take a moment to write down one ad and highlight the adjectives.
Then write another adjective to replace it.
2. Acrostic Poems (interpersonal, intrapersonal, low)
Write your first middle and last name vertically. Come up with
adjectives that that begin with each letter that describe you.
Supplies
Needed:
Advertisements
Highlighters
3 X 5 cards
Pictures of
objects
Write your friend’s full name vertically and write adjectives that begin
with the letters of that person’s name to describe him or her. Exchange
papers and compare your thoughts.
3. Slang and Adjectives (auditory, high)
Discuss slang and why it’s used. Tell your student’s to listen to their
friends talk. What adjectives do they use? Write down the adjectives
and the nouns they describe. Interpret or define the adjectives and what
they mean
4. Adjective Card Game (interpersonal, high)
Students will write adjectives on 3 X 5 cards. Four students will play
in a group. They must have twelve different cards with different
adjectives. Lay the cards in a pile and shuffle them. Each student will
pick up three cards from the pile and one picture from the picture pile,
which is provided by the teacher. Students will ask for cards from their
group like the game Go Fish with the adjective cards until they have at
least ten cards that accurately describe their object.
5. Turning Verbs into Adjectives (linguistic, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 250)
10
Adjective supplementary materials
11
Adverbs
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify and
use the
correct forms
of adjectives
and adverbs
and avoid use
of misplaced
modifiers.
1. Adverb Commercial (interpersonal, low)
In groups of two or three, students will write commercials urging
consumers (other students) to use action verbs. Encourage students to
really extol the virtues of action verbs: What can they do for your
writing? Why does everyone need action verbs? What makes action
verbs appealing? Practice commercials with groups, then act them out
in class.
2. Acting Adverbially (kinesthetic, low)
Give each student a sentence containing an adverb or give all students
same sentence with differing adverbs. Put students into small groups
with students who have different adverbs in their sentences. The
students will take turns acting out that sentence, paying particular
attention to the adverb. Others in the group will guess the adverb.
Supplies
needed:
Construction
paper
Linking verb
list
Sentences
with linking
verbs on
overhead
transparency
Newspaper
3.
Multitasking Adverbs (visual, low)
Give each student one verb and have them illustrate how that verb
could be demonstrated using the four questions adverbs answer (see
attached; the words in italics represent student answers.)
4. Categorizing Adverbs (logical, high)
Students will be given a list of adverbs (see attached) and will
determine how to categorize these. After students are done, ask them
what their categories were. List these on the board and show how each
category represents one of the questions adverbs answer (how, when,
where, to what extent/degree).
(Tusken, Vicky. “Introduction to Adverbs.” A to Z Teacher Stuff. 3
August 2006. http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/pages/1890.shtml)
5. Students Select who Responds (kinesthetic, interpersonal, high)
Start by tossing one student a beanbag. Teacher then asks that student
for a sentence demonstrating one of the questions adverbs answer, and
the student with the beanbag must come up with a sentence that
contains an appropriate adverb. For instance, the teacher may ask for a
sentence demonstrating “when,” and the student may respond, “I went
to school yesterday.” The teacher or the student may explain answers.
The student who answered then tosses the beanbag to another student,
and the teacher asks for another example of a specific type of adverb
To make this easier, you could allow students to supply sentences from
an adverb worksheet already completed or notes previously taken in
class.
12
Adverb supplementary materials
Multitasking Adverbs
Where?
there
How?
quickly
RUN
To what extent?
breathlessly
When?
yesterday
13
Categorizing Adverbs
Very
Cry
Run
Shout
Swiftly
Wash
Today
Yesterday
Jump
Somewhat
So
Tonight
Quite
Carefully
Quickly
Outside
Gently
Now
Write
Kindly
Chew
Inside
Everywhere
Immediately
Here
Soon
There
Never
Sleepily
Close
Tomorrow
Far
Amazingly
Gracefully
Strongly
Finally
Neatly
Too
14
Conjunctions
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify and or
combine
subjects and
predicates
using
appropriate
phrases to write
complete
simple and
compound
sentences.
Supplies
needed:
Non-fiction
article
CD-, DVD-, or
VHS-copy of
Grammar Rock
Construction
paper
Supplementary
list
1. Grammar Rock(s) (musical, low)
If you have the tape of Grammar Rock “Conjunction Junction,” listen
and /or watch it with the students. Then hand out the lyrics to the song.
Tell the students to sing or follow along with the tape. The lyrics are
available online at http://www.school-house-rock.com/. Assign the
song as an assignment or for extra credit. Many students may already
know it.
2. Coordinating Conjunctions (visual, kinesthetic, low)
Write FANBOYS—for, and, nor, but, yet, or, so—on the board or
overhead. Assign the students to draw the word in a caricature of a
person that demonstrates the concept of a word. Post the pictures and
allow the students to vote for their favorite pictures.
3. Correlative Conjunctions or Paired Conjunctions (linguistic, high)
Correlative conjunctions are regularly used together. Write the
correlative conjunctions on the board: both…and; not only…but also;
either…nor; neither…nor; whether…so. Write one sentence based on
an emotion or action they experienced this week using the correlative
conjunctions.
Ex. Neither Jim nor I smiled when we saw the bill on our
credit card statement.
Assign the students to one sentence per pair.
4. Subordinating Conjunction (visual, high)
Allow the students to choose a theme. Tell each student to write in
large print a simple sentence about that theme on an 8 X 11 piece of
paper. Post the papers on a wall.
Assign one subordinating conjunction to each student.
OR
The student will write the subordinating conjunction in large print on
an 8 X 11 piece of paper. Assign a student to choose two sentences.
He or she will hold them up for all to see. Tell the students to stand in
a semi circle around the person with the sentences. They must decide
whose conjunction goes in the proper place. The person with the best
conjunction will stand with the conjunction in the proper place.
Discuss why some conjunctions work and others do not.
Ex. Navajo men work as silversmiths. The women are weavers. (high)
5. Fill in the Blanks with Conjunctions (visual, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 271)
15
6. What is it—Conjunction, Preposition, or Adverb?
After, before, since, till, and until can be subordinating conjunctions or
prepositions. After, before, and since can also be adverbs. The part of
speech of these words depends on their use within a sentence.
Ex.
Subordinating Conjunction: She started to weave before she turned ten.
Preposition: The weaver starts work before sunrise.
Adverb: Have you ever watched a weaver make a blanket before?
Write three sets of sentences using after, before, and until as
subordinating conjunctions, prepositions, and adverbs. Ask them to
write the sentences on the board. Their peers will determine which is
which.
(Carroll, Joyce Armstrong, Edward Wilson, and Gary Forlini. Prentice
Hall Writing and Grammar Communications in Action Platinum Level,
Handbook Edition. New Jersey; Pearson Education, Inc., 2003. 267277.)
Conjunction supplementary materials
Lists of Conjunctions
Coordinating: for
and
Correlative: both…and
only… but also
Subordinating:
after
because
although
before
as
even if
as if
even though
as long as
if
as soon as
in order that
as though
lest
nor
but
or
yet
either…or
neither…nor
now that
since
so that
than
though
till
unless
until
when
whenever
where
wherever
while
16
so
whether…or
not
17
Interjections
Curriculum
objective:
Review
1. The Effect of Interjections (linguistic, low)
Write one sentence on the board. Ask students to supply different
interjections to see how they affect the meaning or change the tone of
the sentence.
2. Interjections in Song Lyrics (musical, low)
Supplies
needed:
Songs and lyrics
List of
interjections
Listen to songs and identify interjections. Ex. “Crazy” by Gnarls
Barkley has three interjections: yeah, ha ha ha, and well
3. Interjection Self-Analysis (intrapersonal, high)
Identify several sentences you have used lately or phrases you
frequently use that contain interjections. List five of these and share
with a classmate.
4. What’s the Point of Interjections? (logical, high)
Give a list of interjections and have students identify what message
or impression each one carries when used at the beginning of a
sentence. Ex. “Hey” = getting someone’s attention
5. More Common than You Think (interpersonal, naturalist, high)
Give students a tally sheet with interjections listed and have them keep
track of how many interjections are used during some conversation
they have that day (i.e., at dinner with family, at lunch with friends,
etc.)
18
Prepositions
Curriculum
objective:
Review
6. Showing Prepositions with a Teddy Bear (spatial, low)
Read the list of prepositions. Ask student to
demonstrate the preposition with the teddy bear.
7. Preposition Song (musical, low)
Listen to the Preposition song from Grammar Rock.
Sing along with the Grammar Rock CD
8. Illustrating Prepositions (kinesthetic, low)
Supplies
needed:
Teddy Bear
Grammar Rock
CD
Constructionpaper
Colored Pencils
Supplementary
lists
Choose a picture from a magazine. Cut it out and past it to a piece of
construction paper. Write prepositions on the construction paper
around the picture. Partner with a classmate and share pictures. The
partner will write sentences relating to the picture with the prepositions.
9. Preposition Scavenger Hunt (spatial, kinesthetic, high)
Give the students a list of prepositions. The student will create a
scavenger hunt with at least twelve different prepositions by writing
directions to a secret place in or around the school. Once the teacher
approves the directions, the whole class will follow the directions and
find those places.
10. Compound Prepositions (interpersonal, high)
The students will write the compound prepositions. Outside of class
the student must ask twenty different people to use the compound
prepositions in sentences. The student must write down the sentence
and write who said it.
OR
Interview a classmate and then write 20 sentences about that person,
each sentence containing a different linking verb. Look at the list of
linking verbs before writing interview questions to help you think of 20
sentences. Underline the linking verbs used.
19
Preposition supplementary materials
Frequently Used Prepositions
aboard
about
above
across
after
against
along
amid
among
around
at
barring
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by
concerning
considering
despite
down
during
except
for
from
in
inside
into
like
near
of
off
on
onto
opposite
out
outside
over
past
regarding
round
since
through
throughout
till
to
toward
under
underneath
until
up
upon
with
within
without
in place of
in regard to
in spite of
instead of
in view of
next to
out of
on account of
Compound Prepositions
according to
ahead of
apart from
aside fro
because of
by means of
in addition to
in front of
20
owing to
prior to
Pronouns
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify and
use subjects
and verbs
that agree in
number and
pronouns that
agree with
their
antecedents
in person,
case, and
number.
The student
will identify
and use the
correct
nominative,
objective, and
possessive
forms of
pronouns
Supplies
needed:
Paper
Construction
paper
Dice
Boxes
Magazine
articles
1. Pronouns and Antecedents (linguistic, interpersonal, low)
Review a list of pronouns. Read through a magazine article and
highlight all of the pronouns used. Exchange the highlighted article to
a friend. That person will highlight the antecedents to those pronouns.
2. Pronouns and Antecedents (logical, low)
Read a list of singular and plural pronouns. Gather together groups of
three. One student will toss one die for a number. The other two
players must call out a pronoun to match the number (singular or
plural). The dice thrower must give an antecedent for the pronoun(s).
Ex. If someone rolls a three then the other two players can say any
plural pronoun. “Them” and “Jim, Scott, David” Pronouns and
antecedents may not be repeated, so the die thrower should write down
the words that have been used.
3. Pronoun Scramble (kinesthetic, low)
Write the pronoun categories (personal, reflexive, intensive,
demonstrative, relative, interrogative, and indefinite) on the side of
seven boxes. Divide student into teams of three. Give the students
colored cards with a pronoun written on each one (color code the
pronouns for the teams). Allow the students to read the cards they have
and then crumble them. Line the students in four rows and allow the
first set of people to throw the crumbled cards into the boxes in which
they think they belong. After they have a chance to throw them in,
unfold the cards to see if they are correct. Read the correct answers.
Then allow the students to discuss the answers and decide on the boxes
in which they belong. Continue through the lines until every student
has had a turn. Tally up the score of the most correct pronouns and
reward the team with the most points.
4. Grammar in Your Writing (linguistic, high)
Highlighters
Pronoun Case (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar Communications
in Action Platinum Level, pg. 44)
5. Pronoun Fold-Over (intrapersonal, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 402)
21
Pronoun supplementary materials
Nominative
Objective
Possessive
I
you
he, she, it
we
they
who
whoever
me
you
him, her, it
us
them
whom, whomever
my, mine
your. Yours
his, her, hers, its
our, ours
their, theirs
whose, whosever
22
23
Subject Complements
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify
and/or
combine
subjects and
predicates to
write
complete
simple and
compound
sentences.
1. Discussion/Intro to Subject Complements
First ask students if they know what the word complement means. It is
likely that they will confuse the word compliment (to give praise) with
complement (to complete). A subject complement is just a word in the
predicate part of the sentence that completes the sentence.
A few mnemonic devices:
• Predicate nominative means “name,” renames the subject, and is a
noun (see the repeating n’s?). A predicate adjective just describes the
subject; all adjectives are descriptive.
• Subject complements will only appear in a sentence containing a
linking verb (remember linking verb is like an equals sign). So in the
sentence President Bush is a man, President Bush = man. Does that
make sense? Yes. Is the word man a noun? Yes. So man is a predicate
nominative.
2. Identifying Subject Complements in Reading (linguistic, low)
Give students a short passage (one page) of biographical information.
Then have students write five sentences with predicate nominatives and
five with predicate adjectives about the person featured. Have students
switch with a partner and identify the subject complements and label
them PN or PA.
Supplies
needed:
Biographical
passage
Celebrity
photos
Paper strips
Glue or
stapler
Poster paper
or white
paper
3. Celebrity Subject Complements (visual, low)
Show pictures of celebrities one at a time on the overhead. Ask students
to share sentences containing predicate nominatives renaming these
people. Then ask students to share sentences containing predicate
adjectives describing these people. Prompt the students to keep their
responses school appropriate!
4. Linking Subjects and Complements (kinesthetic, low)
Make chains with linking verbs and complements. Have students write
ten sentences, five with predicate nominatives and five with predicate
adjectives. Have them write the subject on one strip of paper, the
linking verb on one, and the rest of the predicate on another. Glue or
staple the strips into rings and link together the subject and the
complement with the linking verb in the middle.
5. Complementing Yourself (intrapersonal, visual, high)
Students will create self-representations by first writing twenty
sentences describing themselves; ten of the sentences must contain
predicate nominatives and ten must contain predicate adjectives. Then
students will arrange the sentences artistically on a poster or white
sheet of paper so they become a poster representing the student. For
instance, sentences may be arranged in the outline of a girl or boy, the
sun, a peace sign, a guitar, etc.
24
Clauses
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will identify
independent and
dependent clauses
and prepositional,
appositive, and
verbal phrases to
write compound,
complex, and
compoundcomplex
sentences.
1. Clauses in Song Lyrics (musical, low)
Songs are loaded with clauses used in different combinations. Assign
students to bring in a copy of the lyrics to a school-appropriate song
they like (or provide song lyrics for them). Have them go through the
song and color the dependent clauses green and the independent clauses
blue.
2. Dependent vs. Independent? (intrapersonal, high)
Before a student can really understand the different kinds of clauses,
they have to understand the difference between the words independent
and dependent. Define and explain these words, then ask the students to
take out a sheet of paper. (Note: It may also be helpful for students to
know that dependent clauses are sometimes called subordinate; use
both these synonyms together at first.)
Have them write the description of a dependent person they know and
what makes that person dependent. Then have them write the
description of an independent person they know. Discuss answers.
3. Poster Contest (visual, high)
An independent clause is called independent because it can stand alone
and form a complete thought; a dependent clause is weak and cannot
stand alone or form a complete thought. Ask students to create a poster
showing how these clauses work. They will need to do the following:
• Come up with a sentence containing a dependent and
independent clause.
• Create a poster showing how the dependent clause is
dependent and the independent clause is independent.
• Include illustrations.
Supplies
needed:
Song lyrics
White paper
Coloring
utensils
Dependent
clause list
4. Stump the Chump (interpersonal, high)
Have student write three dependent clauses. Then invite a student to
write one of these clauses (the one he or she thinks is best) on the board
and to choose another student to come change it into an independent
clause. After the second student has changed the clause to independent,
he or she will be able to write his or her favorite dependent clause on
the board and choose another student to come change it. Continue until
all students have had a chance at the board or use this activity as a timefiller for when assignments run short.
5.
Dependent to Independent (linguistic, high)
Provide students with a list of dependent clauses (see attached). Ask
them to race other students, with partners or as individuals, to see who
can change the dependent clauses to independent clauses first. The
teacher will check all finished answers to determine who is the real
winner. Discuss answers once everyone is finished.
25
Clause supplementary materials
Dependent to Independent
Change the dependent clauses to independent clauses. Hurry fast—this is a race! ☺
1. after the race had ended
2. which is my favorite kind of candy
3. because she had been disobedient
4. who is my friend [not a question]
5. before he began his sophomore year of school
6. when she slammed into a tree
7. while the sun was setting
8. since Mr. Bailey was the oldest, grossest teacher around
9.
after her mom picked up the groceries
10. when Peter got his driver’s license
26
Phrases
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will identify
and/or combine
subjects and
predicates using
appropriate
phrases to write
complete simple
and compound
sentences.
753.02a The
student will identify
independent and
dependant clauses
and prepositional,
appositive, and
verbal phrases to
write compound
complex, and
compound
complex
sentences.
1. Making Adverbs into phrases (linguistic, low)
Tell the students to revise
Ex.The park is near. The park is near the zoo.
Will she jump in the ______?
Walk around the ________
Don’t go off the ______.
2. Adding Appositives (mathematical, low)
In math a positive is an addition. It is easy to compare the two in
language and math. Give the students sentences and tell them to add
descriptions about the nouns in the sentences
3. Identify prepositional phrases in writing (linguistic, high)
The student will scan the newspaper or a magazine for one adverb
prepositional phrase and one adjective prepositional phrase. Share it
with the class. The student will scan the newspaper or a magazine for
infinitive phrases.
4. Phrase Conversion (linguistic, high)
Supplies
needed:
Old
newspapers
and
magazines
Study the definitions of gerund, infinitive, and participle phrases. Read
the following examples:
I study a map.
We take a vacation.
We camp in a tent.
Convert each of the three short sentences into first, a gerund phrase;
second, an infinitive phrase; and third, a participial phrase. After doing
that, write a complete sentence for each phrase you made. (Writer’s
Inc. Teacher’s Guide)
5. Infinitive Phrase-To be or not to be (interpersonal, high)
Begin an open-ended thought beginning with To. Tell the students to
add a verb and then tell them to finish the sentence.
To + a verb ____________________________.
27
Semi-Colons and Colons
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify the
correct placement
and use of
commas:
commas to set off
non-restrictive,
non-essential
words
introductory
phrases, or
clauses, a
comma to
separate a
quotation form
the rest of the
sentence and
quotation marks
for literary titles of
short works,
quotation marks
to set off a direct
quotation,
apostrophes,
colons, semicolons,
parenthesis,
hyphens, dashes,
brackets, and
ellipsis
753.01a and
753.02.a The
student will
proofread and
revise written text
for the
conventions of
standard written
English, including
word usage,
agreement of
subjects and
verbs, agreement
of pronouns and
antecedents, verb
tense, passive
voice,
capitalization,
punctuation, and
informal
language.
1. Semi-Colon Connections: Compound-Complex Sentences (linguistic,
high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 502)
2. Indecisive punctuation (linguistic, low)
The semicolon is a period that can’t make up its mind.
Think of a semicolon as a period that’s indecisive.
(Haynes, Georgia).
3. Introduction to Eats, Shoots and Leaves (auditory, low)
Read page 7. It helps to hear the different analogies. Choose other
appropriate excerpts from the book to share with your students.
4. Skimming (linguistic, high)
Skim through the newspaper. Tell the students to find examples of the
use of the semicolon and colon. Tell the students to look for a pattern
of the rule. What do they think the pattern is?
5. Pin the punctuation on the sentence (kinesthetic, high)
Post sentences without punctuation on the bulletin board. Without
reviewing choose volunteers to place the colon in the correct places.
Use two thumbtacks for the colon.
Supplies
needed:
Eats, Shoots and
Leaves by Lynne
Truss
Newspapers
Thumbtacks
28
Semi-colons and colons supplementary materials
29
Quotation Marks and Italics
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify the
correct
placement
of…quotation
marks for
literary titles
of short
works, [and]
quotation
marks to set
off a direct
quotation…
1. Discussion of Punctuating Titles Correctly
A mnemonic device:
• If the length of a work is short (i.e., a poem, a song title, a newspaper
article title, a short story), you will use the short lines (quotation marks)
to punctuate the title.
• If the work is long (i.e., a novel, a music album, the name of a
newspaper, the name of a movie), you will use a long line
(underlining—which is the same as italics) to punctuate the title.
• Clarify that the length we are talking about here is not the length of
title—it is the length of work itself
2. Student-Created Assignments (linguistic, interpersonal, low)
Students will create an assignment reviewing the concept of quotation
marks and italics and exchange with a partner. After everyone has
finished, students will switch back and correct the assignment they
wrote.
3. Quotation Marks and Italics Pamphlet (visual, logical, high)
Supplies
needed:
White paper
Computers
Coloring utensils
There are several important ways to use quotation marks and italics,
and one way to present these is in a pamphlet. Students will create a
pamphlet showing how quotation marks and italics work, including all
rules with examples of each rule and a section with review questions.
These pamphlets can be created in class by folding a sheet of computer
paper in three or in Microsoft Word, depending how much time the
teacher wants to spend on the project.
4. Dialogue for Quotation Marks (linguistic, low)
Students will write approximately 100 words of dialogue, using
quotation marks appropriately as each character speaks and including
correct end punctuation and commas where needed.
5. Quotes and Italics Advertisement (visual, high)
Students will create magazine or newspaper advertisements explaining
and selling quotes or italics. Encourage students to use color and catchy
phrases and focus on their favorite aspect of these punctuation marks.
This activity could be especially effective if given in conjunction with
lessons on propaganda, persuasion, etc., as are also outlined in the
English curriculum objectives.
30
Commas
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify the
correct
placement
and use of
commas:
commas to
set off
nonrestrictive
(nonessential)
words,
introductory
phrases or
clauses; a
comma to
separate a
quotation
from the rest
of the
sentence…
Supplies
needed:
Four Comma
Rules handout
Sentences on
overhead
transparency
Coloring utensils
1. Introduction to the Four Comma Rules
Give students a handout of the four comma rules (see attached) and
emphasize simplicity of these. Quiz students later on this.
2. Race to Place the Comma (linguistic, kinesthetic, low)
Make an overhead of many sentences that are missing their commas
(see attached for answer key). Divide the students into teams and ask
them to take turns writing the answer on the board. Show a sentence
and have a student from each team race to the board when they know
where the comma goes. Rather than requiring them to write the whole
sentence, have them write the word before the comma, the comma, and
the word after the comma to save time. Also mention that not all the
sentences need a comma, so read carefully!
3. Playing the Comma’s Role (kinesthetic, low)
Put students into groups and have them create sentences demonstrating
each of the comma rules. Have groups trade sentences. Write the
sentences largely on the board. Take turns being the “comma” and,
standing in front of the class, put yourself where the comma should go.
4. Paragraph Practice (linguistic, high)
Students will write a short paragraph about them and their friends. In
each sentence, ask them to show how one of the comma rules words. In
other words, one sentence will include a list or series, one sentence will
be a compound sentence one sentence will contain introductory
elements, and one sentence will contain extra information.
5. Sentence Categorization (visual, logical, high)
Provide students with twelve sentences—three for each of the four
comma rules. Students will categorize sentences based on comma rule
exemplified (leave comma out and have students include them for
higher RITs). Create graphic organizer and rewrite sentences in
appropriate categories (see attached for example).
31
The Four Comma Rules
That’s it?
Only four
rules?
1. Use a comma when independent clauses are connected with a coordinating
conjunction.
☼ An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a
verb and expresses a complete thought.
☼ The coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so
(FANBOYS).
Ex.
I ate the worm, and I puked.
She burned the chicken, so they decided to go out to eat.
He liked Thanksgiving, but this year’s celebration was not fun, so
he decided never to celebrate it again.
2. Use commas to separate items in a simple series.
Ex.
I like cats, the color red, and spike heels.
His favorite sports are football, basketball, and baseball.
Wait! I thought you used a colon to introduce a list.
Sometimes you do, but only when the sentence itself tells the reader that a list
is coming.
Ex. The following ingredients are in cookies: flour, sugar, and eggs.
3. Use a comma after introductory elements.
☼ Introductory elements come before the subject part of a sentence.
Oftentimes, the introductory elements are a dependent clause.
Ex.
Whenever the fire bell rings, I accidentally scream.
In the beginning of Summer of My German Soldier, we don’t
realize that Patty is being abused by her parents.
4. Use commas to offset extra information.
☼ An appositive is a word or phrase that renames or describes a noun or
pronoun—in other words, appositives provide extra information.
Ex.
Dr. Roberts, a physician at Mount Sinai Hospital, performed the
operation.
He misbehaved in class and was sent to see the principal, Mr.
Pymm.
She will, therefore, be tired when she gets home.
32
Race to Place the Comma
Where Does the Comma Go?
Answer key
1. After ruling for over thirty years, he lost power to Francisco Madero.
2. Although much of it was Greek in origin, Romans were proud of their
civilization.
3. Both sea and game birds are numerous.
4. Corn, cotton, fruits, wheat, beans, coffee, tomatoes, and rice are grown in Mexico.
5. France has a lower population growth rate than its neighbor Germany.
6. I brought my brother, a boy of six, a souvenir from the Louvre.
7. I knew that I was right and that Chichen Itza was Mayan.
8. I won’t forget that you gave me the ticket and that I thoroughly enjoyed the
performance.
9. In order to reach Acapulco, you must travel quite far south.
10. It was here, not there, that we found the answer.
11. Many rural people, farmers, are moving to urban areas.
12. Mexico is a federal republic and has jurisdiction over several islands.
13. Mudslides will engulf these hillside villas, and some will be ruined.
14. Musical instruments around the world vary in purpose and design, and they can be
made from natural or human-made materials.
15. My favorite food was cassoulet, a hearty stew.
16. Natural resources in Mexico include petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, and
zinc.
17. On Friday, April 17, we will have a special meeting.
18. Plant and animal life vary with climatic zone, altitude, and precipitation.
19. Reptiles found in Mexico include turtles, iguanas, rattlesnakes, and lizards.
20. Sixty million people, France’s population, are dispersed throughout the country.
21. Soon after landing in Mexico, Cortes found someone who could speak Aztec.
22. Sound arises from vibrations transmitted by waves to the ear, but some vibrations
are simply noise.
23. Store the onions in the cellar, a cool, dry place.
24. The boy who is holding the book is going to Mexico.
25. The flowers, in my opinion, have never looked healthier.
26. The Greeks were conquered by Rome, but culturally the Greeks were the
conquerors.
33
27. The most mountainous area, the southeast, has experienced a large decline in
population in recent years.
28. The oldest instrument family consists of idiophones, and they are also the most
widespread of instruments.
29. This loss occurred on February 2, 1848.
30. Today, nearly one sixth of the population is located near Paris, the capital.
31. We will go as soon as your father arrives, Marge.
32. When the Spaniards decided to conquer Mexico, they appointed Hernan Cortes to
lead the army.
…At eight that morning, as Jeros and I climbed the observation tower, about fortyfive Swainson’s hawks were just taking off from the nearby canyon where they had
spent the night. Shortly afterward, we saw hundreds of them turning circles in the
thermal columns of hot air, effortlessly gaining altitude. By eleven, the Swainson’s
had joined smaller numbers of broad-winged hawks and turkey vultures, forming long
streams of migrants. Such large flocks, totaling more than 20,000 birds at times, can
take up to thirty minutes to pass overhead. (“Work that Counts”)
[Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar: Communication in
Action (Platinum Level). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall, 2003.]
34
Sentence Categorization
Rewrite each sentence in the appropriate category based on the comma rule it follows.
Series
Compound sentence
Intro elements
35
Extra info
End Punctuation
Curriculum
objective:
753.01.a and
753.02.a The
student will
proofread and
revise written
text for the
conventions
of standard
written
English,
including
work usage,
agreement of
subjects and
verbs,
pronouns and
antecedents,
verb tense,
passive
voice,
capitalization,
punctuation,
and spelling.
Supplies
needed:
Paper
Writing
utensils
1. Reporter’s Formula (auditory, low)
Ask the student to recite the reporter’s formula. Ask what kind of
punctuation each one would use if it were used in a sentence.
2. Creativity with the Reporter’s Formula (intrapersonal, low)
Write the five W’s and one H. Begin a creative writing story, characteroutline. Write complete sentences and punctuate them correctly.
3. Declarative, Imperative, and Exclamatory (visual, low)
Teach the types of sentences. Assign the students to draw a cartoon
with at least three boxes. In each box give one type of sentence with
the proper end punctuation for each dialogue bubble.
4. Sparking Questions (linguistic, low)
Ask a question like: Why should we have school uniforms? The
students will undoubtedly have an opinion. Tell them to write a
paragraph explaining their opinions on paper. Collect the papers and
scan the papers for exclamation points. Later in the week share the best
answers with the students.
OR
Give the students a theme to think about. On the overhead write the
sentences that the students dictate about the topic. Leave out the
punctuation. Assign the student to copy down the paragraph and
include the correct punctuation. Collect the papers and check their
work without marking their papers, but make your own notes and
tallies. Later in the week share the correct answers with the students
and allow them to make corrections on their own papers.
5. Asking questions (logical, high)
Thinking involves asking and answering questions. Write a
mathematical story problem in question form. Answer it. Explain how
to get the correct answer. Punctuate these sentences correctly.
36
Apostrophes
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a
The student will
identify the correct
placement and
use of commas:
commas to set off
nonrestrictive
(non-essential)
words,
introductory
phrases, or
clauses; a comma
to separate a
quotation from the
rest of the
sentence, and
quotation marks
for literary titles of
short works,
quotation marks to
set off a direct
quotation;
apostrophes,
colons,
semicolons,
parenthesis,
hyphens, dashes,
brackets, and
ellipses.
Supplies
needed:
Eats, Shoots and
Leaves by Lynne
Truss
5. Choosing the Right Words (kinesthetic, low)
Tell the student to write a cheerful, thankful, or loving card to a parent
or grandparent. They must use the words: your, yours, and you’re, in
the card correctly.
2. Apostrophes and Possession (visual, low)
Review the rule of possession of singular and plural nouns. Then
explain that Jesus and Odysseus in the plural form is: Jesus’ and
Odysseus’. Tell the students to come up with as many examples of
using an apostrophe for possession as they can think of and write them
on the board.
3. Classification Chart for Apostrophes. (visual, low)
Make a classification mobile (see attached)
4. Eat, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss
Read pages 37-45 aloud to the class. Write the charts and examples on
an overhead to show to the students.
5. Apostrophes and Contractions (linguistic, high)
Find an excerpt from Shakespeare’s use of contractions and
apostrophes and make copies for the students to use. Teach the rules of
apostrophes when used in contractions. (In her book Eats, Shoots and
Leaves, Lynn Truss tells us that this was the first reason apostrophes
were used.) Tell the students to write in the missing letters. Reread the
excerpt with the new words.
37
Apostrophe supplementary materials
Classification Mobile
apostrophes
contractions
possessions
38
Types of Sentences
Curriculum
objective:
753.02b The
students will
… produce a
variety of
sentence
types.
753.02b The
student will
identify and
use simple,
compound,
complex, and
compoundcomplex
sentences.
1. Clause Grab Bag (logical, low)
Students will draw from a bag of unlabeled/labeled clauses (depending
on ability level). Ask students to create one of each type of sentence
containing the clause they drew.
2. Searching for Different Sentences (linguistic, low)
Post sentences around the room with one in each location (see included
list). Make sure each sentence is numbered and ask students to number
their answers. Have students walk from sentence to sentence and write
down which type of sentence they see. After everyone is done, discuss
answers.
3. Best of Show (linguistic, high)
Students will present an award for the best type of sentence (based on
their own opinion). Have them prepare a short written speech
explaining their selection and at least three reasons they believe that
type of sentence is best. For instance, one student might say,
“Compound sentences are the best because they allow you to combine
two related ideas into one sentence.” Ask some students to present
these in class or read samples from the speeches yourself.
4. Q & A (intrapersonal, high)
Supplies
needed:
Clause strips
3 X 5 cards
After discussing the concept of different sentence types, pass out 3 X 5
cards. Students will list in their own words what they know about the
concept and then list at least one question they have. Gather cards and
answer questions. Check for understanding later and address needs or
misconceptions at next class as means of review.
5. Concept Pattern Organizer (visual, high)
Create and complete graphic organizer found on page 78 of Classroom
Instruction that Works (see attached for example).
39
Types of sentences supplementary materials
Searching for Different Sentences
Claudia likes to go to the mall and spend her days shopping.
Bud, on the other hand, likes the races at the car speedway, and he enjoys talking to the
drivers after the races.
Bud hates shopping at the mall; he always gets very bored and irritated.
Bud tends to get bored sitting on the benches, watching the shoppers, and knowing his
wife will spend all their money.
This year, after a big argument, they took separate vacations.
Bud went to the Indianapolis 500, and Claudia went to the Mall of America.
Although they are not in the same city, they talk to each other on cell phones.
Concept Pattern Organizer
Simple sentence
Compound sentence
Characteristics:
Characteristics:
Example:
Example:
Types of
Sentences
Complex sentence
Compound-complex sentence
Characteristics:
Characteristics:
Example:
Example:
40
Fragments and Run-Ons
Curriculum
objective:
753.02b The
students will
proofread
written work
for sentence
fluency and
variety by
evaluating
subordination
and
coordination,
creating
parallel
structures,
correction
run-on
sentences,
and
inappropriate
sentence
fragments,
and
combining
sentence
pairs and
sentences to
produce a
variety of
sentence
types.
1. Illustrating Fragments and Run-Ons (visual, low)
Take a roll of toilet paper to class. Tear off a piece of a square.
Explain that it is a fragment. Then pull many pieces of the paper from
the roll but do not tear it off. Explain how this is like a run-on because
it keeps going without punctuation to end it.
2. Talk to Me! (interpersonal, auditory, low)
Allow students to chat amongst themselves. Give an audiocassette
recorder to some of the students to record the conversations. Replay
the conversations and write down what was said. The students will
determine if they are speaking in complete sentences or not.
3. Composing Complete Sentences with the Class (linguistic, low)
Divide the class into eight groups for each part of speech. Each student
will write in large pint one word on the 8 X 11 paper. Gather the
papers. Choose a volunteer to be the organizer to move the words
around. Send three or four volunteers out of the room while the rest of
the class makes up sentence fragments and run-ons for the volunteers to
correct. Invite the volunteers back. They will have a timed limit to fix
the sentences to be complete and correct. They may any words from the
papers that the teacher has in hand.
4. Composing Complete Sentences with Partners (interpersonal, low)
Supplies
needed:
Roll of toilet
paper
Ream of 8 X
11 paper
Newspapers
Tell one half of the class to write about their favorite animals. They
may only write run-ons. The other half of the class will write about an
animal with fragments. Pair up the people who wrote about the same
kind of animal. Tell them to exchange papers and complete and fix the
sentences. They should read the papers to each other and discuss the
changes as they make them.
5. Turning Headings into Sentences (intrapersonal, high)
Give students a newspaper. The students will write the headings down
on a piece of paper and make the heading into a complete sentence that
they think the article is about. Then the students will read the article to
check to see if their sentences were accurate.
41
Capitalization
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will use
capitalization
correctly for
titles of literary
works and the
salutation or
complimentary
close of a letter.
1. Capitalization Card (linguistic, low)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 469)
2. Formal Letter (linguistic, low)
Write a letter to the principal about a change you’d like to see at your
school. Give suggestions on the steps to take for the process. Make
sure to capitalize everything correctly.
3. Story Critique (linguistic, low)
Supplies:
A ream of 8 X
11 paper
Makeshift pie
graph with
dollar amounts
in each pie.
and a spinning
arrow
Write a letter about your favorite stories and explain why you like
them. Capitalize everything correctly.
4. Wheel of Fortune (linguistic, high)
Before playing the Wheel of Fortune game in class, you or students will
need to make pie graph with prices on it and a spinning arrow.
Tell the class to come up with a list of titles that should be capitalized.
They will turn in their answers prior to playing the game.
Play Wheel of Fortune with five volunteers. Three are the spinners,
one is Pat Sajack, and one is Vanna White. As the students accumulate
points from the correct letters they will eventually need to buy vowels.
The students must also buy capitalized letters for one-hundred points.
The spinners must guess the titles and capitalize them correctly to win.
When someone wins by guessing a title and capitalizing it correctly
then a new round of five students will get to play. The rest of the
student will be the audience and may “coach” the players as they
watch.
5. Judging Capitalization (intrapersonal, high)
Review all the rules of capitalization. Put the students in groups. The
groups must come up with examples of their own for each rule. The
students with the best examples will win points. Keep a set of students
out of the groups to be the judges.
42
Capitalization supplementary materials
43
Active and Passive Voice
Curriculum
objective:
753.01a and
753.02a The
student will
proofread and
revise written
text for the
conventions of
standard written
English,
including word
usage,
agreement of
subjects and
verbs,
agreement of
pronouns and
antecedents,
verb tense,
passive voice,
capitalization,
punctuation,
and spelling.
Supplies
needed:
1. Sentence Dissection (linguistic, low)
Students cut a statement written in active voice from an advertisement
in a magazine or the newspaper. They will then determine how to
rearrange the words and possibly add new words to make it passive
voice, cut the statement into individual words, insert (handwrite)
necessary words, and glue new, passive-voice sentence to paper.
2. Adding Action (linguistic, low)
Passive voice can be pretty boring! Spice up your writing by using
active voice. Give students a paragraph written in passive voice (see
attached). Have them rewrite the paragraph using as much active voice
as possible.
3.
Teaching New Terms (interpersonal, visual, logical, high)
• Present students with brief explanation or definition of the new terms.
• Then present students with a nonlinguistic illustration of the terms.
For example, draw a picture of a stick figure chopping down a tree.
Who is performing the action? The man. So to describe the picture in
active voice, one would say, “The man chopped down the tree.” Then
ask what is receiving the action. The tree. To describe the picture in
passive voice, one would say, “The tree was chopped down by the
man.”
• Next ask students for their own illustration of the terms and an active
and passive sentence to describe the picture they draw.
• Check students’ work and give feedback (Marzano 129).
See page 129 in Classroom Instruction that Works for further
examples. Write a letter about your favorite stories and explain why
you like them. Capitalize everything correctly.
Magazines
Newspapers
Passive
paragraph
Dictionaries
4. Active and Passive in the Real World (naturalist, high)
Invite students to look up the words active and passive in the
dictionary. Once they have done so and have written down the
definitions, ask them to identify the characteristics of an active person
and compare those to the characteristics of a passive person. Which is
better? Why? Which is the student more like? Why? Write responses as
a paragraph.
5. Novel Quotations (linguistic, high)
While reading a novel, have students choose a quote they like. Write
this on a piece of paper and identify if it is spoken with active or
passive voice. Then rewrite the quote in the opposite voice. Does it
sound better? Worse? How does the voice change the sound of the
quote? Why? Discuss with a partner and then as a class.
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Active and passive voice supplementary materials
Adding Action
The car was wrecked by Benji. A lot of alcohol had been drunk by him that
night, and the tree was smashed into because the car was being driven
crazily by Benji. The ambulance was driven by paramedics to the scene, and
a police report was taken by Officer Jaramillo. Benji was loaded into the
ambulance by the paramedics, but he was handcuffed by the police before he
got in. At the hospital, Benji’s blood was taken by the nurses, and his heart
rate was checked by a doctor. Once he was released by the doctor, he was
taken by the police to jail.
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Comparatives and Superlatives
Curriculum
objective:
753.02a The
student will
identify and
use the correct
forms of
adjectives and
adverbs and
avoid use of
misplaced
modifiers.
1. Introduction to Comparatives and Superlatives
Focus on the words within the words: Comparative sounds like
compare, and that’s what comparatives do. Superlative contains the
word super, which comes from superior, meaning excessive or great.
In other words, comparatives will compare things, and superlatives will
say which is the best or most supreme form.
2. I Agree, I Disagree (interpersonal, low)
Each student will write one sentence containing a superlative and one
sentence containing a comparative. For instance, one student might
write, “Chocolate is the best ice cream” for his sentence containing a
superlative. The goal is to write statements that most students in the
class will agree with. Share these statements in small groups and have
the groups decide whose sentences are the most popular. Then share the
most popular statements with the class to find the overall winner.
Supplies
needed:
Questionnaire
Two objects
Computers
3. My Own Collection of Comparatives and Set of Superlatives
(intrapersonal, interpersonal, low)
Give students the attached questionnaire and ask them to fill it out
based on their own opinions. Once they have done so, give them five
minutes to mingle with other students, recording the names of others
who have the same opinions as they do.
4. Comparisons Using Comparatives (logical, low)
Provide students with two objects—for instance, a flower vase and a
pencil. Time students for one minute and see who can come up with the
most sentences containing comparatives to compare the two objects.
Ex.
The vase is prettier than the pencil.
The pencil is skinnier than the vase.
The pencil is cheaper than the vase.
The vase is heavier than the pencil.
5. Interactive Assignment on the Web (linguistic, low)
Take class to a computer lab and direct them to
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/regcom.htm.
Once they have read the information on comparatives and superlatives,
invite them to complete as many of the activities as you would like.
(“Regular Comparatives and Superlatives.” English Language Centre
Study Zone. 4 August 2006.
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/regcom.htm)
46
Eight Parts of Speech
1. Eight Parts of Speech (kinesthetic, visual, auditory, low)
Curriculum
objective:
Review
List the eight parts of speech on the board. Let the students come with
words and write at least four words to describe each part of speech for
the object.
Ex.CD player
nouns:
verbs: play
adjectives:
adverbs:
pronouns:
prepositions:
conjunctions:
interjections:
Supplies
needed:
CD player
Toothpicks,
Popsicle
sticks, or
twigs from a
tree
Twine or
glue
CD player
laser
screen
spins
skips
stops
color
hot
smooth round
softly loudly quick slow
it
its
they
them
on
under in
around
for
and
nor
but
Awesome! Far out! Groovy! Cool!
Write a paragraph about the object using words from your list.
Ex. My silver CD player is smooth and round. It spins while
the laser reads the disk. I like to play it loudly, but my mom
doesn’t like my music. The CD player gets hot when it’s on
too long. Sometimes it skips when I go running with it.
2. Eight Parts of Speech and Mad Libs (auditory, low)
Take turns filling in the blank spaces on a Mad Libs sheet. One student
reads the story. It’s fun and a little silly.
3. Speech in Action (visual, kinesthetic, auditory, low)
TV and VCR
Recording of
television
commercial
Mad Libs
Index cards
View a television ad once. View it again. While ad is playing, students
can hold up a card when they recognize a part of speech. Pause when
the student holds up the card. List the labeled part of speech on the
board. If playing with teams each team must get through each part of
speech then they may add more to the list. There may be no repeats.
4. Language Review (auditory, low)
Write down a sentence that you hear someone say in the hall during
passing time. Find a list of the eight parts of speech. Write the eight
parts of speech across the top of a piece of paper. Identify how each
word is use in the sentence. Exchange your paper with a classmate and
check your work.
5. Diagramming Sentences with Sticks (kinesthetic, linguistic, high)
Review sentence diagramming rules. Choose three sentences to
diagram. Make a model diagram from the sticks. Classmates will try
to make up sentences that will fit into your diagram.
47
Common Usage Problems
Curriculum
objective:
753.02.a The
student will
identify and use
the correct
nominative,
objective, and
possessive
forms of
pronouns along
with other
pronoun forms.
The student will
use the correct
forms of
adjectives and
adverbs and
avoid use of
misplaced
modifiers.
The student will
identify and use
the correct
forms of regular
and irregular
consistent verb
tense in writing.
1. Tall Tales and Transitions (interpersonal, auditory, low)
Begin a fictional story. When the story passes to the next person he or
she must use a transition to continue the story.
2. Top Ten List of Irregular Verbs (linguistic, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 379)
3. Illustrating Usage Problems on Index Cards (visual, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 454)
4. Comparison Flip Chart (linguistic, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 436)
5. Sentence Lesson-Inverted Sentence Cards (linguistic, high)
Hands-on Grammar (Prentice Hall Writing and Grammar
Communications in Action Platinum Level, pg. 285)
Supplies
needed:
Paper
Scissors
Computers
6. Who Needs “Whom”? (logical, high)
Invite students to read discussion of who and whom at
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/who.html. Then invite them to
argue both for and against using whom. Why should we use it? Why
shouldn’t we? Should we just eradicate it from the English language?
After students have written a paragraph about the necessity—or lack
thereof—for the word whom, have the class vote and share their
opinions, even having a debate if possible.
(“Who/Whom.” 4 August 2006.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/who.html)
48
Common usage problems supplementary materials
49
50
51
1.
52
Resources
All activities are original except those with citations attached. The following is a list of
resources we used to spark ideas.
“Curriculum Resources.” www.d91.k12.id.us-/curriculum/Curriculum Resources/.
Carroll, Joyce Armstrong, Edward Wilson, and Gary Forlini. Prentice Hall Writing and
Grammar Communications in Action Gold Level, Handbook Edition. New
Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2003.
Haynes, Georgia. Bonneville High School English Teacher, Lessons.
Marzano, Robert J., Debra J. Pickering, and Jane E. Pollock. Classroom Instruction that
Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 2001.
Mitchell, Diana, and Leila Christenbury. Both Art and Craft: Teaching Ideas That Spark
Learning. Urbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 2000.
Prentice Hall Literature: Teacher’ Desk Reference-High School. New Jersey: Prentice
Hall, 1995.
Sebranek, Patrick and Dave Kemper et al. Writer’s Inc. Sourcebook: Student Writing
Guidelines, Models and Workshops. Burlington: Write Source Educational
Publishing House, 1995.
Truss, Lynne. Eats, Shoots and Leaves. New York: Gotham Books, 2003.
Writer’s Inc: Teachers Guide. USA: D.C. Heath and Company, 1996.
Excellent Internet Sources
http://www.lessonplanspage.com
http://www.teach-nology.com/themes/lang_arts/grammar
http://www.edhelper.com
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk
http://www.computerlab.kids.new.net
http://about.com
http://towerofenglish.com
53
http://712educators.about.com
http://www.education-world.com
http://www.english.vt.edu
http://www.foridahoteachers.org/
http://www.d91.k12.id.us-/curriculumweb/curriculumresources/
http://www.school-house-rock.com
http://www.english.vt.edu/~IDLE/gym2/index.html
Sample Lesson Plan for 50-Minute Class Period
1. Post and read objective and lesson
2. Post sample ISAT question. Students will answer it and then check answer.
Sample questions are available online at
http://wwwforidahoteachers.org/isat_resources.htm
3. Create a Word Wall for each topic you cover. As you complete activities for a
topic such as nouns, write Noun on a strip of paper and place it on your Word
Wall. Whenever you have a few extra minutes in class, review the phrases on the
Word Wall
4. Concentrate on one objective per day and one or two activities
5. Review
Supplies for class
• Pens (black and red)
• Pencils (optional)
• One large spiral notebook (with pockets) labeled LANGUAGE. Students
will number each page-the lessons will be written here. Each page
corresponds with the lesson so that everyone is on the same page. It will
help keeping track of understanding and attendance.
54