Using Commas to Separate Items in a Series Lesson Plan

1. Topic-

Using Commas to separate items in a series

2. Content-

vocabulary: phrases, clauses, comma, series, conjunctions, yield

3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-

1.Ability to correcting use commas in sentences to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series.
2.Reminder of the goal of the written word (to communicate) and the necessity of communicating clearly.

4. Objectives-

1.Students will be able to write self-generated sentences that contain commas separating words, phrases, and clauses.
2.Students will be able to correctly punctuate pre-written sentences that contain single words, phrases, and/or clauses in a series.
3.Students will recognize that when items in a series are joined by conjunctions, no commas are needed.

5. Materials and Aids-

White board
large, hanging yield sign
Cut up sentences in envelopes

6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

As students enter the room, they will notice a large yellow yield sign hanging from the ceiling near the center of the room. Their daily warm-up will consist of the following sentences and questions: 1) In the beginning Henry Lashonda Steve the kid next door the brilliant but boastful Gail from Buffalo, New York, and Luis all remembered their lines. And 2) Bob went to the store and bought coffee beans and milk. For each sentence there would be a question: 1)How many people remember their lines? and 2) How many items did Bob buy at the store?
After giving the kids some time to copy down the sentences and reflect on the answers to the questions, I would begin to discuss the possibilities with them and then lead into what these sentences are missing (commas) and how the use of commas might make these sentences easier to read.

B. Development-

From here, students would open their texts to page 601. Together we would read the key concept introduced on the page and discuss/decode any vocabulary (listed above) that might cause students difficulty in understanding the concept. I would use choral responses, repetition, and the fist of five to help aide reflection and to assess understanding. We would also discuss the meaning of the large yield sign and how it pertains to and could be a symbol for comma usage.

C. Practice-

To practice the concept, students will work with their seatmate (desks are arranged so that students sit in teacher-selected pairs) to unscramble and punctuate sentences containing items in a series. Separate envelopes will contain cut up individual words and punctuation marks (end punctuation and commas)that students will hands-on manipulate into sentences on their desktops. I will cruise the room giving immediate feedback, maintaining focus, and engaging in Socratic dialogue when necessary to clarify understanding.
A final activity will consist students reflecting upon the newly learned knowledge by answering the following questions on their exit tickets: 1) Why is it important to use commas to separate items in a series. 2)Rewrite the key concept in your own words. 3)Describe how a yield sign might be a good symbol for the comma.

D. Independent Practice-

For homework, students will be expected to copy down the key concept on page 601 of their texts. Write their own, original example of the concept, and complete exercise 12 as directed in the text. This assignment will be corrected together in class the following day. Students will receive a completion grade only. Answers and concepts will be placed on the overhead projector as we discuss them so visual learners can see what we are talking about.

E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-

1. IEP students who have physical writing difficulty my utilize the "dragon dictate" program to complete their homework during their study skills class in the resource room.

F. Checking for understanding-

I will begin with oral feedback as the students work with the manipulatives. They will also receive peer feedback at this point as well since they will be working with a partner.

I will provide written feedback on the exit tickets which students will complete at the end of the class and receive back at the beginning of the class the following day. Finally, students will self-assess as we correct the homework together in class the following day.

G. Closure-

The exit ticket described above will serve as our closure for the first day of this unit.

7. Evaluation-

Measures of progress will include oral questioning and checks for understanding during the large group discussion as well as during the partner activity. The exit tickets and a review of the homework will also provide feedback and a measure of each student's understanding of the topic after the first day of the unit.

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)