TEKS Lesson Plan/Unit Plan



Focus Plan

Texarkana Independent School District

|GRADING PERIOD: |1st 6 Weeks |PLAN CODE: |W7.1.1 |

|Teacher: |Ables |Course/subject: |English Language Arts |

|Grade(s): |7 |Time allotted for instruction: |2-3 class periods |

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|Title: |What’s in a Sentence? |

|Lesson TOPIC: |Recognizing and correcting errors in sentence construction |

|TAKS Objective: |Objective 4 |

| |The student will recognize correct and effective sentence construction in written text. |

|FoCUS TEKS and Student Expectation: |(7.17) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate |

| |clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to: |

| |(A) write in complete sentences, varying the types such as compound and complex sentences, |

| |and use appropriately punctuated independent and dependent clauses (7-8). |

|Supporting TEKS and Student Expectation: |(7.1) Listening/speaking/purposes. The student listens actively and purposefully in a variety |

| |of settings. The student is expected to: |

| |(D) listen to learn by taking notes, organizing, and summarizing spoken ideas (6-8). |

| |(7.17) Writing/grammar/usage. The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate |

| |clearly and effectively in writing. The student is expected to: |

| |(B) use conjunctions to connect ideas meaningfully (4-8). |

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|Concepts |Enduring Understandings/Generalizations/Principles |

| |The student will understand that |

|Processes |Writing is a process that includes prewriting, drafting, editing, and revising. |

|Proofreading |Effective writers examine their work for correct sentence structure. |

|Proofreading |Proofreading the writing of others can help an editor to identify ways to improve his/her own writing. |

|Sentence structure |The effective use of a variety of sentence types makes writing more interesting to the reader. |

|Sentence fragments |Sentence fragments can lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the intended message. |

|Run-on sentences |Run-on sentences can lead to confusion and misunderstanding of the intended message. |

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[pic]I. Sequence of Activities (Instructional Strategies)

A. Focus/connections

Activity 1: Sentence Scramble: As students enter the classroom, the teacher will give them each an index card that contains either an independent clause or a dependent clause. The students must circulate through the room, reading their own clause to other students, until they find two clauses that fit together in both form and meaning.

Students will keep the index cards to use during the guided activity. They also will work in these partner groups during the instructional activities and the guided activity.

B. Instructional activities

(demonstrations, lectures, examples, hands-on experiences, role play, active learning experience, modeling, discussion, reading, listening, viewing, etc.)

1. Grading Criteria: The teacher should distribute the grading rubric (Rubric: What’s in a Sentence?) and briefly explain how all activities will be evaluated for a grade.

2. Objectives: The teacher will introduce the lesson objectives and explain how the use of complete sentences promotes clarity in writing. To illustrate this, the teacher will have students complete Activity 2: Calling Western Union! (See handout.) Enough time should be allowed for each partner group to read their version of the telegram. The teacher then will lead a class discussion over any differences in meaning that appear.

3. Lecture/Discussion/Group Practice: The teacher will use transparencies 1-6 to define the following concepts: simple sentence, dependent clause, sentence fragment, coordinating conjunction, compound sentence, run-on sentence. Each transparency contains the definition, an example with notes, and five practice sentences to use in the group discussion. An answer sheet is provided for teacher reference.

During the lecture, students will record notes by completing the required chart. (See Student Lecture Notes: What’s in a Sentence?)

C. Guided activity or strategy

Students will return to their partners from the Sentence Scramble focus activity. On a transparency, they will write the sentence formed from their two cards, using correct capitalization and punctuation. Each partner group will then use the overhead projector to present the complete sentence to the class. They must explain why this is a complete sentence and why they used the selected punctuation.

If students discover after the instructional activities that the two cards do not make a complete sentence, they may rewrite one of the cards to create a complete sentence. During the partner group presentation, they must explain this correction.

D. Accommodations/modifications

For students who have difficulty taking notes, an instructor’s copy of the notes is provided (with a completed chart). The teacher could provide this copy to students, or the teacher could delete only portions of the notes and let the student fill in the blanks.

E. Enrichment

II. STUDENT PERFORMANCE

A. Description

Activity 3: What’s in a Sentence?

The teacher will distribute three blank index cards to each student. On the front of one card, students will create a sentence fragment. On the second card, students will create a run-on sentence, and on the third card, students will create one correctly written and punctuated compound sentence. The student will label the cards on the back.

Students will then return to their partner groups. In the groups, students will use their index cards to question their partner. Partners will identify whether the card contains a fragment, a run-on, or a compound sentence. Partners also will check each other’s cards to see that they are labeled correctly.

Individually, students will then complete a table from the cards in the partner group, listing the fragments and run-ons. At the bottom of the table, students will compose correctly written compound sentences based on the fragments and run-ons.

At the end of the activity, the teacher will collect the tables and all index cards and will evaluate them according to the lesson rubric.

B. Accommodations/modifications

C. Enrichment

iii. Assessment of Activities

A. Description

During the lecture/discussion/group practice, the teacher will perform an informal assessment by questioning students orally. During the second part of activity 2, the teacher will evaluate the partner group presentation. During activity 3, the teacher will perform an informal assessment by circulating through groups and talking with students to keep them focused on their activity and to provide feedback. At the conclusion of the lesson, students will be evaluated based on all activities.

B. Rubrics/grading criteria

Teachers will assign two grades based on this lesson. See Rubric: What’s in a Sentence for the grading criteria.

C. Accommodations/modifications

For students requiring shortened assignments as an accommodation, teachers should reduce the number of original sentences to be composed for activity 3.

D. Enrichment

For enrichment, teachers could require that the twelve original sentences composed for activity 3 be organized into a unified paragraph.

E. Sample discussion questions

1. What is the difference between a simple sentence and an independent clause?

2. What must a simple sentence contain?

3. How are two independent clauses joined?

4. What makes a sentence fragment a fragment?

IV. TAKS Preparation

A. Transition to TAKS context

In the computer lab, have students access the following web site:



Students will read a passage in which some sections are underlined. The underlined sections may be one of the following:

• Incomplete sentences

• Run-on sentences

• Correctly written sentences that should be combined

• Correctly written sentences that do not need to be rewritten

From the choices provided, students will select the best way to write each underlined section or will select the choice "Correct as is."

A. Sample TAKS questions

Samples:

1. What is the BEST way to rewrite the ideas in sentence 19? (Spring 2003 release)

F Every rock that is found is logged with its location. And then examined to see what secrets it might hold.

G Every rock that is found is logged with its location. Then it is examined to see what secrets it might hold.

H Every rock that is found is logged with its location, or then it is examined to see what secrets it might hold.

J Every rock that is found, logged with its location, and then examined to see what secrets it might hold.

2. What is the BEST way to rewrite sentence 10? (Spring 2003 release)

F A few minutes later we were all gathered near the equipment it was on the field.

G A few minutes later near the equipment on the field is where we were all gathered.

H A few minutes later we were all gathered. Near the equipment on the field.

J A few minutes later we were all gathered near the equipment on the field.

3. What revision, if any, is needed in sentence 15? (Spring 2004 release)

F It featured two characters, they were Shermy and Charlie Brown.

G It featured two characters, Shermy and Charlie Brown.

H It featured two characters, Shermy and Charlie Brown.

J No revision is needed.

Summary of questions:

1. All questions are based on a writing passage of approximately one page in length that is presented as a peer editing exercise. Each sentence in the passage is numbered for reference.

2. The following questions have been used on TAKS:

“What is the BEST way to rewrite the ideas in sentence 19?”

“What is the BEST way to rewrite sentence 10?”

“What is the BEST way to revise sentence 15?”

“What revision, if any, is needed in sentence 15?”

“What is the BEST way to combine sentence 11 and 12?”

3. Answer choices should be formatted as follows:

• Four answer choices (alternating from A-B-C-D to F-G-H-J)

• Each answer choice 1-2 sentences

• Two-sentence answer choices should include the following:

o One complete sentence followed by a sentence fragment

o Two complete sentences (correct answer)

• One-sentence answer choices should include the following:

o One sentence with incorrect conjunction

o One sentence with comma splice (comma/conjunction/no second subject)

o One sentence with awkward placement of prepositional phrases

o Run-on sentence (two independent clauses/without comma/without conjunction)

o Run-on sentence (two independent clauses/with comma/without conjunction)

o One sentence written correctly, but with a structure that changes the meaning from the passage

o One simple sentence written correctly

• Some of the fourth answer choices should be “No revision is needed.”

V. Key Vocabulary

Simple sentence, independent clause, subject, verb, dependent clause, sentence fragment, coordinating conjunction, compound sentence, run-on sentence

VI. Resources

A. Textbook

BK English, Grade 7

B. Supplementary materials

• Activity 1: Sentence Scramble index cards (templates for clauses)

• Activity 2: Calling Western Union! (handout for partner groups)

• Lecture Notes: Transparencies 1-6

• Student Lecture Notes: What’s in a Sentence? (handout to each student)

• Instructor’s Copy of Student Lecture Notes: What’s in a Sentence? (may use for accommodations)

• Answers: Lecture Notes Transparencies

• Blank index cards

C. Technology

1. Harcourt Grammar Glossary



(Note: Even though the glossary is designated for grade 5, it is appropriate for all middle school grades. The glossary uses Flash animation to illustrate definitions.)

2. Sentence Structure Games

a. “Sentence Sort”



(Students identify simple, compound, and complex sentences.)

b. “Sentence or Fragment?”

(Game #1)

(Game #2)

(Students use the technique of placing “I believe that…” before a selection to help determine if the selection is a fragment or a complete sentence.)

VII. FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

(reteaching, cross-curricular support, technology activities, next lesson in sequence, etc.)

Daily review activity: With a class of 25 students, the teacher will have a collection of index cards containing 75 fragments, run-ons, and compound sentences generated in student activity 3. These cards may be used at the beginning of each class period as a review of this lesson. At the beginning of class each day, the teacher may copy one index card to the board and have students identify whether it is a fragment, a run-on, or a sentence. Fragments and run-ons may be rewritten into complete sentences.

Next lesson in sequence:

This lesson is designed to help students recognize correctly written complete sentences, sentence fragments and run-on sentences for the editing and revision portion of the TAKS. After students have practiced recognizing correct sentence structure, they should apply this to their own writing. An appropriate lesson to use in teaching application would be Writing Workshop: Finding Voice through Sentence Variety.)

VIII. Teacher Notes

A. This lesson contains many complex concepts that may be difficult for students. This lesson is designed to give students an overall understanding of sentence construction; however, the teacher may find it necessary to review and to provide more practice for each individual concept.

B. Lecture notes transparencies could be recreated into an animated PowerPoint presentation by cutting and pasting.

C. An on-line pre-test is available at the following site:



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