Colons and Semicolons Lesson Plan – 5 Days
English Unit Plan
EM#__3___ Grade __10____ Level (gen, honors, etc.)___General______
Stage 1 – Desired ResultsEstablished Goals:Reading
10.3 The student will apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, and figurative language to extend vocabulary development in authentic texts.
f) Extend general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, reading, and writing.
10.4 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze literary texts of different cultures and eras.
d) Analyze the cultural or social function of literature.
10.5 The student will read, interpret, analyze, and evaluate nonfiction texts.
f) Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support as evidence.
h) Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension.
Research
10.8 The student will collect, evaluate, organize, and present information to create a research product.
d) Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, conflicting information, point of view or bias.
Understandings:
Students will understand that:
· Colons can be used before a list that is introduced by a complete sentence.
· Colons can be used to introduce the effect of an action.
· Colons can be used before a quotation, statements, and series.
· Colons can be used after the salutation in a letter or memo.
· Colons can be used between two independent clauses when the second explains the first.
· Colons are used to separate hours and minutes.
· Semicolons can be used to connect two independent clauses not connected by a coordinating conjunction.
· Semicolons can be used to separate independent clauses, which are long and complex or have other punctuation.
· Semicolons can be used before a conjunctive adverb between two main clauses.
Prior Knowledge
· Students will have a prior knowledge of grammar, whether it is completely accurate or not.
· Students will have been taught grammar before, since they are in 10th grade, but they just need to be retaught this lesson.
Possible Errors
· Students could get confused between colons, semicolons, and commas.
· In their own writing, they might not be able to see where certain punctuation is needed.
· This lesson should help to clarify these errors. / Essential Questions:
· Why is proper grammar important?
· What are the uses of colons?
· What are the uses of semicolons?
· Why do we use colons?
· Why do we use semicolons?
· How do we use colons and semicolons correctly in a piece of writing?
Students will know…
· Students will be able to use colons and semicolons successfully.
· They will be able to use them in their own writing and be able to assess for accuracy.
· Students will be able to write more accurate, complex, and well-written essays.
· They will be able to use this knowledge to build up their writing and speaking skills.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Formative Assessment:
Day 1
· I will observe group work of worksheet and assess understanding
· I will assess understanding of the classwork of going through the worksheet
Day 2
· Classwork of the worksheet quiz will give me an idea of whether they are getting it
· Sentence exercise will give me another way of checking for understanding
Day 3
· Compare and Contrasting of author’s passages, gives me a sense of whether they can understand grammar in a bigger piece.
· Switching of papers gives students and me a chance to see if they can find errors in their own writings
Day 4
· Brainstorming as a class and in groups will be assessed for whether students are on track and working forward
· I can assess independent work face-to-face with students.
· Students will be given informal feedback on the independent work
· I will assess by using a checklist of sorts for the summative assessments / Summative Assessment:
DAY 2
· Quiz given of worksheet of 10 questions – assessment will be given by a grade
DAY 5
· Test given – assessment will be given by a grade
· Paper – I will give assessment from a rubric
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Day 1 – EM1 – 90 minute period
5 minutes
· Explain to class that we will be doing a unit on Colons and Semicolons, because they hadn’t been using these punctuations accurately.
· I will first hand out a worksheet that has a series of sentences that may need punctuation
15 minutes –
· I will then put them into small groups of 3-4, they are to work on the worksheet together, this will be a test to see where they are in using colons and semicolons
· Then as a class we will go through each sentence (which will be written on the board)
· One person per group will come to the board to show their group answer
25 minutes
· As a class we will go over the rules of using colons.
· We will watch a video –Colons by Shmoop (5:51), which gives a reiteration of the rules in a fun way with visuals
· As a class we will go over the rules of using semicolons.
· We will watch a video – Semicolons by Shmoop (4:25), which will be similar to the other video.
10 minutes
· I will then have them get back into their same groups and redo their sheets, so that they can see what mistakes they have made.
Day 2
· Bell work – journal writing – reflection of previous days lesson.
· Pass out test of 10 sentences – decide whether colon, semicolon, or nothing is needed.
· Hand in papers when done
· Students will be selected to come write out each sentence correctly from the worksheet
· As a class the students will decide which sentences are correct or not as a group, another student will correct the ones that are incorrect. This will check their understanding.
· We will then go over whether they were correct or not. Go over rules of ones that were wrong.
· As a class group, students at front of class will be given parts of a sentence on a piece of paper, class will decide which order to put them in and which punctuation to use.
Day 3
· Students will be given two passages from authors – compare and contrast the punctuations as a class discussion.
· Explain rules and instances that they still are having trouble with.
· Students will be given a prompt to write a mini essay. They are to try and use colons and semicolons as much as they can, accurately.
· Switch papers with partners and they correct any errors.
· Switch back go over some examples as a class.
Day 4
· Students are given option of the prompt from the previous class or new one in which they are to write an essay.
· Brainstorm as a class
· Small groups, brainstorm, outlines
· Independent work on essay, I will walk around and assist as needed.
Day 5
· Test will be given on colons and semicolons
· Students will work on writing assignment to be turned in
Sentences for worksheet
1) I gave you the spray bottles for one reason to clean the windows.
2) You will need the following ingredients milk, sugar, flour, and eggs.
3) Johann set the alarm clock for 6 00.
4) My father ended every conversation the same way “Don’t give up.”
5) The group was composed of three young people: Mary, who was 32 years old Javier,
who was 28 years old and Ming, who was 17 years old.
6) On the trip, we drove through Tampa, Florida Wichita, Kansas and Fresno, California.
7) Dear Mr. Kurasu of the Kiragowa Corporation
8) I am hot I am wearing a sweater and a jacket.
9) The president was very popular he easily won the election.
10) I cannot buy a new car I do not have much money.
Prompts for writing
I am not really sure exactly what prompts I would use, I would like to tie it into some other assignment or class. The following website has a few that I could use or build upon.
http://www.thewritesource.com/evaluwrite/grade10_prompt.html
· The German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, “There is nothing insignificant in the world. It all depends on the point of view.” Explain why it is important to see a situation from another person’s point of view. Use examples and anecdotes from your own experience to support your viewpoint.
· Aristotle once said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” Everyone knows the word “happiness, “ but most of us have a different idea of what it means to be happy. Write an essay that defines the word “happiness” and include two or three examples either from your own experience or from literature.
· Write a descriptive essay about a room or an area you know well, such as your bedroom or your English classroom. Describe the layout using spatial organization (top to bottom, front to back, left to right). Also include sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste) so your reader can “see” the space clearly and understand how the parts relate to each other.