Think grammar has to be boring?
Do your students dread hearing the term “part of speech”?
Utilize comic characters to liven up your introductory part of speech lessons and to make the abstract concepts more concrete.
Note: These lessons can be used effectively without the character component.
Part of Speech Lessons include:
1. A comic character to demonstrate characteristics of the specific part of speech. You can easily modify these characters to fit your available supplies and your comfort level.
2. A notes page of the important information that students need to know.
3. An introductory worksheet to reinforce the information and strategies provided in the notes.
4. Teaching tips and additional strategies for improving understanding where applicable.
5. Pretests and posttests.
I gave the pretest after my introduction and after students completed the introductory worksheet. Any student receiving a 90% or above on the pretest was exempt from further practice and could use the time for independent reading or writing. A grade below a 90% required additional work followed by a posttest. For students who needed the extra practice and instruction, I would reuse the pretest as the final worksheet before the posttest as it mirrored the skills needed for the posttest.
6. Additional practice worksheets.
7. Answer keys.
Comic Character – Super Noun
Optional Materials:
1. Light show – This can be done using a few clip on lights with colored bulbs and a multi-plug outlet with individual switches for each outlet. I have also used a strobe light if I had no students with medical problems. You can also have a student blink the classroom lights during your transformation into Super Noun.
2. Theme Music: I created a corny tape of me humming the superman theme and adding my own dialogue. “Da da da, da da da da da, Da da da, da da da da da, da da da, da da da, da da da da, da da da da da, Look behind the lectern. It’s the captain. It’s the nerd. No, it’s Super Noun. And who disguised as an ordinary word is able to name persons, places, things, and ideas in a single word. Yes, it’s Super Noun. Faster than an article, more powerful than a pronoun, able to name persons, places, things, and ideas in a single word. Yes, it’s Super Noun. Da da da, da da da da da, Da da da, da da da da da, da da da, da da da, da da da da, da da da da da.”
Costume: I took a pair of old, wild-looking pajamas and cut a strip containing two eye holes for a mask; some old pink material for a cape; a leopard hat from my wife’s grandmother; florescent orange shorts; white panty hose; red, white, and blue beach shoes; and a self created T-shirt. The wilder the costume the more my 7th graders enjoyed it.
Noun Lesson
I had the names of all eight parts of speech painted on bricks and displayed in my classroom. Since I kicked off the study of the parts of speech with nouns, I would introduce the students to the bricks at this time and ask questions such as: What are these words called? Why would I paint them on bricks? (foundation or building blocks of language) I would ask students to stand and use their bodies to show me a fifty-year-old home that was built on a poor foundation and then one that was built on a firm foundation. I would explain that we were about to embark on laying a firm foundation for their written and oral communication.
I tell them that they will be meeting a character that will help them to understand nouns. I usually employed a few volunteers to shut off the classroom lights and to operate Super Noun’s light show and theme music.
Then the fun begins. The theme music starts, and I disappear behind the lectern to strip off my pants and shirt (I had the costume on underneath my school clothes), add the mask and hat, and emerge as Super Noun, reacting to the words of the theme song.
Super Noun then interacts with the students, asking if they believe that he can transform himself into people, places, things, and ideas. As Super Noun demonstrates these abilities, students try to guess who or what Super Noun is portraying (much of this is improvisation).
People - I like to choose a prominent person in the building, such as the principal or a lunch supervisor, or I choose a famous person outside of school. Example: For the principal I might begin screaming, “How many times have you been in my office this week! You have a detention!” Sometimes I hold a chair upside down on my head and say, “Let me out; I’m innocent, etc.” Students soon guess that Super Noun is a prisoner.
Places – I put my head on the desk and snore. This lets the wise guy say, “School” or “Mr. Kemp’s class.” The cafeteria was always a big hit as I imitated dialogue and actions found there.
Things – I have a gorilla nose that I would put on and roam the classroom; a large nail that I hit with my head (hammer); and I take a mouthful of water, strike a pose, and spit it in a stream into the garbage can (fountain).
Ideas – I accidentally bump my leg (pain). I start crying (sadness).
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. You can also invite students to come up and act out people, places, things, and ideas.
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Super Noun continues to interact with the students, bringing out some of the clues for finding nouns that the students will encounter in their notes. These include:
Skit: Super Noun points out that most people can’t carry the bat signal around with them, so contacting Batman is out. For Super Noun you simply need to shout, “A,” “An,” or “The,” and Super Noun will be there to save you. I have these words on posters and turn them around as the class chants each one. I have an impromptu skit (costumes are always a big hit) where a child is bullied and then shouts one of the magic words as Super Noun comes to the rescue. This reinforces that a noun almost always follows the articles.
Super Noun stresses that he belongs to the class; they own him (Possessive words are clues to nouns because anything owned is a noun.).
Super Noun wanders the room putting his hands on things, saying that he is a little touchy (demonstrating that anything students can touch is a noun).
Super Noun says he has strong feelings for the class: love, admiration, friendship, respect, etc. (demonstrating that inner feelings are nouns).
After saying good-bye, the theme music begins again, and Super Noun disappears behind the lectern to be replaced by Mr. Kemp. At this point it is time to hand out the Noun Notes and discuss them with students. I ask students to point out how Super Noun demonstrated information found in the notes. Then students begin the Introductory Worksheet to reinforce the information and concepts from the notes.
Gramar/SAVE
Noun Notes
I. Definition: A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples:
Person: principal, Dan, woman, boy
Places: city, kitchen, Nevada
Things: train, canary, year
Ideas: grief, desire, democracy, speed, bravery
II. Clues for identifying nouns
A. Nouns almost always follow articles. The articles are a, an, the.
They are adjectives.
Examples: a goat; an obsession; the wilderness
***NOTE***
Beware of adjectives and adverbs between the article and its noun.
Examples: an ugly (adj.) termite; a very (adv.) tender (adj.) smile
B. Almost anything being possessed (owned) is a noun.
Examples: the boy's courage; her hat
***NOTE***
Beware of adjectives and adverbs between the possessive word and the noun being possessed.
Examples: the boy's great (adj.) courage; her very (adv.) large (adj.) hat
***NOTE***
The possessive word is not a noun (John's = adj.; her = possessive pronoun).
C. Anything that can be touched is a noun, but not all nouns can be touched.
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D. Inner feelings are nouns. To be sure that you have a noun, try a possessive in front of the word.
Examples: my grief; Paula's desire; Al's pain; her happiness
E. Certain suffixes are clues to nouns.
1. ation or tion - starvation, occupation, attention
2. dom - wisdom, freedom
3. er - dancer, teacher
4. hood - statehood, manhood
5. ness - greatness, happiness
6. age - passage, bondage
7. ance - acceptance
8. ism - socialism
9. ist - socialist
10. ment - disappointment
III. Classifications of nouns
A. Proper - names a particular person, place, or thing. Begins with a capital letter.
Examples: Pacific; Pat
B. Common - does not name a particular person, place,
or thing. Not capitalized.
Examples: ocean; boy
C. Abstract - a noun that is not able to be touched,
heard, smelled, seen, or tasted.
Examples: courage; joy
D. Concrete - a noun that is able to be touched, heard,
smelled, seen, or tasted.
Examples: boat; magazine
E. Compound -a single noun made up of two or more words. These words may be written as a single word (safeguard), as two words (safe deposit), or with a hyphen (safe-conduct).
Noun Practice 1 - Introduction – Learning Your Notes
Directions: Use your notes to help you fill in this important information about nouns.
1. A noun is a word that names a __________________, ___________________,
_____________________, or ____________________.
2. The articles are ______________, ________________, _______________.
3. Possessive words are clues for finding nouns because anything being
______________________ is a noun.
4. Five suffixes that signal nouns are ___________, _____________,
____________, _____________, and _________________.
5. Other than articles, possessive words, and suffixes name one other clue from your
notes for finding nouns. ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
6. All proper nouns must begin with a _______________________ letter.
7. A noun that does not name a particular person, place, or thing is a(n)
_____________________________ noun.
8. A noun that is not able to be touched, heard, smelled, seen, or tasted is a(n)
_____________________________ noun.
9. _________________________ is an example of an abstract noun (your choice).
10. _________________________ is an example of a proper noun (your choice).
11. _________________________ is an example of a concrete noun (your choice).
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Use the articles to help you identify nouns (See noun notes – Clues - A.).
Directions: Circle each article, and underline the noun that it is identifying.
1. The lion refused an order to stand on a drum.
2. The teacher put an envelope for the parent in a backpack.
3. A girl became the hero of the school.
Note: Be careful not to be confused by adjectives or adverbs that come between the article and the noun that it identifies.
Directions: Circle each article, and underline the noun that it is identifying. Do not be confused by the adjectives or adverbs between the article and the noun that it is identifying.
4. The raging tiger ran through a very dense jungle near an abandoned village.
5. A hungry dog opened an empty refrigerator, looking for a tasty snack.
6. An outstanding student received a special reward for the impressive performance.
Use possessives to help you identify the nouns that follow them. (See noun notes – Clues - B.) Anything owned is a noun. Your clues are possessive nouns (Bob’s, girls’) and possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, its, our, their).
Directions: Circle each possessive and underline the noun that is being owned.
1. My grief was worse than her anxiety.
2. Bob’s excitement over his victory was great.
3. Its position changed as our priorities changed.
Note: Beware of adjectives and adverbs between the possessive word and the noun being possessed.
Directions: Circle each possessive and underline the noun that is being identified.
4. My overpowering grief was worse than her extreme anxiety.
5. Bob’s obvious guilt over his stunning lie was great.
6. Its prominent rank changed because of our new expectations.
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Use the clue: Anything that can be touched is a noun (See noun notes – Clues - C.).
Directions: Underline the nouns that can be touched.
1. Chairs and desks filled the truck.
2. The cages were filled with lions and tigers and bears.
Use the clue: Inner feelings are nouns (See noun notes – Clues – D.).
Directions: Underline the nouns that represent inner feelings.
1. We were filled with grief and despair.
2. Happiness and joy overcame us.
3. Pain and agony were evident to all.
Use suffixes to help identify nouns (See noun notes – Clues - E.)
Directions: Underline each suffix that signifies the word is a noun.
1. Contentment and greatness came with freedom.
2. Elation was felt during the passage that we read.
3. The teacher taught about Communism.
Classifications of Nouns
Directions: Underline each common and proper noun. Label each above the word using C for common and P for proper (Definitions are in your notes.).
1. John and Sara visited a city in Ohio.
2. The boy and girl attend Hillcrest School in a town called Flemberg.
3. Sneakers from Nike were given to the athletes.
Directions: Underline each abstract and concrete noun. Label each above the word using A for abstract and C for concrete (Definitions are in your notes.).
1. Her determination led the girl to a victory.
2. Fear and sorrow were seen on the face of an abandoned boy.
3. His thoughts were an inspiration to the teacher.
Noun Practice 2
Common and Proper
Directions: Underline each noun, and label above the word C for common or P for proper.
1. Derek won the award due to his incredible skill and talent.
2. Sarah used her ability to win a medal at the Olympics.
3. Pride filled Mr. Anders as his daughter received her diploma.
4. The family reluctantly accepted charity after the devastating fire.
5. The judge looked at beauty, grace, and charm as the qualities needed for the
contest.
6. New York City provided the class with a day of enjoyment.
7. His keen foresight allowed Bill to choose a winning stock.
8. The group no longer uses the old coal stove.
9. My friendship with the girls ended on Saturday.
10. Spaghetti was Jill’s choice for her birthday dinner.
Abstract and Concrete
Directions: Underline each noun, and label above the word A for abstract or C for concrete.