Grammar

language arts connectionTanya Winshipteacher candidate – ubc | bothwell elementary

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Table of ContentsUnit Rationale 2Assessment 2Curriculum Connections 3Unit Timeline 4Unit Overview 5Extensions and Adaptations 1

1Appendices 1

2

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GrammarGrade Level: 4/5

Timeline: 10 weeks (2 x 20 mins/week)

Unit RationaleThis is an on-going unit aimed at addressing issues of students’ writing. It may seem like a lot of content, but the goal is to simply review material; the content of this continuous practice is not new curricular content, but rather an attempt to review the basics and prepare students for future learning, specifically a creative writing unit which will follow. Through reviewing basics and building on prior knowledge, students will be comfortable in exploring their own knowledge and writing. This unit will largely consist of grammar exercises in a worksheet format. In this way, I can tailor the material to the individual needs of the students.

AssessmentThere will not be a formal assessment or test for this unit. The

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assessment piece for this unit will be taken from the completion of worksheets and participation of activities. Where possible, I will link the grammar work to work being done in other subject areas and assess it as contextual for those grades.

Curriculum ConnectionsLanguage ArtsPrescribed Learning OutcomesIt is expected that students will…C7 select and use strategies after writing and representing to improve their work, including

– checking their work against established criteria– revising to enhance writing traits (e.g., ideas, sentence fluency, word choice, voice, organization)– editing for conventions (e.g., grammar and usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling)

C11 use the features and conventions of language to express meaning in their writing and representing, including

– complete simple and compound sentences – paragraphs to show the beginning of new ideas

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– correct noun-pronoun agreement– past, present, and future tenses– capitalization to designate organizations and to indicate beginning of quotations– commas after introductory words in sentences and when citing addresses– capitalization and punctuation (e.g., commas, apostrophes, begin to use quotation marks and

commas in dialogue)

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MONDA

Y

TUESDAY WEDNESDA

Y

THURSDAY FRIDAY

April 3rd – Lesson 1: Introduction to Grammar

April 8th – Lesson 2: Nouns & Verbs

April 10th – Lesson 3: Adjectives & Adverbs

April 15th – Lesson 4: Articles & Conjunctions

April 17th – Lesson 5: Prepositions & Interjections

April 22nd – Lesson 6: Parts of Speech Review

April 24th – Lesson 7: Compound Words

April 29th – Lesson 8: Sentence Building

May 1st – Lesson 9: Verb Tenses

May 6th – Lesson 10: Subjects & Predicates

May 8th – Lesson 11: Punctuation (? ! .)

May 13th – Lesson 12: Punctuation (, : ;)

May 15th – Lesson 13: Capitalization

May 20th – Lesson 14: Apostrophe

May 22nd – Lesson 15: Quotation Marks

May 27th – Lesson 16: Homophones

May 29th – Lesson 17: Responding to Questions

June 3rd – Lesson 18: Editing June 5th – Lesson 19: Paragraph Building

Unit Timeline

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Unit OverviewTopic Learning

Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

1 Introduction to Grammar

- define grammar and provide examples of what grammar includes

- assess strengths and weaknesses in their own writing

Define grammar by giving students each a poorly written sentence or paragraph. Ask students if they can identify what is wrong with the text. Why does it matter?

Brainstorm what is considered grammar.

Students will do a self-assessment sheet which asks students to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Students will also be asked to write a journal entry on a topic of their choice (provide

- SMARTBoard- Self-

assessment- Journals

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

examples if needed). Collect journals in order to assess students’ writing and compare to their self-assessment.

2 Parts of Speech: Nouns, Proper nouns & Verbs

- define a noun, proper noun, and verb and identify in a sentence

Introduce nouns, proper nouns, and verbs. Give definition and provide examples.

Have students complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

3 Parts of Speech: Adjectives, Adverbs, & Pronouns

- define an adjective, adverb, and pronoun and identify in a sentence

Introduce adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. Give definition and provide examples.

Have students complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

4 Parts of Speech: Articles & Conjunctions

- define articles and conjunctions and add to sentences

Introduce articles and conjunctions. Give definition and provide examples.

Have students complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

5 Parts of - define prepositions Introduce prepositions and - SMARTBoard

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

Speech: Prepositions & Interjections

and interjections aand identify in sentence

interjections. Give definition and provide examples.

Have students complete related worksheets.

- Workbook

6 Parts of Speech: Overview

- identify and define all major parts of speech

Complete any missed worksheets. Use time to cover any other parts of speech and answer questions.

Students who have completed their work may work on flip chart.

- Workbook- Flipbooks

(pre-cut, folded, and stapled)

- Copied info sheets

7 Compound Words

- identify and define compound words

Introduce compound words. Provide definition and give examples.

Play matching game (students must find their “match” to complete the word, i.e. four + teen). Students need to find 5 matches and record each one in their workbook.

- SMARTBoard- Compound

Cards

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

8 Sentence Building

- identify the basic structures of sentences

- expand on simple sentences to make them more interesting

Compete sentence building activity. Possible ideas: flipbook with possible word choices, worksheets, group activity.

- TBD

9 Tenses - choose proper verb tenses for sentences

Explain how tenses change verbs. Provide examples.

Complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

10

Subjects & Predicates

- identify subjects and predicates in sentences

Explain subjects and predicates. Give definitions and provide examples.

Complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

11

Punctuation: Periods, Question Marks, and Exclamation Points

- use periods, question marks, and exclamation points correctly

- identify the type of

Illustrate proper usage of periods, question marks, and exclamation points. Give examples. Describe the different “types” of sentences (declarative, interrogative,

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

a particular sentence and choose appropriate punctuation

imperative, and exclamatory).

Completed related worksheets.

12

Punctuation: Commas, Colons, Semi-colons

- define the use of commas, colons, and semi-colons

- use commas, colons, and semi-colons correctly

Illustrate proper use of commas, colons, and semi-colons. Give examples.

Complete related worksheets.

Time permitting, create “punctuation kills” posters.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook- “Punctuation

Kills” examples

- Construction paper

- Colouring tools

13

Capitalization

- identify situations in which capital letters must be used

Explain when and why you use capital letters. Give examples.

Complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

14

Apostrophe: Possession and Contraction

- identify apostrophes as either used to show possession of contraction

Explain why and when you use an apostrophe. Give examples of possessive uses and contractions.

Complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

- demonstrate knowledge of basic contractions

15

Quotation Marks

- use quotation marks correctly in conjunction with other punctuation

Illustrate the proper use of quotation marks. Give examples.

Completed related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

16

Homophones (Your, You’re; They’re, There, Their)

- identify the correct use for common homophones

- distinguish when to use your or you’re

- distinguish when to use there, their, or they’re

Explain what homophones are and provide some basic examples.

Then explain the difference between the most common and incorrectly used homophones (your and you’re; they’re, there, and their).

Complete related worksheets.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

17

Responding to Questions

- demonstrate basic model for responding to questions

Illustrate how to frame answers so that they relate to the questions.

- SMARTBoard- Q&A Cards

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

Matching game (One student has a question, the other student has the beginning of an answer, i.e. “What is your favourite colour?” “My favourite colour is…”)

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Editing - effectively use editing skills to improve writing

Discuss the editing process (should link to creative writing lesson). Show students how to edit their piece without rewriting it or erasing everything. (insert, underline, circle, etc.)

Give students a paragraph to edit for grammatical errors.

- SMARTBoard- Workbook

with paragraphs to edit

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Paragraph Building

- understand the basic structure of a paragraph

- explain when a new paragraph is needed

Time permitting, introduce the basic structure of a paragraph. Illustrate when to start a new paragraph (link to creative writing).

Have students practice

- SMARTBoard- Sentence

Strips

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Topic Learning Outcomes(SWBAT)

Activities Materials

creating paragraphs with sentence strips (pre-made).

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Extensions and AdaptationsThis unit is a whirlwind of materials and concepts. Some lessons may have to be taken out in order to complete the unit. As there is no “formal assessment” for this unit, it will be easier to adapt as needed without affecting the overall outcome of this unit. The primary purpose of the unit was to improve students’ writing and this may be approached in a different way. Work booklets will be created for each student; student with IEPs or who need specific adaptations will receive a modified booklet with lessons removed as appropriate.

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The intent is to extend these lessons by, where possible, incorporating them into other subject areas. If this is possible, the work for that lesson may be accomplished in cross-curricular connections. The plan itself is for 10 weeks, but will be modified and adapted as needed. Should this unit be re-created, it would be my suggestion to reinforce these ideas and concepts earlier in the year and maintain them throughout.

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Appendices