Title - Sentence Building
By - Anne Reynolds
Primary Subject - Language Arts
Grade Level - Elementary/Special Education
Teaching sentence building to beginning writers or below grade level writers.
Objective: To teach early writers the basics of good sentence writing beyond simple subject verb sentences.
Materials: Dry Erase or chalkboard, Dry Erase marker or chalk, eraser, sentence strips, masking tape. Children need writing paper and pencil.
Steps:
1. On board write the words, WHO, DID WHAT, WHERE, WHEN leaving space ample space below or beside each word. Discuss the words on the board and give examples of each.
2. Have sentence strips prepared with sentences that have an example of each category. Some examples are: Tom ran to the bus stop today. The dog barked loudly on the porch this morning. Sara went to the mall to buy shoes yesterday.
3. Read one sentence orally, then cut the strips into words and/or short phrases that fit into the categories listed on the board.
4. Give each child a word or phrase and place tape on the back. Let the child come up and tape their word/phrase on the board beside the category that it corresponds with. Example: Tom would be taped under WHO, ran would be taped under DID WHAT, to the bus would be taped under WHERE and today would be taped under WHEN. Let child decide where to put the word and let the rest of the group help, discuss and agree with the placement. Continue with however many examples you have prepared.
5. Have students put the sentences back in order on their own paper by copying the taped words on the board to their paper. Model the first one and let them complete two or three more.
Follow Up can include a wall chart with words listed under each category so students can pick words from the wall to create sentences. Also a chart they can keep in their writing folder with the categories at the top and their own word lists under each category for use as needed.
Math
Language Arts
Science
Social Studies
Art
Computers & Internet
Music
P.E. & Health
Other
Multi-Disciplinary
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