Lesson Plan for Combining Sentences

Barbara Mays

Student(s)	Date and Time	Subject or Skill Area
6^th grade language arts 8^th grade language arts

Objective(s):
Learner(s)	Target Behavior	Conditions of Instruction	Criteria for Acceptable Performance
All students will:	Be able to combine sentences	Given two or more shorter sentences, students will be able to combine key elements of each sentence to make one complete, grammatically correct sentence.	Accuracy of 80% or better

Learner	Present Level of Performance
All students	Both sixth and eighth grade classes have been working on types of sentences, and have worked on elements of this lesson in that context. This lesson is designed to reinforce the different types of lessons learned thus far.

Materials:

· Computer access (with network for student access to files)

· 5 inspiration documents, introducing each way of combining (see attached folder labeled “transparences”)

1. Insert a Word

2. Insert a Phrase

3. Using Conjunctions

4. Compound Sentences

5. Subordinate Clauses

· 5 inspiration documents for student practice (see attached folder labeled “exercises”)

1. Insert a Word

2. Insert a Phrase

3. Using Conjunctions

4. Compound Sentences

5. Subordinate Clauses

· worksheet “More Practice with Combining Sentences

** Examples from transparencies and exercise adapted from Kinneavy, James L., & Warriner, John E. (Ed.) (1993). Elements of Writing: Annotated Teacher’s Edition. Austin, TX: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Alternate format:

If computer facilities are unavailable, students will receive the exercises as a packet. PDF will be presented as 5 transparencies, explaining the lesson. Additionally, sentence strips, index cards, and tape may be provided.

Introduction:

Gain Attention	Review	Rationale	Behavioral Expectation
Either on the board, on a transparency, or as a document, the following sentences will be displayed: ”I like pizza. I like bagels. I like hamburgers.” Students will be asked how they could take those three sentences and make them into one.	“You have learned how to identify different types of sentences (simple, compound, complex,), as well as phrases (independent and dependent clauses)	“Today we are going to use what we already know about these different sentence types and phrases to combine sentences. This is a strategy that will be helpful in your writing.”	“We are going to go through this first part together. Then we’ll pair off for more practice. I expect everyone to stay with the class while we go over this, and work cooperatively with their partners.” If in computer lab: “It is important that we are all together. I can see what programs you have running, and I expect only the programs I’ve assigned will be running on your computer. (Adobe Acrobat Reader, Inspiration, and the folder in which to retrieve the documents)”

Instructional Procedures:

1. Start by presenting the three “I like…” sentences. Ask students if they could think of a way to turn these into one sentence. Explain that this is just one way in which we can combine sentences. We will look at several different ways during class today.
2. Go through the different styles (inserting a key word, inserting a key phrase, using conjunctions, and subordinating clauses).
3. After each style, have students pair up and complete the designated set of exercises using Inspiration. Students will put their names on the exercises and print them out for me to grade, after I’ve looked over their work.

Closure/Review:

As a final activity, students will work individually to combine sentences, using the worksheet provided (“More Practice…”). Part of the activity includes coming up with their own short sentences, and come up with ways to combine them. For bonus points, students can identify sentence types for each exercise.

Evaluation:

Ongoing teacher observation based on classwork performance, inquiries, questions answered/asked, group assignment, and independent assignment.

Products to help in this evaluation include the completed Inspirations printed out, as well as the worksheet.