Students will be able to recognize and use ending punctuation (period, question mark, and exclamation point).
Materials
Copy of The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
Chart paper
Markers
Smartboard
Ladybug document camera
Activities
1. T: What book am I holding? (The Tiny Seed) Who’s the author? (Eric Carle) Is Eric Carle in the room right now to tell me how he wants me to read his story? (No) How can an author tell his/her reader how to read their story? (one way is punctuation)
2. Review the 3 types of sentences/punctuation (declarative/period, interrogative/question mark, and exclamatory/exclamation mark) Write each punctuation symbol on the chart paper for the children to see. Have the children create a movement for the period. Once you agree on the movement, add a sound. Repeat for the question mark and the exclamation point.
3. Point out the comma on the first page. Add a comma to the chart paper. Have children choose a movement and sound for commas.
4. Now tell the children they are going to help you ‘read’ the story for comprehension by noting the commas and the punctuation at the end of sentences. Explain that you are going to read the story, and they will make the corresponding movement and sound for each punctuation mark as you come to it.
5. Project page one on the Smartboard. Color the punctuation red. Now practice with the first sentence: 1- model your response to sentence one. 2- read the sentence and wait for the children to practice their response. Re-model/practice if necessary.
6. Read the story as the children respond.
Differentiation Approaches
Proximity, one-on-one assistance, reteach, have students hold manipulatives that represent punctuation.
Assessment
Observation during the Eric Carle book activity.
Follow Up and Extension Ideas
In collaborative groups of 4-5, each group will write their own Small Moments narrative. One student will write an opening sentence and pass the paper to the left. Continue until each student has contributed 2 sentences. Students must be sure to include at least 2 each of periods, questions marks, and exclamation marks. One at a time, each group will project their story with the Ladybug document camera and demonstrate choral reading and acting out the punctuation.
Extension Assessment: Observation of their participation in their collaborative group and of their presentation.
Additional Details
- Grade Level: First
- Arts Content Area: Theatre Arts
- Non-Arts Content Area: English Language Arts
