Activities

1. Given sentence strips, sort sentences by their purpose.
   
   
2. Make a poster explaining the three general types of sentences-simple, compound and complex.

3. Given a paragraph of choppy sentences, revise the sentences to achieve sentence variety.
   
   
4. Given a paragraph of wordy, rambling sentences, revise the sentences to achieve sentence variety.

5. Write an informative paragraph using three different sentence patterns.
   
   
6. Write an explanatory paragraph varying the sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Given sentence strips, student sorts sentences by their purpose.  Student understands that sentences have a purpose.  Student closely reads sentences.  Student sorts sentences correctly by purpose.   Student understands:

• Declarative-makes a statement and ends with a period.
• Imperative-gives an order, makes a demand or request and usually end with a period.
• Interrogative-poses a question and ends with a question mark.
• Exclamatory-expresses a strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point.

2. Student makes a poster explaining the three general types of sentences, simple, compound and complex.   Student understands effective writing needs a variety of sentences.  Student understands the elements within a simple, compound and complex sentence.  Student understands and has similar information on his poster as noted below:

• Simple Sentence- Is a complete thought.  Contains a subject and a predicate (verb).  It is an independent clause because it can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries.   Mary = subject/noun, ate = predicate/verb
• Compound Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains two independent clauses that are joined by the coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.  These coordinating conjunctions are often referred to mnemonically as FANBOYS.  To coordinate means to bring into balance and the coordinating conjunction makes both independent clauses equally important.  This is why compound sentence conjunctions do not tell much about the relationship between the two independent clauses and therefore should not be overused.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries, and John ate the strawberries.
• Complex Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.  A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  The independent and dependent clauses are joined by subordinating conjunctions such as:  after, although, as, as if, because, before, even though, if, in order that, once, provided, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, why, etc.  These subordinating conjunctions provide a transition between the clauses and indicate time, place or a cause and effect relationship.  To subordinate means to make something less important.  Therefore, the independent clause in a complex sentence is more important than the dependent clauses.  This helps the writer produce clearer, more specific relationships when using complex sentences.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries after John ate the strawberries.

3. Given a paragraph of choppy sentences, student revises the sentences to achieve sentence variety.  Student understands effective writing needs a variety of sentences.  Student understands that when sentences are consistently short, the reader must keep stopping at each period.  This can make the writing more difficult to understand as each idea is quickly interrupted by a period, or it can feel like it is taking a long time to get through the passage as the thoughts end abruptly.  Student corrects an adequate number of choppy sentences to create a smoother flow to the passage.  Student looks for sentences that are related in thought.  Student combines these sentences into compound sentences or complex sentences.  Student combines sentences that are related in thought and equally important to each other using a coordinating conjunction such as for, and, nor, but, or, yet or so.  Student combines sentences that are related in thought, but need a subordinating conjunction to note one idea is more important than the other idea, to form a complex sentence.  Student understands:

• Simple Sentence- Is a complete thought.  Contains a subject and a predicate (verb).  It is an independent clause because it can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries.   Mary = subject/noun, ate = predicate/verb
• Compound Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains two independent clauses that are joined by the coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.  These coordinating conjunctions are often referred to mnemonically as FANBOYS.  To coordinate means to bring into balance and the coordinating conjunction makes both independent clauses equally important.  This is why compound sentence conjunctions do not tell much about the relationship between the two independent clauses and therefore should not be overused.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries, and John ate the strawberries.
• Complex Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.  A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  The independent and dependent clauses are joined by subordinating conjunctions such as:  after, although, as, as if, because, before, even though, if, in order that, once, provided, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, why, etc.  These subordinating conjunctions provide a transition between the clauses and indicate time, place or a cause and effect relationship.  To subordinate means to make something less important.  Therefore, the independent clause in a complex sentence is more important than the dependent clauses.  This helps the writer produce clearer, more specific relationships when using complex sentences.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries after John ate the strawberries.

4. Given a paragraph of wordy, rambling sentences, student revises the sentences to achieve sentence variety.  Student understands effective writing needs a variety of sentences.   Student understands sentences should contain one idea.  Student understands that if they repeatedly use conjunctions in their sentences, that the sentence can turn into a run-on sentence, with more than one idea.  Student carefully reads paragraph.  Student adds periods to separate unrelated ideas into shorter sentences.  Student ensures there is sentence variety with simple, compound and complex sentences.  Student understands:

• Simple Sentence- Is a complete thought.  Contains a subject and a predicate (verb).  It is an independent clause because it can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries.   Mary = subject/noun, ate = predicate/verb
• Compound Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains two independent clauses that are joined by the coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.  These coordinating conjunctions are often referred to mnemonically as FANBOYS.  To coordinate means to bring into balance and the coordinating conjunction makes both independent clauses equally important.  This is why compound sentence conjunctions do not tell much about the relationship between the two independent clauses and therefore should not be overused.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries, and John ate the strawberries.
• Complex Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.  A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  The independent and dependent clauses are joined by subordinating conjunctions such as:  after, although, as, as if, because, before, even though, if, in order that, once, provided, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, why, etc.  These subordinating conjunctions provide a transition between the clauses and indicate time, place or a cause and effect relationship.  To subordinate means to make something less important.  Therefore, the independent clause in a complex sentence is more important than the dependent clauses.  This helps the writer produce clearer, more specific relationships when using complex sentences.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries after John ate the strawberries.

5. Student writes an informative paragraph using three different sentence patterns.  Student plans his informative paragraph.  Student understands effective writing needs a variety of sentences.  Student understands the elements within a simple, compound and complex sentence.  Student writes an informative paragraph correctly including three different sentence patterns.  Student understands:

• Simple Sentence- Is a complete thought.  Contains a subject and a predicate (verb).  It is an independent clause because it can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries.   Mary = subject/noun, ate = predicate/verb
• Compound Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains two independent clauses that are joined by the coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.  These coordinating conjunctions are often referred to mnemonically as FANBOYS.  To coordinate means to bring into balance and the coordinating conjunction makes both independent clauses equally important.  This is why compound sentence conjunctions do not tell much about the relationship between the two independent clauses and therefore should not be overused.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries, and John ate the strawberries.
• Complex Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.  A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  The independent and dependent clauses are joined by subordinating conjunctions such as:  after, although, as, as if, because, before, even though, if, in order that, once, provided, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, why, etc.  These subordinating conjunctions provide a transition between the clauses and indicate time, place or a cause and effect relationship.  To subordinate means to make something less important.  Therefore, the independent clause in a complex sentence is more important than the dependent clauses.  This helps the writer produce clearer, more specific relationships when using complex sentences.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries after John ate the strawberries.

6. Student writes an explanatory paragraph varying the sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.  Student identifies his audience.   He/she chooses to write an explanatory paragraph that will appeal to his/her audience.   Student plans the explanatory paragraph with audience in mind.  Student understands what style of writing should be used for his/her audience.  Student is cognizant of word choice, vocabulary and sentences patterns.  He/she ensures word choice, vocabulary and sentence patterns appeal to the audience.  For example, if writing for a teacher, he/she would use a formal style with higher level vocabulary.  If he/she is writing for a friend, his/her style can be more informal.  Student writes an explanatory paragraph correctly varying the sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.   Student understands that if all or many of the sentences begin the same way, it is boring or monotonous for the reader.  Student varies style and makes it more interesting by beginning sentences with adverbs or prepositional phrases.   For example:
   
   The boy suddenly appeared in the garage.  Suddenly, the boy appeared in the garage. (adverb beginning)
   or
   He carried a hammer in his hand.  In his hand, he carried a hammer.  (preposition beginning)
   
   Student understands an adverb modifies a verb, tells us more about a verb or how something is done.  Student understands a prepositional phrase is a group of words that include a preposition, a noun/pronoun, and any modifiers of the object.   Student also understands effective writing needs a variety of sentences.  Student understands the elements within a simple, compound and complex sentence.  Student uses a variety of sentences.  Student understands:

• Simple Sentence- Is a complete thought.  Contains a subject and a predicate (verb).  It is an independent clause because it can stand by itself as a complete sentence.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries.   Mary = subject/noun, ate = predicate/verb
• Compound Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains two independent clauses that are joined by the coordinating conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.  These coordinating conjunctions are often referred to mnemonically as FANBOYS.  To coordinate means to bring into balance and the coordinating conjunction makes both independent clauses equally important.  This is why compound sentence conjunctions do not tell much about the relationship between the two independent clauses and therefore should not be overused.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries, and John ate the strawberries.
• Complex Sentence-Is a complete thought.  Contains an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses.  A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.  The independent and dependent clauses are joined by subordinating conjunctions such as:  after, although, as, as if, because, before, even though, if, in order that, once, provided, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, whether, which, while, why, etc.  These subordinating conjunctions provide a transition between the clauses and indicate time, place or a cause and effect relationship.  To subordinate means to make something less important.  Therefore, the independent clause in a complex sentence is more important than the dependent clauses.  This helps the writer produce clearer, more specific relationships when using complex sentences.
  For example:  Mary ate the blueberries after John ate the strawberries.