Activities

1. Make a short book which includes examples of punctuation that are used for effect.
   
   
2. Given sentences in need of semicolons, add semicolons for effect.

3. Create a story board and use ellipses and exclamation points for effect.
   
   
4. Make a poster demonstrating how to use dashes for effect. 

5. Given a written opinion piece, punctuate the piece for effect. Explain your intended effect.
   
   
6. Write a narrative piece, punctuating it for the desired effect.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student makes a short book which includes examples of punctuation that are used for effect.  Student understands punctuation can be used for effect; it can help show emotion, express ideas more effectively or convey the author’s tone.  Student collects samples for book that show punctuation that is used successfully for effect.  Samples may come from online sources, magazines, newspapers, etc.  Student book has a variety and adequate number of samples.  Samples may include, but are not limited to examples of question marks, exclamation marks, periods, commas, semicolons, colons, parenthesis, dashes, quotation marks, and ellipses.

2. Given sentences in need of semicolons, student adds semicolons for effect.  Student understands punctuation can be used for effect; it can help show emotion, express ideas more effectively or convey the author’s tone.  Student correctly punctuates sentences with semicolons.  Student understands:

• Semicolons join two related independent clauses when a comma and conjunction are not used.  Physical Education meets on Tuesday; health class meets on Wednesday. 
• Semicolons are used in a series of three or more items when commas are used within the items.   We visited three new cities, Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; and Mesa, Arizona.
• Semicolons are used in front of conjunctive adverbs, such as consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, or therefore, when joining two independent clauses into a compound sentence.  I studied with her until midnight; consequently, she passed the test.

3. Student creates a story board and uses ellipses and exclamation points for effect.  Student understands punctuation can be used for effect; it can help show emotion, express ideas more effectively or convey the author’s tone.  Student creates a story board that effectively uses ellipses and exclamation points for effect.  Story makes sense.  Ellipses and exclamation points are used correctly and enhance story.
   
   Student understands exclamation points are used to show strong emotion or expression. 

• Exclamation points are used after strong interjections.  Stop!  You’re ripping my paper!
• Exclamation points are used after exclamatory sentences.  I can’t stand this yelling for one more second!
• Exclamation points are used after strongly worded imperative sentences.  Get over here right now! 

     Student understands that ellipses are a series of three or four dots in a row.  Student understands ellipses are
     used to indicate

• words have been left out
• a hesitation
• change in mood
• trailing off of thought

     Student understands three dots are used when words are left out in the middle of a passage.  For example, I
     didn’t want to attend…but then again…no, I really did not want to see her again.  Student understands four
     dots are used when words are left out at the end of the passage.  For example, To be or not to be…. –William
     Shakespeare

4. Student makes a poster demonstrating how to use dashes for effect.  Student makes a poster effectively demonstrating how to use dashes for effect.  Student understands punctuation can be used for effect; it can help show emotion, express ideas more effectively or convey the author’s tone.  Student understands that dashes can give emphasis to parts of your writing—but dashes should not be overused.   Student understands and include some of the following on his poster:

• Dashes set off information in a sentence in a more dramatic way than a comma.   Dashes bring attention or emphasis to ideas or feelings.
  There is only way to explain how I felt—smitten.
• Dashes can be used to show an unfinished thought or statement.
  The locks had been changed and yet —.
• Dashes can be used to show interruption to a thought or statement.
  Coconut oil—found in every health food store—heals many minor ailments.
• Dashes can be used to introduce a list of items.
  The doctor said that these were the three most important steps to feeling better—get nine hours of sleep, eat green vegetables, and exercise daily.
• Dashes can be used to rename a noun or give additional information that does not change the meaning of the sentence.
  My sister—an expert in animal behavior—works at a zoo.

5. Given a written opinion piece, student punctuates the piece for effect. Student explains his intended effect.  Student carefully reads opinion piece.  Student determines the author’s tone, purpose and audience.  Student effectively chooses and inserts punctuation that best shows emotion, expresses ideas effectively or conveys the author’s tone.  Student appropriately inserts question marks, exclamation marks, periods, commas, semicolons, parentheses, dashes, quotation marks, ellipses and so forth.  Student can explain why he used the punctuation he choose and the intended effect of the punctuation.  Student understands:

• Question marks are used at the end of a question.  Questions can be used to hook the reader’s interest or make the reader consider an idea.
• Exclamation marks are used at the end of exclamatory sentence, after strong interjections or after strong imperative sentences.  They are used to show strong emotions or expression.
• Periods are used at the end of declarative and most imperative sentences.  Periods are used to control the flow of ideas.  Many successive, short sentences ending in periods can be terse, succinct, abrupt or choppy.  Longer sentences, such as complex sentences, can help the author express ideas more clearly.  Many successive, lengthy sentences can be tiresome to read. A variety of sentence lengths is usually preferred.
• Commas make writing more understandable and convey ideas more effectively.  Commas break ideas down into meaningful phrases and ideas within the sentence. Commas can indicate a list of items, a dependent clause that needs the independent clause to make sense, denote independent clauses that stand alone or give extra information.
• Semicolons make writing more understandable and convey ideas more effectively.  Semicolons break down ideas into meaningful phrases and ideas within the sentence.  Semicolons join two related independent clauses when a comma and conjunction are not used.   Semicolons are used in a series of three or more items when commas are used within the items.   Semicolons are used in front of conjunctive adverbs, such as consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, or therefore, when joining two independent clauses into a compound sentence. 
• Parentheses are used to give extra information, to indicate abbreviations or acronyms or give special emphasis to information.
• Dashes set off information in a sentence in a more dramatic way than a comma.   Dashes bring attention or emphasis to ideas or feelings.
• Quotation marks are used to indicate that information has been copied verbatim from another source.  Quotation marks can be used to show an expert has been consulted, or to set off words or phrases that need special emphasis.
• Ellipses are used to indicate that words have been left out, a hesitation, change in mood or that a thought is trailing off.

6. Student writes a narrative piece, punctuating it for the desired effect.  Student writes a narrative piece that makes sense.  Student chooses punctuation that best conveys his ideas effectively.  Student understands:

• Question marks are used at the end of a question.  Questions can be used to hook the reader’s interest or make the reader consider an idea.
• Exclamation marks are used at the end of exclamatory sentence, after strong interjections or after strong imperative sentences.  They are used to show strong emotions or expression.
• Periods are used at the end of declarative and most imperative sentences.  Periods are used to control the flow of ideas.  Many successive, short sentences ending in periods can be terse, succinct, abrupt or choppy.  Longer sentences, such as complex sentences, can help the author express ideas more clearly.  Many successive, lengthy sentences can be tiresome to read. A variety of sentence lengths is usually preferred.
• Commas make writing more understandable and convey ideas more effectively.  Commas break ideas down into meaningful phrases and ideas within the sentence. Commas can indicate a list of items, a dependent clause that needs the independent clause to make sense, denote independent clauses that stand alone or give extra information.
• Semicolons make writing more understandable and convey ideas more effectively.  Semicolons break down ideas into meaningful phrases and ideas within the sentence.  Semicolons join two related independent clauses when a comma and conjunction are not used.   Semicolons are used in a series of three or more items when commas are used within the items.   Semicolons are used in front of conjunctive adverbs, such as consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, or therefore, when joining two independent clauses into a compound sentence. 
• Parentheses are used to give extra information, to indicate abbreviations or acronyms or give special emphasis to information.
• Dashes set off information in a sentence in a more dramatic way than a comma.   Dashes give bring attention or emphasis to ideas or feelings.  Dashes set off information in a sentence in a more dramatic way than a comma.  
  
  • Dashes give attention or emphasis to ideas or feelings.
    There is only way to explain how I felt—smitten.
  • Dashes can be used to show an unfinished thought or statement.
    The locks had been changed and yet —.
  • Dashes can be used to show interruption to a thought or statement.
    Coconut oil—found in every health food store—heals many minor ailments.
  • Dashes can be used to introduce a list of items.
    The doctor said that these were the three most important steps to feeling better—get nine hours of sleep, eat green vegetables, and exercise daily.
  • Dashes can be used to rename a noun or give additional information that does not change the meaning of the sentence.
    My sister—an expert in animal behavior—works at a zoo.
• Quotation marks are used to indicate that information has been copied verbatim from another source.  Quotation marks can be used to show an expert has been consulted, or to set off words or phrases that need special emphasis.
• Ellipses are used to indicate that words have been left out, a hesitation, change in mood or that a thought is trailing off.