Sprinkle in Those Commas and Semicolons
Purpose: This exercise works to explore issues of grammar and punctuation in meaningful ways. The activity focuses on the confusion surrounding commas and semicolons.
Description: This exercise includes a handout for students to review before the class, a video to watch to start off the lesson, and a set of sample sentences to use in game-show fashion. You will need to create some kind of “prize” or “incentive” for the winning team, and you have the option of adding as many additional sentences as you wish to the “Comma Fun” game.
Suggested Time: approx. 30 min.
Procedure:
Before class, inform students to look over the handout (Document 5) and to ensure they understand the examples and the rules
When class begins, project up Taylor Mali’s poem’s “The Impotence of Proofreading” (Document 6)
Then, move to the video of the poem (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonDPGwAyfQ) and ask students to be honest about how much time they spend proofreading and how well they understand punctuation rules
Inform students that an epic competition is about to begin, and they have 5 minutes to ensure they understand the handout assigned last night. They can either bring the handout up on their own computers, or you can project it up on the main screen.
Break the class into even groups and ask them to give themselves a team name. Write their names on the board for scorekeeping and encourage team spirit.
Project up the “Time for Comma Fun” (Document 7). Explain the “Rules”:
You will project up one sentence at a time.
The first group to buzz in/raise their hands has a chance to answer. They need to BOTH tell where the punctuation goes AND explain why/what rule from the handout they applied.
They receive one point for the placement and one for the explanation. If they answer incorrectly, they lose two points and the next team to raise their hands gets a chance to answer
The team with the most points at the end of the game “wins” the prize you have predetermined (perhaps a free pass on the next journal, perhaps they get to choose a treat you will bring next class…).
(Clearly, the rules and set up of the game are up to each teacher and his/her class setup; these rules are just suggestions)