Getting to know you II
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Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about choosing the best punctuation to end sentences.
Choose the best punctuation to end each sentence.
Task administration:
Students will need to work with a partner to complete this task.
This task can be completed online only and has auto marking displayed to students. Before they do this resource, tell students that, in some instances, there may be two correct choices of punctuation. This is because of how students imagine the people in the resource talking, the character's intonation and the intention behind that. For example, a student may have used an exclamation mark rather than a full stop because they imagined the person saying something in an excited tone rather than as a statement. Differences in their interpretations could be part of the discussion with their partner at the end.
While this task builds keyboard experience, it is wise to teach keyboard skills separately from an activity that has a different learning focus. There are tutorials for learning keyboard skills, for example, http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr#z34thyc . To use this you need to have Flash installed. Be aware, however, that while the position of the letters on UK keyboards will be the same as our US keyboards, there may be some differences in the symbols used. It is important that students practise on the device they will be using as, for instance, there are differences between using ipads and laptops.
Levels:
1, 2
Curriculum info:
Key Competencies:
Keywords:
Description of task:
The focus of this resource is selecting the appropriate punctuation to end sentences. The resource ends with a shared activity where students write some sentences about themselves, share them with a partner, and give each other feedback on their punctuation.
Curriculum Links:
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
- use basic punctuation that is mosly correct
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with within the Writing Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.Teaching and learning:
This resource was piloted and trialled with groups of Year 3/4 students.
We noted that some students did not know how to create the appropriate punctuation on the keyboard, including capital letters, exclamation marks, and question marks. Some also had difficulty accessing the drop-down lists. For these students, the learning focus of the resource was diverted towards mastering the required keyboard skills.
It is wise to teach keyboard skills separately from an activity that has a different learning focus. There are tutorials for learning keyboard skills, for example, http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3c6tfr#z34thyc . To use this you need to have Flash installed. Be aware, however, that while the position of the letters on UK keyboards will be the same as our US keyboards, there may be some differences in the symbols used. It is important that students practise on the device they will be using as, for instance, there are differences between using ipads and laptops.
Diagnostic and formative information:
Most students used punctuation appropriately in this resource.
The most common errors were:
- not recognising where exclamation marks should and should not be used
- using question marks inappropriately
- not recognising when a sentence was a question.
Students had no trouble with the personal writing and sharing tasks at the end of this resource. They often wrote in the more informal style set by the resource.
Next steps:
Using exclamation marks appropriately
Typically, exclamation points are placed at the end of a sentence to express strong emotion, emphasis, or surprise, for example:
- excitement: I've won a new car!
- horror: That doll is looking at me!
- urgency/command: Stop, drop, and roll!
- protest: No! I refuse to go!
- surprise: Oh! This is a great game.
To be effective, exclamation marks should be used sparingly. "If part of the point of punctuation is to change the timbre of the voice – another part is to get you out of a hole. Punctuation saves lives: there’s a meaningful difference between ‘Duck’ and ‘Duck!’" (from http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20170301-what-overusing-exclamation-marks-says-about-you?ocid=twcul ).
For students who are having trouble recognising whether a sentence is an exclamation or not, they could first practise saying sentences to each other, in pairs or in small groups. Then they could say exclamations to each other, expressing first excitement, then horror, then urgency, then protest, and, lastly, surprise. As they're doing this, discuss the changes in their voices. After each sentence, others in the group respond by gesturing which punctuation comes at the end. This can be modelled initially to the larger group/class.
Using question marks appropriately
A question mark should only be used after a direct question, such as Will you come with me?
Do not use question marks with indirect questions, which are statements that contain questions. For example, it is incorrect to write: I wonder if he would come with me? Correctly written, it is: I wonder if he would come with me. Or, it could be written as: I wonder: Would he come with me?
Recognising when a sentence is a question
For students who are having trouble recognising whether a sentence is a question or not, they could practise saying sentences and asking direct questions, in pairs or in small groups. Others in the group respond by gesturing which punctuation comes at the end. This can be modelled initially to the larger group/class.
(For a smilar resource that can be done online or on hardcopy, see Editing a letter .)