Interjections Lesson Ideas

Teaching students the difference between an interjection, statement and question can be quite fun.

Read each sentence, question or interjection to the class and ask students to display the appropriate punctuation mark. Download the list here: Interjections Teacher Reference

Students need a sheet of paper, divided into thirds, with each punctuation mark on it – download an example here: Punctuation Marks If you are an iPad/tablet school, ask students to draw the appropriate punctuation mark in one of the drawing Apps.

Now apply this knowledge by asking students to punctuate a comic strip. Download an example here: Comic Strip – Editor Required

Note: You may be able to pick up comic books from secondhand shops.

Preposition Dominoes

It’s just like playing dominoes, but the numbers have been replaced with words (prepositions of time, location and direction).

Pair students up and give each student a set of dominoes. You can download the set here: Preposition Dominoes Template

Students will need to match the preposition dominoes of time, location and direction as shown below:

For a challenge, ask students to use the preposition in a sentence.

The student with the least number of preposition dominoes left over is the champ!

That Four Letter Word Which Can Get You Into Trouble.....

Only is one of those words that, unless put in its correct place in a sentence, will convey a different meaning intended by the writer.

Placement is key!

Only he sang this evening at eight.  (He, and no one else sang at eight.)
He only sang this evening at eight.  (He sang, but did not do anything else.)
He sang only this evening at eight. (He sang this evening, but not on any other occasion.)
He sang this evening only at eight. (He sang at eight o’clock, but at no other time.)

Download this worksheet to use in class: Worksheet: Only

Shades of Meaning

Thank you for actively engaging in this Blog. I do hope you have found the lesson ideas useful.

As you wind down the year, here is another quick activity to fill your lesson or perhaps add it to your ideas for next year: Grammatikus’ Shades of Meaning

I do hope you all have a great break over the summer and I look forward to sharing more ideas with you in 2015.

Phrases Into Words

I love Term 4! The weather is warmer, most coursework has been completed and there is an air of excitement among students and teachers. So, how do we keep our students on task or engaged as their minds begin planning their summer break?

That would really depend on your students! Given that you may be looking for a few ‘filler’ activities, I’ve come up with a fun way to look at phrases.

As we know, a phrase is a group of words that functions as if it were a single noun, adjective or adverb. It cannot stand on its own because it does not have a subject or a finite verb.

With that in mind, download the Grammatikus Phrases into Words worksheet here: Grammatikus – phrases into words

Use it as a friendly competition among your students; as a time-based activity; or ask students to design a grammar App based on phrases etc.

Guide To Text Types

Well, it is finally here…Term 4!

As well as ploughing through the remainder of your 2014 curriculum, you may be well underway with planning for the coming year. So with that in mind, I thought a pictograph of text types might be the perfect way to assist you.

Please feel free to download the Grammatikus guide to text types, print it and share it with your colleagues.

Critical & Creative Thinking - Forming Adverbs

Now we are well and truly into the term and as mentioned in August’s blog, I will tackle Critical & Creative Thinking in grammar learning.

Do your students rely heavily on you providing them grammar rules, or can your students think for themselves?

Students will need to use logic and reason to establish a set of rules for forming adverbs from adjectives.

Forming Adverbs from Adjectives Worksheet

Check out the our grammar reference guide in Grammatikus for assistance.