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[Year]
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GRADE 4:
GROUP MEMBERS:
SABA PARVEEN (2014-902)
H.MUZAMILABDULLAH (2014-943)
H.NABILA (2014-917)
ZAINABFIDA (2014-525)
Elementary level
WRITING
Fourth Grade Writing
Standards:
Writing standards for fourth grade define the knowledge and skills needed for writing proficiency at this grade level. By understanding 4th grade writing standards, parents can be more effective in helping their children meet grade level expectations.
Writing standards for fourth grade define the knowledge and skills needed for writing proficiency at this grade level. By understanding 4th grade writing standards, parents can be more effective in helping their children meet grade level expectations.
What is 4th Grade Writing?
In grade 4, students spend significant blocks of time engaged in writing independently. Writing with a greater understanding of the writing process, fourth-graders are able to select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, and length of assignment. Their writing takes on style and voice. Writing is assigned in all subject areas, and by the end of fourth grade, students should be able to write clearly and effectively including using complete paragraphs, transitional sentences, and a theme throughout the composition. Fourth grade students learn to write a five-paragraph essay and continue to expand upon their knowledge of grammar, spelling, and mechanics, as well as how to evaluate writing and conduct research.
In grade 4, students spend significant blocks of time engaged in writing independently. Writing with a greater understanding of the writing process, fourth-graders are able to select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, and length of assignment. Their writing takes on style and voice. Writing is assigned in all subject areas, and by the end of fourth grade, students should be able to write clearly and effectively including using complete paragraphs, transitional sentences, and a theme throughout the composition. Fourth grade students learn to write a five-paragraph essay and continue to expand upon their knowledge of grammar, spelling, and mechanics, as well as how to evaluate writing and conduct research.
Grade 4:
Writing Strategies
Fourth grade writing standards focus on the writing process as the
primary tool to help children become independent writers. In Grade 4, students
are taught to use each phase of the process as follows: Prewriting: In Grade 4, students generate ideas for writing by using
prewriting techniques, such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, notes, and
logs.
Drafting:
In fourth grade, students
develop drafts by categorizing ideas, organizing them into paragraphs, and
blending paragraphs within larger units of text. In the first paragraph,
students establish a central idea with a topic sentence and spark interest
through the use of quotations, questions, or descriptions. Subsequent
paragraphs provide supporting detail that shows an understanding of facts
and/or opinions. Compositions conclude with a paragraph that summarizes the
points.
Revising:
Students revise
selected drafts by adding, elaborating, deleting, combining, and rearranging
text. Students aim to improve coherence, progression, logical support of ideas,
and voice (formal or informal). Students revise with the goal of creating
precision and interest by expressing ideas vividly through language techniques
(e.g., imagery, simile, metaphor, sensory language).
Editing:
Students edit
their writing based on their knowledge of grammar and usage, spelling,
punctuation, and other features of polished writing, such as varied sentence
structure and appropriate word choice. Students also proofread using reference
materials and other resources.
Publishing:
Students refine selected
pieces frequently to “publish” for intended audiences. Correct spacing and
design are used to enhance the appearance of the document and graphics are
added where appropriate.
Use
of technology: Fourth grade students use available technology to support
aspects of creating, revising, editing, and publishing texts in various forms.
Students demonstrate basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer
terminology.
Grade 4:
Writing Purposes
In Grade 4,
students write to express, discover, record, develop, reflect on ideas, and to
problem solve. Fourth grade students are able to select and use different forms
of writing for specific purposes such as to inform, persuade, or entertain.
Specifically, fourth grade writing standards stipulate that students write in
the following forms:
Informational/Expository:
Students write
to inform, such as to explain, describe, and report. Writing tasks may include
summaries, procedures, recipes, instructions, how-to manuals, observations,
notes, lists, charts, map labels, and directions
Narrative:
Students write
narratives based on real or imagined ideas, events, or observations that
include characters, setting, plot, sensory details, a logical sequence of
events, and a context to enable the reader to imagine the world of the event or
experience.
Persuasive:
Students write
to influence, such as to persuade, argue, and request. Grade 4 persuasive
essays should establish a controlling idea, develop supporting arguments,
provide detailed evidence, and include persuasive techniques (e.g., word
choice, repetition, emotional appeal).
Creative:
Students write
to entertain, such as to compose humorous poems, short stories, skits, song
lyrics) that employ figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, onomatopoeia,
personification), rhythm, dialogue, characterization, plot, and/or appropriate
format.
Essay writing:
Students can practice
writing strategies by writing on the following topics. A list of essay to
elementary level is given below
·
My Favorite Teacher:
·
My School:
·
My Self:
·
How I spend my school holidays: http://www.answers.com/Q/Essay_about_school_holidays
·
Aim of life (150 words)
·
My Parents :
·
My Best Friend:
BOOK:
Writers Express
Teacher's Guide
Videos
Links:
“Paragraph writing”
Following
article will help teachers to teach how to write a good
paragraph…..Here lies the link of the
article:
From
David Dye’s Writing Workshop: The Complete Writing Program Staff Development
information is available at CreateBetterWriters.com
Students can practice writing paragraph
on the following topics
·
My Father:
·
Big city fun:
·
My favorite cartoon character:
·
My classroom:
·
http://www.preservearticles.com/2011080710258/163-words-short-paragrph-for-kids-on-my-class-room.html
·
The things I want to change in my
school:
·
How I
spend my time :
·
A bad dream:
Video
Links :
Activities:
Paragraph Hamburger
Why use a paragraph hamburger organizer?
It
helps students organize their ideas into a cohesive paragraph.
It
helps show the organization or structure of concepts/idea.
It
demonstrates in a concrete way how information is related.
How
to use paragraph hamburger?
Discuss
the three main components of a paragraph, or story.
The
introduction (top bun)
The
internal or supporting information (the filling)
The
conclusion (bottom bun)
Ask
students to write a topic sentence that clearly indicates what the whole
paragraph is going to be about.
Have
students compose several supporting sentences that give more information about
the topic.
Instruct
students on ways to write a concluding sentence that restates the topic
sentence.
LETTER WRITING
Letter writing can be fun, help children learn
to compose written text, and provide handwriting practice — and letters are
valuable keepsakes. This guide was written for England's "Write a Letter
Week" and contains activities to help children ages 5–9 put pen to paper
and make someone's day with a handwritten letter.
RELATED:
Because
the activities below were developed for students in the U.K., it uses some
language specific to their school system. For example, KS1 refers to Key State
1, corresponding to children ages 5 to 7; KS2 corresponds to children ages 7 to
9. QCA stands for Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which is the
regulatory body for public school examinations. PSHE refers to personal, social
and health education, a topic in the national curriculum.
Introduction:
Letter writing is an essential
skill. Despite the prevalence of emails and text messages, everyone has to
write letters at some point. Letters of complaint, job applications, thank you
letters, letters requesting changes or making suggestions — the list goes on
and on. Encouraging children to write letters from an early age will improve
their communication, social and handwriting skills, and teach them what they
need to know about writing and structuring letters.
Within the KS2 National
Literacy Strategy, letter writing is a required element. In many schools this
takes place during Year 3, Term 3 and relates to QCA units T16, 20, 21 Reading
and Writing Letters. Children are expected to learn how to write letters, notes
and messages. They have to be aware of different styles of writing, the use of
formal and informal letters, and to select style and vocabulary appropriate to
the intended reader.
Handwriting too is an
essential element. In the Standard Assessment Tests Level 2 handwriting is required:
Ø To be legible
Ø Have a consistent size and spacing of letters
Ø Show flow and movement
Ø Show a confident personal style
Ø Thus letter writing exercises can fulfill two
elements of the curriculum
Within
schools:
Letter writing is part
of the required curriculum. It comprises of a standalone element teaching
correct styles of letter writing cross-curricular. Visits to museums or farms
prompt thank you letters, for example contacting schools in other countries and
exchanging letters links into geography. Writing imaginary letters to
historical people can encourage understanding of a historical period or topic
PSHE. Writing letters encourages good social skills, learning to say thank you
and asking for information politely.
At home:
Within the home, letter writing has
many uses.
·
It encourages good
manners, especially writing 'thank you' letters
·
Children can write
invitations
·
Children can write
letters to friends and relatives
·
Pen pals are always
popular, giving insights into other children's lives, especially overseas
Quite apart from curriculum
requirements, being asked to write letters is a task that will appeal to
children. The sheer fun of sending and receiving letters appeals to every
child. There is something special about putting letters into the post box and
then having letters delivered by the postman… the brightly colored stamps,
seeing your name on the envelope and knowing that inside is a long awaited
letter from a friend or member of the family. It shows someone cares and has
taken the time to sit down and think about you.
Handwritten letters have a charm of their own.
You can take time to think about what you want to say. You can keep letters to
read again and again. You can admire the handwriting; share dreams and
thoughts. Responding by letter is very different to the immediacy of a text
message or an email.
Use the above themes to
encourage the children to discuss letter-writing. Ask the children to put their
hands up if they have ever received a personal letter. Ask for one or more
volunteers to talk about how they felt to receive the letter. Here are some
initial questions that may help:
Ø What was in your mind as you read the letter?
Ø Did you keep the letter to read again?
Ø Did you share your letter with anyone?
Ø Did you write back?
And some questions for whole class or group
discussions:
Ø Can the class describe any differences between
the handwritten letter and an email?
Ø Do the children think there is ever a time when
only a handwritten letter will do?
Ask the class to interview each other to find
out each individual's experiences of writing and sending letters. This can be
recorded in a chart.
Collect a supply of different types of
letters — both formal and informal. Ask the children to sort them out into two
groups. Which were written to friends? Which are formal letters from
businesses? Which features or characteristics distinguish formal from informal?
Having done that ask the
children to look for differences between the two groups. This allows a
discussion to take place about the different types of letter. Draw up a chart
for each group covering:
Ø Address — business or private?
Ø Greeting — formal or informal?
Ø Style of letter — friendly or business?
Ø What is the message?
Ø How does the letter end?
This will allow the
children to find out for themselves the differences between formal and informal
letters.
This could be followed
by a discussion of the type of letters the children or their families write.
How many occasions can they think of which would deserve a letter to be
written? For example:
Ø Letters of congratulation
Ø Exchanging news
Ø Writing to friends
Ø Letters saying sorry for doing something wrong
Ø Making appointments
Ø Asking for information
Ø Dealing with banks or stores
Ø Letters to family members who live some way away
Ø Letters to Santa Claus
Ø Thank you letters
Ø Letters showing how much you appreciate someone
Ø Letters responding to someone who has had bad
news — showing how much you care by trying to share their sadness
Ø Letters of complaint
Ø Letters to newspapers and magazines
In each case the children should decide what
type of letter would be most appropriate in each case — formal or informal?
Draw up a chart for each group.
These are sometimes known as business
letters. They are written in a strictly formal style. Such letters are always
written on an A4 (8" x 11" sheet of paper. They can be folded three
times so that the address to which the letter is being sent can appear in the
window of a business envelope. The layout is always the same.
Structure:
Ø The senders address is put at the top right hand
side
Ø Include telephone number and email if available
Ø The address of the person receiving the letter
goes on the left hand side below the sender's address
Ø The date
Ø Greeting — Dear Sir or Madam. You can use the
titles Miss, Mrs. or Mr. if you know the name of the person to whom you are
writing
Ø The message
Ø Complimentary close — Yours faithfully or Yours
sincerely
Ø Signature
Ø Write name in block letters (this is to ensure
that the person receiving the letter knows exactly who has sent it. Signatures
may not be very clear).
These are letters to friends and
relations, or people you know well. Structure:
Ø The sender's address should always appear on the
top right hand corner of the page.
Ø Include telephone number and email if available
Ø Greeting — There are several variations that can
be used depending on how well you know the person: Dear Mary, Hi Mary,
Greetings
Ø Complimentary close — short comment, for example
Love, Lots of love, With thanks, See you soon
Tips for writing good letters:
Ø Make
sure that they are well written. It can be very annoying for someone to have to
struggle to read handwriting. Always use your best and clearest handwriting.
Ø Make sure all your contact details are clearly
written down at the top of the letter. If they are not, then you might not get
a reply. The correct address is essential.
Ø Think about what you want to say. If necessary
make some notes on a separate sheet of paper first. This will ensure that you
do not forget anything.
Ø Think about to whom you are writing the letter.
Use the right style of writing and language — formal or informal, business like
or friendly.
Ø Lay out your letter using paragraphs. This makes
it easier for the reader.
Suitable for KS2 school
use
These are formal letters
and messages need to be precise and detailed, covering all the required
information. Two types of letters can be undertaken — a letter requesting
information; and a reply providing it.
Out in the Milky Way,
there is an alien curious about Earth. He writes a letter asking for
information about liquids and gases. These do not exist on his planet and he
finds it hard to understand what they are.
Write a letter
explaining what liquids and gases are. How do they work? What examples could be
included? What would be confusing about them? This would link into the KS2
science curriculum and could act as a revision exercise giving an opportunity
for a discussion about gases and liquids.
The following day, give
the children a thank you letter from the alien!
You could link up with another class in the
school. One class could write letters of enquiry. These would be delivered to the
second class for answering.
Suitable for KS1 &2
Thank you letters are
very important and can be used in lots of ways: thanking organizations for
helping, thanking people for helping you, thanking someone for a lovely time.
They make a good follow up exercise after receiving presents or going on a
visit.
Your class has just been out on a school visit
to a farm. Write a thank you letter to the farmer. You will need to say thank
you and how much you enjoyed the visit. Give some examples of what you enjoyed
best about the day? Was it feeding the lambs? Pond dipping? Seeing the young
animals?
Suitable for KS1 & 2
Everyone likes receiving
invitations. Receiving a hand written letter asking you to a party or a special
event makes you feel very special.
Discuss what type of
event might create a need to write letters of invitation. There are plenty of
examples — birthday parties, Christmas parties, a visit to a beach with
friends; going out to a farm or to the cinema, a wedding or when a new baby is
christened; or simply inviting a friend to stay overnight at your house.
Choose a special event
and write a letter inviting a friend. What do you need to include in the letter
so that they have all the necessary information? You need to be clear on the date
and the time, as well as the location. Your friend would be very upset if he or
she went to the wrong place. Does he or she need to bring anything with them?
Does he or she need to be collected at a set time? Will outdoor clothing be
needed if the weather is bad? How will your friend reach the location of the
event? Should a parent bring them or will you provide transport?
Remember to ask them to reply saying yes or no.
Give a date by which you must have their reply. This is important if food and
drink are being provided, or if you need to know exactly how many people are
coming.
Suitable for school use
(KS2 and use at home)
When might a letter of
complaint be sent? It might be when someone has done something wrong. Sometimes
people write letters to organizations or the newspapers to complain about
litter or poor service.
Just imagine what Mr.
Bear must have been thinking at the end of the story of Goldilocks and the
Three Bears. A naughty girl had broken into his home, eaten his porridge;
broken a chair and then gone to sleep on his child's bed. Then she had run away
without even saying sorry when the bears came back.
Write a letter of complaint from Mr. Bear to the
parents of Goldilocks. What would he say? He would need to get his complaint
across very strongly. There would be a list of Goldilocks' misdeeds. He would
ask for an apology. Would he ask for payment for the broken chair? Would he ask
for action to be taken against Goldilocks? Discuss the various possibilities
with the children. What might he ask? Would it be a formal or informal letter?
Suitable for KS1 & 2
Every year children
write letters to Santa Claus, asking for special toys at Christmas time. But
how many children think about Santa Claus himself? What is his life like? What
are the problems of living amid all that snow and ice?
This is an exercise that
could involve two classes within a school. Both classes should prepare for the
task by listening to some unusual letters. J R Tolkien wrote a lovely book
entitled Letters from Father Christmas. Every December a letter would appear
telling wonderful tales of life at the North Pole — how the reindeer got loose
and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone Polar Bear
climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Santa Claus's house.
Children in the younger
class should write letters to Santa. They should ask about life at the North
Pole. What do they think it is like? What sort of characters live there? How
does Santa Claus occupy his time for the rest of the year? Consider how they
would feel living in a land of snow and ice all year round? Would they want a
holiday somewhere warmer?
Once the letters are
written, gather them up and take them to an older group of children. Give each
child a letter and ask them to write a reply. This would give them the
opportunity to use their imagination and create imaginative responses, possibly
little stories about life at the North Pole. They could also add in their own
ideas. But care should be taken to make sure that all the questions in the
original letters are answered.
Finally, take the answers back to the original
class for reading and discussing.
Letters to newspapers and
magazines
Suitable for school use
(KS2)
These are letters that
aim to pass on an opinion or a message. Examples can be easily obtained from
local newspapers or from children's magazines such as DK Find Out or Aquila.
They are written slightly differently to normal letters and are always
addressed Dear Sir, or Dear — (name of magazine).
These are letters that
are directed at a wide audience — anyone who happens to read it. The sender
never gets a direct letter back through the post. Sometimes people are so
interested in a letter, which has appeared in a magazine that they want to
express their opinions. So they then write a letter to the magazine giving
their comments.
So what might go into a
letter to a newspaper or magazine? It might be a request — could you provide
more stories about skate boarding, or nature? It might be a way of thanking
people for providing help. Sometimes letters to local newspapers are used to
thank people who helped find a lost dog or help after an accident; but who did
not leave their names. By writing to the paper, the sender hopes that the
message will reach the people concerned. Sometimes such letters are used to
express opinions such as on climate change, treatment of animals, poor
services, not enough buses, and human rights.
Letters of this kind
need to be very precise. Arguments should be clearly made. Requests for action
should be clearly indicated. From reading the letter, everyone should know
exactly what the sender is asking.
A major issue is recycling and energy
conservation. Everyone is trying to reduce the amount of energy we use. Look at
all the reasons why energy conservation is so important. Then, write a letter
to a paper or magazine saying why you believe we should avoid wasting energy.
Give examples of how energy can be saved? What measures should we take in our
homes or schools? Could anything more be done?
My Child magazine. (2007).
Letter Writing Resource Pack. London, U.K. Author. Retrieved February 26, 2008,
from http://www.mychild.co.uk/docs/walw/Letter_writing_Resource_Pack.pdf.
Reprints:
You are welcome to print copies
for non-commercial use, or a limited number for educational purposes, as long
as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use,
please contact the author or publisher listed.
Tags: Activities | Parent Engagement | Parent Tips | Writing | For teachers
Activity:
1
To
teach the letters to the 4 class, first of all introduce them what is letter
and tell them body of the letter or parts of the letter. Ask the students; Are
you ready to write a letter? Here you can learn the parts of a letter and how
to write your own letter.
Activity:
2
Encourage the children to discuss about the letter writing. Ask the
children to put their hands up if they have ever received a personal letter.
Here are some initial questions that may help:
What was in your mind as you read the letter?
Did you keep the letter to read again?
Did you share your letter with anyone?
Did you write back?
And after that tell the students about the types of
the letters. Ask them, there are two types of letters:
Formal letters
Informal letters
Activity: 3
Tick the sentence that should be included in the body of the letter:
a. 13Hood street Walker’s Lone California
b. We are writing to invite you to a BBO we are
having on Friday…….
c. The smoothie.
The body of the letter is where you alert the reader
to what you want to him/her to do or as a response to something.
Activity:
4
Tick the sentence that indicates a ‘closing’.
a.
Sincerely, Elon
b.
Good afternoon
c.
I would like to know…..
The closing sentence of your letter should include a
thank you or a simple ending statement to show that you have completed what you
need to say. Some basic endings include thank you, sincerely, yours truly, your
friend….. Etc.
Activity:
5
What kind of things might you write in a friendly letter?
Tell your friend about something fun you recently
did.
Congratulate your friend on his/her birthday.
Ask your friend some questions about his/her life.
Share about a place you visited.
Ask to advice.
Tell your friend about your new class and your
school.
Tell about a book you have just read that you think
your friend would also enjoy.
Activity:
6
Here is a list of letter friendly language you can use in your own
letter …….
Match them to their meanings correctly.
1 That reminds me…… To finish the
letter
2 Why don’t we………. To apologize
3 I would better get going….. To thank the person for
writing
4 Thanks for your letter…….. To begin the letter
5 Please let me know……. To change the
subject
6 I am really sorry…….. To ask a
favor
7 Could you to do something for me? Before signing the letter
8 Write soon…..
To suggest or invite
9 Did you know that…… To ask for a
reply
10 I am happy to hear that….. To share some information.
APPLICATION
WRITING
How
to Write Leave Applications to Your School Principal?
Application
for sick leave.
The Principal,
(School Name)
(Address)
(Date)
Sir,
With due respect I beg to state that I am not in a
position to attend the school as I am down with fever. I have been advised to rest for a few days.
Therefore kindly grant me leave for three days from ____________ (Date).
Thanking you,
Yours obediently,
(Your Name)
(Class and Section)
Roll NO.____________
Application
leave for urgent piece of work.
The Headmaster,
(School Name)
(Address)
Sir,
This is to kindly request you to that I have an
urgent piece of work. So, I will not be able to come to school for two days.
Kindly allow me leave for two days.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(Your Name)
Sample
lines
Request
Leave
1) I request you to grant ____________ (Name) leave
of five days.
2) This is to request you to ____________
3) With due respect, I would like to bring to your
notice that I am not be unable to attend
classes for 2 days due to my illness.
4) This is to respectfully state that…
5) I am a student of class ____________, Section
____________of your school. .
6) I am studying in class ____________, Section
____________, of your school.
Give
reasons:
1) I would be out of station for the stated period.
2) I am suffering with high fever and doctor has
advised me to take rest.
3) There has been a death in the family.
4) There has been an accident in the family.
5) I am blessed with a brother and there is a family
function.
6) I am participating in Sports Competition.
Mention
the period:
1) I would be grateful if you would grant me leave
for today.
2) Kindly grant me leave for three days and oblige.
3) Please excuse my absence from school for six days
from ____________ (Date).
4) Kindly grant me leave of absence for five days on
medical grounds.
5) Would you kindly grant her leave for four days
i.e. (Date).
Activity:
Ø How
application can start?
Ø To
whom students wrote an application in school?
Ø How
you can address to principal in an application?
Ø Why
you write an application?
Ø How
many steps included in an application?
Telling and Reading Stories:
All children, especially younger kids, enjoy
reading folk tales, fairy tales, and stories where animals are the main
characters. This is shown by the great success of Mickey Mouse and other Disney
characters. One of the best sources of stories about moral values can be found
in Aesop's Fables. These short stories which mostly involve animal characters
are simple in expression, and they convey the truth of human life. Four fables
which immediately come to mind are: Androcles and the Lion; Mercury and the
Woodman, The Wind and the Sun, and Never Cry Wolf. In the fable Androcles and
the Lion, students will learn that gratitude and compassion are the signs of a
noble soul. The moral lesson from The Wind and the Sun is that kindness has
more of an effect on people than severity. The fable Mercury and the Woodman
will teach students that honesty is the best quality. Never Cry Wolf teaches
children that it is bad to tell a lie.
2. Learning and Singing Songs:
Most children love learning and singing songs.
Adolescents and adults also like songs and singing, especially if they can
identify with the music. One of the most successful songs I used to impart the
moral value of love is an old folk song originally sung by Peter, Paul, and
Mary in the 60s titled "If I Had a Hammer." Some of the lyrics of the
song go as follow:
"If I
had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in
the evening all over this land
I'd hammer
out danger, I'd hammer out warning
I'd hammer
out love between my brother and sister all over this land."
By examining
the lyrics, we see that in addition to practicing the second conditional,
"If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning," the students are
observing and singing the importance of love in the world. In addition to
singing the song, I have the students make believe they have a hammer and bell,
and I have them demonstrate the actions of hammering and ringing. Other songs
about love that could be used for older students are: "What the World Needs
Now is Love." by Jackie DeShannon and "Get Together" by the
Youngblood, a popular song from the turbulent 1960s.
3. Role-playing a Story:
The acting out of folktales and fairy tales
were always popular listening and speaking activities which I used in the
classroom. Most children like dressing up and acting out the roles of different
characters. Although I didn't use it in the classroom, an old English folktale,
Little Red Hen, appears to be an excellent story for teaching the value of hard
work. This short story involves five characters including a red hen, pig, cat,
dog, and a turkey. Different students can play the characters, and the dialog
to be memorized is limited. The story essentially demonstrates the
industriousness of the red hen in planting wheat, harvesting it, and then
taking it to the mill to make flour while the other animals sit by idly, but
expect to eat bread at the end of the story. Some of my older students have
acted out the fairy tales Snow White and Rapunzel which show the moral values
of love and compassion.
4. Playing Games:
Playing educational games in the classroom is
a great way for instilling the moral value of co-operation. I did this by
dividing the class into teams of 4-5 students. Teams competed against each
other to see, for example. which one could write the most adjectives or adverbs
on the board in five minutes. Another game which I learned and used is called
"Stop the Bus." In this game, after the students divide themselves
into teams of 4-5 members, the teacher announces that all teams must try to
think of names of cities, countries, sports, food, music, etc. which begin with
a certain letter of the alphabet. The first team which can think of the names,
for example, of things in nine categories beginning with a certain letter
assigned by the teacher, write their candidate answers on the board. The team
is awarded points for correct answers and deducted points for incorrect
answers.
5. Teaching Vocabulary with Associations:
The moral values of good and bad can be
introduced when teaching new vocabulary to students. One successful way of
doing this is by teaching vocabulary with associations. For example, if I were
teaching the meaning of "good" to beginning EFL students, I would draw
pictures or show the students pictures of a mother holding a baby, Santa Claus,
and a doctor. By seeing all of these pictures associated with "good",
the student gets a mental image and a real feeling for the meaning of the word
and the moral value which it implies. In this case, "good" refers to
a loving mother, a generous Santa Claus, and a helping doctor. Conversely, the
meaning of the word "bad" can be introduced by showing pictures of
war, a bully, and a thief. In all of these pictures we see that either someone
is getting hurt physically or losing property.
I am sure
that there are many other activities you can think of for teaching moral values
in the classroom. The five activities listed above worked well for me, and I am
sure they will be successful in your use.
Following are the stories:
The
Thirsty Crow:
The Thirsty Crow
One hot day, a thirsty crow flew all
over the fields looking for water. For a long time, he could not find any. He
felt very weak, almost lost all hope. Suddenly, he saw a water jug below the
tree. He flew straight down to see if there was any water inside. Yes, he could
see some water inside the jug!
The crow tried to push his head into the jug. Sadly, he found
that the neck of the jug was too narrow. Then he tried to push the jug to tilt
for the water to flow out but the jug was too heavy.
The crow thought hard for a while. Then looking around it, he
saw some pebbles. he suddenly had a good idea. he started picking up the
pebbles one by one, dropping each into the jug. As more and more pebbles filled
the jug, the water level kept rising. Soon it was
high enough for the crow to drink. His plan had worked!
Moral: Think and work hard, you may find
solution to any problem.
The
Greedy Dog:
Once there lived a dog. He was very greedy. There were many times that he had to pay for his greed. Each time the dog promised himself, “I have learnt my lesson. Now I will never be greedy again." But he soon forgot his promises and was as greedy as ever.
One afternoon, the dog was terribly hungry. He decided to go look for something to eat. Just outside his house, there was a bridge. “I will go and look for food on the other side of the bridge. The food there is definitely better," he thought to himself.
He walked across the wooden bridge and started sniffing around for food. Suddenly, he spotted a bone lying at a distance. “Ah, I am in luck. This looks a delicious bone," he said.
Without wasting any time, the hungry dog picked up the bone and was just about to eat it, when he thought, “Somebody might see here with this bone and then I will have to share it with them. So, I had better go home and eat it." Holding the bone in his mouth, he ran towards his house.
While crossing the wooden bridge, the dog looked down into the river. There he saw his own reflection. The foolish dog mistook it for another dog. “There is another dog in the water with bone in its mouth," he thought. Greedy, as he was, he thought, “How nice it would be to snatch that piece of bone as well. Then, I will have two bones."
So, the greedy dog looked at his reflection and growled. The reflection growled back, too. This made the dog angry. He looked down at his reflection and barked, “Woof! Woof!" As he opened his mouth, the bone in his mouth fell into the river. It was only when the water splashed that the greedy dog realized that what he had seen was nothing but his own reflections and not another dog. But it was too late. He had lost the piece of bone because of his greed. Now he had to go hungry.
Activities Link :
PARTS OF
SPEECH
Definitions of parts of speech
Noun:
A noun is the names of person, place, thing or idea.
For example;
Person:
Place:
Thing: Idea:
Maria
New York Pen Fairness
Boy
Park
Watermelon
friendliness
Doctor
Outer place Statue of
liberty Acceptance
Verb:
A verb tells a noun’s action or state of being.
Action:
State of
being:
Ask
Is
Jump
Am
Think
are
Want
be
Run
Have
Dance
Has
Eat
was
Adverb:
Adverb
can modify verbs, adjectives. An adverb indicates manner, time, place, degree
and answers questions such as “how”, “where”, “how much”.
For example:
She is running really fast.
She ran quickly across the yard.
Adjective:
An
adjective usually comes before the noun it modifies.
For example: Pretty, nice, smooth, and colorful.
The brave bear protected her two cubs.
Video
links
ACTIVITIES
Activity:
1
For
teaching the parts of speech (noun, verb, adverb and adjective) to the students
of grade 4, introducing them what is the parts of speech. First of all tell
them just definitions of different parts of speech with examples. Teacher
practice the examples to the children in the class.
Activity:
2
Then
prepare the students for the game by labeling each of the eight brown bags a
different part of speech. Then, on index cards, have your child help you think
of and write down 10-20 words, any words will do, for each category. Write only
one word on each index card. Place the appropriate card in each bag fits its
part of speech. Pick out one word from each bag and use those words to build a
long sentence. Each word used correctly in context wins a point for the play.
Play until all cards are used up, or until one player manages to use every
single part of speech in one sentence. The first person who can use all the
parts of speech wins immediately; otherwise, victory goes to the highest
point-getter. After you have built a few sentences, reverse the game! Dump all
the words onto the table, scramble them up, and correctly place each word back
into its corresponding bag.
Activity:
3
Assess the students whether they can differentiate
among the parts of speech or not.
Underline the nouns:
1.
The mall was filled with hectic
shoppers.
2.
The North Pole must be well below
freezing temperatures.
3.
The aroma of fresh pine needles lingered
in the air.
Click the verbs that
correctly complete each sentence.
1.
A fish ------------- through its gills.
(Takes, breathes)
2.
A fish uses its fins to------------.
(Breathe, swim)
Name three
adjectives that describe an apple.
Name three adjectives that start with the letter w.
Name three adjectives with 3 syllables each.
Activity:
4
Divide
students into groups of 3 or 4. Someone chooses a place (the park, school, at
home, the library etc.). Set the timer for two or three minutes. Everyone in
the group writes down the two or three sentences of different parts of speech
(noun, verb, adverb and adjective… etc). When the time is up, compare your
sentences with those of your group. The person with the most unique sentences
is the winner.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
LESSON:
PARTS OF SPEECH:
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Objectives
- Learner will be able to identify subject and predicate in a
sentence, and recognize different types of sentences.
- Learner will be able to demonstrate understanding of
sentence parts and types
- ENGLISH
SENTENCE STRUCTURE LESSON
PLAN
Materials:
Ø
Sentence Structure Lesson - Use the printable lesson for your lesson
plan, or use student version as lesson supplement.
Ø
Sentence Structure Worksheets - Printable teaching worksheet exercises.
Procedure:
A sentence is a
group of words that expresses a complete thought.
Are these sentences?
1. "Ashley walks to the park."
2. "She takes a friend with her." 3. "Climb a tree."
Both (1) and (2) are sentences, but (3) is not a
sentence. Why? It does not express a complete thought. We wonder: who climbs
a tree? Why?
-By adding some words to (3) we can make a complete
sentence:
"Ashley and her friend climb a tree."
Every sentence has a subject and a predicate. The subject usually contains the main subject or noun, and the predicate tells what the subject is doing, which contains the verb of the sentence.
Teachers: have the students write their own sentences
on the board, and then identify the subject and predicate in each sentence.
Rules for writing sentences:
1. Every sentence must begin with a capital letter. 2. Every sentence must end with a punctuation mark. You use different marks for different kinds of sentences.
Punctuation Marks:
A period (.) ends a sentence that tells something, or makes a statement. A questions mark (?) ends a sentence that asks a question. An exclamation point (!) ends a sentence that shows excitement.
Types of Sentences:
There
are three kinds of sentences that we say and write every day.
1. Declarative:
A type
of sentence that declares or makes a statement.
Example - "Tom goes to school." 2. Interrogative:
A sentence that asks a question.
Example - "Did Tom go to school?" 3. Imperative:
A sentence that makes a request or
gives a command.
Example - "Hurry Tom! Go to school now!"
Example sentences:
(Teachers: complete the following sentences with the students. Identify the type and show them how to underline the subject with one line, and the predicate with two lines.)
"Did Juan finish his chores?" (Interrogative sentence)
(Subject: Did Juan/ Predicate: finish his chores)
"Sam and Adam played football." (Declarative sentence)
(Subject: Sam and Adam/ Predicate: played football)
"Charlie, stop that now!" (Imperative sentence)
(Subject: Charlie/ Predicate: stop that now) |
ACTIVITY
Sentence
Stems
This technique gives students the opportunity to respond in the
form of a complete sentence to effectively communicate. Sentence stems provide
scaffolding to help students get started in speaking or writing without the
added pressure of thinking about how to correctly formulate a response.
1.
Create:
Create a list
of sentence stems that are appropriate to the discussion or task you are
setting the students. Be sure to provide stems that use academic language or
sentence structure that is difficult for the students.
2.
Model:
Review stems
with students and provide some examples of how to complete the sentence
stems.
3.
Practice:
Pose
questions or a set a writing task for students. In pairs or independently, have
students use sentence stems to respond.
4. Review:
Ask students
to share their sentences. Add any clarification where needed.
When to Use
Use Sentence Stems at any point in the lesson to structure
meaningful conversation.
·
Before introducing new material to tap into prior knowledge
(Example stems: I understand that ….; I already know that…)
·
When trying to work through a problem. (Examples: It would
be easier if….; First, I…)
·
After reading a short text to begin a discussion (Examples: The
main points were….; I read that…)
·
Responding to a peer discussion (Examples: My partner pointed
out ….; I agree because…)
When re-enforcing the use
of academic language (Example: The text
structure is ….; I use the denominator of …)
Variations
Sentence
Stems Roundtable:
Prepare a list
of unfinished sentences and give one copy to each student in class. Allow 10
minutes or so for students to complete the sentences in writing, using true
facts from material they’ve read or learned about recently. Students then
partner up and share responses. Ask them to rotate after a set amount of time
and share with a new partner.
Video
links :
Rhyming words
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
Students will
·
Identify rhyming words
·
Brainstorm rhyming words
·
Create song verses (as a class or individually)
·
Practice rhyming using an online interactive tool
1.
|
Begin the lesson
by teaching students to sing the song "A-Hunting We Will Go."
Oh, a-hunting we
will go; a-hunting we will go.
We'll take a little fox and put it in a box and then will let it go. |
2.
|
Ask students to
identify the two words that sound the same in the song (fox and box).
Continue to sing the song with the following phrases to replace the second
line. As you sing the song, pause for the second rhyming word and allow
students to sing the word they think rhymes. This should be easy and fun for
students.
We'll take a
little whale and put it in a pail
We'll take a little frog and put it on a log We'll take a little fish and put it on a dish |
3.
|
Allow
students to sing the song together several more times using both the original
lyrics and the three new verses.
|
4.
|
Ask students to
brainstorm other animals that could be used in the song. List these animals
on chart paper. Then ask students to think of words that rhyme with each
animal name. For example:
snake: lake,
cake, rake
bear: hair, dare, chair cat: hat, mat |
5.
|
Model for
students how these words can be used to create new verses of the song. For
example:
We'll take a
little snake and put it in a lake
We'll take a little bear and hug it if we dare We'll take a little cat and put it on a mat |
6.
|
Next, write the
following verse frame on chart paper or an overheadtransparency.
Oh, a-hunting we
will go; a-hunting we will go.
We'll take a little ________ and put it in a _______ and then will let it go. |
7.
|
Invite
students to choose one of the animal names from the brainstorming list and
one of the rhyming words. Write these words in the blanks of the verse frame.
|
8.
|
For
additional practice, instruct students to make their own lists of animal
names and rhyming words.
|
9.
|
Provide
each student with the Verse Frame handout.
Ask each student to create two or three verses to the song by writing pairs
of rhyming words in the blanks.
|
10.
|
Once they have
completed their verses, gather the students together and allow them to share
them. Sing the verses together as a class.
|
1.
|
Take
the students to the computer lab to continue practicing rhyming words.
|
2.
|
Have
students access the Construct-a-Word interactive tool.
|
3.
|
After
clicking on "Begin," students will be prompted to select a word
ending. Then a set of letters and blends will appear on the screen. Students
click on a letter that, when added to the word ending, makes a word. By
creating several words, students will make their own lists of rhyming words.
Be sure to draw students' attention to the Word Bank where they can read and
review their word lists.
Note: Some of the words on the lists do not rhyme. For example, oat and eat do not rhyme with cat, fat, andhat. Take the opportunity to discuss with students why these words do not rhyme even though they have the same ending letters. |
4.
|
When
students successfully create all possible words for a word ending, instruct
them to print their word lists. Students can then continue the game by
selecting a different word ending and creating another list of rhyming words.
|
5.
|
Have students use
their printed word lists to create new verses for other rhyming songs.
|
·
Students are now ready to identify rhyming words in other
popular songs. Access Sing a Song for fun music to share with students.
Students simply click on a song title and the music plays! Instruct them to
listen for rhyming words in the songs. You might also wish to display the words
to certain songs and ask students to underline the words that rhyme.
·
As a class, use other simple rhyming songs to continue practice
with rhyming skills as students create their own new verses. The Construct-a-Word interactive tool can be used to help
students generate rhyming words for the songs.
·
Students' understanding of rhyming and rhyming words can be
assessed by reviewing their completed Frame
handouts.
·
Informal, authentic assessment of students' work may also
involve observation of students' writing and rhyming during class.
LINKS:
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