Grammar ideas

I teach fourth grade and many of these concepts are geared for the upper grades.  However, since grammar is usually recycled through many years, these ideas may be tweaked for many other grade levels!
Subjects and Predicates
NounsVerbs
AdjectivesAdverbs

Sentences
I used this activity as an assessment.  I gave each student a sheet of 11X18 construction paper.  They folded the paper into four boxes and labeled each box with exclamatory, declarative, interrogative or imperative.  Then each student got a copy of the sentences sort sheet.  Students cut apart the sentences and glued them into the appropriate boxes.
Other Four Kinds of Sentences activities:
Recognizing Sentences
(Sentence or Not A Sentence)
Cards * in PDF

*Questions were cut and pasted from the RHL School website.

Four Kinds of Sentences


Nouns
I have just started my noun unit this year.  When I teach nouns I look at my district objectives, which are somewhat vague.  To narrow them down I make sure I teach identifying a noun, common and proper nouns, plural nouns and pronouns.
To begin the unit, I have students define what a noun is.  Then we create a chart with three columns that are labeled person, place and thing.
To help students start I show students pictures of nouns that have been clipped from newspapers.  I ask students for what the noun is and then we write the noun in the appropriate column and I tape the picture up.  Then students break into groups and brainstorm as many nouns as they can.  All students are responsible for writing.  After about 6-7 minutes, we share words and students write the shared words into the chart as well.
The next day, after we have defined what a noun is, we read a poem and identify all of the nouns.  To do this, I make sure I laminate a large poster of a poem (there is a printable poster below),  then introduce and read aloud the poem.  Students identify nouns and I use Wikki Stix to circle the nouns.  Then students add the nouns into the chart they created the day before.
Printable Poem Poster in Word- FOLLOW DIRECTIONS BELOW FIRST!
  1. Make sure to follow these directions of your poster WILL NOT print correctly.
  2.  Go to file, page set up.
  3. Click on paper size: custom and reset the measurements to 16 inches wide and 22 inches in height.
  4. Go to file, print.
  5. Click on properties and select page set up on the top tab.
  6. Page size should be letter and so should printer paper size.  However, Click on printer type and select poster printing.  Click ok and then ok to print! 
  7. The poster will print on four separate sheets that will need to be cut and taped together.
  8.  Laminate and you have a big poster!


After I have taught plural nouns, my kids really enjoyed this review activity.  I ask each child to get out a sheet of notebook paper numbered one to twenty four. Then I pass out the plural pumpkin cards from below.  Each pumpkin is numbered.  Students begin at what ever number of the pumpkin they are given.  For example, if I pass them out pumpkin number eight, they start on number eight.  On each pumpkin is a singular noun.  On the their sheet of paper they write the plural noun and then flip their pumpkin over to check.  When I say switch, they go to the next pumpkin (pumpkins are passed out in numerical order).  A bit of advice, don't let students switch until you say go or it will be crazy!  Kids don't do to all the pumpkins, just as many as we have time for!

To prepare for this activity:
  • Print out the pumpkin sheets below. 
  • Cut out along the black lines
  • Write the correct plural on the back.
  • You might want to laminate for durability!


Other Noun Activities:

This is a card game that is similar to Old Maid.




This is similar to Madlibs and will take some teacher preparation.



  Plural Nouns
\Plurals Go Fish in Word

(you will need to provide a blank board game for this game.  Click here to go to a website that provides pre-made blank board games.)




Verbs
This is a very cool project I learned from a retired teacher.  This is a great way to assess verbs for students.  I give each student a piece of white construction paper and have the kids draw a stick figure doing an action and label it with the verb. They wrote a sentence and underlined the action verb and drew the person to match. On the other side they wrote a sentence with a helping verb and underlined the verb and circled the helping verb.  Then they trace over the figure with a black PERMANENT marker. Then the kids lay small squares of various color tissue paper over the figure. Using a paint brush, paint the squares with water. 
Once the squares dry, they will fall off/ peel off and leave a really pretty water color effect. I have students "paint" the papers and then leave them in the hall to dry. After the tissue papers dry, they peel them off into the trash can. I call them "Vivid Verbs" and hang them in the hall.
Here is a picture of my example!

 
 Other Verb Activities:



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