Curated OER
Colons, Dashes, Hyphens, and Parentheses
When should you use a colon, dash, or hyphen? Middle schoolers insert different types of punctuation marks into given sentences. Rules for usage are included in each example.
Curated OER
Punctuation: Visible Speech
Examine the proper uses of punctuation with this easy PowerPoint. Simple, bold, and straightforward, each slide introduces a different symbol. Difficult or confusing instances are indicated as well.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Definition Context Clues
Model for young readers how to recognize definition clues and how to use these clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. Then distribute this worksheet that offers them an opportunity to practice recognizing the clues and...
Lawrence Virtual School
Context Clues
Considering a lesson on using context clues to figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words? This packet includes a brief reading passage about strategies readers can use and 12 very different graphic organizers, including a template for a...
McGraw Hill
Grammar Practice Workbook
Make sure your pupils exercise their grammar muscles with this collection of worksheets. Organized into units, the packet covers everything from the parts of speech to sentence structure to punctuation.
Curated OER
Grammar Practice: Restrictive vs. Non-Restrictive Clauses
Go over the basics of restrictive and non-restrictive clauses with this grammar worksheet. After reviewing the concepts, as well as the definitions of parentheticals and appositives, young learners label ten sentences as restrictive or...
Curated OER
Commas 101: The Basics
Clear up common questions about commas with this handy resource! Useful as a reference page as well as a grammar activity, it presents six different rules for comma usage, including fanboys, lists, and parenthetical words and phrases. A...
Curated OER
Punctuation Exercise
Are you looking for a way to practice tricky punctuation? Use this worksheet as a homework assignment or warm-up activity. Young grammarians are given 20 sentences to punctuate using semicolons, colons, dashes, quotation marks, or...
Curated OER
Writing Conventions: Combining Sentences with Appositives
Young grammarians as well as language learners can benefit from a short presentation about using appositives to combine short, related sentences. After a brief definition of terms, pairs share their ideas and combine model sentences.
Curated OER
Thomas Jefferson: Philosopher of Freedom
Students view a documentary on Thomas Jefferson. Statesman, scientist, architect, president-he was America's dashing Renaissance man. After viewing, students discuss what they saw then write their own version of a biography of Thomas...
Curated OER
Descriptive Words
Students use descriptive words in writing. In this descriptive words lesson, students learn to show instead of tell. Students enter into a discussion of adjectives and adverbs, then add descriptive words to sentences to make vivid word...
K12 Reader
Pronouns and Antecedents
Practice the basics of pronoun-antecedent agreement by assigning this exercise. Class members identify both the pronoun and the antecedents in ten sentences.
Curated OER
Egyptian Burial
Students research burial tombs of ancient Egypt. Acting as pharaohs of Egypt, students create burial plans to decide what items they would include in their own tombs and why. They find another student to analyze their plan.