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Showing posts with label sentences. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sentences. Show all posts

Answering in Complete Sentences

Getting students to answer questions in complete sentences is no easy task, is it?

 
Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.
 

Here are some hints on making it easier on the kids! 
Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.
Let's say the question is "What is your favorite food?" 
Teach them how to use the words from the question to start off their answer. 
"My favorite food is..."

Another question could be, "How can you show kindness?" 
"I can show kindness by..."

Or perhaps you could ask, "How could you help someone who forgot his lunch?"
"I could help someone who forgot his lunch by..."

Here's one more example: "What animal would NOT make a good pet?"
"An animal that would NOT make a good pet is..."

It's important they get plenty of opportunities to hear this process before they go to the next step.
Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.
Now they need to get more involved! Instead of just hearing it, they need to practice orally.

I find this works well as a whole group, as in Morning Meeting. Ask one question to the group, and have each student tell their answer in complete sentences, using words from the question to start their answers. 

It's a good idea to review how they'll be starting their answers:
"My favorite food is..."
"I can show kindness by..."
"I could help someone who forgot his lunch by..."
"An animal that would NOT make a good pet is..."

As they are practicing, make sure the questions are interesting and fun, so they will be more interested in sharing their answers! (Plus, it's fun for the rest of us to hear their answers!)

Be sure to compliment those who elaborate on their answers, rather than simply one or two words. This is our end goal!

"My favorite food is spaghetti."
or
"My favorite food is spaghetti, with meatballs and lots of cheese on top."

"I can show kindness by helping."
or
"I can show kindness by helping someone who doesn't understand their math, or gets hurt on the playground."

"An animal that would NOT make a good pet is an elephant."
or
"An animal that would NOT make a good pet is an elephant because it would cost too much to feed it, and it wouldn't fit in my room!"

See what I mean?
Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.
Here's where you add the paper! 

Here's my little trick: have them meet with a friend and tell what they're going to write, word for word! Seriously, if they are going to write the language, they need to be able to speak it first! In fact, when they're first starting this skill, I might have them meet with a few partners before they sit down with the paper. (This is a trick I use with many aspects of writing... tell it first!)

I usually make a point to meet with a few children that I anticipate might struggle with this. 

Once I get those "strugglers" going, I'll check in with others to keep them on track.

Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.
Once they're ready, it's time for them to practice this skill without the guidance. It's a great way to start the day: post a question for the day, and have them answer it in complete sentences while you take attendance and lunch count.

It's still a good idea to have them practice orally with a friend before writing. 

Then, after they've written, sharing is encouraged!

Going back to revise after sharing is also encouraged!

Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.
I find the best way to encourage children to answer questions fully is to share the best ones. I'll go through the papers, find some that are well done, and share those to the whole class. I make sure I choose several different examples that show a variety of ways to answer.

Are you ready to start asking questions? 
I happen to have plenty of questions, based on fun daily holidays:
 
Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.

Each month is also available separately:

 
The July edition is free if you want to give it a try!

Look at all you get!

 
Each month has a page to display, a page to write on (with the same question), plus, a link to a related Boom Learning Daily Trivia activity! (Great for centers, fast finishers, and Gifted and Talented challenges!)

Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.

Plus, these make great backgrounds for virtual learning! 
(Although, we're hoping we won't need those again!)
 
Answering in Complete Sentences: This post shares 5 steps to get the children to use words from the question to answer in complete sentences. Plus, several examples, and ideas for resources.


Halloween Favorites!

Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays! 

Why? Well, first of all, it's a chance to be something you're not. What kid (of all ages) doesn't like to play pretend? 

Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.


I also love Halloween because of all the great children's literature out there! Here are some favorites! (These are Amazon affiliate links!)

Who doesn't love this one?

I'll be exploring the world of bats this week with my class. Gail Gibbons is my favorite author of information books for second graders. She presents information in a way that little ones can understand


I have two copies of In a Dark, Dark Room, and both copies are barely holding together! That's a good sign that it's a popular book!
 
I also have a few Halloween-related joke books, and they are wildly popular! (It's also an excellent time to introduce homophones since most jokes depend upon a double meaning!)

On Halloween day, I usually read a kid's version of the classic The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. If I have a class that can handle it, I'll turn off the lights, but I don't want to scare the dickens out of those sensitive ones!
 
Last but certainly not least is my very favorite Halloween story, the Hallo-wiener! Who doesn't love a book where the underdog becomes the hero? (Pun intended!)

Besides books, I try to squeeze in some Halloween fun wherever I can! 

Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.

See the image above for this sampler (dollar deal!) of Halloween No Prep Worksheets and Printables! Or, for the whole set, see the image below:
 
Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.

We're working on sentences in my classroom. This set received a lot of attention last week—just see the image! (dollar deal!)

Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.
  
Or, if you'd prefer the full set, see this image!

Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.


 Or perhaps you're looking for some math? (dollar deal!)

Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.


Here's a fun trivia activity on the Boom Learning Platform:

Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.

 Check out this fun Boom Learning deck with a mapping theme: Halloween Mapping!


Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.

Still looking for Halloween resources? This bundle has plenty of October resources at a huge discount! 
Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.

How do you celebrate Halloween?

What are your favorite books?

What are your favorite Halloween activities?


Halloween Favorites! This post has several book recommendations, resources, and even a couple of Halloween related dollar deals!.

Sentences, With a Halloween Twist

My students have been learning the four kinds of sentences. 

Sentences, With a Halloween Twist! Here's a chance for your students to practice several skills including reading with expression, sentence types, fantasy vs realistic, and complete sentence vs sentence fragment. Perfect literacy and Halloween fun for grades 1-3!

They're getting pretty good at naming the 4 kinds (Statement, Question, Command, Exclamation) and can easily identify that they all should begin with a capital and end with punctuation. 

However, when I say a sentence (or when they read one) they're still working at figuring out what kind of sentence it is. So I decided to take matters into my own hands, in a fun way, with a Halloween Twist!

Sentences, With a Halloween Twist! Here's a chance for your students to practice several skills including reading with expression, sentence types, fantasy vs realistic, and complete sentence vs sentence fragment. Perfect literacy and Halloween fun for grades 1-3!


I made this activity with lots of sentences of each kind.  Of course, each of the sentences has something to do with Halloween!  I used mostly Dolch words, but I added some of their favorite Halloween words.  (They always remember those, don't they?)


I made some sorting cards, with reminders of each kind of sentence, along with 28 sentences.  I also added a few other activities to do with the same sentences, based on the Common Core for grades 2 and 3 including realistic or fantasy and complete sentence or sentence fragment. I think they're going to love it!  

Here's a little movie to give you an idea how it's used!


The children will be having so much fun, they won't even realize they're practicing important reading and sentence skills!

Sentences, With a Halloween Twist! Here's a chance for your students to practice several skills including reading with expression, sentence types, fantasy vs realistic, and complete sentence vs sentence fragment. Perfect literacy and Halloween fun for grades 1-3!





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