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Syntax and Sentence Structure
Flash Your Knowledge: Sentence Detective

Summary

In this literacy centre for grades 4 to 6, students will create and use flashcards to practise identifying complete sentences, fragments, and run-on sentences. They will write and categorize their sentences. Afterwards, they will challenge each other to identify the sentence types correctly. If a sentence is a fragment or run-on sentence, they will provide a corrected version, deepening their understanding of sentence structure. Students will also work on solving a mystery riddle by reading a short story filled with various sentence types.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this centre, students will be able to:
  • Identify and differentiate between complete sentences, fragment sentences, and run-on sentences;
  • Correct fragments and run-on sentences to create grammatically accurate sentences;
  • Collaborate with peers to reinforce their understanding of sentence types through interactive practice and discussion;
  • Use critical thinking and editing skills by evaluating and revising sentences in the context of a mystery story.

Material to Prepare

  • Appendix A: Flash Cards Template
  • Appendix B: Solve the Riddle
  • Pencils or pens
  • Scissors
  • Dictionaries and thesauruses (optional)

Procedure

Instructions for Students
  • Create Your Flash Cards:
    • Using the template provided in Appendix A, create ten flashcards. On the front of each card, write a sentence that could be a complete, a fragment, or a run-on sentence.
  • Write Answers on the Back:
    • Identify the right type of sentence (Complete, Fragment, or Run-On) on the back of each flash card. If it is a fragment or run-on, write a corrected version of the sentence under “How to fix it!”
  • Partner Up and Play the Game:
    • Once the cards are ready, pair up with a partner. Take turns reading each other’s sentences and guessing the correct type. Discuss any fragments or run-ons and how you corrected them.
  • Solve the Riddle:
    • Read the story in Appendix B carefully. Identify each sentence type by highlighting:
      • Complete sentences in yellow;
      • Fragments in blue;
      • Run-on sentences in green.
    • Correct the fragments by making them complete sentences and fix the run-on sentences by breaking them into smaller sentences or adding the proper punctuation.
    • After correcting the sentences, use the clues in the story to solve the riddle!
  • Reflect and Discuss:
    • After the activity, reflect on the sentences you corrected. How did fixing fragments and run-on sentences make the story more apparent? Share examples with your classmates.

DIFFERENTIATION: Observing and providing support during analysis.

Possible Observation Intervention Strategies
Students are confused about identifying sentence fragments.
  • Provide a mini-lesson with clear examples and non-examples of fragments, focusing on key characteristics such as missing subjects or verbs.
  • Offer one-on-one or small group support using sentence sorting cards to practise fragment identification.
  • Use sentence starters to help students begin constructing complete sentences.
Students are struggling to correct run-on sentences.
  • Demonstrate using conjunctions or punctuation (e.g., periods, semicolons) to break up run-on sentences.
  • Offer sentence starters and practise worksheets to reinforce understanding of sentence boundaries.
  • Have students rewrite run-on sentences, focusing on creating compound or complex sentences.
Some students finish quickly and need more challenging tasks.
  • Challenge advanced students to create compound-complex sentences or identify errors in longer or more complex passages.
  • Ask students to create their flashcards using more sophisticated sentence structures for their peers to solve.
  • Encourage students to write a short story using a variety of sentence types, focusing on eliminating fragments and run-ons.

Appendixes

Download the Appendixes document

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