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Syntax and Sentence Structure
Pronoun Challenge: The Pronoun Tournament

Summary

In this literacy centre, designed for grades 4 to 6, students will compete in a Pronoun Tournament to show off their mastery of personal, possessive, and reflexive pronouns. Through pronoun-related challenges, such as sentence transformations, speed rounds, and creative writing, students will work independently to level up their pronoun skills while earning points for each correct answer.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this centre, students will be able to:
  • Identify and use personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they);
  • Correctly apply possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) in sentences;
  • Use reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves) to refer to the subject.

Material to Prepare

  • Appendix A: Pronoun Challenge Cards
  • Appendix B: Pronoun Tournament Score Sheet
  • Appendix C: Pronoun Spinner
  • Pencils and writing paper

Procedure

Step 1: The Pronoun Tournament Begins

Task: You are now a contestant in the Pronoun Tournament! You aim to complete several pronoun-related challenges and earn points for each. The more points you earn, the higher you climb in the tournament rankings.

Step 2: Draw a Pronoun Challenge Card

Activity: To determine your task, spin the Pronoun Spinner (or pick from a stack of Pronoun Challenge Cards). Each card has a different type of pronoun-related activity:

  • Personal Pronouns: To complete sentences, fill in the correct personal pronouns.
    • Example: _______ went to the store to buy some snacks.
      Answer: She went to the store to buy some snacks.
  • Possessive Pronouns: Rewrite sentences to include possessive pronouns.
    • Example: The bike belongs to Tim.
      Answer: The bike is his.
  • Reflexive Pronouns: Create sentences using reflexive pronouns.
    • Example: She cut _______ while preparing dinner.
      Answer: She cut herself while preparing dinner.

Step 3: Earn Points

Task: For each correct answer, you earn 1 point. Track your progress on your Pronoun Tournament Score Sheet. Try to earn as many points as you can by completing different challenges.

Step 4: Bonus Rounds
  • Creative Writing Challenge: Earn extra points by writing a short paragraph that includes all three types of pronouns (personal, possessive, and reflexive). You can write about anything—your favourite hobby, an imaginary world, or an exciting adventure.
    • Example: I told myself I could finish the race despite my tired legs. My coach believed in me, and I didn’t want to disappoint him.
  • Speed Round: Set a timer for 1 minute and see how many pronoun challenges you can complete within the time limit! Each correct answer in the speed round earns 2 points.

DIFFERENTIATION: Observing and providing support during analysis.

Possible Observation Intervention Strategies
Students are struggling to distinguish between personal and possessive pronouns.
  • Quickly review the difference between personal and possessive pronouns. Use visual aids to show how personal pronouns replace nouns (e.g., he, she, they) and possessive pronouns show ownership (e.g., his, her, their).
  • Provide a few examples of sentences in which students can circle or underline personal and possessive pronouns to practise identifying each type.
Students are confusing reflexive pronouns with other types of pronouns.
  • Model how reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, himself, themselves) refer to the sentence’s subject. Give specific examples like She made herself lunch.
  • Have students match reflexive pronouns to their subjects in a worksheet or sentence-building activity to reinforce how reflexive pronouns work.
Students are making errors in pronoun agreement with singular or plural nouns (e.g., using their with singular subjects).
  • Review pronoun agreement rules, adding that they/their can be used as a singular pronoun to refer to an unspecified or non-binary individual, in line with inclusive language practices. Provide clear examples of correct agreement using they/their for singular, inclusive contexts (e.g., “Everyone should bring their own lunch”).
  • Present students with sentences containing pronoun agreement errors. Ask them to correct these sentences, including instances where they/their might appropriately be used as a singular pronoun.
Students are unsure of when to use possessive pronouns vs. possessive adjectives (e.g., confusing her and hers).
  • Teach students that possessive pronouns (e.g., hers, theirs) stand-alone, while possessive adjectives (e.g., her, their) modify a noun. Provide side-by-side examples like:
    • Possessive Adjective: This is her book.
    • Possessive Pronoun: This book is hers.
  • Have students complete sentences by choosing between the possessive adjective or pronoun, reinforcing the difference in function.

Appendixes

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