Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes

Commas in dates, addresses and letters

Punctuation

CCSS L.2.2.ACCSS L.2.2.BEngland: Y2 GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Commas in dates, addresses and letters.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Capital letters and full stops (periods)

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Capital letters and full stops (periods)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is written correctly? • a fox ran across the road • A fox ran across the road • A fox ran across the road. • a fox ran across the road. (a fox ran across the road / A fox ran across the road / A fox ran across the road. / a fox ran across the road.) → A fox ran across the road.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
  2. This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? my cat ate a fish. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the first word.
  3. Which sentence is written correctly? • a fox ran across the road. • A fox ran across the road • A fox ran across the road. • a fox ran across the road (a fox ran across the road. / A fox ran across the road / A fox ran across the road. / a fox ran across the road) → A fox ran across the road.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Commas in dates, addresses and letters. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • Austin, Texas • Austin Texas, • Austin, Texas, is • Aus,tin Texas
  • Step 1: US style: Month day, year; City, State; Dear Name, …; Love, Name.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: Austin, Texas
  • Answer: Austin, Texas
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • Dear, Grandma, • Dear, Grandma • Dear Grandma, • Dear Grandma (Dear, Grandma, / Dear, Grandma / Dear Grandma, / Dear Grandma) → Dear Grandma,Prompt: A comma goes between the day and the year, and between a city and its state or country.
  2. Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • Austin, Texas • Aus,tin Texas • Austin, Texas, is • Austin Texas, (Austin, Texas / Aus,tin Texas / Austin, Texas, is / Austin Texas,) → Austin, TexasPrompt: A comma goes between the day and the year, and between a city and its state or country.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • January 1 2030, • January 1, 2030 • January, 1, 2030 • January, 1 2030 (January 1 2030, / January 1, 2030 / January, 1, 2030 / January, 1 2030) → January 1, 2030Prompt: A comma goes between the day and the year, and between a city and its state or country.
  2. Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • July 4 1776, • July, 4 1776 • July, 4, 1776, • July 4, 1776 (July 4 1776, / July, 4 1776 / July, 4, 1776, / July 4, 1776) → July 4, 1776Prompt: A comma goes between the day and the year, and between a city and its state or country.

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Capital letters and full stops (periods).
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Commas in dates, addresses and letters

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • January, 1 2030 • January 1 2030, • January 1, 2030 • January, 1, 2030

    • A. January, 1 2030
    • B. January 1 2030,
    • C. January 1, 2030
    • D. January, 1, 2030

  2. Question 2

    Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • Your friend, Tom • Your friend, Tom, • Your, friend Tom • Your friend Tom,

    • A. Your friend, Tom
    • B. Your friend, Tom,
    • C. Your, friend Tom
    • D. Your friend Tom,

  3. Question 3

    Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • July 4, 1776 • July 4 1776, • July, 4 1776 • July, 4, 1776,

    • A. July 4, 1776
    • B. July 4 1776,
    • C. July, 4 1776
    • D. July, 4, 1776,

  4. Question 4

    Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • Mon,day March 3 • Monday March, 3 • Monday, March, 3 • Monday, March 3

    • A. Mon,day March 3
    • B. Monday March, 3
    • C. Monday, March, 3
    • D. Monday, March 3

  5. Question 5

    Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • January, 1 2030 • January 1 2030, • January, 1, 2030 • January 1, 2030

    • A. January, 1 2030
    • B. January 1 2030,
    • C. January, 1, 2030
    • D. January 1, 2030

  6. Question 6

    Which one uses commas correctly (US style)? • Dear, Grandma • Dear Grandma, • Dear Grandma • Dear, Grandma,

    • A. Dear, Grandma
    • B. Dear Grandma,
    • C. Dear Grandma
    • D. Dear, Grandma,

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Commas in dates, addresses and letters

  1. 1. C. January 1, 2030

  2. 2. A. Your friend, Tom

  3. 3. A. July 4, 1776

  4. 4. D. Monday, March 3

  5. 5. D. January 1, 2030

  6. 6. B. Dear Grandma,