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English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes

Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

Punctuation

CCSS L.5.2CCSS L.7.2.AEngland: Y5 GPS (parenthesis)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis.

  • 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: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses

Leads to: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity; Colons; Dashes and ellipses for effect

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 (Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Ella please close the, door. • Ella please close, the door. • Ella please, close the door. • Ella, please close the door. (Ella please close the, door. / Ella please close, the door. / Ella please, close the door. / Ella, please close the door.) → Ella, please close the door.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
  2. A: Ready, Mum? Let's go! B: Ready Mum? Let's go! Which sentence is punctuated correctly? (A / B) → APrompt: Read both sentences aloud, pausing at each comma.
  3. Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Before breakfast Jo, walks the dog. • Before breakfast Jo walks, the dog. • Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog. • Before, breakfast Jo walks the dog. (Before breakfast Jo, walks the dog. / Before breakfast Jo walks, the dog. / Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog. / Before, breakfast Jo walks the dog.) → Before breakfast, Jo walks the dog.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis. 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 sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The test thankfully – was easy –. • The – test thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully was easy.
  • Step 1: Brackets, dashes or commas can enclose extra information. They come in pairs, around only the extra words.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: The test – thankfully – was easy.
  • Answer: The test – thankfully – was easy.
  • 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 sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The (Nile over 6,600 km long) flows north. • The Nile (over 6,600 km long flows north). • The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north. • The Nile over (6,600 km long) flows north. (The (Nile over 6,600 km long) flows north. / The Nile (over 6,600 km long flows north). / The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north. / The Nile over (6,600 km long) flows north.) → The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.
  2. Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The test – thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully was easy. • The – test thankfully – was easy. • The test thankfully – was easy –. (The test – thankfully – was easy. / The test – thankfully was easy. / The – test thankfully – was easy. / The test thankfully – was easy –.) → The test – thankfully – was easy.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.

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 sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The Nile (over 6,600 km long flows north). • The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north. • The (Nile over 6,600 km long) flows north. • The Nile over (6,600 km long) flows north. (The Nile (over 6,600 km long flows north). / The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north. / The (Nile over 6,600 km long) flows north. / The Nile over (6,600 km long) flows north.) → The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.
  2. Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north. • The Nile over (6,600 km long) flows north. • The (Nile over 6,600 km long) flows north. • The Nile (over 6,600 km long flows north). (The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north. / The Nile over (6,600 km long) flows north. / The (Nile over 6,600 km long) flows north. / The Nile (over 6,600 km long flows north).) → The Nile (over 6,600 km long) flows north.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses.
  • 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

  • Move on to: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity; Colons; Dashes and ellipses for effect.
  • 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-5.

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

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Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day. • Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day. • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day. • Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

    • A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.
    • B. Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day.
    • C. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day.
    • D. Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Mr Diaz, our head teacher plays the drums. • Mr Diaz our head teacher, plays the drums. • Mr, Diaz our head teacher plays the drums. • Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums.

    • A. Mr Diaz, our head teacher plays the drums.
    • B. Mr Diaz our head teacher, plays the drums.
    • C. Mr, Diaz our head teacher plays the drums.
    • D. Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums.

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Mr Diaz, our head teacher plays the drums. • Mr, Diaz our head teacher plays the drums. • Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums. • Mr Diaz our head teacher, plays the drums.

    • A. Mr Diaz, our head teacher plays the drums.
    • B. Mr, Diaz our head teacher plays the drums.
    • C. Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums.
    • D. Mr Diaz our head teacher, plays the drums.

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees). • My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

    • A. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • B. My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • C. My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees).
    • D. My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees). • My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees.

    • A. My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees).
    • B. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • C. My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees.
    • D. My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees.

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day. • Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day. • Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day. • Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day.

    • A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.
    • B. Our, cat a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.
    • C. Our cat a grumpy, old tabby sleeps all day.
    • D. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby sleeps all day.

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Answer key: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

  1. 1. A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.

  2. 2. D. Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums.

  3. 3. C. Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums.

  4. 4. A. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

  5. 5. B. My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.

  6. 6. A. Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.