English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
Commas in lists
Punctuation
CCSS L.3.2CCSS L.5.2.AEngland: Y2 GPS (commas in lists)England: Y3 GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Commas in lists.
- 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: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Proofreading for punctuation; Comma before and, but, or, so in compound sentences
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.
- Which sentence is written correctly? • We made a big sandcastle • we made a big sandcastle • We made a big sandcastle. • we made a big sandcastle. (We made a big sandcastle / we made a big sandcastle / We made a big sandcastle. / we made a big sandcastle.) → We made a big sandcastle.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
- This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? on saturday we visited grandma in leeds. (2 / 3 / 4 / 5) → 4Prompt: Count the first word.
- Which sentence is written correctly? • The bus was late today. • The bus was late today • the bus was late today • the bus was late today. (The bus was late today. / The bus was late today / the bus was late today / the bus was late today.) → The bus was late today.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 lists. 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 commas correctly? • We saw lions tigers and bears. • We saw lions, tigers, and, bears. • We saw, lions, tigers and bears. • We saw lions, tigers and bears.
- Step 1: Put a comma between items in a list. Before the last item use 'and' (US writers often add a comma before 'and' too: the serial or Oxford comma).
- Step 2: So the answer is: We saw lions, tigers and bears.
- Answer: We saw lions, tigers and bears.
- 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.
- Which sentence uses commas correctly? • Grandpa grows, carrots, beans, peas and onions. • Grandpa grows carrots beans peas and onions. • Grandpa, grows carrots, beans, peas, and, onions. • Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions. (Grandpa grows, carrots, beans, peas and onions. / Grandpa grows carrots beans peas and onions. / Grandpa, grows carrots, beans, peas, and, onions. / Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions.) → Grandpa grows carrots, beans, peas and onions.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.
- How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need Ali Beth Chen and Dara. (0 / 1 / 2 / 4) → 2Prompt: Count the items in the list.
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.
- How many commas are needed in this list (UK style, no comma before "and")? We need a torch a map and a compass. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the items in the list.
- Which sentence uses commas correctly? • The flag is red white and green. • The flag, is red white and green. • The flag is, red, white and green. • The flag is red, white and green. (The flag is red white and green. / The flag, is red white and green. / The flag is, red, white and green. / The flag is red, white and green.) → The flag is red, white and green.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.
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
- Move on to: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses; Proofreading for punctuation; Comma before and, but, or, so in compound sentences.
- 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-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder