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

Titles of works: italics or quotation marks? (US style)

Punctuation

CCSS L.5.2.DEngland: Y5/6 Writing (presentation)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Titles of works: italics or quotation marks? (US style).

  • 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: Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue

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 (Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • Watch out! "shouted the guard." • "Watch out!" shouted the guard. • "Watch out"! shouted the guard. • "Watch out! shouted the guard." (Watch out! "shouted the guard." / "Watch out!" shouted the guard. / "Watch out"! shouted the guard. / "Watch out! shouted the guard.") → "Watch out!" shouted the guard.Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.
  2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • "Let's go to the park" said Mia. • "Let's go to the park, said Mia." • "Let's go to the park," said Mia. • Let's go to the park," said Mia. ("Let's go to the park" said Mia. / "Let's go to the park, said Mia." / "Let's go to the park," said Mia. / Let's go to the park," said Mia.) → "Let's go to the park," said Mia.Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.
  3. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? • "I love this song," whispered Priya. • "I love this song." whispered Priya. • "I love this song whispered Priya." • "I love this song", whispered Priya. ("I love this song," whispered Priya. / "I love this song." whispered Priya. / "I love this song whispered Priya." / "I love this song", whispered Priya.) → "I love this song," whispered Priya.Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.

Hook · 3 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Titles of works: italics or quotation marks? (US style). 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: In US style, how do you show the title of a poem?
  • Step 1: Italicise (or underline) titles of long, whole works; put titles of short works and parts in quotation marks.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: quotation marks
  • Answer: quotation marks
  • 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. In US style, how do you show the title of a magazine? (italics (underline it when handwriting) / quotation marks) → italics (underline it when handwriting)Prompt: Is it a whole, long work, or a short piece that is part of something bigger?
  2. Read the question. Which of these titles would go in quotation marks? (a TV series called Paper Moon / an album called Paper Moon / a song called Paper Moon / a play called Paper Moon) → a song called Paper MoonPrompt: Long, whole works → italics.

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. In US style, how do you show the title of a poem? (italics (underline it when handwriting) / quotation marks) → quotation marksPrompt: Is it a whole, long work, or a short piece that is part of something bigger?
  2. Read the question. Which of these titles would go in quotation marks? (a film called Night Train / a magazine called Night Train / a novel called Night Train / a poem called Night Train) → a poem called Night TrainPrompt: Long, whole works → italics.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue.
  • 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-5.

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

eurekami

Titles of works: italics or quotation marks? (US style)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Read the question. Which of these titles would go in quotation marks?

    • A. a video game called Into the Cave
    • B. a newspaper called Into the Cave
    • C. a chapter called Into the Cave
    • D. a book called Into the Cave

  2. Question 2

    In US style, how do you show the title of a film (movie)?

    • A. italics (underline it when handwriting)
    • B. quotation marks

  3. Question 3

    Read the question. Which of these titles would go in italics?

    • A. an episode called Robots of Riverside
    • B. a short story called Robots of Riverside
    • C. a poem called Robots of Riverside
    • D. a film called Robots of Riverside

  4. Question 4

    In US style, how do you show the title of a magazine?

    • A. italics (underline it when handwriting)
    • B. quotation marks

  5. Question 5

    In US style, how do you show the title of a play?

    • A. italics (underline it when handwriting)
    • B. quotation marks

  6. Question 6

    In US style, how do you show the title of a short story?

    • A. italics (underline it when handwriting)
    • B. quotation marks

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Answer key: Titles of works: italics or quotation marks? (US style)

  1. 1. C. a chapter called Into the Cave

  2. 2. A. italics (underline it when handwriting)

  3. 3. D. a film called Robots of Riverside

  4. 4. A. italics (underline it when handwriting)

  5. 5. A. italics (underline it when handwriting)

  6. 6. B. quotation marks