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English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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? • Tom asked, "Where is my coat?" • Tom asked, Where is my coat? • Tom asked "where is my coat?" • Tom asked, "Where is my coat"? (Tom asked, "Where is my coat?" / Tom asked, Where is my coat? / Tom asked "where is my coat?" / Tom asked, "Where is my coat"?) → Tom asked, "Where is my coat?"Prompt: Speech marks (quotation marks) go around the exact words spoken, including their punctuation.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 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 newspaper? (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 italics? (a film called Robots of Riverside / a poem called Robots of Riverside / an episode called Robots of Riverside / a short story called Robots of Riverside) → a film called Robots of RiversidePrompt: Long, whole works → italics.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Read the question. Which of these titles would go in quotation marks? (a song called Paper Moon / an album called Paper Moon / a TV series called Paper Moon / a play called Paper Moon) → a song called Paper MoonPrompt: Long, whole works → italics.
  2. In US style, how do you show the title of a song? (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?

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/ 8

  1. Question 1

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

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

  2. Question 2

    In US style, how do you show the title of an album of songs?

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

  3. Question 3

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

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

  4. Question 4

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

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

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

    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

  7. Question 7

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

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

  8. Question 8

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

    • 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. B. a chapter called Into the Cave

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

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

  4. 4. B. quotation marks

  5. 5. B. quotation marks

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

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

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