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English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes

Hyphens to avoid ambiguity

Punctuation

CCSS L.5.2England: Y6 GPS (hyphens)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity.

  • 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: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis

Leads to: Hyphens in compound modifiers (a well-known author)

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 (Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  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. (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.) → Our cat, a grumpy old tabby, sleeps all day.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.
  3. Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. • The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet. (The – volcano which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano which – last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet. / The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 is now quiet.) → The volcano – which last erupted in 1902 – is now quiet.Prompt: Parenthesis is extra information. If you remove it, the sentence should still make sense.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity. 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: What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? The fast-moving river was dangerous.
  • Step 1: Hyphens join words or a prefix to a word to make the meaning clear.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: the river moved quickly
  • Answer: the river moved quickly
  • 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. What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? The fast-moving river was dangerous. (the river moved quickly / the river was fast and also moving house) → the river moved quicklyPrompt: The hyphen joins words into one describing word.
  2. What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? I need to re-cover the sofa. (get better after being ill / put a new cover on it) → put a new cover on itPrompt: The hyphen joins words into one describing word.

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 5 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. What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? There were twenty-odd people at the party. (twenty strange people / about twenty people) → about twenty peoplePrompt: The hyphen joins words into one describing word.
  2. What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? I need to re-cover the sofa. (get better after being ill / put a new cover on it) → put a new cover on itPrompt: The hyphen joins words into one describing word.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis.
  • 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 in compound modifiers (a well-known author).
  • 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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Hyphens to avoid ambiguity

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Date

Score/ 5

  1. Question 1

    What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? There were twenty-odd people at the party.

    • A. twenty strange people
    • B. about twenty people

  2. Question 2

    What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? I need to re-cover the sofa.

    • A. get better after being ill
    • B. put a new cover on it

  3. Question 3

    What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? She is a little-used book collector.

    • A. she is a small person who collects used books
    • B. she collects books that are not used much

  4. Question 4

    What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? We saw a man-eating shark.

    • A. a man who is eating shark meat
    • B. a shark that eats people

  5. Question 5

    What does the hyphen tell us this sentence means? The fast-moving river was dangerous.

    • A. the river moved quickly
    • B. the river was fast and also moving house

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Answer key: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity

  1. 1. B. about twenty people

  2. 2. B. put a new cover on it

  3. 3. B. she collects books that are not used much

  4. 4. B. a shark that eats people

  5. 5. A. the river moved quickly