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English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes

Proofreading for punctuation

Punctuation

CCSS L.6.2CCSS L.6.2.BEngland: KS2 SATs GPSEngland: KS3 SPaG

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Proofreading for punctuation.

  • 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: Apostrophes for possession; Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue; Commas in lists

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 (Apostrophes for possession; Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue; Commas in lists). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which shows possession correctly? the bike that belongs to Sam (Sams bike / Sams' bike / Sam's bike / Sam bike's) → Sam's bikePrompt: Who is the owner? One owner or more than one?
  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 uses commas correctly? • We bought apples, pears, and, plums. • We bought apples pears and plums. • We bought apples, pears and plums. • We bought, apples, pears and plums. (We bought apples, pears, and, plums. / We bought apples pears and plums. / We bought apples, pears and plums. / We bought, apples, pears and plums.) → We bought apples, pears and plums.Prompt: Commas separate the items in a list.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Proofreading for punctuation. 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: On tuesday we went to the zoo, we saw lions. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there?
  • Step 1: Proofread in stages so you notice every kind of error.
  • Step 2: 'Tuesday' needs a capital, and the comma splice needs a full stop or semicolon.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: 2
  • Answer: 2
  • 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. Sam bought milk eggs and bread at the shop How many punctuation errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 2Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.
  2. my cousins dog is called Pepper and its very naughty. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 3Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.

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. "where are you going asked Mum. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 3Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.
  2. Sam bought milk eggs and bread at the shop How many punctuation errors are there? (1 / 2 / 3 / 4) → 2Prompt: Check capitals, then end marks, then commas, then apostrophes and speech marks.

Watch out for

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

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Apostrophes for possession.
  • 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-6.

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

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Proofreading for punctuation

Name

Date

Score/ 5

  1. Question 1

    Sam bought milk eggs and bread at the shop How many punctuation errors are there?

    • A. 1
    • B. 2
    • C. 3
    • D. 4

  2. Question 2

    On tuesday we went to the zoo, we saw lions. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there?

    • A. 1
    • B. 2
    • C. 3
    • D. 4

  3. Question 3

    "where are you going asked Mum. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there?

    • A. 1
    • B. 2
    • C. 3
    • D. 4

  4. Question 4

    my cousins dog is called Pepper and its very naughty. How many punctuation or capital-letter errors are there?

    • A. 1
    • B. 2
    • C. 3
    • D. 4

  5. Question 5

    The childrens' coats were wet so they hung them up. How many punctuation errors are there?

    • A. 0
    • B. 1
    • C. 2
    • D. 3

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Answer key: Proofreading for punctuation

  1. 1. B. 2

  2. 2. B. 2

  3. 3. C. 3

  4. 4. C. 3

  5. 5. C. 2