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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes

Complete sentence or fragment?

Writing & Editing

CCSS L.3.1.ICCSS L.4.1.FEngland: Y3 GPS (sentences)England: Y3/4 Writing (proofreading)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Complete sentence or fragment?.

  • 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: What makes a sentence?; Who or what? Did what? (subject and predicate)

Leads to: Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices

Materials: A model text, Planning frame, Checklists for editing, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (What makes a sentence?; Who or what? Did what? (subject and predicate)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which one is a complete sentence? • fed the ducks • Omar fed the ducks. • omar fed • Omar the ducks. (fed the ducks / Omar fed the ducks. / omar fed / Omar the ducks.) → Omar fed the ducks.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
  2. Which part is the SUBJECT (who or what the sentence is about)? Three red balloons floated into the sky. (balloons floated / into the sky / Three red / Three red balloons) → Three red balloonsPrompt: Ask: who or what did something?
  3. Which part is the PREDICATE (what the subject does)? Grandma and Grandpa grow tomatoes. (Grandma and / grow tomatoes. / and Grandpa / Grandma and Grandpa) → grow tomatoes.Prompt: Find the subject first: who or what?

Hook · 5 min

  • Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
  • Share the objective: Complete sentence or fragment?. 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: Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? After lunch on Friday.
  • Step 1: A complete sentence has a subject and a verb and makes sense on its own. A fragment is missing something.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: fragment
  • Answer: fragment
  • 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. Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? The big brown dog slept in the garden. (complete sentence / fragment) → complete sentencePrompt: Does it say WHO or WHAT, and what they DO or ARE?
  2. Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Splashed in the puddles. (In the puddles splashed. / Splashed, in the puddles. / Splashed in the big puddles. / The twins splashed in the puddles.) → The twins splashed in the puddles.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.

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. Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Splashed in the puddles. (The twins splashed in the puddles. / In the puddles splashed. / Splashed, in the puddles. / Splashed in the big puddles.) → The twins splashed in the puddles.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.
  2. Which one is a fragment? (Before we left, we packed a picnic. / Leave for the park now. / We left for the park. / Before we left for the park.) → Before we left for the park.Prompt: Read each one aloud. Which leaves you waiting for more?

Watch out for

  • Writing everything at once without planning.
  • Editing only spelling and not whether the writing makes sense.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: What makes a sentence?.
  • Use concrete materials: a model text.
  • 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: Spot and fix run-on sentences and comma splices.
  • 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

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Complete sentence or fragment?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which one is a fragment?

    • A. The crowd cheered at the match.
    • B. The noisy crowd at the match.
    • C. Cheer for your team!
    • D. The noisy crowd went home.

  2. Question 2

    Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Because it was raining.

    • A. Because it was raining a lot.
    • B. We stayed in because it was raining.
    • C. Raining because it was.
    • D. Because, it was raining.

  3. Question 3

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? The owls hooted.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  4. Question 4

    Which is the best way to fix this fragment? The tall girl with the red scarf.

    • A. The tall girl with the very red scarf.
    • B. The tall girl, with the red scarf.
    • C. The tall girl with the red scarf won the race.
    • D. With the red scarf the tall girl.

  5. Question 5

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? Because the bus was late.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  6. Question 6

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? We ran all the way to school.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  7. Question 7

    Which is the best way to fix this fragment? Splashed in the puddles.

    • A. The twins splashed in the puddles.
    • B. In the puddles splashed.
    • C. Splashed in the big puddles.
    • D. Splashed, in the puddles.

  8. Question 8

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? My friend from swimming club.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

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Answer key: Complete sentence or fragment?

  1. 1. B. The noisy crowd at the match.

  2. 2. B. We stayed in because it was raining.

  3. 3. A. complete sentence

  4. 4. C. The tall girl with the red scarf won the race.

  5. 5. B. fragment

  6. 6. A. complete sentence

  7. 7. A. The twins splashed in the puddles.

  8. 8. B. fragment