English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 45 minutes
Colons
Punctuation
CCSS L.6.2CCSS L.9-10.2.BEngland: Y6 GPS (colons)England: KS2 SATs GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Colons.
- 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: Semicolons; Punctuating quotations in essays; When is a colon correct?
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums. • Mr Diaz, our head teacher plays the drums. • Mr Diaz our head teacher, plays the drums. • Mr, Diaz our head teacher plays the drums. (Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums. / Mr Diaz, our head teacher plays the drums. / Mr Diaz our head teacher, plays the drums. / Mr, Diaz our head teacher plays the drums.) → Mr Diaz, our head teacher, plays the drums.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: Colons. 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: Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • Jo had: one goal to win the race. • Jo had one goal: to win the race. • Jo: had one goal to win the race. • Jo had one goal to: win the race.
- Step 1: A colon follows a complete main clause and introduces a list, an explanation or an example.
- Step 2: So the answer is: Jo had one goal: to win the race.
- Answer: Jo had one goal: to win the race.
- 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.
- Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • You will need: three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. • You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. • You: will need three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. • You will need three: things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. (You will need: three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. / You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. / You: will need three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. / You will need three: things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.) → You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
- Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. • You: will need three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. • You will need: three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. • You will need three: things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. (You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. / You: will need three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. / You will need: three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener. / You will need three: things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.) → You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
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.
- Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • There was only one: problem we had no map. • There was only one problem: we had no map. • There was only one problem we: had no map. • There: was only one problem we had no map. (There was only one: problem we had no map. / There was only one problem: we had no map. / There was only one problem we: had no map. / There: was only one problem we had no map.) → There was only one problem: we had no map.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
- Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • The: recipe is simple mix, bake and enjoy. • The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy. • The recipe is: simple mix, bake and enjoy. • The recipe: is simple mix, bake and enjoy. (The: recipe is simple mix, bake and enjoy. / The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy. / The recipe is: simple mix, bake and enjoy. / The recipe: is simple mix, bake and enjoy.) → The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
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: Semicolons; Punctuating quotations in essays; When is a colon correct?.
- 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