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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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? • rang loudly • The bell loudly. • the bell rang • The bell rang loudly. (rang loudly / The bell loudly. / the bell rang / The bell rang loudly.) → The bell rang loudly.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
  2. Which part is the SUBJECT (who or what the sentence is about)? The tallest girl in the team scored the goal. (the team scored / The tallest girl in the team / scored the goal / The tallest) → The tallest girl in the teamPrompt: Ask: who or what did something?
  3. Which part is the PREDICATE (what the subject does)? The little puppy chased its tail. (The little puppy / puppy chased / The little / chased its tail.) → chased its tail.Prompt: Find the subject first: who or what?

Hook · 6 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 · 12 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 · 12 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? When the bell rang, everyone cheered. (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? Under the bed. (Under, the bed. / Under the big bed. / The slippers are under the bed. / Under the bed, quickly.) → The slippers are under the bed.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which one is a fragment? (Eat something if you are hungry. / I was hungry. / I ate because I was hungry. / Because I was hungry.) → Because I was hungry.Prompt: Read each one aloud. Which leaves you waiting for more?
  2. Which is the best way to fix this fragment? The tall girl with the red scarf. (The tall girl with the very red scarf. / With the red scarf the tall girl. / The tall girl with the red scarf won the race. / The tall girl, with the red scarf.) → The tall girl with the red scarf won the race.Prompt: Adding more describing words does not fix a fragment.

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

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

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  2. Question 2

    Which one is a fragment?

    • A. Swinging is fun.
    • B. Monkeys swing from branch to branch.
    • C. Swinging from branch to branch.
    • D. The monkey swung from branch to branch.

  3. Question 3

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

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

  4. Question 4

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? Jumping over all the puddles.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  5. Question 5

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

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

  6. Question 6

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? When the bell rang.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  7. Question 7

    Is this a complete sentence or a fragment? Under the bridge by the river.

    • A. complete sentence
    • B. fragment

  8. Question 8

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

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

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Answer key: Complete sentence or fragment?

  1. 1. A. complete sentence

  2. 2. C. Swinging from branch to branch.

  3. 3. D. We stayed in because it was raining.

  4. 4. B. fragment

  5. 5. B. The tall girl with the red scarf won the race.

  6. 6. B. fragment

  7. 7. B. fragment

  8. 8. D. The twins splashed in the puddles.