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English lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 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 · 6 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? • 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.
  2. 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.
  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 · 6 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 · 12 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 · 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. Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • We visited: three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. • We: visited three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. • We visited three cities Lima: Quito and Bogotá. • We visited three cities: Lima, Quito and Bogotá. (We visited: three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. / We: visited three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. / We visited three cities Lima: Quito and Bogotá. / We visited three cities: Lima, Quito and Bogotá.) → We visited three cities: Lima, Quito and Bogotá.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).
  2. Which sentence uses a colon correctly? • We visited three cities: Lima, Quito and Bogotá. • We visited three cities Lima: Quito and Bogotá. • We: visited three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. • We visited: three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. (We visited three cities: Lima, Quito and Bogotá. / We visited three cities Lima: Quito and Bogotá. / We: visited three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá. / We visited: three cities Lima, Quito and Bogotá.) → We visited three cities: Lima, Quito and Bogotá.Prompt: The part before a colon must be a complete sentence (a main clause).

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 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).
  2. 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. (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.) → Jo had one goal: to win the race.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

eurekami

Colons

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    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.

    • A. There: was only one problem we had no map.
    • B. There was only one problem we: had no map.
    • C. There was only one: problem we had no map.
    • D. There was only one problem: we had no map.

  2. Question 2

    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.

    • A. Jo had one goal: to win the race.
    • B. Jo had one goal to: win the race.
    • C. Jo had: one goal to win the race.
    • D. Jo: had one goal to win the race.

  3. Question 3

    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.

    • A. You: will need three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.
    • B. You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.
    • C. You will need: three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.
    • D. You will need three: things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.

  4. Question 4

    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.

    • A. There was only one: problem we had no map.
    • B. There was only one problem we: had no map.
    • C. There was only one problem: we had no map.
    • D. There: was only one problem we had no map.

  5. Question 5

    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.

    • A. You: will need three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.
    • B. You will need: three things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.
    • C. You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.
    • D. You will need three: things a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.

  6. Question 6

    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.

    • A. The recipe: is simple mix, bake and enjoy.
    • B. The recipe is: simple mix, bake and enjoy.
    • C. The: recipe is simple mix, bake and enjoy.
    • D. The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.

  7. Question 7

    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.

    • A. The recipe: is simple mix, bake and enjoy.
    • B. The: recipe is simple mix, bake and enjoy.
    • C. The recipe is: simple mix, bake and enjoy.
    • D. The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.

  8. Question 8

    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.

    • A. Jo: had one goal to win the race.
    • B. Jo had: one goal to win the race.
    • C. Jo had one goal: to win the race.
    • D. Jo had one goal to: win the race.

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Answer key: Colons

  1. 1. D. There was only one problem: we had no map.

  2. 2. A. Jo had one goal: to win the race.

  3. 3. B. You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.

  4. 4. C. There was only one problem: we had no map.

  5. 5. C. You will need three things: a pencil, a ruler and a sharpener.

  6. 6. D. The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.

  7. 7. D. The recipe is simple: mix, bake and enjoy.

  8. 8. C. Jo had one goal: to win the race.