English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 60 minutes
Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis
Punctuation
CCSS L.5.2CCSS L.7.2.AEngland: Y5 GPS (parenthesis)England: KS2 SATs GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis.
- 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: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses
Leads to: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity; Colons; Dashes and ellipses for effect
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 (Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • Ella please close, the door. • Ella please, close the door. • Ella, please close the door. • Ella please close the, door. (Ella please close, the door. / Ella please, close the door. / Ella, please close the door. / Ella please close the, door.) → Ella, please close the door.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
- A: Let's eat, Grandma! B: Let's eat Grandma! Which sentence invites Grandma to eat? (A / B) → APrompt: Read both sentences aloud, pausing at each comma.
- Which sentence has the comma in the right place? • When the bell, rings line up quietly. • When, the bell rings line up quietly. • When the bell rings line up, quietly. • When the bell rings, line up quietly. (When the bell, rings line up quietly. / When, the bell rings line up quietly. / When the bell rings line up, quietly. / When the bell rings, line up quietly.) → When the bell rings, line up quietly.Prompt: Find where the opening phrase or clause ends and the main clause begins.
Hook · 6 min
- Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
- Share the objective: Brackets, dashes and commas for parenthesis. 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 parenthesis correctly? • The test thankfully – was easy –. • The – test thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully – was easy. • The test – thankfully was easy.
- Step 1: Brackets, dashes or commas can enclose extra information. They come in pairs, around only the extra words.
- Step 2: So the answer is: The test – thankfully – was easy.
- Answer: The test – thankfully – was easy.
- 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.
- Which sentence uses parenthesis correctly? • My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees. • My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees). (My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees. / My (uncle who lives in Wales) keeps bees. / My uncle who (lives in Wales) keeps bees. / My uncle (who lives in Wales keeps bees).) → My uncle (who lives in Wales) keeps bees.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.
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.
- 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? • 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.
Watch out for
- Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
- Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Commas after fronted adverbials and subordinate clauses.
- 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: Hyphens to avoid ambiguity; Colons; Dashes and ellipses for effect.
- 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder