We are in our first "teaching" week. I just wondered if anyone had some new ideas to help teach the 4 types of sentences. We also are suppose to know interjections. Any ideas? Thanks
I've never really understood having the students memorize the names for the 4 types of sentences, though I have taught that as well.
One activity would be to hand out 4 sticky notes. During their silent reading, have them identify the different types of sentences and write each on a different sticky note. Put up butcher paper with the names of the different types of sentences on each different colored paper. Ask students to place their sentences on the appropriate paper. Review the results.
I found this idea in a book a couple years ago. I have the students write a "Great Sentence Caper." They write a play with four characters. Each character can only speak in one type of sentence. The play is a mystery and it usually is only about 10-20 lines long. It is usually titled "The Case of the Missing ____"
An example would be:
Grandpa: Where are my glasses? (interrogative)
Grandma: Check the drawer. (imperative)
Grandpa: Do you think they would be there? (interrogative)
Billy: Something is wrong with the dog! (exclamatory)
Grandma: Stop shouting. (imperative)
Jill: The dog is wearing your glasses, Grandpa. (declarative)
Grandpa: Can you believe that? (interrogative)
Obviously, that is just a simple example. But you can see that each time Grandpa speaks, he uses an interrogative sentence. Grandma speaks in imperative, Billy in exclamatory, and Jill in declarative. When writing the play, each type of sentence needs to be represented at least twice. My students LOVE this activity because they have learned types of sentences every year and it gives them a way to review that's fun.
Edited to add: The name of the book where I find this idea is Awesome Hands-on Activities For Teaching Grammar. I bought it from Amazon.com. Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Awesome-Hands-..._bxgy_b_text_b
Last edited by teachermlb; 08-19-2008 at 01:45 PM..
Reason: To add the link to the book in which I found this idea
that is related to imalith's post would be to label each wall with a type of sentence. As you call out sentences they either face the correct wall or go to that wall.
As a quick review assessment for types of sentences, I distribute cards that have the words Imperative, Interrogative, Exclamatory, and Declarative along with the appropriate punctuation mark. (Xerox each type of sentence on different color piece of paper.)
First, I read a sentence. I give students a few seconds to decide which type of sentence. After reading the sentence the second time students must hold up, at relatively the same time, the appropriate sentence type/punctuation card. (I try to have students hold up cards at the same time, so they don’t rely on their neighbors for the answer.)
By using different colored paper, I can identify which students knew the correct answer and which students had trouble. If students hold up the wrong card, I can quickly review the reason for the incorrect response.
If you plan on making the cards write the type of sentence on a word document four times spacing them apart. I cut the paper in half and then in half again. It also makes it easer to store cards.
I adapt this activity in math. On different color paper, I write place values places. I also use greater than, less than or equal symbols. For true/false questions, I use red and green pieces of paper.
I still don't understand why it would be important for kids to know the names of the different sentence types. It's not we don't know how to use them. Any insight for me?
I put together the "Captalization and Punctuation" collection for ProTeacher and came across a great idea for a game to reinforce learning sentence types. It's here. I played it with my class this year and really saw an improvement in their test scores. I'm going to use it to review the sentence types before we have benchmark testing.
(I used a Pringles can to make the Kaboom can. I decorated it with red paper so it sorta looks like a stick of dynamite.)
I think your idea is great!
Students practice writing and language skills with one lesson.
I plan to try this lesson with my third graders. I hope it goes well.
Love this! I need a hands-on game for my kids with my evaluation coming up. I am so excited to see them play this! I know they will love it. Thanks for the information!
I'll tell you why students should know the names of sentence types.
Every profession names their tools, so that a member of the profession can discuss the tools and their appropriate usage. Imagine a mechanic saying, "Hey hand me that long silvery stick thing with the pointy end." It wouldn't make sense. It is much better for the mechanics and assistants to know the names of the tools like "screwdriver" and "hammer."
I teach high school English III and AP English Language. When we are discussing the effect of using certain types of sentences readers, and why sentence combining can be a powerful way of connecting ideas, it is not helpful for me to say, "Make these sentences longer cuz..." No, it is more powerful for me to be able to name my tools: "The author uses these two interogative sentences here to draw the reader in. How would this paragraph be different if only declarative sentences were used? Why does this author choose to use a periodic sentence here instead of saying what he means up front... etc..."
My job is much more difficult when my students do not already know the names of things that they should have learned in grade school. Just some food for thought.
I teach 4th grade and feel it is important to teach the type of sentences. Our kids need the foundation to become better writers and understand why we use different types of sentences.
. . . and have them write each type of sentence about that.
Example: CAT (on the simplest level)
My cat has been missing since last night.
Do you think she ran away or got lost?
Please help me look for my cat.
I was astonished to find my cat asleep ON the refrigerator!
I believe it all ties back to language sampling, and variation in sentence structures.
When doing a language sample an excellent indicator of complexity and understanding the structure of language is to analyze the sample by the 4 different sentence types to see if all are present.
As there is a direct link between what we say and what we write, this was added into state standards to teach that complexity not naturally occurring in student's language, with a first step of being able to identify the various types, then to actually use them and possess them in their own writing and speaking.
I understand that learning "interrogative, declarative, etc." is a standard, but it seems that really focusing on "simple, compound, complex etc" would be time better spent. I think my students understand when a sentence is a "question". I don't know why we need to teach them to call it an interrogative". I would rather have them master a solid complex sentence.
I also believe that higher level sentence variety skill is changing the way a setence starts, such as with a gerund, prepositional phrase, adjective first, etc.
The reason kids do not master the vocabulary for the 4 types is because all teachers do not use that vocabulary consistantly in the classroom. How often do we teach the four types and then rather than say, please include an interrogative sentence, we say please include a question? If we aren't going to make it common language than it is just another lesson taught and forgotten.
Things are as valuable as you choose to make them. How about relating the type name to other vocabulary? For example, interrogative relates to an interrogation when there is a crime. You could extend the students' vocabulary and word relationships by creating interactive word webs and show them the 4 types of sentences at the same time. Sometimes we have to find our own meaning in what others require us to teach for a test...
THANK YOU!!!! Having a language to talk about what we want our students to do is SO IMPORTANT. Thanks for recognizing that! This post was from a long time ago, so I'm not sure you will get it, but I was frustrated by the earlier responses.
> 
08-19-2008, 07:45 AM
)
