Sentences and Fragments

Many of my students were not writing in complete sentences. With the ELA exam coming up, I had to get them into writing appropriate responses. I gave a mini-lesson on sentences and sentence fragments. Then the class worked in groups to sort sentences and fragments on a large mat. The mat was simple to make. I simply made two columns by gluing "sentences" and "fragments" above each column.
Each group received 10 cards to sort out. They simply placed the cards in the right column. I walked around and asked each student why they placed certain phrases and sentences where they did. To extend this lesson, the students then wrote their own sentence or fragment on a card. We put the mats in the front of the room and the students took turns reading their card aloud to the rest of the class. The other students had to decide if it was a sentence or fragment. Then, each student taped his or her sentence onto a sorting mat.

Gearing Up For School

To get ready for school I hosted a small gathering for the children. We had stations set up where the children can create their own school supplies. They made erasers and bookmarks. Sculpey put out a type of clay called "Amazing Eraser Clay!" The children mold it just like clay, but when you bake it in the oven it becomes an eraser. While their erasers were baking they decorated their own bookmarks. I provided a variety of materials such as markers, crayons and stickers. The children had a great time and I quickly realized that using centers worked well with them. The children enjoyed moving around from one table to the next and they were happy with the items they created. Hopefully they will be looking forward to the first day of school.