Mastering Run-On Sentences

Lesson Overview

Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 12 students
Curriculum Alignment: Virginia English Standards of Learning (SOL), Grade 3, Communication and Multimodal Literacies

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify run-on sentences.
• Correctly format sentences using periods, conjunctions, or semicolons.
• Engage in activities that reinforce understanding through collaborative centers.

Materials

• Whiteboard and markers
• Sentence strips
• Scissors and glue
• Printed worksheets with run-on sentences
• Conjunction flashcards
• Timer

Lesson Outline

Introduction (10 minutes)

1. Greeting and Warm-Up:

   • Welcome the students and introduce the topic: Run-On Sentences.
   • Ask students if they know what a run-on sentence is and have a brief discussion.

2. Direct Instruction:

   • Explain what run-on sentences are using simple language appropriate for 3rd graders: "A run-on sentence is when two or more sentences are joined together without the right punctuation or words."
   • Write an example on the board: "I love to read it is my favorite hobby."
   • Show how to correct it: "I love to read. It is my favorite hobby."

Guided Practice (15 minutes)

1. Identifying Run-On Sentences:

   • Hand out worksheets with pairs of sentences. Some will be run-ons, and some will not.
   • As a class, go through each example, discussing which are correct and which are run-ons.

2. Correcting Run-On Sentences:

   • Show different ways to correct run-on sentences: with a period, a conjunction (and, but, or), or a semicolon.
   • Use the example on the board and rewrite it using each method.

Center Activities (25 minutes)

Divide students into three groups for rotation through the centers. Spend approximately 8 minutes at each center.

Center 1: Sentence Surgery

• Activity: Provide strips of paper with run-on sentences. Students will be "sentence surgeons" who use scissors to cut and rearrange the sentences correctly using periods and glue sticks.
• Objective: Practice physically manipulating sentences to learn the concept visually and kinesthetically.

Center 2: Conjunction Cards

• Activity: Use flashcards with conjunctions and provide sentences missing connectors.
• Objective: Students will choose the correct conjunction to form complete sentences and explain their choice out loud.

Center 3: Creative Writing

• Activity: Give students short prompts to write a story or sentences that include run-ons. Then, exchange them with a partner who will correct them.
• Objective: Encourage creativity while applying sentence correction skills in context.

Conclusion and Review (10 minutes)

1. Class Discussion:

   • Return to the homework discussion and ask students to share one thing they learned or found interesting about run-on sentences.

2. Reflection and Homework:

   • Have students write down one sentence that explains what a run-on sentence is and how to fix it.
   • Assign homework to continue practicing with a worksheet that includes run-on sentences to correct.

Assessment

• Observation: Monitor and assist students throughout the activities in centers to ensure comprehension of concepts.
• Worksheet Evaluation: Collect and review worksheets and center activity work to assess understanding.

This lesson plan targets 3rd-grade students' abilities in identifying and correcting run-on sentences, fostering both individual understanding and collaborative skills through interactive activities.