Sentence combining

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• learn to combine 2 or more simple sentences into complex sentences.
• learn to use commas to punctuate their combined sentences.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

• transparency and handouts of “A Day at the Park (pdf | rtf)
• transparency of “Sentence Combinations” (pdf | rtf)
• Blank transparencies and overhead markers (1 for each small group)

Technology resources

Overhead Projector

Activities

Modeling/Mini-lesson

1. Read the sample story “A Day at the Park” to students, which consists of nothing but short, choppy sentences.
2. Ask the students to react to the story. How did it sound? What did you notice about it?
3. Explain to the students that, many times, weak stories are full of very short, choppy sentences. One way writers can make these stories stronger is to learn how to combine short sentences into longer sentences.
4. Next display “Sentence Combinations” transparency on the overhead.
5. Demonstrate how writers can combine the first sentences into one by using commas of apposition and commas in a series.
6. Ask the students to help you combine the remainder of the sentences.

Guided Practice

1. Give students copies of the “A Day in the Park” story.
2. In small groups, have students revise the story by combining simple sentences into complex sentences.
3. Have groups write their revised versions on a blank transparency. Share the different versions on the overhead and discuss the different ways that students combined their sentences.

Independent Practice

1. Have students combine 2 or more sentences in their own writing into a single sentence. Share the revised sentence with a partner.

Assessment

Can students successfully combine simple sentences in the “Day in the Park” story into more complex sentences?

By DPI Writing Strategies