Sentence Twister

Designed by: Katie Howard School: Brockman Elementary 

Grade Level: Fourth    Subject(s): Language Arts

Core Curriculum Objective(s): Edit for fragments and run-on sentences distinguishing between clearly written sentences and sentences that contain errors in expression or construction.  (4-WE-1) 

Overview: Students will make up run-on sentences, fragmented sentences and complete sentences to write on index cards. Students will use the game board and spinner that come with the commercial made game called Twister. Students will draw an index card from a pile of cards and decide if the sentence written on the card is a sentence fragment, run-on sentence, or a complete sentence. If the student is correct he/she will be able to spin the spinner and make a move. If not, the students will lose a turn and allow his/her partner to take a turn. The first person to get both feet and hands on the mat win that round. Students will then record the sentences on a sheet of paper so that all of the sentences are complete, not run-on sentences or fragmented sentences. They may then play another round. This is a great center activity and rainy day recess activity that allows students to work on the curriculum and have fun.

Focus/Essential Question(s):How can sentences be edited for run-on sentences and sentence fragments?

Time Frame: 1 fifty minute lesson and/or center activity

Resources/Materials: 

- index cards (enough for each student to have at least three) 
-commercial game Twister 
-computer and averkey with web site www.funbrain.com saved in favorites

Culminating Assessment: The culminating assessment will be a T Chart with two columns. One column labeled Run-on, one column labeled Fragment . At the bottom of the T-Chart students should rewrite all run-on sentences and sentence fragments so that they are complete sentences. The criteria for scoring the T-Chart is as follows: 

Student rewrote all run-on and fragments for 10 points each. 

90-100 A, 
80-90 B, 
70-80 C, 
anything below 70 means the student needs more practice.

 Instructional Activities:

The teacher should have prepared two index card labeled Sentence Fragment and Run-on Sentence. On two separate index cards the definitions should be written: 

-A______________ looks like a sentence but does not express a complete thought. 

-Sentences that run into the next sentence are called ______________________.

On at least ten separate index cards the teacher should have examples of Run-on sentences and Sentence Fragments for the class to sort as a large group. For example the class would read one card: We finished building the desk Bill stained it. This would be an example of a Run-on sentence, and would therefore be placed under the appropriate heading and definition.

The teacher should then ask students to pick a partner to sit with and write one sentence fragment, one run-on sentence and one complete sentence on each of their three index cards. The students should check each others examples for accuracy and they should take their cards to another set of partners to confirm that their examples are correct. The teacher collects the examples and puts them with the Twister game box.

Students are then given the instructions that they may use the Twister game during centers. However there will be a change in rules for the game. Students playing must work with a group of at least three. Two to play and one to keep score and to read the index cards to the players before they make a move onto the game board. The only way a student may spin and move is to guess correctly weather the index card on the top of the stack is a Run-on Sentence, a Sentence Fragment, or a Complete sentence. The score keeper must make sure to keep the cards for the team to put on a T-Chart when one round of the Twister game has been completed. That is when one of the two players has both feet and hands on the game board for accurately defining what was written on the card.

The group of three should then put the game up and return to an area of the room where they all make a T-Chart of the ten index cards used during their game. They are to put Run-on and Sentence Fragments on the T-Chart. Next, the three are to make all of the sentence fragments and run-on sentences into complete sentences. This is turned into the teacher for scoring and feedback.

Enrichment: Students may log onto the funbrain.com web site and go into word games where they help write stories in the Wacky Stories section.