Grammar Instruction

My friends, do you ever feel like grammar is one of the hardest things to teach?! Or maybe it is just that you run out of time? Or it is hard to make it engaging?!

If you think any of those things I AM WITH YOU!

I tried so hard to find ways to make my kids love grammar and get them to understand the skills. I created a process for which I would teach the skills in an engaging way!

So, this is how I go about teaching every skill. I always do so in this exact format!

Introducing the Skill

I always start with a hands-on lesson that the kids can connect to! These lessons are engaging and relate the grammar skill to their real life! These lessons are also very inquiry based. The students are spending a lot of time observing and thinking in order to teach themselves the skill!

For example, when I am teaching how to correctly write an address, I have the students have their parents write three addresses for people in their family for them. Then, the students walk around and look at each others addresses. They notice exactly what is the same about all the addresses and then we create the rules as a group. They learned the address rules through an experience where they had to really think.

Or when I am teaching possessive nouns the students create a floor plan of their house. They then have to decide who owns the items in their house. We use that in order to form possessives!

My favorite lesson is for parts of speech. The students perform a readers theatre that talks about the “Part of Speech Palooza”!

The students listen to the readers theatre that they read to determine what each part of speech means.

Do you want a lesson like this for every third grade standard?!

>>>Find all the Lessons HERE!<<<<<

Small Practice Activities Throughout

After I have taught the skill I will review using anchor charts and small practice sheets throughout the year. We also might do fun activities to review throughout the year like a scoot practice!

Writing Workshop Direct Teaching

My kids participate in writing workshop. So, when they are doing their writing that day I will start with a mini lesson which will remind them of the skill we are working on. When I am walking around reading the children’s writing pieces or helping students, I will directly teach the skill to the individual student or let them show me their knowledge on the skill.

For example, if we are working with possessive nouns I might ask them to add a sentence to their writing that has a possessive noun. I will then see if they correctly formed one. If they did then great! If not, this is where I directly teach them!

I will keep one skill a focus in writing workshop for at least a week, if not more.

Assessing the Skill

After a week or so of reviewing that skill in writing workshop I will assess.

I ALWAYS assess grammar with writing. I will give students a topic that allows me to see the use of that skill and have them write.

If I am assessing possessives I would have them highlight three possessive nouns in their story. If I am working on non-literal language I will have them underline where they used it in their story. (get it?!)

This will help me to see who still needs help and who has got it down! 🙂

Continuing All Year with the Skill

Even though I assessed and we have moved on I will still work on this skill all year. The students have a writing prompt everyday in writing workshop. As they are writing I am either working 1 on 1 with a student or individually. During that time I can see who still needs help with a skill and who is doing well!

>Grab all the lessons here!<<