Teacher Candidate: Stephanie Knapp

Subject: ELA

Grade Level: 6th grade

L.6.2a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off

nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements

Beginning: SR time 10 minutes – setting them down and help them focus
Then: focus on me. We have been going over the different uses for commas inside a
sentence. Can someone give me an example of a comma use?
Slide 1: Review-
Reviewing recently taught comma use:
 Use a comma before any coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet)
that links two independent clauses. FANBOYS
o I went out to eat, and I saw a dog.
 Use a comma after a dependent clause that starts a sentence.
o When I went out to eat, I saw a dog.
 Use a comma when directly addressing someone or something in a sentence.
o Bre, is this your dog?
 Use a comma after introductory adverbs.
o Nervously, I went to pet the dog.
 Use commas to separate items in a series.
o Today I way a dog, a cat, and three mice.
New Material:
 Now we will learn about a new type of comma use: commas to offset
nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements from the rest of the sentence.
o A non-restrictive or parenthetical element is a part of a sentence that can
be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. In other words,
the sentence would still make sense without the parenthetical element.
o Non-restrictive/parenthetical means that it is not essential
o Commas, parentheses, or dashes are used at the beginning and end of the
parenthetical element to separate it from the rest of the sentence.
o Think of the commas, parentheses, or dashes as hooks around the words.
They can be scooped out, and the sentence will still make sense.
I Do It:
 Go tell Dr. Bentley – unless you have other things to do – that I
need her to help me bake a pie.
 My dogs (as I’ve said many times) are the best.
 My brother, Ryan, wants to become a doctor.
We Do It:
 My dog, Mya, is always the best at welcoming me home.

 Class examples on smart board
 Assessment:
o Informal participation in the lesson
o Exit slips about how confident they feel about the material