Lesson Plan #5

Jennifer King

UED 496

Regent University
 The lesson plan titled “Comma Splices/ Run-On Sentences” is a student-centric lesson

developed based on the results of a pre-assessment on grammar. This lesson followed a two-

week writing unit in which students wrote a persuasive essay. The essays demonstrated that most

students struggle with sentence fluency, and a pre-assessment on sentence fragments, comma

splices, and run-ons assigned on noredink.com provided data that supported student struggles.

This lesson follows a lesson on sentence fragments. In this lesson, students learn how to

recognize comma splices and run-on sentences and the correct way to fix these sentences.

Students are introduced to the semicolon and when and how to use them. The goal is to help

students elevate their writing.

This lesson opens with a 5-minute write. Students write at least one five-sentence

paragraph that they will edit at the end of the class. Then I wrote a paragraph that included

comma splices and run-on sentences, so I sounded breathy when I read the paragraph, and the

reading sounded confusing. After addressing student responses to the reading, they are

introduced to six topics that they will learn about in the lesson: independent and dependent

clauses, run-on sentences, comma splices, compound sentences, and semicolons. Introducing the

proper use of a semicolon creates a new learning opportunity for students who have mastered the

content of the topics discussed. “Compacting is a given opportunity for extension and enrichment

rather than repetitive work with the same topic” (Milner et al. 2012). With the six topics listed on

the board, students filled out a KWL chart to activate any prior knowledge. Students' information

will help form discussion throughout the lesson to clear up any misconceptions or confusion.

In preparing for this lesson, I reflected on how I can spend less time talking during the

instructional period and involve students in their learning process. How could I engage all
students in this lesson? Structured notes “give structure to [classroom] discussions” that allow

students to capture details of instruction while simultaneously focusing their attention on practice

(Burke 2013). By creating a flipbook foldable with notes, students are given space to practice

new concepts as they are being introduced.

Then students take charge of their learning. Students are already seated in groups of four

and will work together. Using small groups allows students the opportunity to engage with one

another. “Students in small or large groups can join together in the varied and continuous social

use of language. Students need many opportunities to talk, listen, and write to one another”

(Milner et al. 2012). Each group is provided with a whiteboard, a dry erase marker, an eraser,

and monopoly money. The groups are instructed that they will work together during a “sentence

auction” to buy sentences to edit. The sentences can contain fragments, comma splices, run-ons-

or could be correct. Each group determines if they want to buy the sentence presented and how

much they want to bid. They write their bid on a whiteboard at the end of a timer on the screen,

and the winning group “buys” the sentence. After each group “buys” four sentences, they will

edit them. The groups will share what was wrong with the sentences and how they fixed them

with the whole group.

Students then return to their 5-minute write. They will assess their paragraph for sentence

fragments, run-ons, and comma splices and fix them. This is practice for a lesson later in the

week when each student edits the last essay they wrote. Lastly, students will finish their KWL

chart by filling in what they have learned. The information from the KWL charts will help

determine what review is needed throughout the week leading up to their test.
 References

Burke, Jim. (2013). The English teacher’s companion. Heinemann.

Milner, J.O. (2012). Bridging English. Pearson.