- A box containing laminated cards with samples of writing, which the child can write for himself such as:
A beautiful saying or line from great literature.
A rhyme or short poem.
A riddle with the answer on the back of the card.
A significant line from a story known to the child.
Words from a familiar song.
A homely saying.
Presentation
Introduce the material and discuss it.
The child chooses a card and reads it.
The child then turns over the card, face down, and writes it on the paper.
Then turn the card back and with the directress, checks what he wrote.
If it is not correct, look with the child to see if the two are the same. (Helping the child self evaluate.)
If it is correct, then he can take a sheet of paper and illustrate the written part.
Once done, return the material to its spot and he can place the written and illustrated work in his designated shelf.
Exerice
The child works as shown.
Presentation 2: Commas
Materials
- Set B
Presentation
Conversationally bring the child’s attention to the commas. “I see two little red marks. These are called ‘commas’. Can you say comma?”
Have the child read the sentence. Bring to the child’s attention that the sentence is very long.
Tell the child that commas tell us to pause just for a short breath. “Sometimes in a very long sentence, we have to stop to take a breath. And we can take our breath whenever we see a comma.”
Have the child read the sentence with these pauses.
Bring the child’s attention to the words that come between the two comas. Tell the child that the words between the commas give us addition information.
Tell the child that we can read the sentence without the words between the commas.
Read the sentence without the words between the commas.
Tell the child that although it makes sense, the words between the commas give us some additional information that helps us understand the sentence a little better.
Have the child read the sentence again.
Read all of the cards before putting them away.
Take out the second set of cards.
Lay out the commas in a row.
Take one sentence at a time, help the child conversationally place each punctuation mark where needed. The have him check his work against the first set.
Exerice
The child can work with Set B (and Set A) as shown in the presentation.
Presentation 3: The Question Mark
Materials
- Set C
Presentation
Emphasis the beginning of the sentence with the capitol letter and the ending with a new mark: the question mark.
As before, conversationally introduce the question mark.
Bring the child's attention to how our voices go up when we ask a question.
Then take out the second set and do as with the other second sets.
Exerice
The child works with Set C (and Sets A and B) as shown in the presentation.
Purpose
Direct
To make the child aware of basic sentence punctuation.
Indirect
To help the child write and read.
Control of Error
The sentence written with the correct punctuation written in red.
