PUNCTUATION STATION

 

Georgia Standards

 

South Carolina Standards

 

Key Vocabulary

 

Materials

• Paper and pencils
• Images of an enlarged period, question mark, and exclamation mark
• Paragraph with ending punctuation removed to display on the board
• Printed sentences without ending punctuation (one for every two students)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips: This activity works best in an open space with room for students to move.

 

• Start with a general physical warm-up to get the students' bodies ready. Use exercises such as:
  • Stretching: Stretch all major muscle groups.
  • Shaking Out Limbs: Shake out arms, legs, and the whole body to release tension.
  • Energy Passes: Stand in a circle and pass a clap or a simple motion around to build group focus and energy.
• Tell students that you will say certain emotion words; when they hear them, they should embody that emotion with a whole-body movement and a sound (not a word).
  • Example emotion words:
    • Excited
    • Nervous
    • Surprised
    • Sad
    • Angry

 

Work Session

Teacher Note: Use the following script to guide your process with students. Adjust language as needed for your class.

 

Punctuation Junction
Use the following script to guide your process.

• When I say the word “punctuation,” what do you think of? Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind. (Allow time for student responses.) 
• The dictionary defines the word “punctuation” as the marks used in writing to separate words and numbers. 
• Can you tell me what some of those marks or punctuations are called? (Allow time for students' responses.) 
• Today we are going to explore three types of punctuation: Periods, questions marks, and exclamation marks. 
• See if you can guess which mark I am showing as I act it out. Wait until I’m finished before you call out your answers!
  • Teacher forms his/her arms into a circle around their head to symbolize a period. Have students identify.
  • Teacher then makes his/her whole body into one very straight line. Have students identify.
  • Teacher then curves his/her whole body into the shape of a question mark. Have students identify.
• Now tell me what we call the types of sentences that go with these types of punctuation marks. (Allow students time to respond.)
  • Teacher writes the name of each type of sentence on the board as he/she discusses the definitions of each type of sentence.
    • A telling sentence/declarative is a sentence that tells information; also called a statement. What is an example of a telling sentence? 
    • An asking sentence/interrogative is a sentence that asks for information; also called a question. What is an example of an asking sentence? 
    • An exclamatory sentence is a sentence that shows strong emotion or feeling, such as surprise, anger, or joy. What is an example of an exclamatory sentence? 
    • An interrogative sentence is a sentence that gives a command or makes a request. What is an example of an interrogative sentence? 
• Now let’s bring these types of sentences and punctuation marks to life. 

 

Act it out! 

Use the following script to guide your process.

• Close your eyes and think of your favorite flavor of Jello or pudding. Don’t say it out loud! Now, on a count of 10, using your body but not words, move into a standing circle in the middle of the room as if you are walking through your favorite flavor of Jello or pudding. (Count to 10 as students make a circle.) 
• Now, close your eyes again and imagine what sounds and movements you think the different types of punctuation marks would make if they could make a sound?
  • What sounds and movements do you think a period makes? 
  • What sounds and movements do you think a question mark makes? 
  • What sounds and movements do you think an exclamation mark makes? 
  • Using a sound, a movement, your whole body and the space around you, everyone at the same time…
    • Show us a period. 
    • Show us a question mark. 
    • Show us an exclamation mark. 
  • Isn’t it interesting how everyone has their own unique interpretation of what each punctuation mark looks and sounds like?
• Today, let’s come up with one movement with a sound for each of the three marks. (Demonstrate each mark once and have students repeat the sound and movement before continuing.)
  • Period – Cross your forearms in front of your body, stomp your foot and say “Stop” at the same time. 
  • Question mark – Curl your hands and arms above your head and to the left, push your lower back and hips out to the right and say “Huh?” at the same time. 
  • Exclamation mark – Make your body as straight as possible with arms down by your side, jump up and say “Wow!”. 
• Let’s do them one more time so we won’t forget them. 

 

Punctuation Police
Use the following script to guide your process.

• I need your help with something. What’s wrong with this paragraph? (Display a paragraph that has no ending punctuation.) 
• What’s missing from this paragraph? (Allow students to answer.) 
• I’m going to read it aloud. (Read the paragraph with no expression—very, very robotically.) 
• Can anyone tell me what was different about that? (Allow time for students to respond.)
• Do you think you could be the “Punctuation Police” and tell me where to put what punctuation mark in this paragraph? 
• Alright, when you think I need to add a period, question or exclamation mark, use the sound and movement we just created. (Read the paragraph slowly and add punctuation as students prompt you to add them. Continue the process until the paragraph is correct.) 
• Do you notice how the sound of each of these sentences changes when we add the correct punctuation mark? 
• Each punctuation mark has a special purpose that requires a certain vocal response. We have to inflect our voices. To inflect an object is to bend or curve it. Words can be inflected as well. All you have to do is change the pitch or tone of your voice. 
• Let’s look at how we have to change our voices when we read each punctuation mark.
  • A period makes a statement and comes to a complete stop. You have to take a breath after the period to force yourself to stop—like hanging up the phone.
    • (Demonstrate using the following sentence.) “The puppy played with the sock.” (Stop and breathe.) Now repeat that sentence after me. 
  • A question mark makes your voice go up at the end. You raise the pitch.
    • (Demonstrate using the following sentence.) “Can I please have a chocolate chip cookie?” (“Cookie” should be higher than “can.”) Now repeat that sentence after me. 
  • An exclamation mark uses your voice to punch the thought with excitement or alarm.
    • (Demonstrate using the following sentence.) “Your bike is rolling into the street!” (Add some tension to your voice.) Now repeat that sentence after me.

 

Act It Out - Take 2

• Now I am going to divide you into partners. Each pair of students will get a sentence that is missing ending punctuation. You and your partner must decide if the sentence is missing a period, a question mark, or an exclamation mark. 
• You and your partner will create a movement and sound to represent your ending punctuation. When you present your sentence, read your sentence with inflection like we just did when you were the Punctuation Police. Then, finish your sentence by performing your movement and sound. (Encourage students to use their whole bodies and facial expressions in their performances.)

 

Closing Reflection

• Close the lesson by having partners perform their sentences. Discuss appropriate audience participation and etiquette prior to performances.
• After each performance, the students should be able to identify the type of sentence and ending punctuation that the actors demonstrated.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding of the content throughout the lesson by observing students’ participation in the activator, discussion of different types of sentences and ending punctuation, use of body and voice to demonstrate different types of punctuation, and collaboration with partners to determine sentence type, and creation of a movement and sound to represent ending punctuation.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

• Students can identify different types of sentences and correctly choose ending punctuation for each sentence.
• Students can use theatrical techniques to demonstrate their understanding of different types of sentences and ending punctuation.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration:  When introducing the punctuation marks, correlate the formal names for types of sentences (imperative, exclamatory, interrogative, declarative). Have students create sound and movements for all four types of sentences, explaining that there are three different types of telling sentences. Work with partners. One partner does a movement with sound to identify a type of sentence and the other partner will determine the type of sentence and compose an example.  Rather than providing a sentence to partners in Act It Out - Take 2, assign partners types of sentences and let them create their own sentence.  Remediation:  Talk with students about asking and telling sentences and the accompanying punctuation for each type of sentence. Work as a group to create a hand movement and sound for a period, exclamation mark and question mark. Read a displayed sentence and students will perform the punctuation movement that would go with the sentence. Discuss movement choices. Repeat several times as a group.  Preview vocabulary using body language and sentence modeling. Before starting the activity, make sure students have a clear understanding of the different types of sentences (e.g., give students a declarative sentence and have them modify it into an exclamatory sentence using inflection).

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Idea Contributed by Susie Spear Purcell. Modifications, Extensions, and Adaptations Contributed by: Peggy Barnes, Candy Bennett, Lindsey Elrod, Jennifer Plummer, and Vilma Thomas. Updated by: Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright: July 2024 @ ArtsNOW