Subject/Topic:

Language Arts
Writing
Sentence Structure
Rationale:
The bigger unit is understanding sentence structure for better grammar and improved
writing.
Standards:
Language 3.1 Conventions of Standard English
o Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and
usage when writing or speaking.
Objective:
Students will be able to write complete sentences using subject and predicates. They will
also be able to determine if a sentence is complete after identifying if the subject and
predicate are present.
Materials:
Teacher Materials
o Smart Board
o Poster Paper
o Marker
Student Materials
o Personal White board
o Marker
o Eraser
Procedure:
Engagement/Anticipatory Set:
o Ask students to come to the carpet
o Show students the video Mr. Morton School House Rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLV3eMvW73g
o Spend about 4 Min
Mentor:
o Begin by reviewing the subject and predicate of the video.
o Mr. Morton was obviously the subject of this video correct? But what were some
predicates that were performed by him throughout the video? Chose a couple of
students for answers.
o Create notes on the poster board by the a train. The conductors car/control car
(front of train) will be colored in blue to represent the subject and the caboose
(very end of train) will be colored red to represent the predicate.
o Explain to the students, The subject here is represented in blue and the predicate
is represented in red.

o So now that we watched the video can someone tell me what a subject is? Get a
couple student answers. If the students do not get the answers, explain to them
one more time referring to the video. Ask, Mr. Morton is the subject, what is Mr.
Morton? Is he an action, animal, food, person, feeling?
o After, write down under the blue subject cart, tells WHO or WHAT the sentence
is about.
o Repeat for predicate.
o After, write down under the red predicate cart, The action being done in the
sentence tells what the subject DOES or IS
Guided Practice
o Under the notes that were just taken, there will be a list of sentences. The
sentences are written below:
Mrs. Jones is the best teacher ever.
Timmy went to go buy ice cream.
Mom and Dad went on an anniversary date last night.
Joey and I played capture the flag for our play date.
The ponies at the petting zoo smelt really bad.
She ate so much her button popped.
All the kids in room 218 saw a spider and screamed.
o Ask the students one by one to come up and circle the subject in blue. Then have
another student come up and underline the predicate in red.
o If the student is having trouble, refer back to the train with the notes and help
them identify the subject or predicate.
Independent Applications:
o Ask students to go back to their seats and take out their dry erase marker.
o Then hand out the personal dry erase boards and erasers.
o Assign each table a subject and predicate. Then ask each student to make up a
specific example of the category given.
o Once each student has come up with an example, instruct the students to pair up
with someone in the opposite category to create a complete sentence using their
combined predicate and subject. Explain that the funniest or most creative
sentences will win that round judged by Mrs. Jones.
o These winning sentences will be added to notes poster.
Closure:
o Have students go back to their seats and review the winning sentences.

Assessment:
Go over the winning sentences one last time and students will have to identify the subject
and predicate by writing S for subject or P for predicate on their personal boards. We will
then circle and underline the subject and predicate once the class identifies and comes to
an agreement.

Differentiation:

Call the students who seem to be having a harder time understanding to identify the
subject or predicate of the easier sentences.
During the independent application the students are allowed to choose their own subject
and predicate. This allows them to work within their comfort zone. Ask the student who
are picking up the material quicker than others to challenge themselves with harder
subjects and predicates.