Independent Clause

Given a sentence, identify the independent clause containing a subject and a verb.

Sentences using independent clauses

Without aides, construct a simple sentence correctly using an independent clause containing a subject and a verb.

Objective 3:

1.             Without aides, construct a compound sentence correctly using two independent clauses, proper punctuation, and a coordinating conjunction.

2.             Without aides, construct a compound sentence correctly using two independent clauses, and a semicolon.

Dependent clause

Given a sentence, identify the dependent clause containing a subject, a verb, and a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.

Sentences using dependent clauses

Without aides, construct a complex sentence correctly using an independent clause, a dependent clause, and proper punctuation.

Sentences using both types of clauses

1.       Without aides, construct a compound-complex sentence correctly using two independent clauses, a dependent clause, proper punctuation, and a coordinating conjunction.

2.       Without aides, construct a compound-complex sentence correctly using two independent clauses, a dependent clause, and a semicolon.

Motivation for such a dry, grammar-heavy hour of an instruction can be more difficult than with other English content. Students will need to first see the RELEVANCE of the instruction. Prior to STAAR testing, the STAAR test can be used as a reason they need to know this content – they must be able to write a variety of sentences in the STAAR essay as it is an entire section of the STAAR essay rubric for both English I and II. Additionally, many of the Revising and Editing multiple choice questions and answer choices are focused on correctly constructing sentences. This will motivate some students – those who are concerned about and want to pass the STAAR test.

Some students will also be motivated by the prospect of improving their writing. Students who intend to go to college are intrinsically motivated to improve themselves academically.

Unfortunately, my learner analysis shows that there are still many students who will not be motivated by either of these ideas. These are the students for whom games and movement usually work. My learner analysis and experience with teaching freshmen has shown me that students gain and maintain engagement with the lesson when they are up and moving.

Attention: While the instruction does involve some note-taking, it is chunked into small portions mixed with videos and multiple opportunities for students to stand up and work together.

Relevance: This instruction is relevant to the learners because they need it for STAAR preparation and college readiness.

Confidence: The structure and sequence of the instruction is designed to build student confidence. Instruction starts with the easiest steps (which are things that students likely partially learned with previous teachers). Constant feedback will also help build confidence. As students are correctly identifying and constructing sentences, they will see that they are capable and will feel confident moving to the next steps.

Satisfaction: As students successfully work through the steps of the instruction, they will feel satisfaction in what they’ve accomplished.

Student Expectation: Today you will learn to identify and construct four types of sentences – simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.

Language Objective: Today you will use independent and dependent clauses to identify and construct sentences.

Students absolutely must know what verbs and nouns are to succeed in this instruction. As a pre-instructional activity (homework the night before), students will play a silly online game – www.abcya.com/nouns_and_verbs.

Individual, game – www.abcya.com/nouns_and_verbs

Objectives will be delivered whole group

Students completed a pre-assessment as part of the learner analysis and showed the need for this instruction.

Students will practice identifying and constructing independent clauses, dependent clauses, and all four types of sentences at all steps of instruction. At least two practice examples (quizizz, student-created examples, human sentence activity) will occur immediately following each step, allowing the instructor to identify if students are ready to move on to the next step or if additional practice is necessary.

This instruction is designed so that it can be implemented two ways:

1.       In a face-to-face whole class setting or by students working independently online. A teacher can guide students through the PowerPoint and videos, facilitate the human sentence activity, and give instant feedback.

2.       Alternatively, a student can work through the PowerPoint, videos, and notes independently and turn in their guided notes for an instructor to grade. In this case, the human sentence activity will not be plausible. This style would work for a “virtual snow day,” an online class, or as additional practice for students who have already been taught the topic but struggled to understand it.

The assessment for objectives 2, 3, 5, and 6 is an essay. The essay can be on a topic of the student’s choosing and must contain at least four correctly constructed sentences of each type. The assessment for objectives 1 and 4 is an identifying clauses activity. These will be done following the instruction as homework.

Pretest and posttest are individual.

Some practice can be paired or grouped.

FANBOYS can be used to help students remember the coordinating conjunctions – For And Nor But Or Yet So.

Constructing sentences is a skill that, if internalized, students can transfer to all types of writing in all parts of their lives – emails, social media posts, high school writing, college writing, professional writing, etc.

Individual, none

Objective 1:

Given a sentence, identify the independent clause containing a subject and a verb.

The independent clause contains a subject and a predicate. The predicate contains at least a verb. An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a complete sentence. Learners will view all this information in a PowerPoint either independently or led by an instructor and fill in guided notes as they go. There is also a video embedded for additional explanation.

1.        Life is something that happens when you can’t get to sleep. (Fran Lebowitz)

2.        I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something. (Jackie Mason)

3.        Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there. (Will Rogers, 1879-1935)

From video:

1.       The lawnmower is cutting the grass.

2.       The Eiffel Tower is in Paris.

3.       Webster fetched the fire hose.

4.       Webster turned on the water.

5.       Morton was drenched.

Individual

PowerPoint and guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1r_thraBLU (4:01) Morton and Webster explain the independent clause, including examples, in a cartoon format. Unlike many similar videos, this video only teaches about the independent clause, keeping this chunk of information small and manageable for students.

Quizizz – Is it an independent clause?

Quizizz shows correct answers immediately so students can self-assess.

Quizizz can be completed individually using the “Homework” feature, or the whole class can compete live using the “Play Live” feature.

Objective 2:

Without aides, construct a simple sentence correctly using an independent clause containing a subject and a verb.

A simple sentence is one independent clause. Learners will view all this information in a PowerPoint either independently or led by an instructor and fill in guided notes as they go. There is also a video embedded for additional explanation.

1.             The coconut cream pie cooled in the refrigerator.

2.             Tyrone and Lilly prepared and baked the lasagna.

From video:

1.              Webster is being rude.

2.              Morton is overly sensitive.

Individual

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fC6MevkPpc (2:18) Morton and Webster explain the simple sentence, including examples, in a cartoon format.

Students will write their own examples in their guided notes.

Teacher will check answers.

Individual

Guided Notes

Objective 3:

1. Without aides, construct a compound sentence correctly using two independent clauses, proper punctuation, and a coordinating conjunction.

2. Without aides, construct a compound sentence correctly using two independent clauses, and a semicolon.

A compound sentence is two independent clauses joined by either a coma and a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon. Learners will view all this information in a PowerPoint either independently or led by an instructor and fill in guided notes as they go. There is also a video embedded for additional explanation.

1.          Dad just grilled the T-bone steaks, and I can’t wait to taste them.

2.          Mom and Tyrone set the picnic table; Lilly poured the tea and served the food.

From video:

1.          I opened the door, and I went outside.

2.          Morton was starving, and Webster was full.

3.          Morton loves basketball, but Webster loves football.

4.          Should Webster have a hot dog, or should he have some popcorn?

5.          Webster went shopping, and then he chopped the ingredients, and then he stirred the soup, but he burnt the main course, and this left his sad and hungry.

Individual

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL0kybutBgg&t=1s (2:36) Morton and Webster explain the compound sentence, including examples, in a cartoon format.

1.       Human Sentence: each student in each group will have one part of the sentence on a card (independent clause, independent clause, punctuation, coordinating conjunction). Students will stand up holding their card and put themselves in the correct order to make a correct sentence. Repeat 1-2 times as needed or time allows.

2.       Students will write their own examples in their guided notes.

1.       Teachers can give immediate feedback to groups.

2.       Teacher will check answers.

1.     Groups, Human Sentence Activity Cards

2.     Individual, Guided notes

Objective 4:

Given a sentence, identify the dependent clause containing a subject, a verb, and a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun.

A dependent clause is similar to an independent clause but it cannot stand alone as a complete thought because it also contains a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun. Learners will view all this information in a PowerPoint either independently or led by an instructor and fill in guided notes as they go. There is also a video embedded for additional explanation.

1.       The crew could see the whale, which had surfaced only 50m behind them.

2.       I am not tidying the dishes unless Peter helps.

3.       Do you know the butcher who went to court on Saturday?

Examples from video:

1.     When the cat is sleeping…

2.     While I was watching TV…

3.     Because I studied hard for my test…

Individual

PowerPoint and guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNT1D0JoFk8&t=76s (3:44) This video reviews independent clauses and shows how dependent clauses are different.

Quizizz – Identify the dependent clause

Quizizz shows correct answers immediately so students can self-assess.

Quizizz can be completed individually using the “Homework” feature, or the whole class can compete live using the “Play Live” feature.

Objective 5:

Without aides, construct a complex sentence correctly using an independent clause, a dependent clause, and proper punctuation.

A complex sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause.

1.        Since I learned to use the grill, I have cooked dinner every night this week.

2.        After the Houston Rockets finish their game, we can go to my house where we can go swimming.

From video:

1.        I failed my maths although I studied hard.

2.        I haven’t seen Jenny in a while despite living two streets away from her.

3.        Let me know when you see him.

4.        John went to sleep after he had finished studying.

Individual

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWitQlUnbUI (1:37) This video shows a quick overview of complex sentences with examples.

1.       Groups of four: each student in each group will have one part of the sentence on a card (independent clause, dependent clause, punctuation). Students will stand up holding their card and put themselves in the correct order to make a correct sentence. Repeat 1-2 times as needed or time allows.

2.       Students will write their own examples in their guided notes.

1.       Teachers can give immediate feedback to groups.

2.       Teacher will check answers.

1.        Groups, Human Sentence Activity Cards

2.        Individual, Guided notes

Objective 6:

1. Without aides, construct a compound-complex sentence correctly using two independent clauses, a dependent clause, proper punctuation, and a coordinating conjunction.

2. Without aides, construct a compound-complex sentence correctly using two independent clauses, a dependent clause, and a semicolon.

A compound-complex sentence contains at least two independent clauses and a dependent clause. Learners will view all this information in a PowerPoint either independently or led by an instructor and fill in guided notes as they go. There is also a video embedded for additional explanation.

1.           Grilling steaks is easy for me, so I grilled ten of them so that we could feast on them when we celebrate MLK day.

From video:

1.          When I do homework, I listen to music, and it is very relaxing.

Individual

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVN_49F5ps4 (2:01) This video does a quick review of clauses and ends with an overview of compound-complex sentences, including an example.

1.       Human Sentence: each student in each group will have one part of the sentence on a card (independent clause, independent clause, dependent clause, punctuation, coordinating conjunction). Students will stand up holding their card and put themselves in the correct order to make a correct sentence. Repeat 1-2 times as needed or time allows.

2.       Students will write their own examples in their guided notes.

1.       Teachers can give immediate feedback to groups.

2.       Teacher will check answers.

1.        Groups, Human Sentence Activity Cards

2.        Individual, Guided notes

(Note: Human Sentence activity can be done if instruction occurs face-to-face or left out if students will work through instruction independently online.)

PowerPoint and guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1r_thraBLU (4:01)

Quizizz can be completed individually using the “Homework” feature, or the whole class can compete live using the “Play Live” feature.

1.       In a face-to-face whole class setting or by students working independently online. A teacher can guide students through the PowerPoint and videos, facilitate the human sentence activity, and give instant feedback.

2.       Alternatively, a student can work through the PowerPoint, videos, and notes independently and turn in their guided notes for an instructor to grade. In this case, the human sentence activity will not be plausible. This style would work for a “virtual snow day,” an online class, or as additional practice for students who have already been taught the topic but struggled to understand it.

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fC6MevkPpc (2:18)

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL0kybutBgg&t=1s (2:36)

Groups, Human Sentence Activity Cards

PowerPoint and guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNT1D0JoFk8&t=76s (3:44)

Quizizz can be completed individually using the “Homework” feature, or the whole class can compete live using the “Play Live” feature.

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWitQlUnbUI (1:37)

Groups, Human Sentence Activity Cards

PowerPoint with guided notes

Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVN_49F5ps4 (2:01)

Groups, Human Sentence Activity Cards