ALEX Learning Activity

  

Punctuating Dialogue

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Ginger Boyd
System:Geneva County
School:Samson Middle School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2795
Title:
Punctuating Dialogue
Digital Tool/Resource:
Punctuating Dialogue
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

This learning activity comes from The HappyEdugator. In this learning activity, the teacher shares the rules for using quotation marks when punctuating dialogue through a clever PowerPoint presentation. Students learn how to give their characters life. Then students choose from prompts and write a page of dialogue to show their ability to use quotation marks correctly.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 6
19. Demonstrate command of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics when writing.

a. Use commas, parentheses, or dashes to set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements.

b. Revise writing for correct mechanics with a focus on commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, and semicolons.

c. Compose and revise writing by using various pronouns and their antecedents correctly.

Examples: personal, intensive, reflexive, demonstrative, relative, interrogative, indefinite

Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
19.
  • Standard English grammar
  • Standard English usage
  • Standard English mechanics
19a.
  • Commas
  • Parentheses
  • Dashes
  • Nonrestrictive elements
  • Parenthetical elements
19b.
  • Mechanics
  • Commas
  • Apostrophes
  • Quotation marks
  • Colons
  • Semicolons
19c.
  • Pronouns
  • Antecedents
Knowledge:
19. Students know:
  • The conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics.
19a.
  • Commas, parentheses, and dashes are used to set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements.
  • A nonrestrictive or parenthetical element is a part of a sentence that can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning.
19b.
  • Commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, and semicolons are punctuation marks that are used in writing for different purposes.
  • Standard English punctuation conventions.
  • Strategies for revising writing.
19c.
  • A pronoun is a word that can replace a noun in a sentence.
  • There are various types of pronouns, including persona, intensive, reflexive, demonstrative, relative, interrogative, and indefinite.
  • The noun that is replaced by a pronoun is called an antecedent.
  • Standard English grammar and usage conventions.
  • Strategies for revising writing.
Skills:
19. Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate written command of standard English, grammar, usage, and mechanics.
19a.
  • Correctly use commas, parentheses, or dashes to set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements in writing.
19b.
  • Identify the incorrect usage of commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, and semicolons in writing.
  • Revise writing to correct errors in commas, apostrophe, quotation mark, colon, and semicolon usage.
19c.
  • Compose writing with various pronouns and antecedents used correctly.
  • Revise writing to correct errors in pronoun and antecedent usage.
Understanding:
19. Students understand that:
  • To clearly communicate in writing, they. must use standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics.
19a.
  • To ensure their writing is clear and coherent, they must set off nonrestrictive or parenthetical elements with commas, parenthesis, or dashes.
19b.
  • Their writing must demonstrate the correct usage of standard English punctuation conventions.
19c.
  • Using various pronouns in their writing can make their writing more engaging and interesting.
  • To ensure their writing is clear and coherent, they must use pronouns and antecedents correctly.
Learning Objectives:

The students will be able to demonstrate a command of standard English grammar usage with quotation marks when punctuating dialogue. 
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

1. The teacher will show the PowerPoint to the students. The PowerPoint contains a built-in review with answers that can be used as a quick assessment to check for understanding. (The download also contains an assignable quick check on Easel.)

2. The students are then challenged to write a page of dialogue that will show their ability to use quotation marks correctly. Some ideas they may choose from are: 

  • a parent and a child discussing chores

  • an argument about a play on the baseball field

  • an apology for a silly mistake

  • a discussion between a doctor and his patient

  • a conversation between a boss and an employee

  • a group of children deciding on what game to play

  • a dialogue between a customer and a waiter or waitress in a restaurant

  • a chat between a teacher and a student

  • a phone conversation between two friends about plans to meet

3. The pages of dialogue written by each student should be posted around the room to share with classmates. The students can carousel around the room to view the pages of dialogue. 
Assessment Strategies:

The students will be assessed using the built-in review for a quick assessment during the lesson. 

The students will also be assessed on the page of dialogue using the Punctuating a Dialogue Rubric.
Advanced Preparation:

The files will need to be downloaded from Teachers Pay Teachers. This is a free resource, but teachers will need to create a free Teachers Pay Teachers account to be able to access the resource. 

The printed version for students to write a page of dialogue is on slide #30 and will need to be printed out and copied for the students (one copy for each student). 

Copies of Punctuating a Dialogue Rubric will need to be made (one for each student). 
Variation Tips (optional):

The page of dialogue can be printed out or students can complete it digitally. The digital version can be found on slide #31. 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

This learning activity can be used with the following activities:

Punctuation Dialogue Introduction (before)

Punctuation Dialogue Quick Check (after)
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: dialogue, mechanics of writing, punctuation, quotation marks