Grammar Lesson for: Proper Adjective (Gr. 2)
Essential Question: How can using proper adjectives help students create written works that are clear and exhibit correct use of the conventions of written Standard American English?
Definition: Proper Adjective; Created from a proper noun and capitalized. Ex. The American athletes competing in the Olympics are expected to win many medals. Canada (n.) Canadian (proper adj.)
Capitalizing Proper Adjectives
A proper noun used as an adjective or an adjective formed from a proper noun is called a proper adjective. Proper adjectives are normally capitalized. This includes brand names.
Correct: Indian food a Kodak® camera
Prerequisites (background knowledge needed): Students know how to describe an object. However, many of them are not yet using descriptive language in their writing. They may have been exposed to descriptive literature in both their reading, in various textbooks and they can, when shown an object, give an oral description of the item. Their imaginations will be captured by teaching them how to use adjectives to describe an item in their writing while stepping it up a notch with Proper Adjectives.
Teacher Resources:
SDE Support Document
Hairy, Scary, Ordinary: What is an Adjective? By Brian P. Cleary
Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives, and Merry-Go-Round: A Book About Nouns by Ruth Heller.
PowerPoints/Websites:
Defined: http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000048.htm
Think sheets: http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/grammar.html
Dynamite Diamante Poetry lesson: http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=823
Essential Skill or Concept:
2-4.4 Use grammatical conventions of Standard American English, including proper adjectives.
2-5.3 Create written pieces that describe objects, people, places, or events and that use words
that appeal to the senses.
Pre-assessment: Display on smart board or with document camera text from a picture book or teacher created that shows proper adjectives. See if students can identify the adjectives and proper adjectives. This is an oral assessment to test the waters. (ex. “Punk Farm on Tour” by Jarrett Krosoczka first page) See if students can identify the proper adjectives: Farmer Joe, National Tractor Society Conference, or Punk Farm.
Suggested Mentor Text: Punk Farm on Tour by Jarrett Krosoczka; Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Amos and Boris, or Shrek by William Steig; Some Smug Slug by Pamela Duncan Edward; Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes; or Swamp Angel by Anne Isaacs; My Momma Has a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray.
Lesson Outline:
Read Aloud: 10-15 min. How will I model this skill for my students? (exemplars and/or demonstrations)
Teacher Reads from: Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives, and Merry-Go-Round: A Book About Nouns by Ruth Heller. See below if you don’t have the book. From Many Luscious Lollipops:
After teacher reads, have the students read aloud. This could be a jingle to memorize.
An ADJECTIVE's terrific
When you want to be specific.
It easily identifies
By number, color or by size
TWELVE LARGE, BLUE, GORGEOUS butterflies.
Treat PROPER ADJECTIVES the same
as any other proper name . . .
a PERSIAN rug, an IRISH setter.
They always begin with a capital letter.
Shared Writing: 10-20 min. How will I introduce and explain this skill so that students will understand the how and why?(inductive method, mini-lecture, demonstration, notes, etc.)
Use a text from above or one of your own to project with a document camera or scan into Smart Notebook. Seeing is believing. Let them see the language from an authentic source.
Have students share the pen and identify the proper adjectives.
Guided Writing: 10 min. How will I provide opportunities for guided practice? How will I adapt or differentiate this lesson for grade and skill level?
Have the class brainstorm proper adjectives that are familiar to them. They could write sentences with these or try to use them in a short story.
PASS Format: See samples
http://www.ed.sc.gov/agency/Accountability/Assessment/NewAssessmentProgramGr3-8.html
Use the question stem:
Voice
Some Sample Language/Stems:
• What would be a more precise word to replace ______?
• Which revision of the sentence is the most vivid?
• What would be a better choice of wording than ______in this sentence?
Independent Writing: 10-15 min. How will I monitor/gauge students’ understanding of the skill? (formative assessment/ informal assessment); How will students independently practice using the skill in their writing?
During this time encourage students to use proper adjectives in their writing. As you conference, make note of the students who are trying this so they can share out.
Other Teaching Ideas:
Writer’s Notebook: reflection How will I engage students in a reflection of how this skill has developed and how it has helped each of them become a more effective writer?
Put the brainstorm list of possibilities in their notebook.
You may have them write down the definition in their notebook for future reference. They may jot down topics or words as well.
Author’s Chair: 5 min.
A few student’s share their pieces that have used proper adjectives. Pick these students before you come to whole group share as you walk around during independent writing or from conferences.