To Practise Using Colons and Semi-Colons Accurately

Take Cover

Teacher sheet

18 A game of two halves

Teacher input required / Medium/some involvement
Framework substrand / 8.2 varying sentences and punctuation for clarity and effect
Lesson level / C
National Curriculum ref. / 1.1c demonstrate a secure understanding of the conventions of written language, including grammar, spelling and punctuation
2.3v signal sentence structure by the effective use of the full range of punctuation marks to clarify meaning

Learning objective

To practise using colons and semi-colons accurately.

Resources required

Student instructions and student resource sheet, coloured paper, scissors and glue for Task 2 and the extension activity (optional).

Lesson guidance

· Starter – read the information on the student sheet about colons and semi-colons with students and go through questions a–d. (10 mins)

· Development – all students then need to complete the activities to practise using colons and semi-colons in task 1. (15 mins)

Most students will be able to move on to Task 2 (make a work sheet that Year 6 students could use to help them learn how to use colons and semi-colons.)

Finally, students could complete Task 3: make an answer sheet to go with their worksheet.

· Plenary – students should write a paragraph for their teacher showing that they can use colons and semi-colons properly. They could write about this lesson (e.g. ‘Today we learned about using colons and semi-colons; it was not as hard as I’d thought!’) or a subject of their choice. They must use at least one colon and one semi-colon in their paragraph. (10 mins)

Notes for SEN students

The tasks are differentiated so that all students complete the first activity practising using colons and semi-colons. The first activities are the most achievable. Some students may need extra support to complete Tasks 2 and 3 – pair less able students with more able students for these tasks.

Extension activities / notes for gifted and talented students

For an extension task, students can create a poster for the classroom wall that explains what colons and semi-colons are, including some different examples of how to use them.

Student instructions

18 A game of two halves

Learning objective

To use colons and semi-colons accurately.

Success criteria

By the end of the lesson I will have:

· understood how to use colons and semi-colons

· created a worksheet that Year 6 students could use to help them understand colons and semi-colons

· demonstrated to my teacher that I can use colons and semi-colons in my writing.

Warm up

Read the information on the student resource sheet on colons and semi-colons. Then, write out the four sentences below and include the missing colons and semi-colons.

Your main task!

Task 1

Now, write some sentences of your own using:

a) a semi-colon to join two connected clauses

b) a semi-colon to separate long items in a list

c) a colon to introduce a list

d) a colon to add emphasis to a point by putting it on its own.

Task 2

· Now you can put your knowledge into practice! Design a worksheet that can be given to Year 6 students to help them learn how to use colons and semi-colons.

· Think carefully about how you are going to make the work sheet fun, understandable and educational.

Task 3

Finally, make an answer sheet to go with your worksheet.

Take Cover 18 A game of two halves

Round it off with this

Write a short paragraph for your teacher showing that you can use colons and semi-colons properly. The paragraph could explain what you have done during this lesson (make it funny if you like!) or be on a subject of your choice. Make sure that you use at least one colon and one semi-colon in your paragraph.

Extra challenge

Design a poster that explains how to use colons and semi-colons, with examples, to go on the classroom wall.

Student resource sheet

The semi-colon

Why is it used?

1. To separate two clauses of a sentence when they are closely related.

2. To separate items in a list when the items are long phrases and to use a comma might lead to ambiguity.

Bath High School is great for many things: the quality of the teaching, especially in English; the excellence of the buildings; the wonderful cafeterias, serving an array of healthy food; the intelligence and helpfulness of the students.

The colon

Why is it used?

1. To introduce a quotation or list.

2. To add emphasis to a point by putting it on its own.

There’s only one word I can use to describe that: fabulous!