A Sentence a Day Program Overview

The Sentence a Day program involves students in daily practice of writing individual sentences, focusing on correct sentence structure and sentences that make sense.
WES1.10 Produces simple texts that show the emergence of the grammar and punctuation needed to achieve the purpose of the text. / WS1.10 Produces texts using the basic grammatical features and punctuation conventions of the text type. / WS2.10 Produces texts clearly, effectively and accurately, using the sentence structure, grammatical features and punctuation conventions of the text type. / WS3.10 Uses knowledge of sentence structure, grammar and punctuation to edit own writing.
Use flash cards of high frequency words and words requested by the students to make sentences / Use flash cards or desk top lists of high frequency words and words requested by the students to make sentences.
1. I am… individual names / 1. Subject-verb-object
Simple sentences
[Mumboughtabook. I like apples. Very few sentences are this straightforward.] / 1. Subject-verb-object
Simple sentences. / 1. Subject-verb-object
Simple sentences
2. I am …..a boy …a girl / 2. Statements
[… are sentences that end in a full stop & just put information out there.] / 2. Statements / 2. Questions
3. I can ….. / 3. Add a verb & object to a subject [Mum… madedinner.] / 3. Add a verb & an object to the subject
[Mum + drives + a Mazda.] / 3. Commands
4. I can see a/an …… / 4. Capital letters & full stops.
[Capital letters do not always come after ? or ! They come at the end of a sentence.] / 4. Capital letters & full stops. / 4. Compound sentences
5. I like ……..
[Plural when speaking in general: I like cats. Single must have this/that/these/those/the before the noun.] / 5. Correct word order / 5. Correct word order / 5. Sentences
6. Mum can….
[Modal verbs always help a main verb. I can play. I might remember.] / 6. Questions
[… are sentences we use when we want to know something. They end in a question mark.] / 6. Questions / 6. Questions
7. Dad can …….. / 7. Write a question. / 7. Write a question. / 7. Subject & predicates
[To find the subject: find the verb then ask, ‘Who or what is doing the verb?’ The answer is the subject. The verb and the rest of the sentence are the predicate.]
8. Look at the …….. / 8. Statements / 8. Statements / 8. Time and place phrases.
[These are usually adverbial phrases: groups of words beginning with a preposition and with no verb. at the park, after lunch.]
9. Look at my ……… / 9. Questions / 9. Questions / 9. Compound sentences – who, which
10. Here is a/an ………. / 10. Holiday sentences / 10. An enjoyable outing / 10. Compound sentences & time and place phrases
11. Here is the ……… / 11. Sentence starters. / 11. Sentence starters. / 11. Compound sentences – two verb groups
12. I can go to …….. / 12. Question starters
[Most common: 5Ws, How, Can, Do/Does, Having Vbs, Being Vbs,] / 12. Question starters / 12. Adverbs
13. It is ………. / 13. Common nouns
[All non-special ‘person/ place/thing’ words. To check if a word is a noun or something else, try putting THE in front of it. If you can, it’s a noun.] / 13. Common nouns / 13. Adjectives.
14. This is ………
[That is…] / 14. Proper nouns
[All special ‘person/place/thing’ words. They start with a capital letter.] / 14. Proper nouns. / 14. Direct & quoted speech
[When we write what was said and who said it. “I’m hungry,” said Jack.]
15. It can ……… / 15. Questions – common nouns / 15. Questions – common nouns / 15. Inverted sentences.
16. A ______can ______/ 16. Questions – proper nouns / 16. Questions – proper nouns / 16. Change word order.
17. He can ……… / 17. Common nouns / 17. Common nouns / 17. Adjectives
18. She can ……… / 18. Verbs
[Verbs are doing words. They can be action, saying, thinking/feeling, or linking.] / 18. Question into statement
[To get a Yes/No answer or to get a full sentence answer.
We are going to the park.
Are we going to the park?
When are we going to the park?] / 18. Adverbs
19. I went ………. / 19. Verb groups
[Verbs made up of more than one word: am going, are hoping to buy, would not have been able to eat.] / 19. Verbs / 19. Descriptive sentences.
20. I’m ……… / 20. Adjectives
[Words that describe/add information to nouns: red, three, handsome, this, my.] / 20. Verb group / 20. Descriptive sentences.
21. My ……… / 21. Compound sentences
[… are made up of 2 simple sentences joined by a comma followed by a co-ordinating conjunction (F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.)] / 21. Noun – verb agreement
[She has NOT She have] / 21. Dependant & Independent clauses
[Independent clausesare simple sentences that can function on their own.
I like pizza, but I don’t like spaghetti.
Dependent clausesusually begin with a conjunction (because) or a relative pronoun (who) and do not make sense on their own.They must be attached to an Independent Clause.
I don’t go to the beach, because I can’t swim.]
22. I saw …….. / 22. Supplementary sentence starters / 22. Adjectives / 22. Complex sentences [… consist of an independent clause and a dependent clause.]
23. I go to …….. / 23. Adverbs
[… add information toverbs, adjectives, other adverbs– most simple ones tell when/where/how and degree.
Heeatsquickly.
He eatstoo quickly.
Sheis goinghome.
That car isveryred. / 23. Enriching sentence
24. A dog can ……. / 24. Adverbial phrase
[A group of words without a verb, that adds information to the verb – most simple ones tell uswhen/where/howthe verb happened, and start with a preposition.
He is swimmingat the beach.
I’ll be homeat 5 o’clock.
Stir the mixturewith a fork.] / 24. Adverbial clauses [… are clauses that add information to verbs – they must include a verb.
I’m going to the shopsto buy my mum a present. Answers the question WHY?]
25. There is …….
[There are …] / 25. Adverbial phrase / 25. Complex sentence
26. Using adjectives / 26. Adjectives. / 26. Adjectival clauses [… are clauses that add information to nouns – they must include a verb.
I’ll show you the bookthat I bought yesterday.
27. Recount / 27. Compound sentences - and / 27. Complex sentence
28. Compound sentences - but / 28. Complex sentence
29. Compound sentences – and, but, / 29. Similes
30. Compound sentences - because / 30. Supplementary sentence starters
32. Compound sentences - while
33. Exclamations [… are sentences that show heightened emotion – surprise, anger, shock – and end with an exclamation mark.]
34. Commands [… are sentences that begin with a verb, that we use to ask or tell someone to do something. They are not always orders.
Put your books away.
Come and sit on the floor.
Be quiet!]
35. Supplementary sentence starters
Evaluation: