
- Putting Your Thoughts on Paper: Sentencing Patterns
- Gathering materials: family learning journals, pencils, and colored pencils
- Reading and Writing Connection: Grammar Connection: Why do you need to know this literary skill?
- Remind them to open their journals to the next available page and date it. Don’t forget to have them label the top of the page with today’s learning topic/skill.
- In every educational subject, as in life, you learn to discern the patterns around you. Once you learn to look for the patterns, your understanding about the subject is clarified.
- First: Review the opening slide. What do they notice? What patterns are connected to which sentence?
- Next: Discuss the diagram slide above. Start with the subject/verb example. Depending on the age of your learners, continue with all four of the examples. Choose 2 or three of the sentences to copy into their journals. Remember diagramming sentences is like putting a puzzle together… have fun!
- Drafting responses: Allow each family member to write their thoughts (10 min). Encourage the youngest members to draw their thoughts and assign someone to be their scribe.
- Extension: Review the sentence template below. Pair-up your learners. Ask them to diagram one or two of these sentences. (You can always return to this slide at a later date, in your lesson plans and/or your own learning journal note the date for this slide.

- Finally: Discuss: Let each family member share their diagraming solutions. Remind them that respectful listeners make eye contact with the person sharing without interrupting.
- Those that get done early… ask them to illustrate the sentences as a comic strip.
