Sentence Quest: Using Parts of Speech to Write Descriptive Sentences

Overview

From Theory to Practice

OVERVIEW

This multi-session activity uses students’ speaking vocabularies to help them learn about complete sentences. Students first participate in a whole-group activity to create lists of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. They then write selected words on color-coded index cards. They work with the word cards to learn the essential criteria for complete sentences. Using this criteria, they collaborate in groups to create, write, and share complete, descriptive sentences. Finally, they use additional descriptive words and phrases to create complex complete sentences, which are written on adding machine tape, illustrated, and shared with the class.

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FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

This lesson takes advantage of young children's descriptive speaking vocabularies to create lists of nouns, verbs, and adjectives that they already know. They are then encouraged to transfer these words to their own writing, while learning about what comprises a complete sentence. Using young children's knowledge of the world for a vocabulary resource gives meaning and makes connections when learning language conventions. Constance Weaver points out the difference between spoken and written language as developmental, and "that children must to some degree 'relearn' surface form as they attempt to express their underlying propositions in written language" (15).

Further Reading

Weaver, Constance. 1979. Grammar for Teachers: Perspectives and Definitions. Urbana, IL: NCTE.

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