GRAPPLING WITH GRAMMAR
by Ms. D. Saville
Our Lady Queens of Martyrs School savilledulce@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
How often have your heard your friends say the following:
· "Me and my friend went to the movies.”
· "I threw a picture of my dog.”
· "I 'm more smarter than you!”
· "I brang my lunch today."
Do these sentences seem correct to you? If so, you may need to do some "grappling with grammar." Many people come to realize that they often make a good or bad impression others by the way they communicate in their speech and writing. It is important that you become aware of when you are not using correct grammar!
Student Alert! You have been hired by the Grammar Police to investigate errors commonly made in language usage by students in our school!
TASK
You will work in groups of four to investigate errors in speech and writing of fellow students. Each group will work on a different type of common error, such as incorrect use of:
Group 1: homonyms (eg. there / their)
Group 2: pronouns (eg. I / me)
Group 3: modal auxiliaries (eg. can /may)
Group 4: verb tenses (eg. builded)
Group 5: comparative adjectives (eg. more better)
Group 6: idiomatic expressions (eg. "I have three years.")
You will then create a poster showing THREE samples of the type of error you were assigned to research, the correction for each, and a "helpful hint" that explains the correction and how to prevent future errors.
PROCESS
To meet the challenge, you need to complete the following steps:
1. Think-Pair-Share with your group members and take notes about grammar errors you've noted in speech or from the anonymous writing samples provided.
2. Work with your group to write your responses on the Public Policy Analysis worksheets and use them as a guideline in completing your task. These are listed as resources #1 to #6 below with links to assist you in your investigation.
3. Use the resources # 7 to #11 below to find examples of correcting common grammatical errors and for providing helpful hints.
4. Create a poster as described in the TASK section and then use the rubrics in the EVALUATION section to check your work.
5. Be sure to list resources you used to do your research on the poster.
6. You will be given an opportunity to display your poster to other classes so please be prepared to explain your work and answer questions by fellow students based on the research you've done!
RESOURCES
Click on the following links:
2. Gather evidence: How many students are able to pass this test?
3. Identify causes: How much exposure do students have to correct English outside of school?
4. Evaluate a policy: How should grammar be taught?
5. Develop solutions: What are some tips for improving grammar?
9. Practice using English idioms
11. Examine common errors made in writing
EVALUATION
Poster Rubrics
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CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
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Required Elements |
The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information. |
All required elements are included on the poster. |
All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster. |
Several required elements were missing. |
|
|
Clarity and Organization |
All sample errors and corrections are clearly displayed and explained in an organized manner. |
Most sample errors and corrections are clearly displayed and explained in an organized manner. |
Sample errors and corrections are somewhat clear and explained in an organized manner. |
Sample errors and corrections are too small to view, seemingly confused, and/or disorganized. |
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Effectiveness |
The poster provides an original highly effective helpful hint. |
The poster provides a fairly effective helpful hint. |
The poster provides a somewhat helpful hint. |
The poster fails to provide a helpful hint. |
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Attractiveness |
The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness. |
The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness. |
The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy. |
The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive. |
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Grammar |
There are no grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster. |
There are 1-2 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster. |
There are 3-4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster. |
There are more than 4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster. |
|
CONCLUSION
The purpose of this project has been to develop a better understanding among students at OLQM of the problems of using incorrect grammar. The posters are meant to help students focus on certain areas of confusion. Your efforts should serve as a springboard to have students become more aware and concerned about improving their overall language skills.
STANDARDS
This project addresses the following NYS Common Core English Language Arts Standards:
Language 4.1 Students demonstrate a command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Writing 4.7 Students conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
Speaking/Listening 4.1 Students engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions ...building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.