Fanatically Grammatically Correct Discovering the Uses of Punctuation

Overview of Lesson Plan: In this lesson, students reflect on how punctuation shapes meaning, then research guidelines for correct usage. Through a series of brief writing assignments, they explore how creative writers employ punctuation as an essential tool in their craft. Then, they create board games to teach elementary school students how to properly punctuate.

Take a moment to reflect on this statement by author Lynne Truss: 'Proper punctuation is both the sign and the cause of clear thinking.' What does she mean? Do you agree? Discuss briefly with the person next to you. When you are finished talking, work alone to punctuate the following sentence: Woman without her man is nothing When you finish, please turn your papers over."

Perhaps OR 1. Woman, without her man, is nothing. How did You Choose to Punctuate? Perhaps 1. Woman, without her man, is nothing. OR 2. Woman! Without her, man is nothing.

How The Tone Has Changed Think carefully about the ways that subtle changes in grammar or punctuation can radically change meaning. For instance, how does the addition of commas to the first instance change the meaning of the original sentence included in the prompt? Share your responses to Ms. Truss's statement and comment on whether and how the preceding exercise in creative punctuation altered your thinking. How does punctuation help readers.? What about actors?

"Hark, Abused Punctuation: This Writer Feels Your Pain" As a class, read and discuss the article focusing on the following questions: What is the "main claim" of Lynne Truss's book according to the review? What action does Ms. Truss's book jacket show her taking? To whom does Ms. Truss recommend "a gun" and "strong medication for personality disorder"? From what does "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" take its title, according to the article? To whom would the reviewer, Janet Maslin, recommend this book? Which punctuation marks does Ms. Truss find particularly "annoying"? Who wrote the foreword to the American edition of the book and how does he praise Ms. Truss? What does James Lipton have to say about the book? What did George Bernard Shaw once call "apostrophes"? How does Ms. Truss describe the exclamation point, colons, and the "power of the semi-colon," as quoted in the article? What does Ms. Truss identify as the original intent of the comma? How, in one instance, did an actor mangle a line in "Macbeth"? What possible reasons does Ms. Truss offer for the poet Emily Dickinson's fondness for dashes? What is one resource, pointed out by Ms. Truss, that children can use to improve their punctuation usage?

Group Work Brainstorm a list of commonly used punctuation marks and record them on the board (comma, period, dash, hyphen, question mark, quotation mark, exclamation point, semi-colon, colon, apostrophe, parenthesis, slash). Divide into Groups of THREE Each group will be provided with paper, a pen, and two sentences (each of which features a misused punctuation mark). Instruct the students to correct the two sentences and then to derive, from the examples, specific rules for proper usage of the punctuation marks in question. Students may (and should) supplement their deductions by consulting one or more grammar books (or the Internet). Ask groups to make up a list of five guidelines for each punctuation mark to assist their peers to punctuate properly and that warn against common mistakes. Remind them to write clearly and to use correct punctuation.

One More Activity Individually, write a creative paragraph describing the appearance and character of an imaginary bank robber from the perspective of a police officer. When you are finished, exchange paragraphs with another member of the group. As you read your partners work, re-punctuate their paragraphs in a way that changes the reader's impression of the voice and emotional mood of the passage. Change the punctuation of the passage so as to make the reader believe the bank robber's loving significant other might describe the bank robber using the same words but with an entirely different meaning. Exchange paragraphs once more and perform the same exercise, changing the punctuation of the paragraph so that a reader would accept the description as that of the bank teller held at gunpoint. When everyone has finished, read each other's re-punctuated paragraphs and evaluate with one another the success of the experiment, and what you’ve learned about the uses of punctuation in creative writing.

Create a card or board game that teaches elementary school students how to use proper punctuation. Each student should write a paragraph describing the rules of their game and providing reasons for its effectiveness as designed. They should then write ten questions that draw upon the punctuation guidelines created in class to test student knowledge of and ability to apply proper punctuation. After you have received a list of grammatical rules, your group is to create a game for elementary kids to best understand the basics of the English language.

Further Questions for Discussion: What is wrong with the punctuation of the film title "Two Weeks Notice"? What is a "misplaced modifier"? Which is the correct possessive form for "Ms. Truss" ("Ms. Truss's" or "Ms. Truss'")? When used to describe a panda bear, what is wrong with the phrase "Eats, Shoots & Leaves"? Ms. Truss argues that "being burned as a witch is not safely enough off the agenda" for those who care about proper punctuation. Why do you think the topic hits "a raw nerve"? Is Ms. Truss going too far to assign "personalities" to individual punctuation marks? Why? Do writers of e-mail typically use correct punctuation? Why? Do you think it important that they do? Why? What is the connection between "clear thinking" and clear writing? Do you need to think clearly to write well? Does writing help you to think clearly? Is it "uncool to be stupid"? Why?

Standards Language Arts Standard – Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Benchmarks: Uses a variety of prewriting strategies; Uses a variety of strategies to draft and revise written work; Uses style and structure appropriate for specific audiences and purposes; Writes expository compositions; Writes compositions that speculate on problems/solutions Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning. Benchmarks: Plays a variety of roles in group discussions; Asks questions to seek elaboration and clarification of ideas; Listens in order to understand a speaker's topic, purpose, and perspective; Conveys a clear main point when speaking to others and stays on the topic being discussed