1. 4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases
Editing Invitation
Grammar Keepers – pp
Write Source – pp. 366 – 367, 466, 487, 602 – 603, 608, 632 – 633, and
Day 1
4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases

2. Excerpt from Love, Stargirl
Invitation to Notice
I sat at the table and watched the customers come and go.
It turns out she works there and gets paid
in donuts.
It was the nail on her little finger.
Have students read the sentences and and think about the meaning of each one.
Ask them to think about the green and yellow words. “What do you know about these words?”
They should know the yellow words are nouns. They might not know the green words are prepositions.
3. Have them turn and share with a partner.
Excerpt from Love, Stargirl
By Jerry Spinelli (pg. 23, 24, 54)
Day 1

3. Preppy the squirrel is sitting beside the tree.
Prepositions
Prepositions are color-coded GREEN like the earth. They can be recycled and reused to describe where something or someone is in relationship to something else.
Explain to students that the words in green are prepositions and they start prepositional phrases.
You underline the preposition in green, and circle the prepositional phrase in green when using multi-sensory grammar.
Preppy the squirrel is sitting beside the tree.

4. Invitation to Notice Prepositions are words that show: Location Time
Direction
Location
Time
Direction in
out
inside
above
under
below at on
onto
over by
near
next to
for
since
from
after
until
before to
across
into
past
Tell students that prepositions can add three types of details to a sentence: where, when, and direction.
Have students copy the chart into their writer’s notebook.
Day 1

5. Invitation to Notice Example: You would say: to what? of what?
Prepositions have ONE job. They start a prepositional phrase.
A phrase is a group of words that expresses one idea, but they are not a complete sentence.
How can we prove a preposition starts a phrase?
Say the preposition and then ask the question “what?”
Example: You would say:
to what? of what?
around what? with what
Tell students that prepositions have one job – to start a prepositional phrase.
Remind students of the definition of a phrase.
Explain to students they can prove a word is a preposition by saying the preposition and asking “what?”
Continue to next slide for more information
Day 1

6. Invitation to Notice Ben broke his leg at the concert.
If the answer to the question “what?” is a NOUN, then you have a prepositional phrase.
If the answer is a verb or the answer doesn’t make sense,it is not a prepositional phrase.
Ben broke his leg at the concert.
at what? the concert
Explain to students that if we think a word is a preposition that starts a prepositional phrase, we ask the question “what?’ to prove it is or is not a prepositional phrase.
Continue by telling students if the answer to the question is a noun, it is a prepositional phrase. If the answer is a verb or doesn’t make sense, it is not a prepositional phrase.
Have students write the example and the last sentence in their writer’s notebook.
At is a preposition that starts a prepositional phrase because it answers the question “what?” with a noun.
Day 1

7. Invitation to Notice Cory hid behind the couch. behind what? the couch
Saul tiptoed into the kitchen.
Read the first sentence and model how you would say the preposition and ask the question “what?” to determine if the answer is a noun.
Have students turn and talk and do the same thing you do.
into what? the kitchen
Day 1

8. through the screen door
Invitation to Notice
Prepositional phrases must answer the question “what?” with a noun. In each phrase, identify the preposition and the noun.
in the yard
until morning
near my house
from the next room
through the screen door
Have students practice saying the preposition and asking “what?” to determine the noun.
Tell students to notice that the noun does not come directly after the preposition. Articles and adjectives can come between the preposition and the noun.
Day 1

9. I enjoy going to the mall to shop.
Invitation to Write
Think about your favorite activity: baseball, drawing, or other things you like to do.
In your writer’s notebook, write 5 sentences about the activity. Each sentence should contain a prepositional phrase. Remember to show your proof.
I enjoy going to the mall to shop.
Location
Time
Direction in
out
inside
above
under
below at on
onto
over by
near
next to
for
since
from
after
until
before to
across
into
past
1. Explain activity to students.
Day 1

10. 4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases
Editing Invitation
Day 2
4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases

11. Invitation to Notice Prepositions are words that show: Location Time
Direction
Location
Time
Direction in
out
inside
above
under
below at on
onto
over by
near
next to
for
since
from
after
until
before to
across
into
past
Tell students that prepositions can add three types of details to a sentence: where, when, and direction.
Have students copy the chart into their writer’s notebook.
Day 2

12. Invitation to Notice Ben broke his leg at the concert.
If the answer to the question “what?” is a NOUN, then you have a prepositional phrase.
If the answer is a verb or the answer doesn’t make sense,it is not a prepositional phrase.
Ben broke his leg at the concert.
at what? the concert
Explain to students that if we think a word is a preposition that starts a prepositional phrase, we ask the question “what?’ to prove it is or is not a prepositional phrase.
Continue by telling students if the answer to the question is a noun, it is a prepositional phrase. If the answer is a verb or doesn’t make sense, it is not a prepositional phrase.
Have students write the example and the last sentence in their writer’s notebook.
At is a preposition that starts a prepositional phrase because it answers the question “what?” with a noun.
Day 2

13. Invitation to Imitate Cory hid behind the couch.
Add a prepositional phrase to the end of the sentences below:
We will eat lunch (prepositional phrase).
She has been waiting (prepositional phrase).
Bring the groceries (prepositional phrase).
1. Have students turn and talk with a partner about what prepositions they would add to the sentences.
Day 2

14. Invitation to Imitate We will eat lunch (prepositional phrase).
Choose one of your sentences and identify whether the preposition shows location, time, or direction:
We will eat lunch (prepositional phrase).
Location
Time
Direction in
out
inside
above
under
below at on
onto
over by
near
next to
for
since
from
after
until
before to
across
into
past
1. Have students share the sentences with a partner or write them in a journal.
Rewrite the sentence using the other two types!
Day 2

15. Invitation to Notice
We will eat lunch after the movie. After the movie, we will eat lunch. You can play outside after dinner. After dinner, you can play outside.
1.Have students turn and talk about what they notice about the sentence in regards to the prepositional phrases.
2. Tell them that when prepositional phrases are at the beginning of a sentence, they often are followed by a comma.
3. Explain that there is NO comma when it is at the the end of the sentence.
Day 2

16. Invitation to Imitate Share your sentences!
Look at the 5 sentences you wrote in your journal yesterday.
Rewrite the sentences with different prepositions.
Put some of the prepositional phrases at the beginning and some at the end of the sentences.
Remember to show your proof.
Share your sentences!
Day 2

17. 4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases
Editing Invitation
Day 3
4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases

18. Invitation to Edit
In the maze of charred trees. A tiny seedling began to grow.
Sometimes, you can identify a sentence fragment by noticing it’s really a prepositional phrase!
Prepositional phrases do not include verbs, so it cannot be a complete sentence.
In the maze of charred trees, a tiny seedling began to grow.
After the sentence “Prepositional phrases do not include verbs,…” you will see an orange box fly in and dance around looking for a verb to land on in the prepositional phrase. There is not one, so it flies away.
Day 4

19. Invitation to Write about except beside through against between among
Prepositions can show other details in addition to location, time, and direction. Some of those prepositions include:
about
except
beside
through
against
between
among
despite of
off
with
without
1. Have students add these prepositions to their writer’s notebook.
Try to add a prepositional phrase to one of your sentences using one of these prepositions!
Day 3

20. Invitation to Write Think about your favorite place to visit.
Write a paragraph about all the things you like to do there.
Be sure to include a prepositional phrase in each sentence.
Remember to show your proof.
Day 3
Share with a partner

21. 4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases
Editing Invitation
Day 4
4th Grade / Prepositional Phrases

22. Invitation to Edit
(1) After the big fire. (2) The forest looked different. (3) Dead trees lay on the ground next to the bare trunks of burnt trees that were still standing.
What is the correct way to write sentences 1 and 2?
A After the big fire, the forest. Looked different.
B After the big fire the forest looked different.
C After the big fire, the forest looking different.
D After the big fire, the forest looked different.
Day 4

23. Invitation to Edit
(1) I sat for the table and watched the customers come and go. (2) Margie said she didn’t mind, and she was glad out the company.
What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 1?
Change for to with
Change for to at
Change for to in
Make no change
Day 4

24. Invitation to Edit
(1) I sat for the table and watched the customers come and go. (2) Margie said she didn’t mind, and she was glad out the company.
What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 2?
Change out to in
Change out to on
Change out to for
Make no change
Day 4

25. Invitation to Edit
(1) The next day, Sue was worried. (2) She stood for the balcony of her crumbling home. (3) She looked over the dying plants to see the beautiful crop of cotton her neighbor was growing.
What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 2?
Change for to after
Change for to on
Change for to of
Make no change
Day 4

26. Invitation to Write
Think about all the things Preppy the squirrel could do if he were in the park.
Write a paragraph about his adventures.
Be sure to include a prepositional phrase in each sentence.
Remember to show your proof.
Day 3
Share with a partner