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Re: How do I make it fun?
Posted by Jennifer on 7/29/08

One project I do is to take a song that the majority of my
students like (last year it was "Crank That" by Soulja Boy) and
I get a copy of the lyrics. Then I go through the lyrics and
make all of the nouns one font, all of the verbs another font,
and so on. Then after listening to the song, they had to
identify with a partner what part of speech each font
represented.

Another thing I use a lot are individual dry erase boards. They
hold up their answers on there for grammar questions and we
usually make a game out of it.

For punctuation I have done a few different things. Once I put
up different punctuation marks on sheets of paper and hung them
around the room. Then I cleared the desks out of the way. I
would read a sentence and when I paused, they had to go to the
corner of the room with what they thought was the correct
punctuation mark. It was cool to see whether they were going to
think for themselves, or follow what everyone else did.

Another thing I did was give kids index cards and have each
punctuation mark on a different one. When I would read a
sentence, they had to hold up the correct puncuation mark.

Another time I made punctuation magnets from printable magnet
sheets on the computer. I wrote a sentence on the board and
students had to use the magnets to insert proper punctuation.

PowerPoint Jeopardy or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire are always
hits and a great way to review grammar!

For spelling/vocabulary we do many different things. The kids
like creating posters with the words, definitions, and pictures
of the words on them. We also have contests to create the
craziest mnemonics for a word (hypocrite - Henry Yells Politely
Over Cindy's Really Irritating Talking Egg).

Offering incentives is always a way to make it fun. Last year I
offered an incentive that if a certain percentage of the class
got an A on a test, I would dye my hair crazy colors for a day
(using the Halloween spray-in hair paint). Another time anyone
who got an A got to pie me in the face after school. Kids
really start working well together when they have a chance to
make a fool of their teacher. :)

I also wrote a grammar rap that I used with my 7th graders last
year that they liked. I even recorded beats and performed it in
front of the class.

Listen up now, it’s time to talk about grammar.
We’ll lay the beats better than M.C. Hammer.

First you have a noun –
a person place or thing –
a dog or a bike or your shiny new bling

Then comes the adjective,
it describes the noun
your crisp, new, elegant suit and gown

Next the verb comes in
running and jumping.
With all its dance moves,
it will get the place bumping.
It describes the action
to a T –
laughing and hooping
with my friends and me.

Articles are an, the, and a.
They are part of everything that you say.
They’re a type of adjective, don’t you see?
It’s as plain as day to you and me.

Above, below, in front, behind –
I know these prepositions in my mind.
It shows how words are related to another,
kind of like you and your mother or brother.

Wow! I said at my interception,
little did I know it was an interjection –
emotions followed by exclamation marks,
like when I said, “Ouch!” when I fell in the park

Slowly, quickly, bad and well –
this is what an adverb tells.
It shows you how things were done
and when the character had their fun.

A pronoun comes in when the noun is weak –
he, she, they, we, so to speak
They help you to add some spice,
so your writing is very nice.

And, but, or, nor, for, so, yet-
these are conjunctions, don’t forget!
They help you to connect your writing
to make sure it is fun and exciting.

Now you know all the parts of speech –
acing your writing will be a walk on the beach!

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Posts on this thread, including this one


• How do I make it fun?, 7/28/08, by NKOTB.
• Re: How to make it effective, 7/29/08, by L. Swilley .
• Re: How do I make it fun?, 7/29/08, by Christy.
• Re: How do I make it fun?, 7/29/08, by Sara.
• Re: How do I make it fun?, 7/29/08, by Jennifer.
• Re: How do I make it fun?, 7/31/08, by Kk.