#3055. Introduction to Adverbs

Reading/Writing, level: Middle
Posted Wed Feb 11 11:38:18 PST 2004 by Vicky Tusken (vtusken@geneva.k12.il.us).
Geneva Middle School, Geneva, Illinois
Materials Required: Whiteboard, markers, word list(provided with lesson plan)
Activity Time: One classtime(40-50 minutes)
Concepts Taught: Defining, identifying, and using adverbs

Topic: Adverbs

Objectives: To help students develop a definition of the role/function of adverbs. Specifically students will be able to articulate that adverbs modify verbs by telling how something is done, when something is done, where something is done, or modify adverbs or adjectives by telling to what extent.

Materials: Copies of the printed list of verbs and adverbs (see attached sheet)
Whiteboard/markers

Introduction: Hand out the copies of the word list. Tell the students you wish them to put the words into categories. They decide the type of categories, how many categories and how many words go into each. The only condition is each word can only be used once and every word must be categorized.

Activity: Give the students several minutes to put the words into their selected categories. Then begin allowing the students to share their lists with the rest of the class. Write the lists, including the categories on the whiteboard as the students share. Fairly quickly, duplicate categories will begin to appear. Feel free to consolidate the lists as much as possible. Once every possible configuration has been shared and listed, ask the student to take time and look at the many different ways they chose to categorize the words. Ask them, "Do you see a pattern to these lists?" Immediately, they will recognize that the lists fall into five categories: action words, where, when, "ly" words, and "extras."

Then explain to them that they have defined the role of an adverb: a word that modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb by telling how something is done, (the "ly" words) when something is done, where something is done, and the "extras", to what extent something is done.

Put the following sentences on the board:

The dog ran through the house.

We will go to the store.

Children like to play.

The music played quietly.
Ask the student to select an adverb for the first sentence that would tell how the dog ran through the house.
For the second sentence, an adverb that tells when
For the third sentence, an adverb that tells where
For the fourth, to what extent the music played quietly.


Assessment of Learning: Have the students create their own sentences using adverbs from the lists created. Have them write:
2 sentences that tell how
2 sentences that tell when
2 sentences that tell where
2 sentences that tell to what extent

Let them share sentences with tablemates. Collect at the end of the hour.

Follow-up: The next day, have the adverb word lists posted on butcher paper in the room, making reference to them and the categories throughout student practice.

List to be used with adverb adctivity:

Very
Run
Swiftly
Today
Jump
So
Quite
Quickly
Gently
Write
Chew
Everywhere
Here
There
Sleepily
Quite
Tomorrow
Amazingly
Strongly
Neatly
Cry
Shout
Wash
Yesterday
Somewhat
Tonight
Carefully
Outside
Now
Kindly
Inside
Immediately
Soon
Never
Close
Far
Gracefully
Finally
Too