The girl's like spaghetti: Why, you can't manage without apostrophes! by Lynne Truss and Bonnie Timmons, ill. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2007.

ISBN: 978-0-39924-706-4

Annotation: Learn the ins and outs of apostrophe usage in a witty and fun way.

Age range: 5-7 grades

Media used by illustrator: illustration

Personal Rating: 5Q/4P

Curricular connections: grammar education for fifth through seventh grades.

 

The Girl's Like Spaghetti

Lesson Plan Title: Fun with Punctuation

Concept / Topic To Teach: Basic punctuation rules, specifically apostrophes.

Standards Addressed: For grade 7 (http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculuminstruct/): “Students use complex sentence structures and complex punctuation with increased accuracy.”

General Goal(s): To introduce students to the guidelines of apostrophe usage as well as to provide a framework for other punctuation marks.

Specific Objectives: Students will understand how misplaced or missing apostrophes can change the  meaning of a word of sentence, and will know how and when to use apostrophes.

Required Materials: Copies of Lynne Truss's The Girl's Like Spaghetti, Twenty-Odd Ducks, and Eats, Shoots & Leaves, pen and paper.

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): This is intended to be a two to three-day lesson plan. On the first day, the teacher will read The Girl's Like Spaghetti aloud to the class and write some of Truss's examples on the board. This will spur a class discussion about how the sentences meanings would change with different or missing apostrophes. Students will be assigned the other two books for homework that night, and will be provided with short worksheets as accompaniment.

Step-By-Step Procedures:                                                                                                                                                                                            1. The teacher will read the book The Girl's Like Spaghetti in class and lead a discussion.  2. Students will read Truss's other books that night and do worksheets pertaining to them.   3. On the following class day, students will split into groups of two or three students each. Each student will write a mad lib on a subject of his/her choosing leaving blanks for others to fill in. One the mad libs are complete, students will trade them in their groups and fill them in. After they have finished, they will read their finished products aloud. Then the teacher will proceed from group to group showing them how the meanings would change with different punctuation.  4. A representative from each group will choose a few sentences from their group's mad libs and write them on the board, illustrating how varying punctuation (particularly apostrophes) change the meaning.  5. That night, each student will be assigned to write a short paragraph explaining the rules of apostrophe usage.

Plan For Independent Practice: Students will write a narrative paragraph on a subject of interest of his/her choosing (this will take place the night after day two of the lesson), paying particular attention to punctuation.

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): On the third day (preferably a Wednesday) students will have a closing discussion about punctuation in which they can ask any questions they might have.

Assessment Based On Objectives: The teacher will analyze the students mad libs and paragraphs for comprehension and will adjust the lesson plan based on the results.

Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities): These students will be given extra time to write their paragraphs, and can work on their mad libs in groups of two if they prefer.

Extensions (For Gifted Students): These students will be allowed to focus on as many punctuation marks as they choose rather than simply apostrophes.

Possible Connections To Other Subjects: None.

 

ateater/06-20-2009

 

 

The girl's like spaghetti : why, you can't manage without apostrophes! / by Lynne Truss ; illustrated by Bonnie Timmons. New York:  Putnam, c2007

ISBN-13: 978-0-399-24706-4

 

A sequel to Truss’s Eats, Shoots & Leaves, this volume pays tribute to the need for an apostrophe.  Once again with pairs of clever illustrations, each depicting the same sentence with the exception of the placement or absence of an apostrophe, Truss demonstrates how much fun it can be to learn punctuation.  For example, “Those smelly things are my brother’s” is illustrated with the stinky possessions of one brother and then juxtaposed with images of odiferous siblings captioned with “Those smelly things are my brothers.”

 

Curricular connection:  Punctuation (Grades 5 and up)

 

 

Artwork:  Watercolor-and-ink

Subjects: Punctuation; Apostrophe; Humor

Theme:  Learning about punctuation can be fun.

Category:  Non-fiction 428.2

 Age Level Recommendation:  Upper Elementary

Rating: 4Q/4P

AAS 5-3-08

 

 

 

Lesson Plan:  Punctuation and Homographs (AAS 5-4-08)

 

 

 

Objectives:  To practice interpreting the meaning of sentences based on the position of commas and/or apostrophes.  To use commas and/or apostrophes accurately to convey intended meaning.

 

 

 

Additional objectives can be added based on grade-appropriate standards.

 

 

 

Grade Range:  5^th - 8^th (but adaptable to higher grades)

 

 

 

Standards: Adaptable to a variety of Language Arts Content Standards depending on the grade level of the students;  see suggestions below.

 

 

 

English-Language Arts Content Standards – California

 

All grades – “Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions appropriate to this grade level.”

 

Grade 5 ELA/Reading 1.3 Understand and explain frequently used synonyms, antonyms, and homographs.Grade 5 ELA/Written and Oral Language Conventions 1.1 Identify and correctly use prepositional phrases, appositives, and independent and dependent clauses; use transitions and conjunctions to connect ideas.

 

Grade 6 ELA/Reading 1.2 Identify and interpret figurative language and words with multiple meanings.

 

Grade 6 ELA/Written and Oral English Language Conventions

 

1.1 Use simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences; use effective coordination and subordination of ideas to express complete thoughts.

 

1.3 Use colons after the salutation in business letters, semicolons to connect independent clauses, and commas when linking two clauses with a conjunction in compound sentences.  

 

 

 

Grade 7 ELA/Reading 1.3 Clarify word meanings through the use of definition, example, restatement, or contrast.

 

Grade 7 ELA/Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.4 Demonstrate the mechanics of writing (e.g., quotation marks, commas at end of dependent clauses) and appropriate English usage (e.g., pronoun reference).

 

 

 

Grade 8 ELA/Reading 1.3 Use word meanings within the appropriate context and show ability to verify those meanings by definition, restatement, example, comparison, or contrast.

 

Grade 8 ELA/Written and Oral English Language Conventions 1.5 Use correct punctuation and capitalization.

 

 

 

Picture Books:

 

 

 

Eats, Shoots & Leaves:  Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference! By Lynne Truss Illustrated by Bonnie Timmons (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2006)

 

The Girl’s Like Spaghetti:  Why, You Can’t Manage Without Apostrophes! By Lynne Truss Illustrated by Bonnie Timmons (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2007)

 

 

 

Alternate meaning pairs based on the use of commas:

 

Eats shoots and leaves.	Eats, shoots and leaves.	Verb/2 nouns versus 3 verbs
Slow, children crossing.	Slow children crossing.	Ind. phrases versus “slow” as adjective
“Go, get him doctors!”	“Go get him, doctors!”	Independent clauses versus direct command at doctors
Every day, Anthony turns, slides, and swings.	Every day, Anthony turns slides and swings.	Slides and swings as verbs versus nouns
After we left Grandma, Mommy and I skipped about in the park.	After we left, Grandma, Mommy, and I skipped about in the park.	“Grandma” in introductory clause versus as part of subject
Becky teased the boy with the fluffy duck.	Becky teased the boy, with the fluffy duck.	“With the fluffy duck” modifies boy or describes Becky’s action
Eat here, and get gas.	Eat here and get gas.	Independent clauses versus cause and effect implication
Becky walked on, her head a little higher than usual.	Becky walked on her head, a little higher than usual.	Phrase modifies Becky versus phrase modifies independent clause
Look at that huge hot dog!	Look at that huge, hot dog!	Huge modifies hot dog versus huge and hot both modifying dog
The kids, who got ice cream, were very happy.	The kids who got ice cream were very happy.	“Who got ice cream” refers to all kids versus only some kids
The student, said the teacher, is crazy.	The student said the teacher is crazy.	The teacher speaking versus the student speaking
No pushing, please.	No pushing please.	Independent phrases versus “please” as a noun
I’ve finally decided to cheer up, everybody!	I’ve finally decided to cheer up everybody!	Comment directed at “everybody” versus “everybody” as object of “cheer up”
What is this thing called, honey?	What is this thing called honey?	“Honey” as addressee of comment versus as object

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternate meaning pairs based on the use of apostrophes:

 

The girls like spaghetti.		The girl’s like spaghetti.		Plural versus singular possessive
The giant kids’ playground.		The giant kid’s playground.		Plural possessive versus singular possessive; “giant” modifies kid versus playground
Students’ refuse to go in the garbage.		Students refuse to go in the garbage.		Plural possessive versus plural with “refuse” as verb
The dogs like my dad.		The dog’s like my dad.		Plural noun versus contraction
Ladies’ lounge.		Ladies lounge.		Plural possessive versus plural noun with lounge as verb
Violets for display only.		Violet’s for display only.		Plural noun versus contraction
See the . . .	boys bat.	boy’s bat.	boys’ bat.	Plural noun (bat as verb) versus singular possessive versus plural possessive
We’re here to help you.		Were here to help you.		Contraction versus “were” as verb
Those smelly things are my brother’s.		Those smelly things are my brothers.		Singular possessive versus plural noun
Jack’s played here.		Jacks played here.		Contraction of proper noun versus plural noun
The tiny cat’s home.		The tiny cats’ home.		Contraction versus plural possessive
The shop sells boys’ and girls’ clothing.		The shop sells boys and girls’ clothing.		Plural possessives versus plural noun
Look, it’s behind.		Look, its behind.		Contraction versus possessive pronoun (with behind as noun)
The apostrophe’s like a flying comma.		The apostrophes like a flying comma.		Contraction versus plural noun (with like as verb)

 

 

Anticipatory Set:

 

“Let me read you a sentence and have you tell me what it means.” (Whatever the response, reject the answer and offer the alternate meaning, asking students to supply the two ways to punctuate to match the two meanings.) “Commas (or apostrophes) have a very important job – without them, some sentences may say all the wrong thing.”

 

 

 

Note:  Creating sentences that differ on the basis of apostrophes is more difficult than creating sentences that need commas.  It may be prudent to do the comma lesson first and later tackle the apostrophe lesson.

 

 

 

Read aloud the Truss book of choice.

 

 

 

Teaching:

 

 

 

1. Write these words on the board (charge, beat, and rock) and ask “What do they mean?  What else could they mean?” Review the concept of multiple meaning words. Choose several (or more) sentence pairs from the book to analyze side by side.  Discuss the differences in how they are punctuated and why.  Chart a list of examples with notations that will help students identify the important elements of future sentences.

 

 

 

2. Writing two multiple meaning sentences from scratch isn’t an easy task.  Many levels of students will need to be given the sentence to punctuate and illustrate in two or more ways rather than generating the sentence on their own.  Students generating their own sentences may benefit from selecting words from the word bank below. Teachers can add to the lists of sentences below by lifting ambiguous sentences from students’ writing or just using the samples as patterns.

 

 

 

Caution:  The teacher may wish to explain that not all the captions to the pictures are complete sentences.  The teacher may instruct students to only use a period to end a complete sentence (unlike how it is done in the books). 

 

 

 

Apostrophe sample sentences to punctuate and illustrate:

 

The blue dogs on the stairs

 

The teachers like books

 

The students present at the show

 

The clowns like rainbows

 

Grandpas bowl

 

Ronald McDonalds sign

 

Marks on the kitchen floor

 

Watch the toddlers rock and roll

 

These filthy things are my dogs

 

Skips down the block now

 

The small boys bike

 

Mom threw out pets and kids toys

 

Bucks in the seat

 

My friends like my mom

 

 

 

Comma sample sentences to punctuate and illustrate:

 

Chase the police officer

 

Stop children playing

 

Go get some officers

 

Once in awhile Joey mows rakes and hoses

 

After we picked up Mom Dad and I had lunch

 

Sarah lifted her brother with the crane

 

Stop at the store and fill up your trunk

 

Max played on his drum longer than the piano

 

Please find the missing football coach

 

The pets who had masters were under control

 

The clown claimed the ringmaster was noisy

 

Stop the running water

 

The custodian will help her students

 

Where is the plant mister

 

 

 

Apostrophe and comma sample sentences:

 

Well all need rest tonight (punctuate differently but meaning essentially the same)

 

Fire its last man

 

Max rode on his bike longer than Freds

 

 

 

Guided Practice:

 

 

 

3.  The teacher decides whether students work singly or in pairs to punctuate and illustrate a sentence in two ways.  Each student (or pair of students) gets a sentence to punctuate.  He/she adds the proper punctuation to create two versions with alternate meanings and then explains to the teacher the difference in meanings. (If students work singly, they may explain the differences to a partner to check the work before explaining them to the teacher.) The teacher may need to provide additional hints to guide students to correct answer.

 

 

 

4.  Once the two meanings are correctly identified, the sentences are illustrated on two halves of a sheet of paper.

 

 

 

Optional:  The sentences can be written on cards instead of under the illustrations so that they can be used as a matching game in which the player matches the appropriate sentence with the picture.  This matching can also be done whole class by mounting the pictures and passing out the captions.  Students would need to give a supporting explanation for their match-ups.

 

 

 

Independent Practice:

 

 

 

5.  Illustrate additional pairs of sentences independently.

 

 

 

 

 

Challenge task -- Very capable students may be able to write their own sentences using one or more of the words below.

 

Challenge task --Diagram each sentence in the pair.

 

Challenge task --Combine presence and absence of both apostrophes and commas to try to create more than two alternate sentence meanings.

 

 

 

 

 

Word Bank Suggestions

 

 

 

trap	soil	tire	fine	show	wind
set	bowl	store	point	sign	slip
jerk	pack	hit	place	mark	pant
crowd	track	roll	flood	ball	pound
pet	snack	racket	light	rock	tag
stamp	smell	fire	check	state	well
block	spring	color	bank	tip	notice