Part One
What do you notice about the sentence below? Nick Allen had plenty of ideas, and he knew what to do with them. --Andrew Clements, Frindle, (1998)
Is it two sentences in one?
First, test the sentences.
Sentence test
Who or what did or is something? (subject)
What did it/he/she do or what is it/he/she? (verb)
Part Two
What do you notice about the sentence below? I think about going in my room now, but it smells like the inside of an old lunch bag in there. --Gennifer Choldenko, Al Capone Does My Shirts (2004)
Is it two sentences in one?
First, test the sentences.
Sentence test
Who or what did or is something? (subject)
What did it/he/she do or what is it/he/she? (verb)
How are the sentences stuck together? Part Three
In the document below, there are more examples of compound sentences.
Activity: At your clusters, talk in compound sentences. You can talk about anything, so long as it's in the form of a compound sentence.
Imitating
When you imitate, match the pattern, not the content. We're going for the pattern of compound sentences--two related sentences joined with a comma and one of the FANBOYS. Activity: Use the model sentences in this file as the sentences you will imitate:
Activity: Listen to the teacher's read-aloud of Dan Gutman's "Let's Go to the Videotape," found in Guys Write for Guys Read (2005). Afterward, write about a time you did something impressive or about experiences in gym in general, past or present. Because we don't have gym, write about sports co-curricular activities or sporting events outside of school. Use compound sentences in your writing.
. In groups, students record all the sentences from the story they think are compound sentences, putting them to the test.
Are there two complete sentences, with subjects and verbs on each side of the FANBOYS?
Are a comma and one of the FANBOYS joining the two complete sentences?
Does the sentence meet all the criteria?
The collections of compound sentences should be recorded on chart paper to be displayed and discussed with the full class.
After most groups have completed recording their compound sentences, groups present, proving with the compound-sentence test why each of their sentences is indeed a compound one. As each group presents, the groups in the audience check off confirmed sentences.
Particular attention should be given to posers--sentences that have some of the criteria of a compound sentence but are missing something.
Combining
Warm-up: Below are uncombined sentences from Nancy Osa's book Cuba 15 (2003). Combine the sentence pairs and create two compound sentences in your writer's notebooks.
A nervous chuckle rose up in me. I refused to let it out.
I tried calling her as soon as I got home from school. Her line was busy.
Discussion: Why did you use the FANBOY that you chose? Why is one FANBOY better than another when combining these particular sentence pairs?
Practice: Use the document below for extra practice with sentence combining, uncombining, and recombining.
As a class, we will tape sentence strips with compound sentences up all around the room. During class and for homework, read--or shop--the world, looking for compound sentences in:
your science or social studies book;
advertisements;
other people's speech;
independent reading books;
book club books;
newspaper and magazine articles;
Or maybe you will make one up. Record the discoveries you make on note cards and get them approved by a teacher before you write them on sentence strips and post them on the walls.
Edit
Show the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The book is a hybrid novel-picture book, which is cool. Hugo has this secret that he is trying to keep, and this girl he knows a little followed him and is about to discover his secret. Hugo fights to keep his secret undiscovered, but Isabelle starts to fight back: He yelped in pain, and she grabbed his wrists and pinned his arms to the floor.
Open this document:
Intro
Table of Contents
Noticing and Collecting
Part OneWhat do you notice about the sentence below?
Nick Allen had plenty of ideas, and he knew what to do with them.
--Andrew Clements, Frindle, (1998)
Is it two sentences in one?
First, test the sentences.
Sentence test
How are the sentences stuck together?
Part Two
What do you notice about the sentence below?
I think about going in my room now, but it smells like the inside of an old lunch bag in there.
--Gennifer Choldenko, Al Capone Does My Shirts (2004)
Is it two sentences in one?
First, test the sentences.
Sentence test
How are the sentences stuck together?
Part Three
In the document below, there are more examples of compound sentences.
As extra practice, follow the above procedure with each mentor sentence. Use this note-taking sheet for structure:
Part Four
Do you know the FANBOYS? So dreamy! But how is each one unique?
Activity: At your clusters, talk in compound sentences. You can talk about anything, so long as it's in the form of a compound sentence.
Imitating
When you imitate, match the pattern, not the content. We're going for the pattern of compound sentences--two related sentences joined with a comma and one of the FANBOYS.Activity: Use the model sentences in this file as the sentences you will imitate:
Writing
Activity: Listen to the teacher's read-aloud of Dan Gutman's "Let's Go to the Videotape," found in Guys Write for Guys Read (2005). Afterward, write about a time you did something impressive or about experiences in gym in general, past or present. Because we don't have gym, write about sports co-curricular activities or sporting events outside of school.Use compound sentences in your writing.
Collecting
Each student should get a copy of "Let's Go to the Videotape":- Are there two complete sentences, with subjects and verbs on each side of the FANBOYS?
- Are a comma and one of the FANBOYS joining the two complete sentences?
- Does the sentence meet all the criteria?
The collections of compound sentences should be recorded on chart paper to be displayed and discussed with the full class.After most groups have completed recording their compound sentences, groups present, proving with the compound-sentence test why each of their sentences is indeed a compound one. As each group presents, the groups in the audience check off confirmed sentences.
Particular attention should be given to posers--sentences that have some of the criteria of a compound sentence but are missing something.
Combining
Warm-up: Below are uncombined sentences from Nancy Osa's book Cuba 15 (2003). Combine the sentence pairs and create two compound sentences in your writer's notebooks.A nervous chuckle rose up in me.
I refused to let it out.
I tried calling her as soon as I got home from school.
Her line was busy.
Discussion: Why did you use the FANBOY that you chose? Why is one FANBOY better than another when combining these particular sentence pairs?
Practice: Use the document below for extra practice with sentence combining, uncombining, and recombining.
Celebration
As a class, we will tape sentence strips with compound sentences up all around the room. During class and for homework, read--or shop--the world, looking for compound sentences in:- your science or social studies book;
- advertisements;
- other people's speech;
- independent reading books;
- book club books;
- newspaper and magazine articles;
Or maybe you will make one up. Record the discoveries you make on note cards and get them approved by a teacher before you write them on sentence strips and post them on the walls.Edit
Show the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The book is a hybrid novel-picture book, which is cool. Hugo has this secret that he is trying to keep, and this girl he knows a little followed him and is about to discover his secret. Hugo fights to keep his secret undiscovered, but Isabelle starts to fight back: He yelped in pain, and she grabbed his wrists and pinned his arms to the floor.Open this document:
Reader's Workshop Skill
Activity: After you read during reader's workshop, respond to the reading by writing a compound sentence about an important occurrence in the chapter.Need-to-Know Reference
Use this document as a cheat sheet on compound sentences.Related Issue: Run-on Sentence (No Comma in a Compound Sentence)
Review of the simple sentence or independent clause (p. 86 Mechanically Inclined)