Title: Mastering Commas and Quotations with Direct Speech

Grade Level: 4th Grade

Objective: - Students will understand and correctly use commas and quotations when writing direct speech. - Students will be able to identify and correct errors in the use of commas and quotations in direct speech.

Materials: - Whiteboard or chart paper - Markers - Handout with examples of direct speech - Worksheets with sentences for practice - Pencils

Procedure:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)
   • Begin the lesson by asking students if they know what direct speech is.
   • Explain that direct speech is when we use the exact words spoken by someone and put them in quotation marks.
   • Give examples of direct speech, such as “I love pizza,” said Sarah. or “Can I go outside?” asked Tom.
   • Explain that commas and quotations are important when writing direct speech to show who is speaking and to separate the spoken words from the rest of the sentence.
2. Commas with Direct Speech (10 minutes)
   • Write a sentence on the board without commas, such as: “I want to go to the park” said Emily.
   • Ask students if they notice anything wrong with the sentence.
   • Explain that we need to use a comma to separate the spoken words from the rest of the sentence.
   • Rewrite the sentence with the correct comma placement: “I want to go to the park,” said Emily.
   • Provide more examples on the board and ask students to identify where the commas should be placed.
3. Quotations with Direct Speech (10 minutes)
   • Write a sentence on the board without quotation marks, such as: I love ice cream, said Jack.
   • Ask students if they notice anything wrong with the sentence.
   • Explain that we need to use quotation marks to show the exact words spoken by someone.
   • Rewrite the sentence with the correct quotation marks: “I love ice cream,” said Jack.
   • Provide more examples on the board and ask students to identify where the quotation marks should be placed.
4. Practice Activity (15 minutes)
   • Distribute the handout with examples of direct speech to each student.
   • In pairs or individually, ask students to read the sentences and identify where the commas and quotation marks should be placed.
   • After completing the handout, review the answers as a class, discussing the correct placement of commas and quotation marks.
5. Independent Practice (15 minutes)
   • Distribute worksheets with sentences for practice to each student.
   • Instruct students to read each sentence and add the necessary commas and quotation marks to correctly write the direct speech.
   • Circulate the classroom to provide assistance and check for understanding.
   • Collect the worksheets for assessment purposes.
6. Conclusion (5 minutes)
   • Review the importance of using commas and quotation marks when writing direct speech.
   • Ask students to share any challenges they faced during the lesson and address any misconceptions.
   • Summarize the key points covered in the lesson and encourage students to practice using commas and quotation marks in their writing.