Language Usage Sponge Activities
Lesson Plan
Course: 7th Grade Language Arts
Content Standards:
02- Students will produce a variety of writing samples utilizing elements found in effective writing: organization, ideas, word choice, voice, sentence fluency, and standard English conventions.
EXCELS Goal(s):
A. Respect for all people
2. No specific group
Anticipatory/motivational set:
Present on the overhead an example of a multiple choice question, taken from "Sponge" exercises. As each multiple choice option is read aloud, ask students to raise their hand if they feel it was the correct response. Discuss how they came to their decisions. Reinforce that the sponge exercises are a practice tool for the CAT testing, which will be taking place next week.
Objectives for the day:
In preparing for CAT testing, students will identify errors in subject-verb agreement/pronoun-antecedent agreement; verb tense consistency; and correct pronoun use.
Assessment:
 | During in-class activities and practice, students will be assessed for understanding. |
| Written student responses to sponge activities will be evaluated for understanding. |
Materials needed:
| Students must come prepared to class, with paper and pen/pencil. |
| Overhead with anticipatory set examples. |
| Overhead with outline of Language Usage concepts |
| Overhead with in-class practice sentences |
| Copies of Sponge Activities booklets for Reading and Language, Grade 7 |
Procedures:
1. Ask students to consider the sample sponge multiple choice question presented on the overhead. Discuss student responses, and the process they used in coming to their answers to the questions. Remind students that we are using the "sponges" as a practice for upcoming CAT testing.
2. Review concepts related to usage, utilizing overheads for discussion of key points.
3. Facilitate in-class practice, using sentences needing revision presented on overhead transparencies.
Instruct students to work in pairs to develop a sentence with correct usage.
3. Involve students in sharing their responses, incorporating discussion of key concepts of language usage.
4. Instruct students to work independently in completing "Sponge" activities related to language usage.
Summary, including homework assignment:
Summarize today’s activities by reviewing several key concepts in language usage. Review how these skills are used in language use in writing and conversation, and that they will be seen in CAT testing next week.
HOMEWORK: written responses to sponge exercises completed independently during class.
