Punctuation, Mechanics, Writing Conventions

| Apostrophes | | Commas | | Quotation Marks | | Semicolons | | Practice with Multiple Punctuation Marks |

Apostrophes

Click here for lesson plans on apostrophes.

Capitalization

Capitalization and Washington, D.C.
In this unit, students learn and practice capitalizing names of cities, states, countries, streets, buildings, bridges, and geographical places around the theme of Washington, D.C. This lesson is designed for grades 3-5 and could be modified for any city.

Capitalization Activities and Worksheets
Online practice, slide presentations, and worksheets for upper elementary and middle school.

Commas

Click here to find ideas for teaching commas.

Quotation Marks

Click here for quotation marks lesson plans.

Semicolons

Click here for lesson plans and teaching resources dealing with semicolons.

Practice with Multiple Punctuation Marks

12 Uncommon Punctuation Marks You Should Start Using Right Now
These aren't traditional punctuation marks, but they do suggest a writing activity. After reading this informational text, students might brainstorm other writing situations that traditional punctuation doesn't address well. They could invent a punctuation mark of their own and write a paragraph to justify its existence.

The 15 Punctuation Marks
This printable infographic lists the punctuation marks and their uses. Good for a bulletin board or as a reference handout. Adobe Reader required for access.

Be the Editor!
Students search for capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors in a work sheet about famous African-Americans. Designed for grades 3-8.

Be the Sentence
Students take on the roles of different words and punctuation and work collaboratively to create a complete sentence using correct parts of speech, word order, and punctuation. Students progress from simple sentences to more complex sentences. This lesson is designed for grade 4.

Does Punctuation in Text Messages Matter?
Students read a news article about punctuation in text messages and then respond to discussion questions.

Grammar Girl
This series of podcasts provides "quick and dirty tips" for specific writing issues. Since the target audience is the general public, preview to make sure the podcast is appropriate for your classroom.

Hyphens in compounds: tips and tricks
Explanation and downloadable poster, infographic.

Making a Successful Punctuation Lesson
Central to this teacher's article is the "Holistic Punctuation Chart" that approaches punctuation by purpose.

The Tongue Untied: A Guide to Grammar, Punctuation, and Style
Explanations, worksheets with answer keys, interactive quizzes. This site is designed for college students but is appropriate for high school and possibly middle school.