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Lesson Objective

SWBAT distinguish between, and generate, simple and compound sentences.

Lesson Plan

 Lesson Objective:

SWBAT distinguish between simple and compound sentences.

SWBAT generate simple and compound sentences.

Essential Questions:

• What are coordinating conjunctions?
• What is an independent clause?
• How can I create a compound sentence?


“Compound Sentences”


Choose a dependent/independent clause warm-up

Materials needed:
Compound sentences notes
A writing project that students have been/still are working on
Homework sheets

Lesson Plan: I Do

Walk through some notes on how to create a simple and compound sentence. Teacher models that creation a few times (after a review of coordinating conjunctions).

Lesson Plan: We Do Together

Students create a few compound sentences under teacher supervision.

A passage from page 66 of The Eyes of the Amaryllis (by Natalie Babbit) is included, broken up into simple sentences. Students get a chance to try re-writing it with at least two sentences joined together into one compound sentence. Take a few student-generated passages, then read the one from the text. Speculate on differences, effect on sentence structure; this can spark student discussion.

Lesson Plan: You Do

Students should take up a piece of writing—either one they have already completed or, more ideally, one they’re currently working on. As they take a look at the piece, they begin to combine simple sentences and create compound ones.

1. What went well?

2. What would you change?

3. What needs explanation?

 The basic objective is fairly easy to meet so long as your students have a list of coordinating conjunctions handy. I'd make a point of writing them in the magin--we call them FANBOYS words because that's an acronym for them (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). The Amaryllis passage was a nice touch in tying everything to real authorial craft, but if you haven't been reading the book, it might be a little forced, so watch out for that.








 If you intend to quiz this knowledge, I'd set up a separate section on distinguishing between compound sentences and simple sentences with compound subjects or compound predicates. That's a mistake that's all too easy to make and really requires a separate I-do/we-do.

 Some textbooks only recognize compound sentences as the ones with comma and coordinating conjunction in the middle (rather than the semicolon ones); I don't see the purpose of the distinction, so I've included both sorts.

Lesson Resources

Lesson Compound Sentences teacher  
Lesson Compound Sentences  


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