7th Grade Commas Lesson Plan Example (English)

Topic: Commas in Writing

Objectives & Outcomes:

• Students will understand the purpose and proper usage of commas in writing.

Materials

• Examples of sentences with proper and improper use of commas
• Writing paper and pens/pencils

Warm-up

• Ask students to think about the last piece of writing they completed.
• Ask them to identify any commas they noticed in the piece.
• Discuss as a class the purpose of commas in writing and how to use them properly.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of a comma as a pause or break in a sentence.
• Use examples to show how commas can help to clarify meaning, prevent ambiguity, and improve readability.
• Distribute the handout with examples of comma usage and have students work through them as a class.
• Explain the rules for comma usage and how to properly place commas in writing.

Guided Practice

• Have students work in pairs to edit a short passage of text, identifying and correcting any instances of comma misuse.
• Go over the edits as a class, discussing why each correction was made.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose a passage of text to edit, and then independently make any comma corrections needed.
• Encourage students to explain their edits to each other, either verbally or in writing.

Closure

• Review the rules for using commas in writing, and ask students to share any comma-related questions or concerns they still have.

Assessment

• Observe students during independent practice and make note of any errors they make when using commas in their writing.
• Collect and review students' classwork and written quizzes for comma usage.