Function of Words: Conjunction
Materials:
Several of one object of a that are different in some way from each other, such as flowers, beads, colored paper, colored pencils, animals of the farm, etc.
Something that will unite these objects pink in color, such as a ribbon, a cord, paper clip, rubber band, etc.
Slips of paper, pencil, red pencil, underlay, scissors (teacher’s writing materials).
Box of grammar symbols.
Independent work:
Prepared slips for objects found on the farm.
Separate slips with “and” in black.
Extra ribbons or rubber bands to join the animals together.
Purposes:
To help the child become aware of the function of the conjunction.
Preparation for future work in grammar.
Practice in Reading.
Age: 4 ½ and up
Preparation: The Adjective exercises
Presentation:
Invite the child for the lesson and bring the ribbon box and then the symbol box to the table. You will bring the teacher’s writing materials.
Have the child accompany you as you place three different colored flowers around the room.
Write a label for one of the flowers and ask the child to bring what the label says. Place the label under the flower on the table.
Repeat for the other two flowers.
Take the ribbon from the box and tie it around the stems of the flowers.
Ask the child what you did. (you tied the flowers together)
Explain there are words that tie phrases together. In red pencil write ‘and’ on a slip and place it after the first noun family label. Repeat for the second ‘and’.
Have the child read it left to right.
Have the child read from left to right. Ask her if that is what is on the table.
Transpose the noun family labels keeping the ‘and’ in their spot, have the child read and ask if that is still what is tied on the table.
Repeat once more and ask the child if that is still what is on the table.
Symbolize
Help the child symbolize the phrases one at a time by using the prompting questions.
Show the child the pink bar conjunction symbol and explain that it looks like the pink ribbon. We use it for joining words like ‘and’.
Place the symbol above the first ‘and’. Let the child place the second.
Show the child the tray for independent work.
Control of Error: None
Following Exercises:
Work with the Farm: The child can use the prepared ‘and’ labels with the farm labels and tie animals together with pink ribbon
Moveable Alphabet: The child can write descriptive phrases with conjunctions about the farm or classroom.
Template: The child may write descriptive phrases with conjunctions on a long strip of adding machine tape. Using the template and colored pencils, they can draw the symbol above the words.
Pedagogical Notes:
The pink ribbon helps the child associate the symbol with the function the word plays.
Using the red pencil highlights the word we are focusing on. ‘And’ is a small word and red draws needed attention to it.