Simple Sentence Stage 1

Materials

- Card Set Stage 1
- Supply Tray
- Paper symbols

Presentation 1: One Subject and two Actions

Materials

- A mat or table to work on
- A few familiar items or a group of objects

Presentation

1. Have the child bring over the blue cards and the new symbol box.
2. Show the child the new box of symbols and review with the child what they mean.
3. Place the blue cards in front of the writing tray.
4. Using one of the cards, write a full sentence with correct punctuation and with two actions on a slip of paper.
5. Have the child read the sentence out loud and act out the two actions. Talk about the actions with the child.
6. Have the child read the sentence again and ask him to find the first action word.
7. Have the child cut out the first action.
8. Have the child place the first action (“barked”) at the top of the table and have him symbolize it. Make a big deal about how this time we are going to place the symbol under the cut slip of paper. 
9. Have the child cut out the second action (“growled”) and have him place it under the first action.
10. Have the child symbolize this second action in the same way as the first.
11. Have the child read the remaining words. (“The dog” and “and”)
12. Have the child join the two words with the “and”. Have him place “and” in between the two action words.
13. Have the child read, “barked” “and” “growled”.
14. Have a look at any remaining words.
15. Ask the child what “barked and “growled”.
16. Tell the child that for this, we have a new symbol. Place the black arrow (with the point away from the action) next to the first action. Tell the child that this is how we symbolize “the thing that does the action”.
17. Have him place “The dog” to the left of the black arrow.
18. Have the child read: “The dog barked”
19. Ask the child is the dog did anything else.
20. Place another black arrow pointing toward “The dog” to show that the dog also growled.
21. Have the child red everything in order with the help of you guiding with your finger.
    
    
    
    
22. Transpose the slips of paper, one at a time and discuss how it doesn’t make sense and that is not how we speak.
23. Once the slips are again in their correct spot, have the child collect them.
24. Mix them and then have the child recreate the sentence in a line at the bottom of the table.
25. Have him read the sentence and check with the blue card.
26. Replace the blue card and have him replace the symbols.
27. Place the slips of paper in the bin.
28. Repeat as many times as long as the child likes.

Presentation 2: Two subjects and Two actions

Materials

- Materials from above
- Card Set Stage One – 2 (green cards)

Presentation

1. Have the child bring the material over to the table.
2. Write one of the sentences from the green cards onto a sip of paper.
3. Have the child act out the two actions.
4. Have the child cut out the first action and have him symbolize it.
5. Repeat for the other action.
6. Have the child place the joining word “and” between the two actions.
7. Ask who washed. Have the child place “He” to the left of the first action and symbolize it with the arrow.
8. Ask who dried. Have the child place “she” to the left of the second action and symbolize with the arrow.
9. Have the child read in the correct order by guiding him with your finger.




10. Transpose the words, one at a time and discuss with the child how it doesn’t make sense.
11. Have the child pick up the tickets and you mix them.
12. Have the child place all slips in correct sentence order.
13. Have him read the sentence and check with the green card.
14. Replace the green card and have the child replace the symbols.
15. Place the slips of paper in the bin.
16. Repeat as many times as long as the child likes.

Presentation 3: One subject, one action, one thing

Materials

- Card Set Stage One – 3 (orange cards)
- Materials as above

Presentation

1. Have the child bring over the material.
2. Write a sentence from one of the cards.
3. Have the child read it.
4. Have him cut out the action and symbolize.
5. Have the child read the remaining words.
6. Ask the child if there is a word that tells us who swept the floor.
7. Have the child place “He” to the left of the action and symbolize using the arrow.
8. Ask the child to read “He swept”.
9. Ask the child: he swept what?  é  the floor
10. Place “the floor” to the right of the action and symbolize it by placing an arrow pointing away from the action. Have the child read in order.




11. Transpose the words, one at a time and discuss with the child how it doesn’t make sense.
12. Have the child pick up the tickets and you mix them.
13. Have the child place all slips in correct sentence order.
14. Have him read the sentence and check with the green card.
15. Replace the green card and have the child replace the symbols.
16. Place the slips of paper in the bin.
17. Repeat as many times as long as the child likes.

Presentation 4: One subject, One action, Two things

Materials

- Card Set Stage One – 4 (yellow cards)
- Materials as above

Presentation

Same as in Presentation 3 but help the child through the new layout.

Presentation 5: Two Subjects, Two actions, Two things

Materials

- Card Set Stage One – 5 (red cards)
- Materials as above

Presentation

Same as above but help the child with the new layout

Presentation 6: Two Subjects, Two actions, One thing

Materials

- Card Set Stage One – 6 (pink cards)
- Materials as above

Presentation

Same as in Presentation 1 – Bring the child’s attention to the word “them” and discuss how instead of repeating the word “dishes”, we can say “them” which means we are talking about the dishes.

Presentation 7:Multiple Actions and Objects – Emphasis on the Commas and Punctuation

Materials

- Card Set Stage One – 7 (long roll white strip of paper)
- Materials as above

Presentation

Same as in Presentation 1 – As you are writing the sentence on the slip of paper, have the child tape the pieces together for you.

Have the child read the entire sentence in one breath. Discuss how it is hard to read it all in one breath. Discuss with the child that by placing the comma, it tells us we can take a breath. Discuss how the comma also serves in the place of “and”. Place the and in the spot of the commas as you read the sentence with “and” instead of commas. Discuss how this still makes sense but that it is a lot of ands!

Purposes

Direct

To be able to analyze the sentence and to recognize the structure of sentences

Control of Error

The cards

Age

5 - 5 1/2 years

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