Sentence+Fluency

__**Variety is the Spice of Sentences **__ To show students several ways they can very their sentences structure to make their writing more interesting, I used this lesson. On the Elmo, I would write a sentence such as, "The shell calmly washed up on the shore." I would then show students how I can take this same thought and rewrite it as a question, an exclamation, using an adverb first, written as a prpositional phrase, and as a quotation. I would then break students into groups and give each group a different sentence for them to practice with. After groups finished rewriting their sentences, we would share with the class.

__**Combine It **__ To allow students an opportunity to practice combining short, choppy sentences, I would use this lesson. I would write several sentences on my Elmo such as:


 * I have a new baby sister.
 * Mom went to the hospital early yesterday.
 * The baby was born late last night.
 * Her name is Sarah.

I would then rewrite the same information for students using only one sentence. "After going to the hospital early yesterday, my mom gave birth to my new baby sister, Sarah, late last night." I would then break students into groups and give each group several short, choppy sentences and have them work together to create one sentences they could share with the rest of the class.