Mini-Lesson
Mini Lesson Topic
Name the teaching point.
Materials
Gather materials, mentor
texts...
Connection
Tell them what you taught
the previous lesson. The last
writers workshop, we
learned how to...
Explicit Instruction
Tell them what you will
teach today. Today Im
going to teach you...
Show them exactly how to
do it. Watch me do it.,. or
Lets take a look at how
(author) does this when s/he
writes...
Compound Sentences
Students will be looking at the compound sentences that they
used in their own writing in response to Antigone. They have
been using coordinating conjunctions and a comma in a way that
is not grammatically correct.
- Magnet independent clauses, commas, and dependent
clauses. These will all need to be cut into strips and separate.
- White board and a definition and diagram of an example of a
compound sentence.
- Enthusiasm! We are making 17-year-olds chant here, you are
going to need to get into it.
This is not something we will have directly addressed in class yet.
However, we will have discussed differentiation of sentence
structure. They will have dialectical journal entries to track their
reading of Antigone. These will have a pattern of error that
reflects the need for review of sentence structure.
*Note: This lesson can be adapted to fit any kind of sentence
structure lesson, but for this one specifically I will have them
focus on compound sentences. They will be using their own
writing because they will have the chance to edit and resubmit.
Teacher
1. Have a diagram drawn on the white board. It will show a
definition of compound sentences. Below is what I would
write on the board.
Independent , Conjunction Independent
Today we are going to be looking back on our writing and how
we used compound sentences. There have been times where we
are just putting and and a comma and that is not always
grammatically correct just because a sentence is long.
Reference the diagram
What is an independent clause? *Student participate in
answering
What are our coordinating conjunctions? *Student participate
in answering
- Teach and have them brainstorm the conjunctions
FANBOYS. For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Be sure that these
are listed on the board.
Guided Practice
Ask them to try it out with a
partner, or with you for a
few minutes. Now try it out
with a partner...
1. Teach them the chant: They hit their let knee twice and
say independent, then their right knee and say
independent, then in the middle in the air they draw a
comma and say comma then say and conjunction. This
will help to teach them the rules.
2. Next, students will come up with at least one example as a
class of a compound sentence. Have two students give
related independent clauses then a third student go up to
the board and connect them. *Note: If students have
troubles with an examples do a few.

Independent Practice Students will do the magnet board activity. They will have
independent clauses in small groups of two and they will work
Remind students how the together to put the sentences together coherently with a comma in
teaching point can be used the right place and a conjunction. The comma and the conjunction
in independent writing. will be on magnets also. Students will put them all together.
(There should be a link
between the mini lesson and
the students independent
writing lives.)

Group Wrap-Up
Restate the teaching point.
Ask: Did you try what was
taught? Did it work for you?
How will it affect your
future writing?
As a group we will go over one sentence from each group. One
student from each group will write one of their sentences on the
board. We will go through them one by one and make sure they
are correct. This will be finally wrapped up with them writing the
definition of a compound sentence in their notebook and an
example and a non-example in their notebook.
Also make them chant again just because its great.

Reflections:
If I was to do this lesson again I would have put all of the clauses, commas and conjunctions on
larger, bold magnet strips. This would have been like magnet poetry and would have been easier
to compile as students. I also would have done a non-example or common mistake breakdown on
the board. This would highlight the common mistake and why the common mistakes are not
grammatically correct.
I also would have liked to use sentences from both the students writing and the text. This way
they can see the error in their own practice as well as the text that they are creating.