Are you looking for some fun activities to teach fifth graders the five Common Core comma rules? You have come to the right place. This post includes the following:
- an anchor chart idea
- an organizer idea
- YouTube videos to learn the rules
- a Jeopardy game
- task cards
These low-prep activities can be ready to use in just moments. Before you know it, your students will master all the comma rules and have fun doing so.
Teaching Idea #1 – Comma Rules Anchor Chart
Students will find this anchor chart a quick easy reference.
This anchor chart covers the 5th-grade Common Core rules:
L.5.2.A
Use punctuation to separate items in a series.*
L.5.2.B
Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.
L.5.2.C
Use a comma to set off the words yes and no (e.g., Yes, thank you), to set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence (e.g., It’s true, isn’t it?), and to indicate direct address (e.g., Is that you, Steve?).
The Rules
- To set off the name of the person to who you are speaking
- After introductory words yes and no and interjections
- To separate words or groups of words in a series
- To set off introductory elements
- In tag questions
More Rules
- To set off an appositive
- To join two related sentences
- Between the day of the week and the month – Between the date and the year
- To separate the name of a city and its state or country
- To separate a quote from a source phrase
- In friendly letters, after the greeting and closing
- In business letters, after the closing
Teaching Idea #2 – Learning Comma Rules with an Organizer
Making foldable organizers uses up a lot of class time. This quick and simple organizer can be made in a matter of minutes. Just fold the copier paper and staple it across the top. Best yet, no cutting is needed.
- Stagger three pages of regular-sized duplicating paper by moving each up approximately ½ inch.
Fold the stack in half lining up the pages so the entire stack is staggered. Staple across the top.
- Have students label the top flap with a title and write rules on the bottom of the pages. Keep these short. After opening a page, students can write a more detailed rule.
- On the inside of the organizer, students will write detailed rules and example sentences.
Teaching Idea #3 – Learning the Rules with Video
Commas as Pause – My Daughter Studies (The Electric Company)
Commas and Quotes (The Electric Company)
Introductory Elements and Commas
Grammar Matters–Direct Address Comma
Teaching Idea #4 – Practice the Rules with a Game of Jeopardy
This Jeopardy game was created using Google Slides. I recommend converting it to a PowerPoint because Google Slides does not have the option for changing the color of visited links.
The five categories for the game match the five 5th-grade CCSS comma standards. Questions vary from adding commas to sentences to multiple-choice questions to explaining the rules.
This is a fun activity for test review.
Teaching Idea #5 – More Practice with Task Cards
These task cards were created on Google Slides making them 100% editable. Not only can teachers change the text but colors as well. You can even dress them up with some clipart.
Cards can easily be used for station activities, independent practice, review games like Scoot, assessment, brain breaks, test prep, and so on.
Depending on the skill you wish to practice, have students identify the rules the sentences use or remove the commas and have students rewrite the sentences correctly by adding commas. Sentences are short making rewriting them quick.
Teaching Idea #6 – On the Web
39 FREE Punctuation Worksheets
Rules for Learning Commas – This Grammarly page goes over comma rules with example sentences. This is a great resource for students to use as they complete the foldable organizer.
Commas Galore interactive (Quia Game)
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