**5th Grade Language Arts Lesson Plan: Complex Sentences and Clauses**
**Objective:**
Students will understand and identify complex sentences and clauses, and use them correctly in their writing.
**Materials:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Handouts with examples of complex sentences and clauses
- Chart paper and markers
- Copies of a short reading passage with examples of complex sentences
- Worksheets for practice
- Writing journals
**Common Core Standards:**
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.B: Use common, proper, and possessive nouns.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
**Lesson Activities:**
**1. Introduction (10 minutes)**
- Greet the students and briefly review what they already know about sentences.
- Introduce the topic by explaining the importance of complex sentences and clauses in writing.
- Write a simple sentence on the board (e.g., "I went to the store"). Then, show how it can be expanded into a complex sentence (e.g., "I went to the store because we needed milk").
**2. Direct Instruction (15 minutes)**
- Define a complex sentence: A sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
- Explain the terms:
- Independent clause: A group of words that can stand alone as a sentence (e.g., "He ran fast.")
- Dependent clause: A group of words that cannot stand alone and needs an independent clause to make sense (e.g., "because he was late.")
- Show examples on the whiteboard and discuss the elements of complex sentences and how to identify the independent and dependent clauses within them.
**3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)**
- Hand out sheets with several sentences. Ask students to identify and underline the independent clauses and circle the dependent clauses.
- Work on a few examples together on the board, then let students work in pairs to complete the rest.
**4. Group Activity (20 minutes)**
- Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of sentence fragments, both independent and dependent clauses.
- Have the groups create as many complex sentences as possible by combining their fragments.
- Each group will share a few of their sentences with the class, discussing why they qualify as complex sentences.
**5. Independent Practice (15 minutes)**
- Provide a short reading passage that includes complex sentences. Ask students to highlight the complex sentences and identify the independent and dependent clauses within them.
- Distribute worksheets for additional practice, where students combine given independent and dependent clauses to form complex sentences.
**6. Application (Writing Activity) (20 minutes)**
- Instruct students to write a short paragraph in their writing journals about a topic of their choice, ensuring they use at least three complex sentences.
- Encourage students to peer-review each other's paragraphs, looking specifically to identify the complex sentences and the clauses within them.
**7. Wrap-Up and Assessment (15 minutes)**
- Review the key points of the lesson as a class.
- Use a quick formative assessment (e.g., exit tickets where students write one complex sentence) to gauge understanding.
- Provide feedback and clarify any misconceptions.
**Homework:**
- Assign a worksheet where students need to create five complex sentences of their own.
- Encourage students to bring in examples of complex sentences they find while reading at home.
**Assessment:**
- Observe student participation and understanding during group and independent activities.
- Review the exit tickets and homework to ensure students can correctly form and identify complex sentences.
**Reflection:**
- After the lesson, reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Consider any additional support that might be necessary for students who struggled with the concept. Adjustments can be made for future lessons based on student performance and feedback.