Connect with Conjunctions

Students will:

• Understand the definition of conjunctions.
• Understand the use of conjunctions in a sentence.
• Apply their knowledge in their own writing.

Vocabulary Words
 

• Conjunction: A conjunction is any member of a small class of words distinguished in many languages by their function as connectors between words, phrases, clauses, or sentences, as, and, because, but, however.
   
• Clause:  A clause is a syntactic construction containing a subject and predicate and forming part of a sentence or constituting a whole simple sentence.
   
• Sentence: A sentence is a grammatical unit of one or more words that expresses an independent statement, question, request, command, exclamation, etc., and that typically has a subject as well as a predicate, as in John is here. or Is John here? In print or writing, a sentence typically begins with a capital letter and ends with appropriate punctuation; in speech, it displays recognizable, communicative intonation patterns and is often marked by preceding and following pauses. 

To prepare for this activity:
 

1. Watch the video from Khan Academy: Coordinating Conjunctions and learn the mnemonic “FANBOY.”

2. Watch the Schoolhouse Rock video Conjunction Junction.

3. Try the Parts of Speech game (Noun, Verb, Adjective sorting).

4. Be familiar with the games students can play online: Conjunctions and Interjections (many options),  and Jeopardy-like game for two on interjections and conjunctions.

5. Assessments: Try Conjunction-itis Pop-Up and the Rags to Riches Game.

6. Canva to use for FANBOY activity, if chosen to demonstrate knowledge. 

See Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4students.net site in the Teacher Resources. 

Directions for this activity:

1. Introduction: Have students watch several videos that explain conjunctions in an interesting way.

   • From Khan Academy, watch: Coordinating Conjunctions and learn the mnemonic “FANBOY”, and the catchy Schoolhouse Rock video Conjunction Junction.

   • Then have them apply their knowledge by playing games, doing assessments and creating a Canva presentation.

2. Activity: Allow them to practice their learning by playing several games.

   • Try the Parts of Speech game (Noun, Verb, Adjective sorting) 

   • Be familiar with the games students can play online: Conjunctions and Interjections (many options),  and Jeopardy-like Game for two on interjections and conjunctions.

Different options for assessing the students:

• Observations
• Check for understanding
• Quiz: Conjunction-itis Pop-Up and the Rags to Riches Game.
• Create a presentation (video, infographic, etc.) of the mnemonic “FANBOY” and conjunctions. It may be a collaborative, group effort. Students may print and make a poster or share it on social media.
• Students can be given several prompts to answer in four-six short sentences.  When finished, ask them to connect sentences with conjunctions to have a more fluent, cohesive paragraph.