This document outlines a lesson plan for teaching first grade students about ending punctuation. The objectives are for students to correctly name and use ending punctuation, and identify periods, question marks, and exclamation points in text. Materials used include the book The Rainbow Fish, a whiteboard, and an ending punctuation folder game. During the lesson, students watch a video of The Rainbow Fish and identify punctuation in the text using hand signals. They then play a folder game to practice identifying correct punctuation. Formative assessment involves observing students during the game. Differentiation strategies include working one-on-one with struggling students.

1. EDR Lesson Planning Sheet Name_______________________
Directed Reading Activity Lesson: Title of book you are using
Date______________ Grade______
Objectives
• Students will be able to correctly name and use ending punctuation in a sentence.
• Students will be able to accurately identify and demonstrate understanding of periods, question marks,
and exclamation points within the text by using hand signals.
Standards & Materials
Standards
• CC.1.1.1.B- Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print. • Recognize
the distinguishing features of a sentence.
• CC.1.3.1.B- Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Materials
• Bear, Donald. (2016). Words Their Way-6th
Edition. New York, NY: Pearson.
• Morris, Darrell. (2005). The Howard Street Tutoring Manual- 2nd
Edition. New York, NY: Guilford
Press.
• Pfister, M. (1992). The Rainbow Fish. New York City, NY: North-South Books.
• Borgnine, E. (Actor). (2012). The Rainbow Fish read by Ernest Borgnine [Online video]. Youtube.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9mryuEKkKc
• White board/SMARTboard
• Markers/Stylus
• Ending punctuation folder game/instructions
Before (anticipatory set)
Good morning students! Today were are going to be reviewing the importance of ending punctuation.
Can someone tell me what the word punctuation means? Students raise their hands and answer. Ending
punctuation are the marks at the end of a sentence that tell us whether the sentence is a asking, telling,
or yelling sentence. I would like someone to raise a quiet hand and remind the class what a period is
and demonstrate in the air what it looks like. Students raise their hands and the selected student is
chosen. The students answers and demonstrates the correct ending punctuation. Good! Now I need a
friend to remind the class what a question mark looks like and what type of sentence it belongs to. .
Students raise their hands and the selected student is chosen. The students answers and demonstrates
the correct ending punctuation. Great! Now I would like one last friend to help me with the last ending
punctuation mark, the exclamation point! Students raise their hands and the selected student is chosen.
The students answers and demonstrates the correct ending punctuation.
During (procedures)
We are going to be watching Marcus Pfister’s “Rainbow Fish”. While we watch, we must pay careful
attention to how the sentences look on the screen and sound when they are read. This way, we will be
able to identify the correct punctuation mark. The teacher begins the video. After the second page of
the book is read, the teacher will stop the video. Ok friends! Let’s take a look at our class copy of the
book and see if Mr. Borgine’s reading matches the punctuation marks in the book. The teacher looks
and then turns the book towards the students to view. I see lots of periods on this page. Can a friend
point out the other punctuation mark on the page? Selected student comes up and points to the

2. EDR Lesson Planning Sheet Name_______________________
Directed Reading Activity Lesson: Title of book you are using
Date______________ Grade______
punctuation mark. Which punctuation mark is that? The selected student answers. That’s right! It is the
exclamation point.
The teacher continues the video and pauses after the 4th
page is read. Let’s look at our copy again. I see
a period for the telling sentences, and exclamation point for the yelling sentences, but what is this
other mark here? Teacher points to the question mark. A student is selected to tell the class the name of
that punctuation mark. Correct! That is the question mark. Friends, what does that mark do? What type
of sentence is that mark at the end of? Another selected student answers. The question mark is at the
end of a question/asking sentence. Great! Let’s keep watching and listen to see if there are any more
punctuation marks. If you hear a sentence that has a question mark, bend your pointer finger to make
it look like a question mark. If you hear a sentence that sounds like a yelling sentence, have your
pointer finger stand straight up like an exclamation point! The teacher then plays the rest of the video
uninterrupted, monitoring student hands for the correct punctuation identifiers.
After the video is finished, the teacher will ask the students, When we were watching and listening to
the book, how did we know he was asking a question? What happened to his voice at the end of the
sentence? Students raise their hands and answer. His voice went up at the end, correct! What happened
to his voice when he had a sentence with an exclamation point at the end? Students raise hands and
answer. He yelled it! Yes!
After (minilesson if needed)
Select Yopp activity
Modeling
For our phonics center today, we will be playing a folder game that helps us with our ending
punctuation skills. During this two player game, you will have each have 15 gems/scales as your token
and a penny. When the first player flips the penny, whatever the penny lands on, the student will be
wither head/or tails for the rest of the game. When a player flips the penny, whichever side of the coin
the penny lands on will be that player’s turn. That player will pick up a sentence card from the deck.
The sentence will not have ending punctuation. The player has to select the correct ending punctuation
mark. If the player chose the correct punctuation mark, they will be able to put a scale onto their
punctuation board. If the player guesses the wrong punctuation mark, they will lose a turn. The winner
is the player who fills up their board first. During the dialogue, the teacher will physically demonstrate
each step of the game.
• Guided Practice
During the first three rounds of the game, the teacher will assist students with the concept of the game
and, if needed, provide modifications that suit the needs of the players.
• Independent Practice
Students will play the game on their own while using the given modifications. The teacher will observe
student progress with the game and assist as needed.
Closure
• Today we reviewed what punctuation points are, how to use them, and why they are important. I would
like my friends to remember the importance of using the correct punctuation marks when they are
writing and when they are reading. Can my friends sky write what an exclamation point looks like?
Students sky write exclamation points. How about a question mark? Students sky write question
marks. If students struggle with this task, the teacher will come around and demonstrate again how to

3. EDR Lesson Planning Sheet Name_______________________
Directed Reading Activity Lesson: Title of book you are using
Date______________ Grade______
make a question mark through sky writing. Why is it important to have a punctuation mark at the end
of a sentence? Students raise their hands and offer their answers. Correct! When you write a sentence,
the punctuation mark can change the meaning of the sentence. When you read aloud, your voice
should reflect which punctuation mark is being used. That way, the person you are reading to know the
type of sentence it is; telling, yelling, or an asking sentence.
Formative & Summative Assessment
• Formative: Though observation, the teacher will informally assess if students are cooperating together,
following directions, choosing the correct punctuation, and are able to read the sentences on the cards
with little to no help from the teacher.
Differentiation
• Struggling/ELL: Students who are struggling with this activity will be engaged in the folder game
activity with the teacher. The teacher will not only be able to model how the game is played, but the
think aloud the student should engage in internally when trying to determine the correct ending
punctuation.
• Advanced: Students who are advanced would be able to write their sentences down with the correct
punctuation. They will then be given the opportunity to modify their sentences to make them end with
a different punctuation. They will be able to modify their sentences to fit to the criteria needed to fit the
other punctuation endings.
Reflection on Planning
I knew from working with students that they really needed a refresher on the importance of punctuation
and how to use them when reading and writing. Mrs. Hemphill wanted me to do an activity with the
Rainbow Fish book because the book fit the theme of the unit and she had used it with other practicum
students in the past. I had agreed to use the book and decided to focus on punctuation.
I didn’t realize the scarcity of punctuation lesson plans there were on the internet for Rainbow Fish.
None of the ideas I came across while researching seemed appropriate enough for my class. I had to
turn to Words Their Way for inspiration. I ended up seeing ab activity that I could turn into a folder
game. I modified the game, which originally was for sight words, into a punctuation game.
Coming up with this lesson was a struggle. I wish that I was able to pick a different book that would
make ending punctuation usage more explicit. I also wish that I had the big book for Rainbow Fish, but
decided to go with the video instead. The video would keep the attention of even the most fidgety of
my students.
Reflection on Instruction
Before I started the video of Rainbow Fish, I had conducted the morning meeting with the students.
Throughout the morning meeting, I was sure to use Mrs. Hemphill’s morning message to emphasize the
importance of using correct punctuation as well as reading fluently and altering my voice when reading
aloud to fit the type of sentence I was reading. I was sure to point out the differences in my voice to the
students when reading aloud the message and had the students repeat the sentence with the correct tone
inflection.
I knew I had made the right choice with having the video of the Rainbow Fish. All of the students we
engaged in the video. I made sure to have the closed captioning on so that the students were also able to

4. EDR Lesson Planning Sheet Name_______________________
Directed Reading Activity Lesson: Title of book you are using
Date______________ Grade______
follow along with the types of sentences were being used. I had the students hold up their fingers when
they saw an exclamation point and had their fingers curved for a question mark. They had a great time with
keep track of the types of sentences that way. It kept their attention and it turned into a fun game for them
that they all enjoyed.
I wish that we were not pressed for time with teaching the lesson. If I had a longer school da and more time
for teaching (as opposed to centers), I would use a huge pocket chart that had sentence strips from the story
with no punctuation. I would have the students come up and choose the correct punctuation ending and
give an explanation as to why they chose that mark and to tell the class what type of sentence it was. I
would have that student read out loud how to read the sentence and then have the whole group choral read
the sentences with the correct punctuation.