Compound Sentences

Instructional Video

Printable Lyrics

Review Video & Follow These Instructional Guidelines

Fourth Grade

• Complete grammar sheet “Creating Compound Sentences.” Progress to recommendations for fifth-grade students as needed.
  

Fifth Grade

• Review GrammarSong videos “Junc Func” and “Compound Sentences".  Complete grammar sheet “Creating Compound Sentences,” “Making Compound Sentences,” and “Paragraph Needing Conjunctions.”

Compound sentences involve combining two independent clauses (or complete sentences) with a coordinating conjunction. Varying sentence structures is essential for sound, fluent writing. Students should have a firm grasp of complete sentences, including subjects and predicates, before purposefully creating and analyzing other sentence structures. When introducing the concept of the compound sentence, I use the strategy of reviewing compound words. As a compound word is two words combined to make one; a compound sentence is two independent clauses (complete sentences) combined to make one. In the GrammarSong video “Compound Sentences,” the conjunction is used as the “glue” to hold the two simple sentences together. This visual can help make the concept of compound sentences easier to remember.

1. Extra Engagement: Use the information presented within the sheets to model sentences on a whiteboard or smartboard to create a whole class lesson. Cut the sheet apart, gluing the related answers from the answer key on the back to use within a cooperative learning structure or as a self-checking center activity.

• Complete grammar sheets “Identifying Clauses,” “Creating Complex Sentences,” “Identifying Sentence Structures,” and “More Identifying Sentence Structures.”

1. Extra Engagement: Print and cut apart “Analyzing Sentence Structures Task Cards.” Cut the cards across the page into large rectangles and fold and secure on the center line to create a game or self-checking literacy center.