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    I Declare

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    Subject: ESL/ELL (English Language Learning)

    Lesson Length: 30 - 45 mins

    Topic: Declarative Sentences

    Grade Level: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

    Standards / Framework:

    Brief Description: Students will read an informational text and practice using declarative statements to provide objective, factual information.

    Know Before You Start: You will need to copy one or more informational articles for students to read and highlight during this activity. Use this lesson to help students develop a neutral and objective stance while writing.

    Hook:

    • Share three statements with the class: a question, an exclamation, and a declarative fact.

      • How are these three statements different?

      • Which simply tells a fact? 

    • Read and discuss the sample comic. Explain that a declarative statement provides information or facts and ends with a period. 

    • Have students highlight declarative sentences in an informational article. Remind them that declarative sentences tell facts in a neutral and objective manner.

    Activity:

    • Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create a comic depicting declarative sentences. 

      • Panel 1: Explain what a declarative sentence is. 

      • Panels 2-4: In speech bubbles or captions, write three declarative statements based on the informational article read in class.

    Closure:

    • Have students practice reading their declarative statements with a partner, or in a small group.

    Differentiation:

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.

    • Allow students to work with a peer model as needed.

    • Provide sentence starters as needed.

    • Allow students to expand their comic by creating more panels while providing new facts on the same topic.

    Resources:

    • Comic to print or display: Comic.

    • Provide informational articles at students’ independent reading levels.

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