Subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of proper grammar, and it’s crucial that high school students learn this skill early in their academic career. To help high school teachers teach subject-verb agreement, we’ve developed a lesson plan that’s easy to follow and will help your students master this important grammar rule.
Lesson Objective:
At the end of this lesson, students will have a clearer understanding of subject-verb agreement and how to apply it in their writing.
Materials:
– Whiteboard or chalkboard
– Markers or chalk
– Handouts with sentences and space to write corrections
Introduction:
Start the class by explaining what subject-verb agreement is and why it’s important in writing. Explain that a subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the action in a sentence, and a verb is the action the subject performs. Explain that subject-verb agreement means that the subject and verb must agree in number.
Example: The dog barks. (Singular subject and singular verb)
The dogs bark. (Plural subject and plural verb)
Activity:
Divide the class into pairs and have them complete the handouts with sentences that need corrections. The handouts will contain sentences with incorrect subject-verb agreement, and students must identify the mistakes and correct them.
Example: The group of students was excited about their upcoming field trip. (Incorrect)
The group of students were excited about their upcoming field trip. (Correct)
After 10-15 minutes, have the pairs switch handouts with another pair and allow time for them to correct each other’s mistakes.
Class Discussion:
Once all students have completed the handouts and corrected mistakes, gather the class to discuss the common mistakes they found and any questions they have about subject-verb agreement. Use the whiteboard or chalkboard to write examples and reinforce the lesson.
Conclusion:
End the lesson by emphasizing the importance of subject-verb agreement in writing and encourage students to continue practicing this skill in their future writing assignments. Remind them that proper grammar is crucial in communicating effectively and professionally.
In conclusion, teaching subject-verb agreement is an essential aspect of high school English curriculum, and this lesson plan provides a comprehensive guide for teachers. With this lesson, students will have a solid foundation to build upon and improve their writing skills.
