Conventions: Punctuation Takes a Vacation, by Robin Pulver

Lesson Focus: Conventions
Grade Level: 3rd
Mentor Text: Punctuation Takes a Vacation, by Robin Pulver
Materials: Punctuation Takes a Vacation, paper, pencil, highlighter, chart paper
Ohio Academic Content Standards:

• Writing Process

• Writing Conventions

Ohio Benchmarks 3-4:
D. Spend the necessary amount of time to revisit, rework, and refine pieces of writing.

C. Use conventions of punctuation and capitalization in written work.

Grade Level Indicators, 3rd Grade:
14. Proofread writing and edit to improve conventions and identify and correct fragments and run-ons.

8. Use end punctuation marks correctly.
9. Use quotation marks around dialogue, commas in a series and apostrophes in contractions and possessives.
10. Use correct capitalization.
Book Summary: Punctuation has shown up everyday in Mr. Wright's classroom. Doing their job so well, that one day he decides to let them go on vacation. The class starts to miss them almost immediately because nothing makes sense that they are reading. Everything has lost order until the punctuation marks send postcards and the children have to try and figure out which marks sent which cards. The kids write back apologizing and soon order is restored by the punctuation marks returning home.
About the Author, Robin Pulver: http://www.robinpulver.com/bio.html
"My first writing for children was about nature. I wrote about pileated woodpeckers and Cynthia moths and Cecropia caterpillas and Monarch butterlflies and bagworms and honeybees for magazines such as Highlights for Children, Ranger Rick, and Cricket. Then, when I had children of my own, reading with them brought back wonderful memories of my mother reading to me. Books are powerful!

Besides reading and writing, I enjoy bird-watching, hiking, cross-country skiing, and playing Frisbee with Sadie. I love to swim too, in pool or lake or ocean. And guess what? When I'm doing any of these things (or even washing dishes), I can think about stories in my head!"

Introduction: Do things make sense if we get rid of punctuation marks? Have kids discuss whether or not they believe this to be true and why. Have them think/pair/share and predict what will happen in the story Punctuation Takes a Vacation.
Lesson Plan:

1.  Read Punctuation Takes a Vacation to the class. If you have an Elmo it would be very beneficial to read the story with that so that children can see where the punctuation is and get an idea where it needs to be. 
2. Briefly discuss the story and ask children again whether or not punctuation is important. On chart paper write down all the things that conventions include: punctuation, capitalization, commas, etc.
3. Conduct a conventions mini-lesson by printing off 2-3 pages from the story and have students correct the punctuation mistakes as a class. They can highlight where they think there was an error.
4. Prompt: Students will write a letter to someone in the class about their favorite vacation. However, they must not use any correct punctuation. They can either leave it out, or use the wrong punctuation marks. Writing their letter this way, with the wrong marks, will have them constantly thinking about "what is right?" and conscious that punctuation does belong there. 
5. After students finish their letters, have them work with a partner and with a different color, correct their friends paper. 
6. Have students reflect on the lesson with a short paragraph as to why conventions are important when we write. You can assess the letter they edited as well as their reflection as to whether or not they grasped the concept.

Additional Resources:
http://www.robinpulver.com/ 
http://users.manchester.edu/Student/DLBungitak/Index.htm
Across the Curriculum Ideas