Sunday, May 5, 2013

Mentor Text Link Up -- Punctuation Takes a Vacation!


Well, this is month #2 of Collaboration Cuties Mentor Text Link Up!  This week the focus is language arts, so I am sharing a well-known, but a goodie--Punctuation Takes a Vacation by Robin Pulver.


In this wonderfully illustrated (by Lynn Rowe Reed) picture book, day after day of always doing their job, Mr. Wright says, "Let's give punctuation a vacation."  After being a little miffed with the suggestion, punctuation decides to head off on a vacation...


Of course, they are missed terribly, as nothing is the same--nothing makes sense without them!

A couple of days pass, and the kids in Mr. Wright's class received a bundle of postcards from each type of punctuation.  The kids guessed who each postcard was from and they wanted to write back, but this was quite hard to do without punctuation! After borrowing some punctuation from a neighboring classroom where it was "running wild", the kids in Mrs. Wright's class wrote a letter begging punctuation to return... (Since punctuation was running wild in the neighboring room, the letter had many misuses of their friends.)

What a splendid text to teach kids the importance of punctuation and how it tells our readers how to read our writing!  


Here are a few things you can do with the text...

Scan or type out the postcards from each punctuation mark. As you are reading aloud, stop at the point when the postcards arrive and have small groups of students guess who has written each card (just like Mr. Wright's students did in the text).


Scan or type the page that contains the letter written to punctuation in which punctuation is "running wild".  Discuss what changes need to be made and how important it is to know the correct way to use each type of punctuation.  Misuse is just as "bad" as not using any at all... :0)


In the end of the book, the question mark asks, "Who did you miss the most?" Have students justify who they would miss the most if punctuation took a vacation.  Download the writing sheet here!


If you haven't purchased or used this text before, it is a MUST HAVE! Stop over to Collaboration Cuties to link up with more language arts mentor texts...


Have a fabulous week!



16 comments:

  1. I have this book and love, love, love your suggestions for how to use it! Thanks so much for the freebie. I am so excited to use this idea I may have to squeeze it in before the end of the year!

    Looking From Third to Fourth

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    1. Thank you for the kind words! Enjoy the end of your year--it has gone so fast...

      Sarah

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  2. I just purchased this book to use at the beginning of the year next year! I will pin your post so I can remember your suggestions of how you use it. :) Thanks so much for sharing.
    Brandee @ Creating Lifelong Learners

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    1. Great! Kids love it! Have a great week...

      Sarah

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  3. I've got another book to add to my collection, thanks for sharing.
    I found myself reading it and trying to put in my own punctuation on the fly...aaahh!

    thanks
    matt
    Digital: Divide & Conquer

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    1. Glad you stopped over! :0) Great to have you as a new follower...

      Sarah

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  4. Hi Sarah,
    I definitely need this book in my classroom- my little friends need constant reminders to add punctuation and this book would be just perfect to guide them in the right direction!
    Thanks for all the ideas to use with this book as well!
    Aylin
    Learning to the Core

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    1. Mine need lots of reminders, too! It seems punctuation really does go on vacation... :0)

      Smiles,
      Sarah

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  5. I have this book somewhere. Great ideas to use with the book!

    Gwen
    Learning With Mrs. Brinn

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  6. Thanks for the suggestion and the freeibe! This looks like a great book.
    ~Courtney
    Polka Dot Lesson Plans

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  7. My kids love this book, they get the biggest kick out of punctuation taking a vacation. It is a lesson that stays with them because of the book.

    Hunter's Tales from Teaching

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  8. Thanks for stopping by my blog and following me! I'm so glad I found you- I already have gotten wonderful ideas! I'm looking forward to reading more from you!

    I'm YOUR newest follower :)

    Kelly
    Koonce’s Korner

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  9. Great! Thanks for stopping over... Glad to have you as our newest follower!

    Take care,
    Sarah

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  10. What fun suggestion to use with this book. Thanks for sharing. I haven't read this book this year. This will be a great activity during our last couple of weeks.

    School Is a Happy Place

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  11. I love this book! And I'm so glad that you linked up grammar because I always forget about these books!! I love your lesson ideas!

    Thanks so much for linking up!
    Amanda
    Collaboration Cuties

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  12. I love love this book! I actually used it this year to work on punctuation. You would not believe how many fourth graders don't know the proper way to use punctuation. It's ridiculous! Thanks for sharing!

    -Melissa

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