Grade 6 Lesson Plan: Language Structure and Conventions - Active and Passive Voice
Lesson Title: Understanding Active and Passive Voice
Grade Level: 6
Subject: English Language Arts
Duration: 60 minutes
Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Define active and passive voice.
- Identify sentences in active and passive voice.
- Transform sentences from active voice to passive voice and vice versa.
- Explain the importance of using active and passive voice in writing.
Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Chart paper and markers
- Printed handouts with examples of active and passive voice
- Worksheets for practice
- Sticky notes
- A short paragraph or story (can be a printout or read aloud)
Standards:
- Addressing standard writing conventions and grammar skills as per the Common Core State Standards for Language.
Lesson Procedure:
Introduction (10 minutes):
-
Warm-up Activity:
- Ask students to think of a sentence that describes something they did yesterday (e.g., “I played soccer.”).
- Write a few sentences on the whiteboard.
-
Discussion:
- Introduce the concepts of active and passive voice.
- Explain that in an active voice sentence, the subject performs the action (e.g., "The dog chased the cat."). In passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., "The cat was chased by the dog.").
-
Engage:
- Ask students if they can identify which sentences are active and which are passive.
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
-
Definitions and Examples:
- Define Active Voice:
- Sentence format: Subject + Verb + Object
- Example: "The chef cooks the meal."
- Define Passive Voice:
- Sentence format: Object + Form of ‘to be’ + Past Participle (by Subject)
- Example: "The meal is cooked by the chef."
- Define Active Voice:
-
Identifying Voice:
- Provide examples of both active and passive sentences.
- Use a short paragraph or story, highlighting instances of active and passive voice. Students can follow along or annotate their copies.
Guided Practice (15 minutes):
-
Identifying Activity:
- Hand out printed examples (sentences) of both active and passive voice.
- In pairs, have students label sentences as active or passive, discussing their reasoning.
-
Transformation Activity:
- Provide sentences in active voice and ask pairs to convert them into passive voice and vice versa.
- Call on a few pairs to share their sentences with the class.
Independent Practice (15 minutes):
- Worksheet:
- Hand out a worksheet with a mix of sentences. Students will identify voice and transform them from one form to another.
- Include a creative writing prompt where students write their own sentences in both active and passive voice.
Closure (5 minutes):
-
Recap:
- Ask students to summarize the main differences between active and passive voice.
- Discuss scenarios where passive voice is more appropriate (e.g., scientific writing, formal reports).
-
Exit Ticket:
- Give each student a sticky note and ask them to write one sentence in active voice and convert it to passive voice before leaving.
Assessment:
- Review the completed worksheets and exit tickets for understanding.
- Observe pair discussions to assess their understanding of the concepts.
Differentiation:
- Provide additional support and examples for struggling students.
- Challenge advanced students with more complex sentences or creative writing tasks.
Extensions:
- Encourage students to find examples of active and passive voice in their independent reading materials.
- Create a class bulletin board displaying students' work with sentences in both voices.
Additional Resources:
- Online interactive quizzes on active and passive voice.
- Short educational videos that explain and exemplify the two voices.
This lesson plan creates a dynamic environment for students to engage with language structure and conventions, ensuring they understand and can apply active and passive voice in their writing.
1 answer