With today's response to text essay writing, it is important for students to correctly cite a direct quote from the text. Having enough time to practice this skill in isolation can be a challenge. Here is a quick and simple idea to incorporate this skill into other content areas throughout your day. I started with quotation bubble cards I picked up at a dollar store. I then glued pictures and names of heroes from the American Revolution onto the back. (The current SS unit we are working in) Next, I put all the cards into the bag and had them draw one. Students then researched a famous quote from their person and wrote them with a dry-erase marker on the back. (minus and capitalization or punctuation) After they finished, they traded with another person, and that student added the correct punctuation and capitalization to the quote. If you are starting out teaching quotations, then model this with a quote as well. Together as a class, add the correct capitalization and punctuation and then walk the students through doing it with the quotes they all chose.
Extension: Have students switch the quote's end punctuation and "tag" to change the tone of the quote.
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This is an easy way to teach the importance of punctuation and the choice of tag, rather than always putting a "period" and the word "said".
I would love to see how you guys use quotes in your lessons! Share with us on my FB group, Love to Write and Read All-Day. Remember that the informational research section has so many resources using the Golden Bricks!
