Punctuation Takes a Vacation?

 

What would you do if punctuation marks the comma period question mark quotation mark and others left for a  vacation Or if, they! were running? wild"

Punctuation marks may seem random and headache-producing, but they are important in helping writers and readers communicate with each other. If they were absent or haphazard, reading would become a horrible chore.  I think my first "sentence" proves that, but if you--or your students--need a little more convincing, read Robin Pulver's fun book Punctuation Takes a Vacation and see both extremes.

Possible activities for students to do with this book:

• Read it!  (That's a good start.)
• After the punctuation marks are left in disbelief, they respond. Read their comments and observe the role each mark plays in the sentences.  What other roles do these marks have?
• Read aloud the letter in the blue box. Punctuate it.  Read it aloud again. How do the two readings compare?
• Look at the postcards the punctuation marks send from Take-a-Break Lake. Who wrote each of them?
• Read the letter from Mr. Wright's class to Punctuation. Do the poor class a favor and put the punctuation marks where they belong.
• Choose several punctuation marks and write postcards from each of them.
• Write a brief piece three times, one with no punctuation, one with misplaced punctuation, and one with correct punctuation. (Better yet, type it. It will be easier to copy, paste, and manipulate.)

Two excerpts from Punctuation Takes a Vacation

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