Have readers reread the words as you build the sentence for more word reading practice. Following the script allows for reinforcement of simple sentence structure.
RETURN
Activity: Sentence Smash
Standards
• Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, and ending punctuation).
• Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition, understanding, and rereading as necessary.
Reader Goals
• I can use strategies to unscramble the words in a sentence.
• I can put a sentence in order so it makes sense.
Focus
• capital letters
• punctuation
• noun
• verb
Helpful Hints
Guide
- Say
Let’s read these words together. - Point to each word as you Read
polar, The, bear, sits - Say
That doesn’t make sense. Let’s move the words so the sentence makes sense. - Ask
Let’s figure out the first word in the sentence. We need to start the sentence with a capital/uppercase letter. Do you see a word that has an uppercase letter?
(The) - Point to the word The and Say
Yes, the word The must be the first word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Ask
Now let’s look for a period, because we put the period after the last word in the sentence. Do you see a word that has a period after it?
(sits) - Point to the word sits and Say
Yes, the word sits must be the last word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the words we put in order together. - Point to each word as you Read
The … sits. - Ask
We have two words left: polar and bear. Can you put them in order to make sense? What animal sits?
(the polar bear) - Push next to show the complete sentence
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the sentence we put back together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear sits. - Point to the picture and Say
The sentence makes sense with the picture because I see the polar bear sitting on the ice.
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to each word as you Read
The, bear, digs, polar - Say
Now let’s move the words so the sentence makes sense. - Ask
Let’s figure out the first word in the sentence. What word can be the first word?
(The)
Why do you think so?
(We start the sentence with a capital letter.) - Point to the word The and Say
Yes, the word The must be the first word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Ask
Now let’s find out the last word. What word can be the last word?
(digs)
Why do you think so?
(We put a period after the last word in a sentence.) - Point to the word digs and Say
Yes, I see a period after the word digs so it must be the last word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the words we put in order together. - Point to each word as you Read
The … digs. - Ask
We have two words left: bear and polar. Can you put them in order to make sense? What animal digs?
(the polar bear) - Push next to show the complete sentence
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the sentence we put back together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear digs. - Point to the picture and Say
The sentence makes sense with the picture because I see the polar bear digging in the snow.
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to each word as you Read
polar, wet, gets, bear, The - Say
Now let’s move the words so the sentence makes sense. - Ask
What word can be the first word?
(The)
Why do you think so?
(We start the sentence with a capital letter.) - Point to the word The and Say
Yes, the word The must be the first word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Ask
Now let’s find out the last word. What word can be the last word?
(wet)
Why do you think so?
(We put a period after the last word in a sentence.) - Point to the word wet and Say
Yes, I see a period after the word wet so it must be the last word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Say
Let’s figure out the words that come in between the first and last words in the sentence. - Point to the word The and Ask
So the sentence starts like this. The. Hmm.. the what? It has to be a noun because the article the comes before a noun to announce it. A noun is a person, place, animal, or thing. Let’s read the words that are left.
(polar, bear, gets) - Ask
Which words tell us what or who gets wet?
(polar bear)
The word polar goes before bear because it tells us the kind of bear. - Push next to show the words in their places
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the words we put in order together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear … wet. - Point to the word gets and Say
We have only one word left. So it can come after the word bear. - Push next to show the complete sentence
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the sentence we put back together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear gets wet. - Point to the picture and Say
The sentence makes sense with the picture because the polar bear is swimming in the sea.
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to each word as you Read
jogs, The, bear, polar - Say
Now let’s move the words so the sentence makes sense. - Ask
Let’s figure out the first word in the sentence. What word can be the first word?
(The)
Why do you think so?
(We start the sentence with a capital letter.) - Point to the word The and Say
Yes, the word The must be the first word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Ask
Now let’s find out the last word. What word can be the last word?
(jogs)
Why do you think so?
(We put a period after the last word in a sentence.) - Point to the word jogs and Say
Yes, I see a period after the word jogs so it must be the last word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the words we put in order together. - Point to each word as you Read
The … jogs. - Ask
We have two words left: bear and polar. Can you put them in order to make sense? What kind of animal ?
(polar bear) - Push next to show the complete sentence
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the sentence we put back together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear jogs. - Point to the picture and Say
The sentence makes sense with the picture because we see a polar bear jogging.
Guide
- Say
Let’s do another one. - Point to each word as you Read
bear, polar, pal, his, nips, The - Say
Now let’s move the words so the sentence makes sense. - Ask
What word can be the first word?
(The)
Why do you think so?
(We start the sentence with a capital letter.) - Point to the word The and Say
Yes, the word The must be the first word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Ask
Now let’s find out the last word. What word can be the last word?
(pal)
Why do you think so?
(We put a period after the last word in a sentence.) - Point to the word pal and Say
Yes, I see a period after the word pal so it must be the last word in the sentence. - Push next to show the word in its place
Guide
- Say
Let’s figure out the words that come in between the first and last words in the sentence. - Point to the word The and Ask
The. The what? It has to be a noun because the is a word that comes before a noun. A noun is a person, place, animal, or thing. What word can go here?
(bear) - Ask
We have four words left: bear polar, his, nips. What kind of animal comes after the article the?
(polar bear) - Push next to show the words in their places
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the words we put in order together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear … pal. - Ask
We have two words left: his and nips. Which word tells what the polar bear does?
(nips)
Then what word is left?
(his) - Push next to show the complete sentence
Guide
- Say
Let’s read the sentence we put back together. - Point to each word as you Read
The polar bear nips his pal. - Point to the picture and Say
The sentence makes sense with the picture because it looks like one polar bear is nipping at the other one.
