LA 7.10Grammar Symbols: Introduction

1. 1

   Lay out a noun slip "cow." Place the black triangle above it and say, "This is the symbol for a noun."

2. 2

   Explain briefly: "The noun symbol is a large black triangle. It is based on the pyramid, because nouns name things that have weight and size."

3. 3

   Add "the" before "cow." Place the small light blue triangle above it: "This is the symbol for the article."

4. 4

   Add "black" and place the medium dark blue triangle: "the adjective."

5. 5

   Use a slip like "The cow runs." and place the red circle above "runs": "The verb is the action; its symbol is a red circle."

6. 6

   Mix the symbols and invite the child to place them over a new phrase.

7. 7

   Check together, reading each word and naming its part of speech.

8. 8

   On later days, add the adverb, preposition, and conjunction symbols one at a time, using phrases from those games ("The cow runs quickly." "the cow and the horse").

What catches the child’s eye

• Bright shapes laid above each word in a row
• The large black triangle shaped like a pyramid for the noun

Extensions, easiest to hardest

1. Symbolizing phrases from the grammar boxes or sentence strips
2. Drawing symbols above words in their own writing with a stencil
3. Symbolizing a sentence from a book
4. Adding the pronoun and interjection symbols after those games