Sentences and Fragments Activities for Physical and Chemical Properties and Changes Based on The Writing Revolution
- Cate O'Donnell
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
One of the first things young writers need to learn is the difference between a sentence and a fragment. A sentence has a subject and a predicate and expresses a complete thought. While this definition may feel too abstract for young writers to apply immediately, students can learn the difference through repeated modeling and practice.
This modeling and practice is especially powerful when you integrate it with content review. For these examples, I am using the science topic of physical and chemical properties and changes.
1. Introduce Subjects and Predicates
Begin by helping students understand the two main parts of a sentence.
Subject: Who or what does the action in the sentence?
Predicate: What action does the subject do?
For very young students, you may choose not to introduce the terms subject and predicate right away. Instead, simply ask:
Who or what does the action?
What does the person, animal, or thing do?
Start with simple action sentences because they are easier for students to understand and identify.
2. Model Sentences and Fragments
Use the presentation to model the difference between complete sentences and fragments. The examples in this resource focus on physical and chemical changes.
Help students identify whether each group of words:
tells who or what does the action (fragment)
tells what happens (fragment)
includes both parts and expresses a complete thought (sentence)
The final examples focus more directly on the idea that a complete sentence must express a complete thought that sometimes can't be done with just two words.
3. Practice Together
After modeling several examples, give students opportunities to identify sentences and fragments together.
You can ask:
Is this a complete sentence or a fragment?
Who or what does the action?
What action happens?
Does this express a complete thought?
What could we add to turn this fragment into a sentence?
Remind students that complete sentences also begin with a capital letter and end with ending punctuation.
4. Independent Practice
Students can then complete the accompanying worksheet independently. They will practice:
identifying complete sentences,
identifying fragments, and
turning fragments into complete sentences.
The goal is not simply for students to memorize the definition of a sentence. Through practice, students begin to recognize when a group of words sounds incomplete and learn how to revise it.
Two Versions Included
This resource includes two versions of the activity: one for younger students and one for older students.
The expectations remain the same. The difference lies in the complexity of the content and sentences. This makes it easy to use the same instructional routine across grade levels while adjusting rigor to meet your students' needs.
Use This Activity with Any Topic
Although this resource uses physical and chemical changes as its content, this activity can work with any nonfiction topic. You can also create sentences and fragments using information from a picture book you have read aloud as a class.
As with other activities from The Writing Revolution, the structure can remain the same across grade levels. The content drives the rigor.
This sentence and fragment activity is adapted from The Writing Revolution 2.0 by Judith C. Hochman and Natalie Wexler.
Want your own copies? You can get both the presentation and printable worksheet for just $1.
Keep Building Knowledge and Writing Skills
Sentence-level writing activities can fit into almost any topic you teach. Once students understand the routine, you can use the same structure with science, social studies, nonfiction texts, or class read-alouds.
Explore more resources and ideas on The Productive Teacher for building background knowledge, strengthening reading and writing skills, and bringing meaningful content into your classroom.
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