Introducing Sentence Expansion

Maria Bailey: Alright, one, two, and three. Eyes on me. We've got some fabulous, fabulous ideas here.

Narrator: Today. Literacy support teacher Maria Bailey is helping second graders in Toledo, Ohio add more detail to their sentences. A skill often called sentence expansion.

Maria Bailey: So, boys and girls, we have been working on writing sentences and making them better and more interesting, right? So, some of the sentences that we thought we need to have some help with were sentences like, "I like mom," "I like dad," "It is fun." "Let's play." What is wrong with sentences like that?

Student: They don't share enough detail.

Maria Bailey: There's no details ... Who is fun? What is fun? Tell me more.

Narrator: By learning how to add more detail, students aren't just making their sentences more interesting, they're also building their understanding of sentence structure. Ms. Bailey models how to use simple question words like "when," "where," and "why" to add more detail to their sentences.

Maria Bailey: So these are question words that we use when we are writing a sentence and how we might answer or add more details using one of those question words.

Narrator: In this lesson, students will work on expanding sentences by answering the question "why?" with some help from the word "because."

Maria Bailey: "Because" ... our word "because" is going to answer our "why" ... why is something happening? Why ... why is that happening? The dog was barking because why? Okay, that's our why. So let's start with "the dog was barking because ..." So, let's start.

Narrator: "Turn and talks" are a key part of Ms. Bailey's lesson, giving students the opportunity to safely share ideas while practicing their new sentence elaboration skills.

Students: The dog was barking because he was hungry ...

Maria Bailey: All right, so let's chat. I like a quick share out. Quick share out and then we'll pick one. We'll start right here. Go ahead. Josiah, your group. What'd you say?

Josiah: The dog was barking because it saw another dog.

Maria Bailey: ... because he saw another dog. I like that. That would make a dog bark. Absolutely. Ian.

Ian: The dog was barking because it seen a squirrel.

Maria Bailey: Oh-oh-oh, it saw a squirrel. Okay. I kind of like that because that would make my dogs bark. Thumbs up if that would make a dog bark. Does that make sense to us? Yeah, I think so, too.

Narrator: After Ms. Bailey models a few more examples, it's time for the students to write their sentences down.

Maria Bailey: Okay, so what I want to do right now, guys, I want us to do a little practice with this in partners. So on your paper, let's take a look at your paper today, all right? And let's put our finger at the first sentence. Here we go. "Winter is a fun season because ..." Okay, I want you now, this is on you guys. This is your "We Do." So we, you and your partner, you're going to talk, you're going to come up with an answer, and I'd like you to write it on the lines, okay? If you need any assistance, I'm right here, but let's go. So turn and talk to your partner. Why winter is the fun season. Why? Okay, talk to her partner and then write your answers.

Narrator: As students put their ideas down on paper, Ms. Bailey listens carefully and steps in to help when needed.

Maria Bailey: So, I should see, it should say, because we make something, don't just put one word. We're expanding a sentence here. Okay. Alright. So I have heard a lot of different, some really good ideas, and a lot of them were quite the same. So, I know what you guys like to do in the winter time. So, why don't you share out, what did you come up with? What'd you come up with? What is your sentence?

Students: Winter ... winter is a fun season because we make a snowman.

Maria Bailey: A snowman. And does that make sense, everybody? Thumbs up. If you think that makes sense ... in the winter, we can make a snowman. Now, thumbs up if you also said we can make a snowman ... because half of you did.

Narrator: Now that they've had a chance to practice as a group and with a partner, the next step for Ms. Bailey students will be stretching out their sentences independently.

Maria Bailey: Pat on the back for working so hard today. Oh my gosh, you just kissed that brain. You're amazing.

Narrator: Reading Universe is made possible by generous support from Jim & Donna Barksdale, the Hastings/Quillen Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the AFT, The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, and anonymous donors. Special thanks to the Toledo Federation of Teachers, Riverside Elementary School, and Toledo Public Schools in Toledo, Ohio. If you enjoyed this video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel @RUTeaching. Reading Universe is a service of WETA, Washington, D.C., the Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book.