Mini-Lesson: The dash

The dash mini-lesson. For high school freshman students.

Engage: Ask students how many dashes there are. And introduce the BrainPop movie.

Explore: Before showing the video have students write down a sentence using a dash correctly. As they watch the video ask them to identify whether they used the dash correctly or not and what type of dash they used.

Explain: Show the Brainpop video ( http://www.brainpop.com/english/grammar/hyphensanddashes/ )

Expand: Do the BrainPop quiz in class

Evaluate: Assign students sentences from Cracked.com and cbssports.com (below) for homework and have them identify what type or dash/hyphen is being used and explain why that type is being used.

E-Search: Have students go online and find five sentences using hyphens or dashes and explain why it uses that particular type of dash or hyphen. Same basic assignment as above, only they are required to find their own sentences or create their own.

For Homework: (The Evaluate and E-Search steps) Identify what type of dash or hyphen is being used in each sentence and explain why that type is being used. (Please note: some sentences may contain more than one type, identify each). Also, find 5 sentences of your own and do the same thing.

1.) Fresh off scoring a game-high 21 points -- including a pair of critical three-pointers -- to help the Orange into the Sweet 16 with a 78-67 win against Arizona State, Devendorf smiled and laughed easily.

2.) Dell has found a way to make money off of America’s racism and/or xenophobia because now –for an additional fee– you also have the option of being connected to a customer service technician “right here in America."

3.) Sometimes, this even happens to us real writers - by which I mean myself - and we find ourselves unwittingly crossing territory already covered by the pathetic Plebeians - by which I mean everybody else.

4.) His phone number is 555-555-1362.

5.) I've got basketball practice 3-5 p.m.

Students must then find 5 sentences online and do the same thing as above. Students will have 10 sentences total (the 5 provided and the five they find.)