Language Arts, Writing, Grammar

Grade 1- 3

Objective

Students use pronouns to replace nouns in sentences.

Directions

Review nouns with students. Nouns name a person, place, or thing. Tell students that pronouns can take the place of a noun in a sentence. Using a pronoun in a sentence can vary the sentence and even shorten it. Read to students the two paragraph examples below.

On Saturday, Mark, Jason, and Dan did not have anything to do. Mark, Jason, and Dan decided to go to the movies. Mark paid for the tickets for Jason and Dan. Mark said they were a birthday present for Jason. Mark, Jason, and Dan enjoyed the movie.

On Saturday, Mark, Jason, and I did not have anything to do. We decided to go to the movies. Mark paid for the tickets for us. He said they were a birthday present for Jason. We enjoyed the movie.
Point out to students that in the first paragraph, the names Mark, Jason, and Dan were repeated many times. The second paragraph occasionally used the pronouns I, we, us, and he in place of the boys names. Using pronouns in this paragraph varied the sentences and made it shorter and easier to read.

Read the following sentences to the students and see if they can identify the pronouns.

1. We helped my mom bake cookies.
2. They scored a lot of points by working together.
3. The school is being remodeled because it is old.
4. Mrs. Brown gave Jack a pencil for his birthday.
5. They enjoy going to the computer lab.
6. Our dad loves to coach the soccer team.
7. After school, she is coming to my house.
8. The audience gave me a standing ovation.
9. Is that present for me?
10. Are you going on the field trip with us?

Resources

• Pronoun Party activity sheet (one per student)
• pencils
• A Cache of Jewels and Other Collective Nouns by Ruth Heller (Scholastic, Inc., 1987)