Teaching the Semi Colon

The semicolon appears on the common core for grades 9-10.  In the past, I only taught the semicolon once with my one tenth grade class.  It went well.  While the semicolon seems scary, it is actually much easier than the comma.   For my freshmen, I would tell them to avoid the semicolon if they didn't understand it because a semicolon is a punctuation mark you can live without.  I like the idea of teaching the topic with sophomores, who have hopefully mastered complete sentences and commas. 

Previous Skill Set:

• Understanding of a complete sentence, including fragments, run-ons and comma splices.  (Ideally, seeing this in the student's writing). 
• Understanding of comma rules.  (Ideally, seeing this student's writing).
• Know the visual difference between a comma, semicolon, and colon. 
• Know the conjunctions (FANBOYS) to exclude them from other transitional phrases. 

Items to be Taught:

• When items in a list contain comas, use semicolons to break apart the items in the list.  
• Use a semicolon to link two complete sentences (independent clauses).  
• Use a semicolon to fix a run-on sentence (especially a comma splice).  
• Semicolon notes a connection between the two ideas being linked.  
• Use of a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase can help foster the connection between the two ideas.  

How: (not necessarily all ideas or in this order)

• Start with lecture and notes for the two rules including at least one example for each.  
• Put sentences on overhead and have students volunteer where and why a semicolon would be placed.  
• Give each student or pair a sentence to correct, share using an overhead. 
• Give the class a topic (perhaps based on a class reading), and generate sentences using a semicolon in pairs.  Share with class.  To make sharing easy, have students write on transparencies. 
• Watch a video about semicolon rules.  With a quick YouTube search, I found Power Points, lectures, and funny student videos. 
• Find a semicolon in a text.  Determine why it was used.  
• Take a piece of writing (old or current) and add a semicolon.  
• Take a sentence from a text and add a semicolon.  
• Discuss the purpose of the semicolon, using specific examples.  Discuss the impact on a single sentence and idea, as well as using to vary sentence structures. 
• Do grammar exercises using sentences that either need semicolons or commas.  Just a few at a time.  Require to annotate why placed comma or semicolon where did. 
• Require use of a certain number of semicolons in a finished writing piece.  No more than four required in an analytical essay. 
• Read chapter on semicolons in Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss.  
• Have students create a unique presentation of their knowledge of the semicolon, such as a children's book or a wonderful video like this one. 
•