Summary
This grammar lesson will engage students in recognizing, identifying, and creating active and passive voice in their writing. The use of active and passive voice is demonstrated through the short story, "The Monkey's Paw," although any piece of literature could be substituted. This lesson includes optional modifications for distance learning. Resources for use in Google Classroom are included. While this lesson is currently aligned only to 8th grade standards, it would be appropriate to teach in grades 7 through 8, adjusting standards as needed.
Essential Question(s)
How do we recognize active and passive voice? What is the importance of recognizing active and passive voice?
Snapshot
Engage
Students work in pairs to complete a card sort activity, sorting 10 sentences into two groups according to their similar characteristics.
Explore
Partners explain their reasoning for grouping the card sort sentences, are shown examples of active and passive voice, and attempt to re-sort the card sort sentences according to their voice.
Explain
Student pairs join another pair and choose a topic from a menu to create their own examples of active and passive sentences. They make a T-chart poster to share with the group.
Extend
Students write a paragraph summarizing "The Monkey's Paw" or another familiar text which includes sentences in active and passive voice.
Evaluate
Students reflect on how to identify active and passive voice.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
T-chart handout (attached, one per group or one per student)
The Monkey's Paw handout (attached ; also available in audio format—see links below)
Card Sort handout (attached, one set per pair of students)
Talk Moves handout (attached, optional)
Chart tablet paper
Markers
Ziplock bags
Preparation
Card Sort
Prior to the lesson, print copies and cut out the attached Card Sort. These are sentences from the attached short story, The Monkey's Paw, by W.W. Jacobs. Students will work on this activity in pairs or small groups, so prepare at least one set of cards (ten sentences) for half the number of students in the largest class. It is recommended that you print the cards on heavy paper or card stock for durability. Place each set of cards in a small plastic bag.
To make the Card Sort activity accessible for online or distance learners, you might choose to have students print and cut out their own Card Sorts. A web-based platform such as Google Classrooms, or a digital platform for sorting such as Amplify Classroom or Quizlet, can also be used to create a digital Card Sort. Students can sort the cards and describe their thought processes for each sentence as part of an online discussion.
Optional Talk Moves
The attached Talk Moves handout is optional in case your students need help working cooperatively during the Explain. Print and cut enough for either each student or a class set. If using as a class set, we suggest laminating for continuous use.
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Introduce the lesson by displaying slide 2 in the attached Lesson Slides. Ask students to raise their hand if they know what the terms "active voice" and "passive voice" mean. Call on any students that raised their hands and let them share what they may know. Do not offer any explanations at this point. Transition through slides 3 and 4 and introduce the lesson's essential questions and learning objectives. Tell students that we will investigate these terms—active voice and passive voice—throughout the lesson with the questions on slide three in mind.
Assign students to pairs or small groups of mixed ability. Introduce the Card Sort activity and pass out the cards to each pair. Display the activity directions on slide 5. Ask students to discuss the cards and work on this activity together. Partners or groups are to sort the sentence cards into two groups, based on the sentences' similarities. Ask students to consider how the sentences are alike and sort them into two groups: five sentences that seem similar in one way and five other sentences that seem similar in a different way. Allow 10 minutes for the class to discuss and sort the sentences into the two different groups.
Explore
15 Minute(s)
As the students are sorting the cards, display slide 6 and prompt them to discuss their choices with each other. Each card sort group or pair will choose a spokesperson to share their reasoning with the rest of the class. Call on each spokesperson and ask them to share how and why they divided the sentences as they did. You may wish to list the reasons given on the board or in a Google document to refer to later in the lesson.
Display slide 7 and introduce the definitions of active and passive voice. Move to slide 8 and go over the examples and explain how to differentiate between active and passive voice sentences. Ask students to return to their card sort and check to see if they sorted the cards into active and passive voice. If they did not, have the groups use the rules on slide 7 to re-sort their cards (alternate between slides 7 and 8 as needed). Give groups five or six minutes to re-sort.
Transition to slide 9 and share the correct answers to the card sort. Have students check their card sort columns for accuracy.
Explain
30 Minute(s)
To reinforce the concept of active and passive voice, stand in front of the class and ask them to watch carefully. Take a pen and drop it on the floor. Show slide 10, reading aloud the rule about active voice. Introduce the Elbow Partner strategy and ask students to use active voice to create a sentence about what just happened. After they have done so, solicit volunteers from the pairs to share their active voice sentences.
Ask student pairs to turn that same sentence into a passive voice sentence. Call on students for their answers.
Now, have the Elbow Partners pair with another set of partners to make a team of four. Pass out one of the attached T-chart handouts, a piece of chart tablet, and a marker to each group. Show slide 11, which presents a list of topics. Ask each group to come to a consensus in choosing a topic to write about. Students may choose their own topic, but they must have teacher approval.
Once groups have chosen a topic, move to slide 12 and introduce the T-Chart strategy. Together, the groups will complete the T-chart handout by writing 10 active voice sentences and 10 passive voice sentences about their topic in the appropriate columns. As groups complete their task, have them trade their completed T-chart handout with another group. Ask the groups to peer review each other's T-chart, checking that the sentences are correctly identified as active and passive voice. Groups should work together to make corrections and revisions based on the peer feedback they receive.
Next, move to slide 13 and ask students to make a poster version of their T-chart, using markers to write their revised sentences on the chart tablet paper. Allow students time to work.
Once the posters are made, have groups hang them around the classroom. Have each group take turns sharing their topic and presenting the active and passive voice sentences they created. If time allows, facilitate a whole-class discussion about the topics.
Extend
35 Minute(s)
Display slide 15. After becoming familiar with "The Monkey's Paw," have students work individually or as a group to write a five to seven sentence paragraph summarizing the story. They should include sentences in both the active voice and passive voice to demonstrate their understanding and application of these sentence structures.
Evaluate
5 Minute(s)
The teacher will assess the students' understanding of active and passive voice based on completion and quality of the T-chart activity and the summary paragraph.
If you used the Talk Moves cards during the group activity, ask students to reflect on them. Did the Talk Moves cards help them work together more efficiently or cooperatively? Ask students to share their opinion.
Display slide 16 and as a class (or you may have students write their answers on scratch paper) discuss the reflection prompt.
Resources
Active and passive voice--usage and differences. (n.d.) Grammar. Writing Guide. A researchguide.com. https://www.aresearchguide.com/active-and-passive-voice.html
Encouraging academic conversations with talk moves. (2018). Edutopia.com. https://www.edutopia.org/video/encouraging-academic-conversations-talk-moves
Jacobs, W.W. (1902). The monkey's paw. Project gutenberg.org. Retrieved from https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12122
K20 Center. (n.d.). Amplify classroom. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/1081
K20 Center. (n.d.). Canva. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/612
K20 Center. (n.d.). Card Sort. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/147
K20 Center. (n.d.). Elbow partners. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/116
K20 Center. (n.d.). Google classroom. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/628
K20 Center. (n.d.). Quizlet. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/666
K20 Center. (n.d.). T-Chart. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/86
Lewis, R. (2012). The Monkey's paw. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugjegclLNhM