Summary
In this grammar and punctuation lesson, students will explore the proper usage of brackets [ ], parentheses ( ), and ellipses … in writing. From ELA to math, science, and social studies, students will explore how brackets, parentheses, and ellipses are used across the curriculum. This exploration will solidify students’ understanding of how these punctuation marks are used and assist in improving their communicative effectiveness and ACT language scores.
Essential Question(s)
How are brackets, parentheses, and ellipses used across content areas?
Snapshot
Engage
Students brainstorm where they have seen brackets, parentheses and ellipses using Mentimeter.
Explore
Students develop rules for brackets, parentheses, and ellipses using the Affinity Process.
Explain
Students explain how different texts use brackets, parentheses, and ellipses using the Jigsaw strategy.
Extend
Students view a video, analyze and discuss a script, and add brackets, parentheses, and ellipses as appropriate, then write a food-related script using brackets, parentheses, and ellipses.
Evaluate
Students complete a Choice Board demonstrating their understanding of brackets, parentheses, and ellipses.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Station Task Cards Key (attached; for instructor use)
Choice Board Key (attached; for instructor use)
Script Lessons in Chemistry Key (attached; for instructor use)
Station Task Cards (attached; one per station)
Note Catcher (attached; one per student)
Rules for Parentheses, Brackets, and Ellipses (attached; one per student)
Script Lessons in Chemistry (attached; one per student)
Rubric (attached; one per student)
Choice Board (attached; one per student)
chart paper
sticky notes
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to facilitate the lesson. Begin by displaying slides 1–5 to present the title, essential questions, and the learning objectives in as much detail as needed.
Using the Mentimeter tech tool, have students make a Collaborative Word Cloud of the places they have seen brackets, parentheses, and ellipses. To begin, go to Mentimeter.com to make a word cloud presentation. When ready, move to slide 6 to use the 5-minute timer. If you believe students may need more or less time, additional timers are available on the K20 Center’s YouTube Channel. When you are ready to present and discuss the word cloud, select the “Present” button in Mentimeter and discuss the results with the class.
Explore
30 Minute(s)
Display slide 7 with students and share the Affinity Process instructional strategy with them. Pass out stacks of sticky notes to the class. Have students write down as many rules that apply to brackets, parentheses, and ellipses as they know. They should limit themselves to one rule per sticky note. There is a 3-minute timer on the slide.
Move to slide 8 once students have exhausted their knowledge. Ask students to work with a partner to compare their sticky notes. Instruct them to group similar sticky notes together. Label these as a category. You may use the 3-minute timer on the slide.
After pairs have completed their groupings, display slide 9. Have each pair combine with another pair, resulting in a group of four. Have these groups of four repeat the process. Then, have groups share their main categories for the rules associated with brackets, parentheses, and ellipses. Again, the slide has a 3-minute timer you may wish to use. Display slide 10 and create a whole class list of rules on the board or on chart paper for students to refer to at a later time.
Explain
40 Minute(s)
Display slide 11 if you would like to use the Sweet Talk strategy. If not, go on to slide 12 to introduce the students to the Jigsaw strategy and explain the instructions for moving through stations. The stations include examples from the main content areas:
Academic /formal writing
Closed Captioning / script
Math
Science
Music (song titles)
Ellipses
Divide the students into groups, provide them with the attached Note Catcher handout, and direct them to examples posted around the room.
At each station, have students examine the task card and create, adjust, or validate a rule for each form of punctuation (brackets, parentheses, and ellipses) on their Note Catcher. Make sure that each student is writing on their own Note Catcher, as they will need them for the next activity. After 3 minutes, rotate the groups to the next station, leaving the task cards at each respective station.
Once students have visited each station, instruct them to say goodbye to their group partners and form completely new groups. These new group members will compare the rules they wrote, noting similarities and differences in their observations.
Bring the whole class back together to revise the original class set of rules they wrote in the Explore. The students will look at their copies of the rules while comparing them with the set of rules on the board.
Now pass out copies of the Rules for Parentheses, Brackets, and Ellipses (attached). Compare the rules the class generated with those on the Rules sheet. Discuss any new knowledge gained from examining the correct rules.
Extend
45 Minute(s)
Display slide 13, and show the students a video clip from Lessons in Chemistry.
Lessons in Chemistry Season 1 Episode 4: Brie Larson's Elizabeth Zott handles a bully like a Boss!
Now distribute the Script Lessons in Chemistry handout and display slide 14. Assign partners and ask students to analyze the script, making punctuation additions (parentheses, brackets, and ellipses) where necessary. After an appropriate amount of time, review and make corrections to the script as a class. Slide 15 provides examples of correct usage. You may also use the attached Script Lessons in Chemistry (Instructor’s Key) if you choose.
Explain to students they will be working with the same partner to write an extension script, either continuing the episode or creating a scenario with the characters in a new situation. The script should include a dialogue between a minimum of two characters. Show slide 16 and provide each student with the Rubric handout and review your expectations. Emphasize the importance of using punctuation correctly for this activity.
Optional Extension Activity: Have students present their extension script for the class in a Reader’s Theater format.
Evaluate
60 Minute(s)
Go to slide 17, and while referring to the Choice Board strategy, distribute copies of the Choice Board handout to students. Review the options, explaining that they may choose to complete any three in a row. Encourage students to be creative with their responses. You may refer to the attached Choice Board Key where the answers are fixed.
Resources
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: The Official Guide to APA style (7th ed.).
Center for Academic Success. (2019, December 19). Parentheses. Butte College. https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/punctuation/parentheses.html
Center for Academic Success. (2019, December 19). The Dash, Slash, Ellipses, and Brackets. Butte College. https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/punctuation/dash_slash_ellipses_brackets.html
Cinematic Wonders. (2023, October 23). Lessons in Chemistry Season 1 Episode 4: Brie Larson’s Elizabeth Zott handles a bully like a Boss! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvjdzBLnGho
K20 Center. (n.d.). 3 Minute Timer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iISP02KPau0&list=PL-aUhEQeaZXLMF3fItNDxiuSkEr0pq0c2&index=6
K20 Center. (n.d.). 5 Minute Timer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVS_yYQoLJg
K20 Center. (n.d.). Affinity process. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/87
K20 Center. (n.d.). Choice boards. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/73
K20 Center. (n.d.). Collaborative word clouds. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/103
K20 Center. (n.d.). Jigsaw. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/179
K20 Center. (n.d.). Mentimeter. Tech Tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/645
K20 Center. (n.d.). Sweet Talk. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/4137
Music Theory. (2023, July). Reddit [Post]. https://www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/comments/1ebrwar/what_does_this_bracket_and_3_mean_in_violin_music/
"Rules for Parentheses, Brackets, and Ellipses" prompt. Claude, 2.0 version, Anthropic, 15 December 2024, https://www.anthropic.com/
School of Composition. (2025). Beginner’s Guide to 4-Part Harmony. https://www.schoolofcomposition.com/beginners-guide-to-4-part-harmony/
University of Chicago Council of Science Editors. (2007). Scientific style and format: The CSE manual for authors, editors, and publishers (7th ed.).