Context and Explanation

This lesson focuses on subordinate clauses, which are dependent clauses that begin with subordinating conjunctions and provide context and explanation about the information in an independent clause. It consists of two class periods. On the first day, students will learn what subordinate clauses are, encounter examples of them, examine how writers use them, and think about the impact they can have on writing. On the second day, students will review key information about subordinate clauses, apply them to their writing, and reflect on the importance of this concept to the pieces they write. At the conclusion of the instructional process, students will answer an exit question about why subordinate clauses are important tools for strong writing. The lesson's objectives are: students will understand the concept of subordinate clauses; students will understand the importance of subordinate clauses to strong writing; and students will be able to use subordinate clauses in their writing and reflect on the importance of doing so.