Grammar Police!

Something that I have always wanted to implement but have never had the time to sit down and plan out how it would work in my classroom.  With finally a minute to figure it out, I have a bulletin board set aside as you enter my classroom, and that board will be for all the grammar errors the kids and I find "in the wild," meaning out in the world as they have everyday encounters.

I have a few examples that I am going to show them as I introduce this assignment so they can get an idea of what I am looking for and what they should be looking for.  I will have a box designated for the grammar police examples that they bring in.  I will have one box for 7th and one box for 8th.  As they bring them in,  I will have them write their names on them and put them in the box for their grade.  When we have time in class, probably right after the bell work is completed, I will check the box and let someone go.  They will show the example they found and explain what was used incorrectly.  Then, they will show how to fix this error.  I love how this lets them see the grammar issues in the world around us and it has them actively thinking about grammar and usage.  The errors can really be anything.  It doesn't even have to be an error.  It can just be something they were unsure of.  I am going to have them take pictures of the grammar examples they find and then print them.  If they can't print, I will have them email it to me and I can print it for them.

For the following examples, I would read the sign to the kids and then ask if they see the error. We would discuss why this is incorrect and how to fix it.  Then, I would hang it on my Grammar Police Bulletin Board.  I can't wait to see what the kids find out in the world!

I found this example online and I just
couldn't resist using it as an example to show
the humor in some errors.

This one is a misspelling, but I would love for my kids
to recognize this and be able to fix it, too.

Do you see what is wrong with this one?

As you can see, the main goal of this activity is to get students to recognize the words that are used in the work around them.  It is not meant to "make fun of" anyone for misuse, so be careful that the kids don't do that.  The goal is to see the errors, understand why it needs correcting, and be able to correct the mistake.  You will find that many of the errors make the sign/sentence quite funny, and it is perfectly acceptable to laugh.  That is part of the reason I think my kids will LOVE this activity.

I found some grammar police shirts that I feel are necessary that we all have.  Click here to check out these inexpensive shirts.  I have not received mine yet, but I will let you know how it fits once I get it.

This is the shirt example from the website above for the
one I ordered.

I would love for you to share some of the errors you find in the wild in the comments below.
Get out there and serve and correct, grammar police!