Summary

Alfie is worried about his audition for the punctuation mark talent show. He almost misses his chance, but with last minute courage he performs his word tricks flawlessly.

Activities

1. Study the illustrations to find the punctuation shape in each of the characters. Choose three letters or numbers and use JoAnn Adinolfi’s technique to make them resemble people.

2. Why did Mr Asterisk tell Alfie that he had already called the commas?

3. Why did one of the quotation marks tease Alfie by asking, "Aren’t you missing something?"

4. How does "turning away" describe an apostrophe?

5. What is Morse code? Use Morse code to send a message to a friend.

6. Write five other word pairs that Alfie could have used for his first trick. Beside each pair write what the audience would see after Alfie raised the scarf.

7. Use names of students in your class to write five things Alfie could have done for his last trick. Use items other than the doll.

8. Play one of these online activities to practice using punctuation.
   • Apostrophes game
   • Apostrophes quiz
   • Contraction practice
   • Fly By Contractions
   • Practice Using Punctuation

9. Look at a story that you have written. Where do you need punctuation marks?

10. To the teacher: Use your own words to explain this activity.
    Make a chart with three columns. In the first column write the name of one of the kinds of punctuation marks in the talent show. In the second column write what the performance was. In the third column write why this performance was appropriate.
    -example and extension-

About the Author

• author website, photo

Related books

• Carr, J. (2007). Greedy apostrophe: a cautionary tale. Holiday House. grades K-3

• Cooper, B. (2006). Alan Apostrophe. Gareth Stevens Publishing, grades k-3

• Salzmann, M. E. (2001). Apostrophe. Sandcastle. grades k-3

More for the teacher

• Teaching Young Writers to Use Punctuation with Precision and Purpose PDF article by Janet Angelillo

• Ladybug is a lesson using Eric Carle’s book The Grouchy Lady Bug to practice using punctuation to read with expression. Use the process for other books. Lesson by Margaret Ann Hinshaw for grade 1

• Developing expression and fluency through recognition of punctuation lesson by Grace Jones for grades 2-6

• StudyZone lessons and practice grades 2-4

• Practice listening for punctuation. Assign a movement to each type of punctuation. Read sentences and let students perform the movement corresponding to the punctuation that they think is in the sentence. (Based on Language Arts with P.E. Integration)

• Celebrate National Punctuation Day

Assessment

Alfie the Apostrophe. Accelerated Reader: Quiz #106008 EN; Book Level 3.2; Points= 0.5

• Apostrophe by Salzmann, Mary Elizabeth. Quiz #56659 EN; Book Level 1.3; Points= 0.5