Grade 1 Spring — Compound Sentences, Descriptive Writing, Verb Tense, Pronouns, and Workshop Revision
Lesson 8 45 min eng.g1.s.lesson_08.compound_sentences_or_and_choice

Joining with OR — Showing Choice

Skills targeted
Objectives
  • Students combine two simple sentences that show a choice using 'or'.
  • Students now distinguish all three coordinating conjunctions: AND (add), BUT (contrast), OR (choice).
Vocabulary
orchoiceoptionscompound sentence

Lesson plan

Warm-up

5 min

Three-way choice game: teacher reads a sentence pair; children hold up AND, BUT, or OR card.

Teacher moves
  • Mix easy and tricky pairs
  • Affirm correct selection with one-line reason

Direct instruction

12 min

Today is OR day. OR shows CHOICE — like at the lunch line: 'Would you like apples OR oranges?' OR offers options. We use it to join two ideas that are choices: 'You can run OR you can walk.' OR is the third member of our joining-word team. Quick recap: AND adds. BUT contrasts. OR offers a choice.

Key examples
  • OR makes a choice — both options are real.
    model We can go to the park or we can go to the library.
    prompt Combine: We can go to the park. We can go to the library.
  • OR is also for offering.
    model You can have toast or you can have cereal.
    prompt Combine: You can have toast. You can have cereal.
Checks for understanding
  • AND, BUT, or OR? 'Do you want milk ___ juice?' (OR)
  • AND, BUT, or OR? 'I tried hard ___ I won.' (AND — adds; the trying led to winning)
  • AND, BUT, or OR? 'I tried hard ___ I lost.' (BUT — contrast; trying did not lead to winning)
Media
M-1-S-GR-08-A Chart Physical / non-image

Three-column anchor chart, 11x17. Column 1 AND with + sign, yellow background, example 'I sang AND I danced.' Column 2 BUT with / contrast slash, red background, example 'I sang BUT I forgot the words.' Column 3 OR with branching arrows, blue background, example 'I will sing OR I will dance.' Bottom: 'AND adds, BUT contrasts, OR offers a choice.'

Guided practice

13 min
Tasks
  • Three-way discrimination drill: 12 sentence pairs, child picks AND/BUT/OR and writes the combined sentence.
    scaffold All three cards available; anchor poster visible
  • Original OR sentence: each child writes one OR sentence about a real choice they have at home (snacks, books, games).

Independent practice

10 min
Media
M-1-S-GR-08-B Interactive Physical / non-image

On-screen activity. 12 sentence pairs appear one at a time. Bottom of screen has three colored buttons (AND yellow, BUT red, OR blue). Child taps the correct button. Correct: the joining word slides into place between the sentences and the combined sentence reads aloud. Incorrect: gentle prompt 'Try again — is this an ADD, a CONTRAST, or a CHOICE?' with audio replay.

Formative assessment

4 min
Exit ticket
  • Combine with the BEST word: 'You can walk. You can ride.' (AND? BUT? OR?)
  • Write one of your own OR sentences.
scoring Both correct = mastery; one correct = practicing; zero = reteach in next workshop confer.

Closure

1 min
Moves
  • Chant: AND adds. BUT contrasts. OR offers a choice.

Homework

8 min
Tasks
  • Listen for an OR sentence at home (often at dinner: 'pasta or rice?'). Bring one example.

Exercises in this lesson

eng.g1.s.ex_19
Combine with OR: 'We can go to the park. We can go to the library.'
 sentence combine · diff 2
eng.g1.s.ex_20
AND, BUT, or OR? 'Do you want milk ___ juice?'
 three way choice · diff 3
eng.g1.s.ex_21
Write one OR sentence offering two choices for breakfast.
 sentence write or · diff 3

Differentiation

Scaffolds
  • Three-color card set (AND yellow, BUT red, OR blue)
  • Pre-filled sentence pairs
  • Oral discrimination option
Extensions
  • Write a four-sentence paragraph that uses AND, BUT, and OR each once.
  • Make a menu for a pretend lunchroom that uses three OR offerings.
English Learners
  • Bilingual OR card (O for Spanish, O for Italian, KIMBA for Tagalog)
  • Repeat warm-up with smaller card set first
Ieps 504s
  • Card-only response (no writing) is acceptable
  • Choose-one-task option

Teacher notes

OR is the least frequent of the three in children's writing, so do not be surprised if uptake is slow. Most children will only generate forced OR sentences ('I can have milk or juice') for several weeks; that is fine. The Hochman-style sentence-combining drill is the workhorse here. Keep the AND/BUT/OR sort game in spiral review for the next 4 weeks.