4th and 5th Grade Writing and Grammar Task Card Center Kit

If your school is anything like mine, it's incredibly difficult to find the time for students to practice the necessary grammar and foundational writing skills for expository and creative writing. This kit includes the essential components of a self-contained, no-maintenance center that students can work on throughout the year.

The kit includes 90 task cards focusing on main idea and the construction of an argument, creative brainstorming, word choice, sentence structure, and standard 4th and 5th grade grammar skills (a more detailed list can be found below). What’s particularly nice about this set is that each task card is designed to be completed on an index card. I recommend that you set up an index card box with index card guides (the little tab dividers), designating one for each student using names or class numbers. By having students store completed cards in their section, it not only makes for a streamlined organizational system, but also allows for easy reference to check their progress.

I choose to display 2-3 cards per week on a table top pocket chart, but for a less-involved alternative, you could just laminate the set and store them on a ring for students to work their way through over time.

This set could also be used for small group instruction, whole group practice, or morning/bell work.

Note: The thumbnails show examples from both the task cards and the answer key.

The file consists of
• 90 task cards
• Complete set of task cards with answers
• Table of contents organized by topic (providing task card number as well as document pages for both task cards and answers)
• Small sign for display
• Instructional card providing directions for filling out index cards
• Directions for creating the index card center

Topics:
• Main Idea vs. Supporting Details
• Determine the Main Idea
• Transitional Phrases
• Choosing Strong Adjectives
• Choosing Strong Verbs
• Using Strong, Specific Verbs
• Choosing Strong, Specific Verbs and Adverbs
• Using Verbs in a Series
• Using Dialogue Tags and Expanders
• Changing “Telling” sentences to “Showing” Sentences
• Varying Sentence Structure: Starting with a Verb
• Varying Sentence Structure: Starting with an Adjective
• Varying Sentence Structure: Compound and Complex Sentences
• Using Sensory Details: Settings
• Using Sensory Details: Showing Emotions
• Sentences vs. Sentence Fragments
• Types of Sentences
• Quotation Marks
• Subject and Predicate
• Compound Sentences
• Conjunctions
• Compound and Complex Sentences
• Complex Sentences
• Run-on Sentences
• Common and Proper Nouns
• Singular and Plural Nouns
• Singular Possessive and Plural Possessive
• Plural, Singular Possessive, and Plural Possessive Nouns
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Subject-Verb Agreement
• Verb Tense
• Action Verbs, Helping Verbs, and Linking Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Pronouns and Antecedents
• Possessive Pronouns
• Subject and Object Pronouns
• Possessive, Subject, and Object Pronouns
• Contractions, Possessive Pronouns, and Homophones
• Identifying Adjectives
• Adjectives that Compare
• Adjectives vs. Adverbs
• Adverbs
• Adverbs that Compare
• Well vs. Good
• Prepositions
• Prepositions vs. Adverbs