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Lessons
Every Punctuation Mark Matters: A Mini-Lesson on Semicolons
Discipline
Reading
Grades
9, 10
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Professional Commentary

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" demonstrates that even the smallest punctuation mark signals a stylistic decision, distinguishing one writer from another and enabling an author to connect with an audience. In this mini-lesson, students first explore Dr. King's use of semicolons and their rhetorical significance, then apply the lesson to their own writing by searching for ways to follow Dr. King's model and use the punctuation mark in their own writing. Class discussion provides an opportunity for students to analyze Dr. King's letter, review rules of punctuation, and make connections to their own writing. While this lesson refers to the "Letter from Birmingham Jail," any text which features rhetorically significant use of semicolons may be used effectively with the procedures of this mini-lesson. (author/ncl)


Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Grades 6–12
Reading: Informational Text
Grades 9-10
Key Ideas and Details
RI.9-10.1 
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Craft and Structure
RI.9-10.4 
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
RI.9-10.5 
Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
RI.9-10.6 
Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
Language
Grades 9-10
Conventions of Standard English
L.9-10.2 
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
  1. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses.
  2. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
  3. Spell correctly.
Ohio English Language Arts Standards (2001)
Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard
Benchmarks (8–10)
A.
Evaluate how features and characteristics make information accessible and usable and how structures help authors achieve their purposes.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)
1.
Identify and understand organizational patterns (e.g., cause-effect, problem-solution) and techniques, including repetition of ideas, syntax and word choice, that authors use to accomplish their purpose and reach their intended audience.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)
1.
Identify and understand organizational patterns (e.g., cause-effect, problem-solution) and techniques, including repetition of ideas, syntax and word choice, that authors use to accomplish their purpose and reach their intended audience.
Writing Conventions Standard
Benchmarks (5–7)
B.
Use conventions of punctuation and capitalization in written work.
Benchmarks (8–10)
B.
Use correct punctuation and capitalization.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 6)
3.
Use semicolons, colons, hyphens, dashes and brackets.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 7)
3.
Use semicolons, colons, hyphens, dashes and brackets correctly.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 8)
2.
Use correct punctuation and capitalization.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)
2.
Use correct capitalization and punctuation.
Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)
2.
Use correct capitalization and punctuation.