What are some websites for teaching elementary school grammar, punctuation, and/or the "mechanics" of writing?

Question

I'm only in this other teacher's class for 2 periods a week and she has requested that I work on grammar/punctuation for her grade 4/5 class. What are some good websites, books, and/or ideas for making this class fun and educational, but also not a total pain in the bum to plan?? Any help would be super!

Answer 1

Try http://www.tutorvista.com

They provide online tutoring in English and all other subjects, they work 24 hours and 7 days a week.

They have special English programs.

http://www.tutorvista.com/content/englis...

Answer 2

Grammar:

Grammar Rocks from Schoolhouse Rock (you can find lyrics online and if you can't find the DVD, youtube has many of the songs.  

Words are CATegorical books such as: to root, to toot, to parachute, what is a verb?  They all have clever titles like that.  Good springboards for talking about parts of speech.  

World of Language books by Ruth Heller, same principle as the books above.  Each book talks about a different part of speech.  

Punctuation:

Punctuation Takes a Vacation...another picture book, probably a wee bit too young for 4th/5th grade, but you could read maybe one or two pages and assign them different punctuation marks to write postcards from and see if their classmates can guess which it was.  

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference!  Great book by Lynn Truss, perfect for this grade level, with pictures to help explain.  Based on the punctuation joke about pandas (there's an adult version too)

Also by Truss... The Girl's Like Spaghetti: Why, You Can't Manage Without Apostrophes!  Her new one I haven't read, but here's the title: Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why, Every Punctuation Mark Counts!

Our school uses the 6+1 traits of writing to teach writing.  Punctuation and Grammar would fall under Conventions, and to some degree Fluency, but there is so much more that goes into good writing.  There are many books out there on 6 Traits (as it's called for short) Check out Ruth Cuhlam.