Teacher’s Guide

Great Grammar
Capitalization
Grades 5-9

CPTV
 CREDITS
Program Production
S u n b u r s t Vi s u a l M e d i a

Te a c h e r ’s G u i d e
Kristie Michalowski, M. Ed.

Print Material Design

Desktop Productions

© 2004 Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC

Hawthorne, NY 10532
Approximate running time: 17-25 minutes

Great Grammar: Capitalization

 Table of
Contents

Guide Information ......................................5

Fast Facts ....................................................7

Before Viewing Activities ............................8

During Viewing Activities ..........................11

After Viewing Activities ............................14

After Viewing Quizzes ..............................17

Additional Resources ................................19

Answer Keys ............................................27

Script........................................................33

© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
About This Guide Guide
Information

Providing students with visual media is an excellent way to take them out of the
classroom and into the real world. Our programs offer real-world footage, dynamic graphics,
engaging dramatizations, and first-person testimonials that keep students interested and help
them visualize difficult concepts. More importantly, they reinforce critical learning objectives
shaped by state and national educational standards. However, the learning doesn’t begin and
end when the program does. You can make the learning experience even more effective by
using the materials provided in this Teacher’s Guide.

This guide is divided into the following sections:

• Fast Facts are designed to give your students a quick overview of the
information presented within the video.

• Before Viewing Activities help identify what students already know

about the subject, what they are curious about, and what they hope to learn.

• During Viewing Activities may be used during viewing to enhance

students’ understanding of the video.

• After Viewing Activities help students summarize and draw conclusions

from the information that was presented.

• After Viewing Quizzes test students’ retention of the information presented

in the program and activity sheets.

• Additional Resources are designed to help you extend the information

presented in the program into other areas of your curriculum.

• Answer Keys are provided for relevant activities or reproducible pages.

• Script content is provided in an unabridged version for future reference.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
Program Overview Guide
Information

Great Grammar: Capitalization

This guide will provide students with the standard rules of capitalization, why they are
important to use, and give examples of each rule. This lesson provides a fun way to
learn about capitalization as the host reviews the rock-n-roll band members’
biographies. As editing takes place, the rules are reinforced and explained.

The information targets different learning styles by presenting the information visually
and orally. It is presented in a format that will keep students engaged with the
material. The use of “text boxes” with key terms and definitions, dialogs, and
editing/writing samples allow students to comprehend the material presented.

Viewing Objectives
After viewing the DVD/video and utilizing the activities provided in the teacher’s
guide, the students will be able to:

• Identify standard rules of capitalization

• Apply standard rules of capitalization
• Understand why capitalization is used

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Fast Facts Fast Facts

Having capitalization rules makes reading and writing easier. Different rules exist for when
to capitalize and when not to capitalize.

There are nine basic rules for capitalization:

Rule #1: Capitalize the first letter of a sentence

Rule #2: Capitalize the pronoun I.

Rule #3: Capitalize proper nouns and words derived from proper nouns. (Proper nouns are
names of persons, places, and things.)

Rule #4: Capitalize the first letter of the adjectives that are made from the names of people
and places. (Adjectives are words that describe nouns.)

Rule #5: Capitalize titles of persons when used as part of a proper name, but do not
capitalize them when they are used alone.

Exception to Rule # 5: The word is not capitalized if it is not used as part of a proper
name. Examples: doctor, professor, president, and senator.

Rule #6: Capitalize the first letter of directions only when they are used to designate actual
places, not when they point in a direction.

Rule #7: Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence. (Quotes are the exact words
someone else said.)

Rule #8: Capitalize holidays, months, and days of the week.

Rule #9: Capitalize the first, last, and all major words in titles of books, articles, and
songs.

Exception to Rule # 9: Do not capitalize such articles as a, an, and the; short
prepositions like for, to, on, and from; and such conjunctions as and, or, and but.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Before Viewing
Name Activity 1

Common Proofreading Symbols

Below are sentences that require correction. Use the appropriate proofreading marks to
show what corrections need to be made.

1. i know i must go to grandmas house

2. why cant i come to st louis with you
3. my favorite book is how much i love you?
4. where have you traveled in the united states
5. the president will give his speech on television tonight
6. mary jo wants to read her sisters magazine called teen
7. i went out west to visit aunt mary in july
8. my brother james went to the Doctor on wednesday
9. my father voted in the election for senator smith today
10. do you celebrate christmas with the song silent night

Insert a comma here After class we went outside.

Apostrophe or single I couldn t remember where I put the keys.
quotation mark needed
Insert item here I ice cream every night.

Use double quotation marks My favorite story is Ruby.

Use a period here He ate everything on his plate

Delete She has has beautiful clothes.

Transpose elements Sally only ate the green candies.

Close up this space I saw a butter fly.

A space is needed here I need to domy homework.

Make letter lowercase You should Proofread all your work.

Capitalize letter My favorite month is april.

Begin new paragraph “I love it,” I said. “I thought you would,” she replied.
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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 Before Viewing
Name Activity 2

Put On Your Cap!

Fill in the chart below. Before viewing the DVD/video, show what you already know about
capitalization in the “Show what I know” section. During the DVD/video, ask any questions
about information you do not understand and would like to know more about in the “Ask
my questions” section. After viewing the DVD/video and participating in various activities,
show what you have learned about capitalization in the “What I have learned” section.

Show Ask
what I my
know questions

What I
have learned

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Before Viewing
Name Activity 3

Capitalization Correct/Incorrect
Before viewing the video, read each statement. Decide if the statement is correct or
incorrect. Think about how you would explain your answer. After watching the video, go
back over the statements and decide if the statement is correct or incorrect.

Before Viewing After Viewing

correct /incorrect correct/incorrect

You will learn about World war II this year.

My mother’s name is Alice and her sister is my aunt.

i love to go to the movies on wednesday

My family is italian.

Your dog is a Welsh Corgi named Bitsie.

I need to go to Doctor Jones on Monday

to get my teeth cleaned.

The Professor was disappointed with the students’ grades.

You need to travel West from Georgia to get to California.

June said, “when can I come to your house?”

Sally went to the public library in Cumming to

check out a new CD called Down And Out.

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 During Viewing
Name Activity 1

Know the Rules!

Graphic Organizer
In the boxes below, write the nine rules of capitalization presented during the DVD/video.
Make sure you include examples of each rule.

Rule 1

Rule 2

Rule 3

Rule 4

Rule 5

Rule 6

Rule 7

Rule 8

Rule 9

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 During Viewing
Name Activity 2

Capitalization Graphic Organizer

Any Way You Add It Up, Capitalization Rules!
In the boxes below, take notes during the DVD/video about capitalization. Make sure you
include examples of each rule.

+
Capitalization Rules!

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 During Viewing
Name Activity 3

Capitalization Note Taking

Using the right rules of capitalization will make your writing better. In the table below, take
notes during the DVD/video about capitalization. Include examples of each rule.

Rules Examples

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

6 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 After Viewing
Name Activity 1

Correct the Biographies

Below are the biographies from the rock-n-roll band, Capital Justice, in the DVD/video.
Correct the biographies and state what rule was used.

Jo’s biography:
Hi, I’m Jo. I play bass in the band. playing rock-and-roll
was a great pastime where i grew up in cuyahoga falls,
ohio. There were lots of cold, snowy nights when we just
jammed in the basement…I think we may have driven
our neighbors crazy!

Sergio’s biography:
Hi, I’m Sergio, the lead singer and guitarist. I’ve lived in
the southwest most of my life, which is probably why I
love mexican food and riding horses so much. I owe a
lot to my music teacher, professor Peggy Miller, for
helping me to be confident enough to perform in a
band…because I’m actually kind of shy.

Doug’s biography:
Hi, I’m Doug, the drummer. I was born on february
29th, the extra day in a Leap Year. Because of that,
my dad always said, “you march to the beat of a
different drummer.” He’s right. I love to drum and
make up new beats. In fact, my favorite movie is titled
beat the drum differently.

Cat’s biography:
Hi! I’m Cat, and I play guitar and sing. My real name is Catherine, but my
mother loved tennessee Williams’ Cat on a hot tin Roof, so I’m Cat. I
started with Spanish guitar lessons when I was young. My teacher, mr.
Sanchez, said, “there’s nothing like playing live for an audience.” I got the
bug to be in a band when I traveled to the west Indies with a Ballet
Folklorico troupe for the entire month of june last year.

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 After Viewing
Name Activity 2

Word Wise with Capitalization

Below are words that need to be capitalized…or do they? Decide which words need to
be capitalized and try to use them in a paragraph or two.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 After Viewing
Name Activity 3

Picture Perfect
Help your writing become picture perfect. Use your notes from the DVD/video on the nine
rules of capitalization. In each picture frame, write two examples that show the nine
capitalization rules in use.

Rule #1 Rule #6

Rule #2

Rule #7

Rule #3

Rule #8

Rule #4

Rule #9

Rule #5

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 After Viewing
Name Content Quiz 1

Content Quiz 1
Write or circle the letter of the best answer; fill in the blank with the best answer; or write
true or false for each statement.

1. Why do we use capitalization rules?

a. For fun
b. To learn more grammar rules
c. To make reading and writing easier
d. None of the above

2. What example is correct when it is a title of a book?

a. All the Beasts are Wise
b. Where is my Mother?
c. Go West Young Man
d. None of the above

3. Which one is not a rule of capitalization?

a. Always capitalize the pronoun I
b. Always capitalize the first letter of directions like North, South, East or West
c. Always capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence
d. None of the above

4. __________________ has nine basic rules to follow for better writing.

5. _________ True or False? Capitalize all words in a book or song.

6. _________ True or False? Capitalize the first letter of adjectives that are made from the
names of people and places.

7. List two rules of capitalization and give an example of each

a. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

8. Write three words that are not capitalized when in a title of a magazine article
a. ____________________ b. ____________________ c. ____________________

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 After Viewing
Name Content Quiz 2

Content Quiz 2
Correct the capitalization mistakes in the paragraph below. State the capitalization rule for
each correction.

The rock-n-roll band called capital justice is this year’s new sensation. it consists of four Band

members who each have their own unique talents. First there is jo. She plays the bass and is

from ohio which is in the northern part of the united states.

Next is Sergio. He is the lead singer and guitarist of capital justice. He used to live in the

southwest and loves mexican food. sergio credits his music teacher who was a Professor for

helping him be who he is Today.

another member of the Band is doug. He is the Drummer for the Band. His birthday is

february 29th. He likes to watch his favorite movie beat the drum differently. Doug likes to

be different. He also has a dog that is a hungarian pulik called harry.

The last member of the Band is Catherine…or cat for short. She started playing music on a

spanish guitar and now plays the guitar for capital justice. cat also sings for the group. She

has traveled to the west Indies with a Ballet troupe and got the bug to be in a band there.

These four talented performers have come out with their new CD. it is flying out of the stores

since it was put on the shelves this tuesday. When we asked jo what she thought of this

instant success she said, “it is just super. i never thought the public would love it this much.

thank you.”

_________________________________________________________________________________

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Interdisciplinary Ideas Additional
Resources

Grammar

Have students write poems for specific parts of speech. Each poem should describe the job
of the part of speech or include several examples of that part of speech.

Have students write riddles based on the functions of parts of speech. Students can read the
riddles out loud while the other students guess the part of speech.

Play a grammar game. Give each team of students a set of cards that indicate the various
parts of speech studied. Write a sentence on the board. Teams of students each send one
player at a time to place a part of speech card below the corresponding word.

Have students color-code sentences. They choose sentences from literature books or content-
area books. Teams or individual students copy sentences, using the following color code:

nouns — dark blue pronouns — light blue action verbs — dark green
linking verbs — light green adjectives — purple adverbs — orange
conjunctions — white prepositions — tan interjections — pink

Continue this activity in a different way. Randomly pass out cards to students on which you
have written words using the code. Students then build a correct sentence together.

Have students do word sorting. They choose a paragraph from a piece of writing. Then they
make a chart of the words of each type of speech they found in the paragraph. Students
can then trade charts with another student and check each other’s work.

Develop a magazine scavenger hunt. Students can scour magazines and cut out words that
fit the parts of speech categories studied.

Play Scrabble on the bulletin board. Assign colors to specific parts of speech and have
students add words to the board with each part of speech studied.

Do a poem search. How many of each part of speech can your students find in a poem?

Use the book Jabberwocky. What words can students use to replace the nonsense words
used? Students can also make their own versions in picture books.

Give each part of speech a cents value. Who can find the sentence worth the most money in
a literature book or content area book?

noun — 25 ¢ pronoun — 30¢ verb — 35¢ adjective — 40¢

adverb — 50¢ conjunction — 60¢ preposition — 75¢ interjection — $1

Make three dice. The first one says noun, noun, verb, verb, adjective, adjective. The second
one says N, S, T, L, R, P. The third one says 15 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
Interdisciplinary Ideas Additional
Resources

seconds, 50 seconds, 60 seconds. Team members take turns rolling the dice. During the
rolled amount of time, each player is to name as many words of the part of speech and
letter rolled as possible.

Use yarn to practice prepositions. Students stand in a circle with a loop of yarn being held
by one finger of each student. Upon your instructions, students demonstrate being inside the
yarn, outside the yarn, on the yarn, above the yarn, etc.

Punctuation

Have students make character creations. They create a character completely from
punctuation marks. Then, they write sentences about their character, correctly using the
punctuation marks in their sentences.

Listening for punctuation. Assign each punctuation mark that you have studied a specific
action. For example, every time students hear a place where a period belongs, they can
clap their hands. They might snap their fingers if they hear a place where a comma
belongs. This might take some whole group practice with looking at a piece of writing on
the overhead. Students will eventually recognize locations where the marks are required
and understand the purposes of each mark.

Have students scan advertisements in newspapers, magazines, and junk mail for
exclamation points. On their own or with their teammates, they decide on whether the
exclamation points are effectively used or overused. Encourage them to rewrite these
advertising sentences to convey the emphasis without using the exclamation point for
effect.

Help students understand how commas affect understanding by playing court reporter. Ask
one or two students to read a passage from their papers or some reading for the class
while the other students write what they say. Then have the reporters prepare a transcript of
what they heard, inserting punctuation where they think it is needed. Each team should
compare the reporters’ versions with the originals and solve any disputes over comma use
by referring to the appropriate sections of this chapter.

The apostrophe is a messy punctuation mark and is frequently misused. Help students see
how popular use is changing the perception of apostrophes by asking students in groups to
examine sections of the Yellow Pages or the advertisements in the local newspaper to find
examples where expected apostrophes are missing. They can also look for places where
apostrophes are overused. Encourage them to notice such misuses and bring them to the
attention of the class. Create a bulletin board of samples from the real world.

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Interdisciplinary Ideas Additional
Resources

The most troublesome possessive is its, which many students confuse with it’s. Ask students
to keep a list in their journals of places where they see these words confused, including
published work and other students’ writing. It’s hunting makes students learn the its/it’s
rule and become more aware of how they use these words in their own writing.

Have students do a group editing exercise for punctuation. As a student’s writing draft is
displayed on the overhead, other students raise “road signs” to indicate the punctuation
they suggest. For example, a stop sign for a period, a yield sign for a comma, and so on.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
Classroom Discussion Prompts Additional
Resources

1. Why do you think we need capitalization?

2. What rules presented in the DVD/video do you think we do not need? Why?

3. Why do you think we capitalize both letters when abbreviating a state’s name? Ex.
Georgia: GA

4. What rule is the most commonly used? Why?

5. What rule do students use the least? Why?

6. How do you think the rule to always capitalize the pronoun “I” came about?

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Suggested Reading List Additional
Resources

Additional Reading, Lesson Plans, Worksheets

Clarke Arlene G. and Marlene B. Clarke. Capitalization and Punctuation Make Sense. Globe
Fearon, 1988. Contains exercises for students to correct. Many on capitalization.
Gives “hints” on different capitalization rules on worksheets and where to find the
rules in the book.

Kellaher, Karen. Writing Skills Made Fun: Capitalization, Punctuation & Spelling. Scholastic
Professional Books, 2001. Fun and creative ideas for students to learn and reinforce
the use of capital letters. Contains more than just capitalization skills. Easy to find new
ideas to enhance learning.

Pulver, Robin. Punctuation Takes a Vacation. Holiday House, 2003. A fun way to introduce
the importance of punctuation. Humorous story that will entertain young students, but
also teach them a lesson. Students should appreciate why punctuation is necessary
through the text and illustrations.

Thurston, Cheryl Miller. Capitalization: Teaching Correct Capitalization to Kids Who Aren’t
Crazy About Writing in the First Place. Cottonwood Press, 2000. The title says it all.
Part of a series entitled Teaching the Boring Stuff. Students will have fun with the
activities in this book. Designed with real kids in mind. Teaches the rules one step at a
time.

Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Quiz:

Abbreviating America
From Georgia Learning Connection. Written by Leeann Goodwin. 4th grade. The students
will learn the correct abbreviations of the states. Easy to execute. Fun for students. Need an
Internet connection.
http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/BuilderV03/lptools/lpshared/lpdisplay.asp?Session_
Stamp=&LPID=13274

Capitalization
This site contains a PowerPoint presentation on capitalization. View first to refresh students
on the rules of capitalization with examples. Next linked page contains the basic rules of
capitalization. Includes information on how to capitalize words from the Internet. Students
can also take the quiz.
http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/capitals.htm

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
Suggested Reading List Additional
Resources

Capitalization Rules
From Georgia Learning Connection. Written by Michelle Madden. 4th grade. Detailed lesson
to have students review and reinforce the rules of capitalization. Discussion and writing
takes place.
http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/BuilderV03/lptools/lpshared/lpdisplay.asp?Session_
Stamp=&LPID=8758

Capitalization Worksheets and Puzzles:

From edhelper.com. Use worksheets already created or create your own easily on this site.
Can do by grade level or by working on certain capitalization skills (if you are a
member)…you choose! Has numerous worksheets to choose from…you are sure to find one
just right for your students.
http://www.edhelper.com/language/capitalization.htm

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Internet Sites Additional
Resources

Below are a list of sites that you may use to find more information about capitalization. Due
to routine web maintenance, not all of the links will be accurate at the time of access. If the
link is not available, try to conduct a search on that topic from the main site or from a
search engine.

Grammar Blast: Capitalization and Punctuation

Interactive site where students show their knowledge in capitalization and punctuation. Fun
way to review or refresh skills. Multiple choice questions with immediate response.
http://www.eduplace.com/cgi-bin/hme-quiz-
start.cgi?Grade=4&Unit=5&Topic=Capitalization+and+Punctuation&x=48&y=16

Exploring English: Capitalization

Quick refresher on basic capitalization rules with examples. Easy to read for students.
http://www.shared-visions.com/explore/english/capital.html

Help for Teachers.com: Capitalization

This site contains a lesson plan for capitalization. It requires four days to implement and
includes a rubric and detailed steps. Internet required to print recommended worksheets.
http://www.help4teachers.com/Capitalization.htm

My English Teacher: Capitalization

Outlines basic capitalization rules and give a “quiz.” I would suggest that you print the
“quiz” and let students do it on paper. Not interactive. Includes answers.
http://www.myenglishteacher.net/captilizingletters.html

OWL: Online Writing Lab

This site would be great for part of a Web Treasure Hunt. Basic rules on capitalization are
given with examples. From Purdue University.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_caps.html

Quia: Capitalization
This site contains the basic rules of capitalization and examples on online flashcards.
Students can control the speed of the cards. Need Java to play.
http://www.quia.com/fc/3522.html

Quia: Capitalization
Fun site for kids to learn capitalization rules. It has a matching capitalization game. Can

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
Internet Sites Additional
Resources

play more than once with different matches. Students have to match rule with example.
http://www.quia.com/mc/3522.html

Word Wise: Grammar and Spelling

States the rules of capitalization and gives great examples. Easy to navigate and
understand. You could use site with students and have them make up their own examples to
the 28 rules presented!
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0771333.html

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 Answer Key - Before Viewing Activity Sheet 1

Common Proofreading Symbols

Below are sentences that require correction. Use the appropriate proofreading marks to
show what corrections need to be made.

1. i know i must go to grandma s house

2. why can t i come to st louis with you ?

italic
3. my favorite book is how much i love you?

4. where have you traveled in the united states ?

5. the president will give his speech on television tonight

italic
6. mary jo wants to read her sister s magazine called teen

7. i went out west to visit aunt mary in july

8. my brother james went to the Doctor on wednesday

9. my father voted in the election for senator smith today

italic
10. do you celebrate christmas with the song silent night

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Answer Key - Before Viewing Activity Sheet 3

Capitalization Correct/Incorrect
Before viewing the video, read each statement. Decide if the statement is correct or
incorrect. Think about how you would explain your answer. After watching the video, go
back over the statements and decide if the statement is correct or incorrect.

Before Viewing After Viewing

correct / incorrect correct/incorrect

You will learn about World war II this year. ✔

My mother’s name is Alice and her sister is my aunt. ✔

i love to go to the movies on wednesday

✔
My family is italian.

Your dog is a Welsh Corgi named Bitsie. ✔

I need to go to Doctor Jones on Monday

✔
to get my teeth cleaned.

The Professor was disappointed with the students’ grades. ✔

You need to travel West from Georgia to get to California. ✔

June said, “when can I come to your house?” ✔

Sally went to the public library in Cumming to

✔
check out a new CD called Down And Out.

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 Answer Key - During Viewing Activity Sheet 1

Know the Rules!

Graphic Organizer
In the boxes below, write the nine rules of capitalization presented during the DVD/video.
Make sure you include examples of each rule.

Capitalize the first letter of a sentence.

Rule 1

Capitalize the pronoun I.

Rule 2

Capitalize proper nouns and words derived from proper nouns.

Rule 3
(Proper nouns are names of persons, places, and things.)

Capitalize the first letter of the adjectives that are made from the
Rule 4
names of people and places. (Adjectives are words that describe
nouns).

Capitalization titles of persons when used as part of a proper name, but do not capitalize
them when they are used alone.
Rule 5
Exception to Rule # 5: the word is not capitalized if it is not used as part of a proper
name. Examples: doctor, professor, president, and senator.

Capitalize the first letter of directions only when they are used
Rule 6
to designate actual places, not when they point in a direction.

Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence. (Quotes are the

Rule 7
exact words someone else said.)

Capitalize holidays, months, and days of the week.

Rule 8

Capitalize the first, last, and all major words I titles of books, articles, and songs.
Exception to Rule # 9: Do not capitalize articles, such as a, an and the; short
Rule 9
prepositions, such as for, to, on, and from; and conjunctions, such as and, or
and but.
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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Answer Key - After Viewing Activity Sheet 1

Correct the Biographies

Below are the biographies from the rock-n-roll band, Capital Justice, in the DVD/video.
Correct the biographies and state what rule was used.

Jo’s biography:
Hi, I’m Jo. I play bass in the band. Playing (RULE 1) rock-
and-roll was a great pastime where I (RULE 2) grew up in
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (RULE 3). There were lots of cold,
snowy nights when we just jammed in the basement…I think
we may have driven our neighbors crazy!

Sergio’s biography:
Hi, I’m Sergio, the lead singer and guitarist. I’ve lived in the
Southwest (RULE 6) most of my life, which is probably why I
love Mexican (RULE 4) food and riding horses so much. I
owe a lot to my music teacher, Professor (RULE 5) Peggy
Miller, for helping me to be confident enough to perform in a
band…because I’m actually kind of shy.

Doug’s biography:
Hi, I’m Doug, the drummer. I was born on February (RULE 8)
29th, the extra day in a leap year (RULE 8 — not a holiday).
Because of that, my dad always said, “You (RULE 7) march
to the beat of a different drummer.” He’s right. I love to drum
and make up new beats. In fact, my favorite movie is titled
Beat the Drum Differently (RULE 9).

Cat’s biography:
Hi! I’m Cat, and I play guitar and sing. My real name is Catherine, but my
mother loved Tennessee (RULE 3) Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (RULE
9), so I’m Cat. I started with Spanish guitar lessons when I was young. My
teacher, Mr. (RULE 5) Sanchez, said, “There’s (RULE 7) nothing like playing
live for an audience.” I got the bug to be in a band when I traveled to the
West Indies (RULE 6) with a Ballet Folklorico troupe for the entire month of
June (RULE 8) last year.

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
 Answer Key - After Viewing Content Quiz 1

Content Quiz 1
Write or circle the letter of the best answer; fill in the blank with the best answer; or write
true or false for each statement.

1. Why do we use capitalization rules?

a. For fun
b. To learn more grammar rules
c. To make reading and writing easier
d. None of the above

2. What example is correct when it is a title of a book?

a. All the Beasts are Wise
b. Where is my Mother?
c. Go West Young Man
d. None of the above

3. Which one is not a rule of capitalization?

a. Always capitalize the pronoun I
b. Always capitalize the first letter of directions like North, South, East or West
c. Always capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence
d. None of the above

Capitalization has nine basic rules to follow for better writing.

4. __________________

False True or False? Capitalize all words in a book or song.

5. _________

True True or False? Capitalize the first letter of adjectives that are made from the
6. _________
names of people and places.

7. List two rules of capitalization and give an example of each

answers will vary
a. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
answers will vary
b. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

8. Write three words that are not capitalized when in a title of a magazine article
answers will vary
a. ____________________ answers will vary
b. ____________________ answers will vary
c. ____________________

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Answer Key - After Viewing Content Quiz 2

Content Quiz 2
Correct the capitalization mistakes in the paragraph below. State the capitalization rule for
each correction.

The rock-n-roll band called Capital Justice (RULE 3) is this year’s new sensation. It (RULE

1) consists of four band (RULE 3) members who each have their own unique talents. First

there is Jo (RULE 3). She plays the bass and is from Ohio (RULE 3) which is in the

Northern (RULE 6) part of the United States (RULE 3).

Next is Sergio. He is the lead singer and guitarist of Capital Justice (RULE 3). He used to

live in the Southwest (RULE 6) and loves Mexican (RULE 4) food. Sergio (RULE 3) credits

his music teacher who was a professor (RULE 5) for helping him be who he is today

(RULE 8).

Another (RULE 1) member of the band (RULE 3) is Doug (RULE 3). He is the drummer

(RULE 3) for the band (RULE 3). His birthday is February (RULE 8) 29th. He likes to watch

his favorite movie Beat the Drum Differently (RULE 9). Doug likes to be different. He

also has a dog that is Hungarian Pulik (RULE 4) called Harry (RULE 3).

The last member of the band (RULE 3) is Catherine…or Cat (RULE 3) for short. She started

playing music on a Spanish (RULE 4) guitar and now plays the guitar for Capital Justice

(RULE 3). Cat (RULE 3) also sings for the group. She has traveled to the West (RULE 6)

Indies with a ballet (RULE 3) troupe and got the bug to be in a band there.

These four talented performers have come out with their new CD. It (RULE 1) is flying out of

the stores since it was put on the shelves this Tuesday (RULE 8). When we asked Jo (RULE

3) what she thought of this instant success, she said, “It (RULE 7) is just super. I (RULE 2)

never thought the public would love it this much. Thank (RULE 1) you.”

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Script

CAST

Chris ....................................................................................Host
Jo......................................................................................Bassist
Sergio ..........................................................................Guitarist
Doug ............................................................................Drummer
Cat ................................................................................Guitarist
Michael Wayne ..................................Writing Activity Narrator
Aimee ..............................................................Content Reviewer

S CENE O NE

Chris
When you write, you use lower-case letters AND capital letters. Right? Well, knowing
WHEN to use capital letters is important… There are rules to follow, why, if there
weren’t rules to follow for capitalizing letters your sentences could end up looking like
this! Yikes! That’s hard to read!

Think about it like this. Writing without rules would be like playing football without
rules…the game would always be different depending on who was playing…without
rules anything would be okay.

So, having rules to follow actually makes reading and writing easier. Learning when
to capitalize letters is what we’ll talk about today on GREAT GRAMMAR!

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 Script

S CENE T WO

Chris
Hi, I’m Chris. There are actually many different rules for when to capitalize and when
not to capitalize. Let’s start with the most basic ones:

Rule Number 1:
Capitalize the first letter of a sentence.

For example in the preamble to our constitution: We the people…; the word “We” is
capitalized.

Now for Rule Number 2:

Capitalize the pronoun.

For example in the sentence: I love to skateboard. The pronoun ”I” is always
capitalized.

And Rule Number 3:

Capitalize proper nouns and words derived from proper nouns.

Remember, proper nouns are names of specific persons, places, and things. So,
besides the obvious words to capitalize like names of people and states — capitalize
the names of religions like Catholicism, nationalities like Italian; historical events like
World War II, and organizations like the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

S CENE T HREE

Chris
Okay, it’s time to practice. Imagine that you have been hired to edit the text that will
appear on the CD insert for a soon-to-be-famous rock-n-roll band called Capital
Justice. You are in charge of correcting capitalization on biographies submitted by the
band members.

Let’s get to work on band member Jo’s bio and apply what we’ve learned so far:

Jo
Hi. My name is Jo. I play bass in the band. Playing rock and roll was a great pastime

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Script

where I grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. There were lots of cold, snowy nights when
we just jammed in the basement…I think we may have driven our neighbors crazy!

Chris
Brrrrr…no wonder they were inside playing. Well, Jo may be an awesome bass
player, but let’s help with the capitalization in her biography.

The first two sentences are fine. But, the third sentence has some errors. Can you spot
them? The word “playing” needs to be capitalized because it’s the first word of a
sentence; “I” needs to capitalized because the pronoun “I” is ALWAYS capitalized, and
“Cuyahoga Falls” is the name of a city in Ohio, it’s a proper noun and it needs to
capitalized. Here’s how it should look…

…and now for the last sentence. It looks perfect.

Let’s see how the corrected bio looks on the CD insert…

…looks good. Keep the bass pounding, Jo

S CENE F OUR

Chris
Okay let’s look at some other rules for capitalization.

Rule Number 4:
Capitalize the first letter of adjectives that are made from the names of people and
places.

Remember, adjectives are words that describe nouns. For example: the word
“Hungarian” is capitalized in the sentence My dog is a Hungarian Pointer because the
word “Hungarian” is an adjective made from the name of a country… Hungary,
which is also a proper noun, by the way, and therefore needs to capitalized.

Now for Rule Number 5:

Capitalize titles of persons when used as part of a proper name, but do NOT
capitalize them when they are used alone.

For example: the word “doctor” in this sentence would be capitalized because it’s part

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Script

of the doctor’s name: Doctor Lucas gave me a check up.

However, the word “doctor” is not capitalized if it’s not used as part of a proper
name, like in this example: I need to go to the doctor about this cold. Some other
words that follow this rule are: professor, president, and senator.

And Rule Number 6 is another rule with a twist.

Capitalize the first letter of directions.

You know… north, south, east, west or northwest, southwest, northeast, or southeast,
but only when they are used to designate actual places, not when they point in a
direction.

Take a look at this sentence that gives an example of using a directional word both
ways: During the Great Depression, Americans traveled west to find work in the West.

The first time west appears, it is not capitalized because it refers to a direction; the
people actually traveled in a westerly direction. However, the second West is
capitalized because it refers to an entire region, in this case, the Western United
States.

S CENE F IVE

Chris
Okay, let’s get back to the CD cover and apply what we’ve learned. Let’s meet Sergio.
Here’s what he had to say in his biography.

Sergio
Hi I’m Sergio, the lead singer and guitarist. I’ve lived in the Southwest most of my life,
which is probably why I love Mexican food and riding horses so much.

I owe a lot to my music teacher, Professor Peggy Miller for helping me to be confident
enough to perform in a band…because I’m actually kind of shy.

Chris
Okay, let’s check Sergio’s bio for errors, the first sentence looks fine. But, check out the
second sentence. Should the word “southwest” be capitalized? The rule is that you
capitalize the first letter of directions when they’re used to designate actual places. In

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Script

this case, Sergio refers to the Southwest as a region of the United States, so it should
be capitalized.

See anything else in that sentence? Should the word “Mexican” be capitalized?
Remember you should capitalize the first letter of adjectives that are made from the
names of people and places. Yep. “Mexican” should be capitalized.

How about the word “Professor?” “Professor” is a title and is used as part of a proper
name, so it should be capitalized.

Let’s see how Sergio’s corrected bio looks on the CD insert.

S CENE S IX

Chris
Okay, let’s look at a few more rules on capitalization.

Here’s Rule Number 7:

Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.

Remember, quotes are the exact words someone else said. Take a look at this
example: Neil Armstrong said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
The first word of his quote is capitalized.

Let’s take a giant step together and review the next rule.

Rule Number 8:
Capitalize holidays, months, and days of week.

Here’s an example: Monday, June 14th is Flag Day.

Now, here’s one more rule before we get back to editing the CD copy.

Rule Number 9:
Capitalize the first, last, and all major words in titles of books, articles, and songs.

Do not capitalize articles, such as a, an, the; short prepositions, such as for, to, of, on,
and from; and conjunctions, such as and, or and but.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Script

Check out this example: Emily’s favorite book is called “Where You Are from.”

In the example all words are capitalized except the word “from”. We just learned that
“from” is a word we normally do not capitalize in a title. However, since it is the last
word in the title, the word “from” should be capitalized in this title. It should be
written: Where You Are From.

S CENE S EVEN

Chris
Okay, let’s get back to rock-n-roll and our CD insert. What does Doug have to say in
his bio?

Doug
Hi, I’m Doug the Drummer. I was born on february 29th, the extra day in a Leap Year.
Because of that, my dad always said, “you march to the beat of a different drummer.”
He’s right. I love to drum and make up new beats. In fact, my favorite movie is titled
beat The drum differently.

Chris
Okay, let’s do our editing magic on Doug’s bio using what we just learned. Check out
his birthday. February should be capitalized because it’s a month, but what about
Leap Year? Leap year is not a holiday, so it should NOT be capitalized.

What about the quote? The word “you” should be capitalized because it’s the first
word of a quote. And how about the movie title? The words “beat,” “drum” and
“differently” should be capitalized. The word “the” is an article and should not be
capitalized. Everything else looks good.

Let’s see how Doug’s bio looks all corrected and in its place on the CD insert.

Good!

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
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S CENE E IGHT

Chris
Let’s read the bio of our final band member, Cat. See if you can apply all you have
learned to make her bio perfect.

Cat
Hi. I’m Cat, and I play guitar and sing. My real name is Catherine, but my mother
loved tennessee Williams’ Cat on a hot tin Roof, so I’m Cat. I started with spanish
guitar lessons when I was young. My teacher, mr. Sanchez, said, “there’s nothing like
playing live for an audience.” I got the bug to be in a band when I traveled to the
west Indies with a Ballet Folklorico troupe for the entire month of june last year.

Chris
Okay, that was Cat. Now, let’s check her bio for correct capitalization.

Well, she has her name, the pronoun “I,” and the first words of her sentences
capitalized. That’s all correct.

Now, let’s look at the word “mother”. Should that be capitalized? In this case,
“mother” isn’t a proper noun, so, the “m” should be lower case, it’s correct as it’s
written.

Next, check out “Tennessee,” it definitely should be capitalized; it’s the author’s first
name AND the name of a state. Should it be capitalized twice? Just kidding.

Next is the title, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It is correct that the words “on” and “a” are
lower case because they are minor words, but “hot” and “tin” are major words in the
title, even though they’re only three letters, and should be capitalized.

The “S” in Spanish should be uppercase because it’s a proper noun derived from a
place; and “Ballet Folklorico” should be capitalized because it’s a specific dance
troupe. What about the month June? Yes, all months are capitalized, even the months
you like least.

What about “mr. Sanchez?” “Mr.” is a title, and should be capitalized. And, finally
what about the quote? “there” should be capitalized because it is the first word of a
quote.

Whew! Here’s the finished, edited copy.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization
 Script

S CENE N INE

Chris
Let’s see how everything looks together on the CD insert. Cool! You did a nice job
being the capital letter patrol for the CD insert. Stay tuned for an activity idea and a
review to help you practice what you’ve just learned. While you do that, I’m going
practice playing my guitar. Who knows someday you may be writing an insert for my
CD cover. I’ll see you later.

Michael Wayne
Hi! If you want to jumpstart your own writing try this! Write a CD insert for your own
band or for the band that you’ve always wanted to be in. Make sure you follow the
rules of capitalization that we just went over. When you’re done put it in an empty CD
case, then, all you’ll need to do is cut a CD!

Well, let’s hear a song from Capital Justice. See you later!

R EVIEW

Aimee
Here’s a review of the rules that we just covered:

Number one: Capitalize the first letter of a sentence.

Number two: Capitalize the pronoun I.

Number three: Capitalize proper nouns and words derived from proper nouns.

Number four: Capitalize the first letter of adjectives that are made from the names
of people and places.

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Great Grammar: Capitalization © Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC
Script

Number five: Capitalize titles of persons when used as part of a proper name,
but do not capitalize them when they are used alone.

Number six: Capitalize the first letter of directions when they are used to
designate actual places, not when they point in a direction.

Number seven: Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.

Number eight: Capitalize holidays, months, and days of the week.

Number nine: Capitalize the first, last, and all major words in titles of books,
articles, and songs.

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© Sunburst Visual Media, a division of Global Video, LLC Great Grammar: Capitalization