Teaching Grammar to a 10 Year Old Boy, Part 2

It was just a month ago that I shared the sentences my 10 year old son (M) wrote for his grammar lesson. Today I couldn't believe the sentences I spoke to him to teach compound sentences.

He was whining (dramatically) while I fixed lunch, that I hadn't ever told him what "simples" were. I asked him "simple whats? fractions? what?"  He said, "Simples or compounds!"  Again, I asked him, "Simple or compound WHATS?"  Finally, he said, "IN GRAMMAR!" Which still didn't help, since it could have been simple subjects.

I took a break in lunch preparations to go look at his book.  Aha, he's studying simple or compound sentences! Of course, the book explained what a compound sentence was at the very top of the page, but I gave him a few more examples.  As soon as I said them, I thought to myself, "WHAT am I saying?!?!"

Compound sentences for a ten year old boy:

• I shot the dog, and then it died.
• I robbed the bank, and I was arrested.

 Simple sentences from those compound sentences:

• I shot the dog.  Then, it died.
• I robbed the bank.  I was arrested.

I still can't believe those were the two examples that immediately came into my mind, and out of my mouth.  I think the boys are rubbing off on me.

April E.