Explain to your students the parts of a sentence. In explaining this, it is always best to write out a simple sentence first. This sentence should include all the parts of a basic sentence. If at all possible, circle parts such as the subject, verb, adjectives and adverbs that may be present. Focus on explaining what a subject is and what a verb is, as this will become important to the discussion. Give examples and allow the students to come up with their own examples once you have shown them how.
Explain what an independent clause is. Explain that each independent sentence contains a subject, a verb and expresses a complete thought. Repeat the word independent, and have your students relate the word beyond this setting to connect that independent can also mean "alone." This will help them conceptualize that an independent clause can stand alone. Provide examples of independent clauses. Use your text and write out examples of independent clauses and ask students to identify the subject and the verb. Have them state what they see as the thought being communicated in the sentence.
Explain what a dependent or subordinate clause is. Make clear that the difference in the two clauses is that the dependent clause does not express a complete thought. Again, communicate with them the ideas of dependence and independence. Explain that being dependent suggests that something needs help. Connect this idea to the dependent clause. Refer to your text and write out sample sentences. Ask your students to identify the subject and verb but also ask them to identify where and when the sentence loses it "independence." Work with them using more examples and ask them to identify which sentences are independent and which are subordinate.
Test your students by writing out both kinds of sentences. Do not give clues as to what type of sentence is presented. Allow the students to first note the subject and verb, then allow them to consider the expressions present or absent. An alternate way to test would be to leave blanks where subjects and verbs should be and allow students to fill them in. Also create sentences with subject and verbs intact and allow the students to write a complete independent clause using their imaginations for what would make the sentence complete.