Create sets of punctuation cards by writing punctuation marks on note cards. A set will include four question mark cards, four exclamation point cards, and four period cards.
Create several dozen word cards by writing common words that the students are familiar with on note cards. Make enough cards that each group of four students in your class can have at least two dozen. Include a good mix of nouns, verbs, articles and adjectives in the cards. You could also incorporate vocabulary words that your class is learning.
Prepare the envelopes by placing a set of punctuation cards and at least two dozen word cards in each envelope.
Divide your students into groups of four. Give each group an envelope full of cards.
Have one group of students take the punctuation cards out of the envelope and place them facedown. After one student in the group mixes up the cards, another student should pick up one of the cards. He must create a sentence based on the card he picks up. For instance, if he picks up a question mark, he might say, “What time is it?” If his teammates determine that he used the punctuation card correctly, he gets a point. Play continues until all four team members have used one of the punctuation mark cards correctly.
Choose two teams of four to play against each other to build a sentence. Have all four players from one of the teams choose a word to start out a sentence. The other team can then collaborate and choose a word from their envelope to add to the other word. The goal is to keep adding words back and forth until a complete sentence is made. Once a team determines that the sentence is complete, they can finish the sentence with the correct punctuation mark card. If that team is correct, they get a point.
Incorporate knowledge of vocabulary and punctuation with a final game that has students racing around the room to beat the time of the other teams. Before the students enter the room, place about a dozen posters on the wall with sentences on them. You can either leave a word out of the sentence, such as, "The American (blank) is red, white and blue," or you can leave the punctuation mark off the end of the sentence. Have each team take turns quickly going around the room and taping different words and punctuation marks from their envelopes on the posters. Give them one point for correct punctuation usage and another point if they use their vocabulary words correctly. At the end of the game, see which team had the fastest time. You can also have the students vote on which team was the most creative with its choices of words.