When learning how the essentials for composing sentences, students must also learn when to apply the capital letter rules, namely: 

• Beginning of sentence
• Personal pronoun I
• Names of people 

In this Scoot game, students will practice capitalizing words on task cards while they actively move around the room, writing the answers for each task card on their recording sheets.

How to Use Active Play for Capitalization Practice

This resource can be used as a full class activity (see below), or with your guided writing group, to practice applying the capital letter rules. You can also use the task cards as a writing center activity. 

To play, hang the cards around the room. Then provide students with a recording sheet and assign each student to a starting card. Provide an allotted amount of time for students to read the sentence on the card and decide which words in the sentence need to be capitalized. Students will write those words on their recording sheet in the matching numbered box. Use a signal like clapping your hands, flicking the lights, or calling out, “Scoot!” to motion students to rotate. Students will move in numerical order. Play continues until the students return back to the card where they started. 

Additional Capitalization Exercises + Scaffolding and Extension Tips

These capitalization task cards can be used for individual instruction as a writing center activity for fast finishers. Get more ideas below for how to use these cards to create full-class learning opportunities like lesson reviews, content extension, comprehension assessments, and more. 

Sentence Practice

Once they have finished all 20 task cards, students can write 3-5 sentences of their own using capitalization skills for words at the beginning of a sentence, the personal pronoun I, and names of people.

Test Prep or Class Review

You can easily turn this game into a review session at the end of your lesson, or right before a test to give students some extra practice. Simply project and read the cards in order 1-20 out loud to your class, and ask them to write the capitalized words on their recording sheet.

Knock Off

Have your students stand up and make a line across the room. Project a task card on the screen and use our Random Name Picker widget to draw a student’s name to answer. If the student correctly identifies the word(s) that need capitalization, they tap the person on their left or right to send them back to their seat. If the student answers the card incorrectly, they must sit out. Play continues until there is only 1 student standing.

Looking for help scaffolding this activity and others? 

Read task cards to students that struggle with the concept and have them verbalize words that need to be capitalized before writing them on their answer sheets.

You can also invite students to use a visual reminder, like an anchor chart or an alphabet display, to sound out words they may struggle with. 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access.

Keep the task cards out of pockets or under desks: cut out the cards and punch a hole in the corner of each to place them on a binder ring. 

Before You Download

Use the drop-down icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource. A recording sheet and answer key are also included with this download.

This resource was created by Rachel Angell, a teacher in North Carolina and a Teach Starter Collaborator. 

If you’ve come looking for capitalization practice resources then you’ve found them! Check out a few teacher (and student) faves:

[resource:378184]   [resource:4695313]   [resource:4689866]