Well, for this project you are entering a training program to be a parts manager for a dealership that specializes in speech. Our language consists of sentences built from parts, called the parts of speech. (Although there are a few more, for this training program we are going to look at nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and exclamations/interjections).

The Task

Since an effective parts manager needs to know what the parts are to be able to keep track of them, the first thing you will do is some fact-finding to learn about the parts of speech that we'll encounter. Are there different types? How are they used? How can we keep track of them (identify them in sentences)? You will then record this data on a data collection sheet.

Next, after your background work, you will be ready to put your training to the 'test' and will have the opportunity to demonstrate your skill as a parts of speech manager in keeping our language running smoothly and on time.

Finally, no respectable parts manager would be without his/her parts manual. You will use your knowledge of speech parts to create a parts manual that will showcase your new skills. You will then be ready to fix sentences that have been sent in to the shop for repairs for years to come.

Optional: Your parent or teacher may ask you to create a short report to your service manager explaining to them about your training and work with the parts of speech. This will show him/her how important the job of parts manager is to keeping our communications in tune and operating efficiently. You may even be called upon to explain to the shop's customers ways that they can keep their sentences and communications from needing your attention as often. Possibilities include bulletin boards, posters, letters to others, articles for the school newsletter, class reports, webpage, etc. Remember to keep your parts manual close, use examples from customers (or your room) to demonstrate your work and you'll do just fine.

The Process

1. Go to the Parts of Speech Data Collection Sheet and print out a copy. Then, using the sites shown below (you may not need them all, feel free to jump around the list), write down responses for the questions given. Use the browser 'BACK' button to return to this page.

Parts of Speech - from Yahooligans

Parts of Speech - thorough but lengthy explanations.

Parts of Speech (Grammar Gorillas) - click 'beginner' for nouns and verbs only (advanced' for more parts of speech), and note the help definitions given. Practice on the sentences shown and feed the gorillas their lunch.

Parts of Speech (BrainPop) - play the movie, take the quiz.

Parts of Speech (WackyWeb) - scroll down the page to review the definitions.

Parts of Speech (HarcourtSchool) - multimedia grammar glossary; find the part of speech you'd like defined in the list at the left, then click it.

2. It's time to head to the shop and put our theory into practice. Proceed to the sites listed below and complete the activities which involve identifying the parts of speech you are learning to manage. Some involve words, some sentences, but all are in bad need of your repair expertise.

By the way, it is not uncommon to hear music while working in the shop. If you're wondering what parts managers and mechanics listen to when working at the speech dealership, perhaps they listen to things like nouns, adjectives, or verbs. (The first two each take about one-half minute to download/play, the third is a few times that so, if you have a dialup connection like me, you may want to skip them or open them in a new window so you can keep reading here.)

As with most endeavors, the more you practice the better you get. Keep a written journal of what you did at each site (including your score), a few sentences for each should do. Part of your evaluation on this project is determined by how much practice you put in (see the evaluation section below).

All Parts of Speech - Interlink Language Center; short definitions, each with a pop quiz; click the ones we're working with and others if you're really feeling 'souped up'.

Singular/Plural Nouns - if you choose to do the Word Search, place the pointer over the first letter of the plural form of a word in the list and drag to the last letter. If right, it will be crossed off. The other formats are self-explanatory.

Adverbs - battleship game format.

Nouns and Verbs - catch them in a basket.

Adjectives - battleship game format.

Nouns or Verbs - a few choices here, try 'verb, noun, or both?, frog verbs, frog verbs 2, and/or small to large'.

Verb Safari - get your monster truck across the swamp.

Adverbs - 'Jeopardy' format identifying in sentences, a little bit tougher.

Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs - 'Jeopardy' format.

Adverbs - as scrambled words.

Nouns - 'Jeopardy' format.

Nouns - 'Jeopardy' format entering plural forms.

3. Now that you've gotten up-to-speed on your parts of speech, it's time to assemble your parts manual so that you'll remember your training and will be ready for problems that might come in to the shop in the future. Print out the list of broken down sentences and follow the instructions shown on the page. Use the browser 'BACK' button to return to this page.

Extra Credit: Go to one of the 'Mad Libs' sites shown below in the Bonus Links section (the first has more variety), chose a story theme, and enter your own parts of speech. Print out the story to include in your parts manual.

Next, take a sheet of construction paper and design a cover on one side of it, including the words "Parts of Speech Manual" and your name. Take 5 sheets of plain paper (or loose leaf paper sheets) and write one of the parts of speech at the top of each page. With your parent's or teacher's help, cut the sentences you completed on the broken down sentences list apart, and paste those related to nouns on the noun sheet, verbs on the verb sheet, and so on. (Add more examples to the appropriate pages and illustrate as you wish.)

Place your completed Parts of Speech Data Collection Sheet on top of your parts manual pages, add your journal from the sites visited in step two, and attach your cover over them all (with another construction sheet for a back if desired) to complete your parts manual. (Remember to include your Mad Lib if you did one.) Just use a paper clip for now - there's one more thing to place in there, read on...

Bonus Links

If there is time, here are other interesting sites on the parts of speech that you might like to review for this project, or just for fun:

Wacky Web Tales - also called Mad Libs, you pick a story theme, enter your own parts of speech examples, and see what kind of story you can make.

Wacky Words - more Mad Libs...

Active Anna - action, helping, state-of-being verbs.

Yahooligans - hot links to interesting sites arranged by part of speech categories.

EZSchool - assortment of speech part identification activities.

Evaluation

You will be evaluated on how carefully you completed the tasks in this project according to the following table. Care about your work and it will show.

	Improvable Work 1	Acceptable Work 2	Good Work 3	Great Work 4	Your Score
Data Collection Sheet	3 blanks empty, wrong, or sloppily completed	2 blanks empty, wrong, or sloppily completed	1 blank empty, wrong, or sloppily completed	All blanks neatly and correctly completed
Shop Time	5 sites or less OR more than 4 errors on any one	6-7 sites with no more than 4 errors on any one	8-9 sites with no more than 3 errors on any one	10-12 sites with no more than 2 errors on any one
Parts Manual  (+1 point for Mad Lib)	3 or more items missing, incomplete, and sloppy appearance	2 items missing, incomplete, or sloppy appearance	1 item missing, incomplete or sloppy appearance	All parts included, complete, and attractively placed

Well done! You have completed your training in managing the parts of speech and have demonstrated your competency as a parts manager. You've learned a lot about how sentences go together, and how they can sometimes fall apart.

How well we manage the parts of speech is often one of the first impressions that we give others, whether it be through our speaking or our writing. As such, it is worth the effort to become proficient and able as a speech parts manager.

You've earned special recognition for your diligent efforts on this project. To receive your certificate of completion for this program, print out the Parts Manager Certificate and have your parent or teacher fill in your name and date (don't forget to have them sign it for me!). And then place it in your Parts Manual to remember that we are both proud of what you have accomplished. Use the browser 'BACK' button to return to this page.

There are lots of other resources to look through about the parts of speech. In addition to the Bonus Links listed above, you could conduct a search of other speech parts web sites, and don't forget to check out what the library has to offer. So if you're interested in learning more about the parts of speech, don't stop now, peel out!

My appreciation to all of the resources linked in this site for material used and/or useful in creating Parts Manager including but not limited to, AllFreeBackgrounds.com (backgrounds), AnimationLibrary.com, and Teach-nology.com (images, and the latter for ideas in making the certficate). I regret that I can't remember where the 'peel out' sound file came from as I have had it for some time. A search identifies it as still present on a number of sites, none of which look familiar. And although a number of sites have sound clips like the ones included for select parts of speech, they are usually samples from materials available at school-house-rock.com.