Objectives (5-7 minutes)

1. Understand the uses and applications of punctuation in the Portuguese language, including the use of full stops, commas, semicolons, colons, ellipsis, question marks, exclamation points, and quotation marks.
2. Analyze short texts and correctly identify the punctuation used, justifying the use of each punctuation mark.
3. Correctly apply punctuation when writing their own compositions, ensuring that the punctuation marks are in accordance with the established rules.

Secondary objectives:

1. Encourage the practice of reading and writing, reinforcing the importance of punctuation in the comprehension and expression of ideas.
2. Develop the ability of critical analysis of texts, recognizing how punctuation can change the meaning of sentences and of the text as a whole.
3. Promote the students' active participation in class, through practical and interactive activities.

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

1. Review of previous contents:

   • The teacher shall start the lesson by briefly recalling the basic concepts of punctuation, such as the use of the full stop to mark the end of a sentence or paragraph, and of the comma to separate elements in a list or to indicate a short pause in the reading (3-5 minutes).

2. Situations-problem:

   • The teacher may propose two initial situations to awaken the interest of the students:
     • Present a text without punctuation and ask the students to try to read it aloud. At that moment, the teacher shall observe the difficulties the students find and emphasize the importance of punctuation for the comprehension of the text (3-5 minutes).
     • Show a text with incorrect punctuation and ask the students to identify the mistakes. At that moment, the teacher shall reinforce the idea that punctuation can completely change the meaning of a sentence (3-5 minutes).

3. Contextualization:

   • The teacher shall explain the importance of punctuation in the daily life, emphasizing that the lack of, or incorrect use of, punctuation may lead to misunderstandings and make it harder to understand what is read. In addition, it shall be emphasized that punctuation is an essential tool for the clear and effective expression of ideas (2-3 minutes).

4. Introduction of the topic:

   • In order to capture the attention of the students, the teacher may share interesting facts on punctuation, such as:
     • The origin of the comma, which goes back to Ancient Greece, where it was used to indicate a short break in the reading of a text.
     • The history of the exclamation mark, which was created in the Middle Ages and was originally called "point of admiration", as it was used to express surprise or admiration.
   • The teacher may also show examples of famous texts with no punctuation, such as the poem "Liberdade" by Fernando Pessoa, and discuss how the lack of punctuation affects the reading and interpretation of the text (3-5 minutes).

Development (20-25 minutes)

1. Activity "Put the Punctuation":

   • Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.
   • Give each group a short text, preferably an excerpt of a known story, but with no punctuation.
   • The challenge is for each group to correctly punctuate the text, according to the rules that were studied and reviewed in the Introduction of the class.
   • After punctuating the text, each group shall justify their punctuation choices, explaining the reason why they put each punctuation mark where they did.
   • At the end, each group shall present the punctuated text and their justifications for the class.
   • The teacher shall correct and comment on the punctuations, highlighting the successes and pointing out the errors, and reinforcing the importance of justifying the punctuation choices.
   • This activity allows the students to practice the application of punctuation in a playful and collaborative manner, in addition to developing the skill of argumentation and critical analysis of texts (10-12 minutes).

2. Activity "Punctuation in the Real World":

   • Still in groups, the students shall look for examples of real texts (letters, news, advertisements, etc.) that show situations of use of the punctuation studied (full stop, comma, semicolon, colon, ellipsis, question marks, exclamation points, quotation marks).
   • Each group shall present an example for the class, explaining the situation of use of the punctuation and the impact that it has on the reading and understanding of the text.
   • The teacher shall orientate the research and discussion, correcting and complementing the explanations of the students.
   • This activity aims to make the students realize the presence of punctuation in the daily life and its importance for written communication (10-12 minutes).

3. Activity "Create your Own Text":

   • Now, individually, the students shall create a small text (maximum of 10 lines) on a topic of their choice, but which shall contain at least one example of each punctuation mark studied.
   • After creating the text, the students shall exchange with a colleague and punctuate the text that they received.
   • The teacher shall circulate through the classroom, helping the students, correcting and commenting on the punctuations.
   • In the end, the texts and corrections shall be returned to the authors, who will have the opportunity to see their textual production with corrected punctuation.
   • This activity allows the students to apply in practice and independently the knowledge acquired about punctuation (5-6 minutes).

Feedback (8-10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3-4 minutes):

   • The teacher shall gather all the students and promote a discussion on the solutions found by each group during the practical activities.
   • Each group shall share their conclusions, presenting the punctuated text and justifying the punctuation choices.
   • The teacher shall encourage the students to comment on the solutions of the other groups, fostering an environment of respect and mutual learning.
   • This discussion serves to reinforce the concepts learned, allow the students to see different approaches to the same situation and develop the skill of argumentation.

2. Connection with the Theory (2-3 minutes):

   • After the discussion, the teacher shall make the connection between the practical activities and the theory, recalling the main concepts of punctuation and showing how they were applied in the activities.
   • The teacher shall highlight the main difficulties found by the students and explain again the rules and justifications for the use of each punctuation mark.
   • This stage serves to consolidate the learning, clarify doubts and reinforce the most important concepts.

3. Individual Reflection (1-2 minutes):

   • The teacher shall propose that the students reflect for a minute on what they learned in class.
   • They should think about the following questions:
     1. What was the most important concept learned today?
     2. What questions have not been answered yet?
   • After the reflection, the teacher may ask some students to share their answers, fostering a moment of self-assessment and identification of learning needs.

4. Teacher's Feedback (2-3 minutes):

   • Finally, the teacher shall give a general feedback on the class, highlighting the positive aspects and the areas that need more attention.
   • The teacher shall reinforce the importance of punctuation in written communication, remind the most common mistakes and emphasize the need to practice punctuation at home.
   • The aim of this stage is to motivate the students, reinforce the learning and prepare them for the future classes.

Conclusion (5-7 minutes)

1. Summary and Recap (2-3 minutes):

   • The teacher shall summarize the main aspects addressed during the class, recalling the uses and applications of the main punctuation marks in the Portuguese language.
   • The importance of each punctuation mark shall be reinforced, highlighting how its correct use can change the meaning of a sentence or of a text.
   • The teacher shall also recap the practical activities carried out, emphasizing the lessons learned and the skills developed.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice and Applications (1-2 minutes):

   • The teacher shall explain how the class connected the theory, the practice and the real applications of punctuation.
   • It shall be highlighted how the analysis of texts, the justification of punctuations and the creation of texts allowed the students to apply in practice the acquired theoretical knowledge.
   • The teacher may also reinforce the importance of punctuation in the real world, mentioning examples of how the incorrect use of punctuation can lead to misunderstandings and make communication harder.

3. Extra Materials (1-2 minutes):

   • The teacher shall suggest additional study materials for the students who wish to deepen their knowledge on punctuation.
   • These materials may include books, websites, videos and online exercises that address the topic in more detail.
   • The teacher may also indicate the reading of various texts, with different uses of punctuation, so that the students can observe in practice how punctuation may influence the interpretation of a text.

4. Relevance of the Subject (1 minute):

   • Finally, the teacher shall emphasize the importance of the subject addressed for the daily life of the students.
   • It shall be reinforced that punctuation is not only a grammatical detail, but a powerful tool for the clarity and effectiveness of written communication.
   • The teacher may also recall that punctuation is one of the criteria assessed in tests and compositions and that, therefore, mastering its correct use can contribute to the students' success in their assessments.