Exclamations are those sentences that express strong emotions. They are indicated by excitement in the voice and an exclamation point at the end of the sentence. "That ball is out of here!" is an example of an exclamatory sentence. Do not allow students to confuse interjections such as "Wow!" and "Yuck!" with exclamations. An exclamation must be a complete sentence.

Commands (also known as "Imperative") can be confusing for students that are just learning to read because they share ending punctuation marks with the statement and the exclamation mark. A period is used at the end of a command if it is a request. ("Pass the salt.") An exclamation mark is used if it is a strong command. ("Stop hitting your brother!")

Please see below for a selection of Leveled Lessons for Below Level (basic), and/or On Level (median), and/or Above Level (competent) students.

After you have been reading out loud to the students go back and reread those sentences that are examples of exclamatory sentences. Ask your students what kind of feeling they got when they heard these words. Young children will usually call these sentences "excitement sentences." Close enough. Ask them if they can guess what kind of punctuation ended these sentences. Encourage students to use exclamations in their writing.

Have fun with students by having them play a variation of "Simon Says." Give the following commands - which they have to actually do - and have them clap their hands if the command requires an exclamation mark. (They will know the difference by the sound of your voice.) Examples: "Stand up." "Sit down!" "Turn around!" "Stomp your feet." "Stomp your feet!"