Correct Capitalization

Before we get started, watch this video:

Review this website to find out exactly when we need to capitalize something:
http://www.towson.edu/ows/capitalization_rules.htm

Don't like that website?  Try this one:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/592/1/

> Do capitalize a word when it...

• Starts a sentence
  
  
• Names a specific person, place or thing (proper noun or adjective)
  
  
• Gives a person's title connected to that person's name
  
  
• Is a major word of a document title
  
  
• Is the pronoun I

Note: It's a pretty small list, isn't' it? So don't overcapitalize! Keep this simple rule in mind when you're trying to decide if you should capitalize a word:

When in doubt, leave it out!
Adopted from http://www.lincoln.edu/mhs/owl/capitalization.html

> Do NOT capitalize...

• Major words of a book or article title within an APA reference list, except for the first word of the title and the first word after a colon (subtitle)
  
  
• the seasons of the year (spring, summer, winter, fall)
  
  
• general academic subjects (math, biology, ethics, systems)
  
  
  • Exception: Languages (English, Spanish, etc.) are capitalized because they come from place names and so are proper nouns. Specific course names (Ethics for the Human Service Practitioner) are capitalized.
    
    
• kinship terms (my mother, her father, his cousins)
  
  
  • Exception: If you use these terms with a name or as a name alone, then they are capitalized: Aunt Mary, Cousin George
    
    
• job titles used alone (Have you finished that report for the director?)
  
  
  • Exception: The word president when referring to the president of the U.S. is generally capitalized: I understand the President is coming to Baltimore for a fund-raising event.
    
    Adopted from http://www.lincoln.edu/mhs/owl/capitalization.html

Let's try a game and test your skills:
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/quiz/mquiz.asp?filename=kderittecapitals

Continue practicing your skills by clicking here:
http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/g/capitalizationp.cfm

Finally, take this quiz and show of the skills you've learned so far:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/cgi-shl/par_numberless_quiz.pl/caps_quiz.htm

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
                CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.2a Use correct capitalization.