While reading students’ work, teachers at every grade level are reminded about the importance of capitalization. A proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing; therefore, all important words need to be capitalized.
In addition to proper nouns, capitalize the names of people and special groups. For instance, Girl Scouts is a special group, so both words are capitalized. Here are other words that need to be capitalized:
Names of special places
Names of days, months, and holidays
Family titles that refer to specific people when they are used before the name
Titles used before a name
Proper adjectives formed from proper nouns
When Sue Johnson visited Washington, D.C. on the Fourth of July, she planned to meet with Senator Maria Cantwell. After the visit, she took her uncle to the Space Needle. Uncle Dave had just returned from Japan.
Sue Johnson is a proper name. Washington is a state name and proper noun. The Fourth of July is a holiday. Senator Maria Cantwell is the title of respect for a specific person. The Space Needle is a special place. Uncle Dave is a title for a specific family member.
For practice, download this proper noun worksheet. Give students the chance to rewrite each sentence and practice capitalization skills.