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English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 30 minutes

is, are, was or were?

Grammar

CCSS L.1.1.ECCSS L.1.1.CEngland: Y1 GPSEngland: Y2 GPS (past and present)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: is, are, was or were?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: He hops, they hop: matching verbs to one or many

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (He hops, they hop: matching verbs to one or many). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which verb fits? I ___ my bike every day. (ride / rides) → ridePrompt: Who is doing the action: one, or more than one?
  2. Write the verb in brackets so it matches the subject. He ___ before dinner. (wash) → washesPrompt: Is "He" one person or thing, or more than one?
  3. Which verb fits? A frog ___ into the pond. (jump / jumps) → jumpsPrompt: Who is doing the action: one, or more than one?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: is, are, was or were?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Choose the right word. We ___ at the zoo last Saturday.
  • Step 1: Now: is (one) / are (more). Past: was (one) / were (more).
  • Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "We were at the zoo last Saturday."
  • Step 3: So the answer is: were
  • Answer: were
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Choose the right word. The dinosaurs ___ huge. They lived long ago. (were / are / was / is) → werePrompt: Is it about now or about the past? Look for time words like yesterday or now.
  2. Read each sentence carefully. Which sentence is correct? (Last week the river are very high. / Last week the river was very high. / Last week the river is very high. / Last week the river were very high.) → Last week the river was very high.Prompt: Find who or what the sentence is about. One or more than one?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Read each sentence carefully. Which sentence is correct? (The twins are seven today. / The twins was seven today. / The twins am seven today. / The twins is seven today.) → The twins are seven today.Prompt: Find who or what the sentence is about. One or more than one?
  2. Choose the right word. My shoes ___ too small now. (is / was / were / are) → arePrompt: Is it about now or about the past? Look for time words like yesterday or now.

Watch out for

  • Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
  • Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: He hops, they hop: matching verbs to one or many.
  • Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-1.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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is, are, was or were?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Read each sentence carefully. Which sentence is correct?

    • A. My shoes am muddy.
    • B. My shoes is muddy.
    • C. My shoes was muddy now.
    • D. My shoes are muddy.

  2. Question 2

    Choose the right word. The sun ___ hot today.

    • A. was
    • B. are
    • C. is
    • D. were

  3. Question 3

    Choose the right word. The dinosaurs ___ huge. They lived long ago.

    • A. was
    • B. are
    • C. were
    • D. is

  4. Question 4

    Choose the right word. Last night the stars ___ bright.

    • A. were
    • B. are
    • C. was
    • D. is

  5. Question 5

    Choose the right word. The flowers ___ pretty now.

    • A. were
    • B. are
    • C. was
    • D. is

  6. Question 6

    Choose the right word. My shoes ___ too small now.

    • A. is
    • B. are
    • C. were
    • D. was

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Answer key: is, are, was or were?

  1. 1. D. My shoes are muddy.

  2. 2. C. is

  3. 3. C. were

  4. 4. A. were

  5. 5. B. are

  6. 6. B. are