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English lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes

One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring)

Vocabulary

CCSS L.K.4.AEngland: Reception Communication and LanguageEngland: Y1 Vocabulary

Objective and success criteria

Students will: One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring).

  • 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: Sorting words into groups

Leads to: Literal or figurative? Phrases that don't mean what they say

Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Sorting words into groups). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word does not belong with the others? horse, duck, wind, frog (horse / duck / wind / frog) → windPrompt: What do most of the words have in common?
  2. Which group does "leg" belong to? (weather / clothes / body parts / furniture) → body partsPrompt: What is a leg?
  3. Which word does not belong with the others? frost, arm, nose, knee (frost / arm / nose / knee) → frostPrompt: What do most of the words have in common?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring). 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: What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Birds fly south in winter.
  • Step 1: Some words have two meanings. The rest of the sentence tells us which one.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: to move through the air with wings
  • Answer: to move through the air with wings
  • 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. What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Turn on the light, please. (a lamp that helps us see / not heavy) → a lamp that helps us seePrompt: Read the whole sentence, not just the word.
  2. Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: duck (a bird)? (The duck quacked at the bread. / Duck under the branch!) → The duck quacked at the bread.Prompt: Read both sentences carefully.

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. What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Duck! The ball is coming! (to bend down quickly / a bird that swims) → to bend down quicklyPrompt: Read the whole sentence, not just the word.
  2. Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: light (not heavy)? (Switch on the light. / A feather is very light.) → A feather is very light.Prompt: Read both sentences carefully.

Watch out for

  • Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
  • Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Sorting words into groups.
  • Use concrete materials: word cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Literal or figurative? Phrases that don't mean what they say.
  • 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/kindergarten.

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

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One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Mum wears a gold ring.

    • A. jewellery for your finger
    • B. the sound a bell makes

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: ring (a sound)?

    • A. The bell will ring at lunchtime.
    • B. I lost my ring.

  3. Question 3

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Can I have a glass of milk?

    • A. a window pane
    • B. a cup made of glass

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: wave (in the sea)?

    • A. Wave to your friends!
    • B. A huge wave crashed on the sand.

  5. Question 5

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Birds fly south in winter.

    • A. a small insect
    • B. to move through the air with wings

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: bark (a dog's sound)?

    • A. The bark of the tree is rough.
    • B. Dogs bark at the postman.

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Answer key: One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring)

  1. 1. A. jewellery for your finger

  2. 2. A. The bell will ring at lunchtime.

  3. 3. B. a cup made of glass

  4. 4. B. A huge wave crashed on the sand.

  5. 5. B. to move through the air with wings

  6. 6. B. Dogs bark at the postman.