English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
The long a sound spelt ei, eigh or ey (vein, eight, they)
Spelling
CCSS L.3.2.FEngland: Y3/4 Spelling (ei, eigh, ey)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: The long a sound spelt ei, eigh or ey (vein, eight, they).
- 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: Soft c and soft g (city, giant)
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Word cards, Look-say-cover-write-check sheets, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Soft c and soft g (city, giant)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What sound does the g make in "giant"? (/j/ as in "jam" / /g/ as in "goat") → /j/ as in "jam"Prompt: Look at the letter just after the g.
- Which word has a soft g (it sounds like /j/, as in "giant")? (gift / gum / frog / gym) → gymPrompt: Say each word aloud.
- What sound does the g make in "golf"? (/j/ as in "jam" / /g/ as in "goat") → /g/ as in "goat"Prompt: Look at the letter just after the g.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: The long a sound spelt ei, eigh or ey (vein, eight, they). 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: Clue: carry or pass on (a message). Which letters fill the gap? c o n v _ _
- Step 1: The long a sound (as in 'day') is sometimes spelt ei (vein), eigh (eight) or ey (they). Learn these words as a family.
- Step 2: The word is "convey".
- Step 3: So the answer is: ey
- Answer: ey
- 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.
- Clue: carry or pass on (a message). Which letters fill the gap? c o n v _ _ (ei / eigh / ey) → eyPrompt: Work out the word from the clue first.
- Which spelling is correct? (aight / eiht / eight) → eightPrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky part.
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.
- Which spelling is correct? (sleigh / sleygh / slaigh) → sleighPrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky part.
- Clue: do what you are told. Which letters fill the gap? o b _ _ (ei / eigh / ey) → eyPrompt: Work out the word from the clue first.
Watch out for
- Spelling every word exactly as it sounds.
- Learning a list for a test but not using the words in writing.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Soft c and soft g (city, giant).
- 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
- 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-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder