English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 30 minutes
Question marks and exclamation marks
Punctuation
CCSS L.1.2.BEngland: Y1 GPSEngland: Y2 GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Question marks and exclamation marks.
- 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: Ending a sentence: . ? !
Leads to: Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue
Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Ending a sentence: . ? !). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which mark goes at the end? Wow, that is huge (. / ? / !) → !Prompt: Is it telling, asking or showing a big feeling?
- Which mark goes at the end? Help, I am stuck (. / ? / !) → !Prompt: Is it telling, asking or showing a big feeling?
- Which mark goes at the end? Is it time for lunch (. / ? / !) → ?Prompt: Is it telling, asking or showing a big feeling?
Hook · 3 min
- Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
- Share the objective: Question marks and exclamation marks. 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: Which punctuation mark should end this sentence? Hooray, we won
- Step 1: Questions end with ?; exclamations (strong feelings, warnings, What a…! How…!) end with !
- Step 2: So the answer is: !
- Answer: !
- 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.
- Which punctuation mark should end this sentence? Why is the sky blue (. / ? / !) → ?Prompt: Is it a question that needs an answer?
- Which punctuation mark should end this sentence? Would you like some juice (. / ? / !) → ?Prompt: Is it a question that needs an answer?
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 punctuation mark should end this sentence? Who ate the last biscuit (. / ? / !) → ?Prompt: Is it a question that needs an answer?
- Which punctuation mark should end this sentence? Would you like some juice (. / ? / !) → ?Prompt: Is it a question that needs an answer?
Watch out for
- Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
- Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Ending a sentence: . ? !.
- Use concrete materials: punctuation 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: Speech marks (quotation marks) for dialogue.
- 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