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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Find the prepositional phrase

Grammar

CCSS L.4.1.EEngland: Y3 GPS (prepositions)England: Y4 GPS (adverbials)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Find the prepositional phrase.

  • 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: Prepositions of time, place and cause

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 (Prepositions of time, place and cause). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the preposition that fits. My birthday is ___ July. (at / on / in / by) → inPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?
  2. Which word is the preposition? A spider crawled up the wall. (crawled / spider / wall / up) → upPrompt: A preposition comes before a noun or noun phrase.
  3. Choose the preposition that fits. The cat jumped ___ the wall into the garden. (over / during / since / at) → overPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Find the prepositional phrase. 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 group of words is a prepositional phrase? The book on the top shelf is mine.
  • Step 1: A prepositional phrase is a preposition + a noun phrase: under + the warm blanket.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: on the top shelf
  • Answer: on the top shelf
  • 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. Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? During the storm, the lights flickered. (the lights flickered / During the storm / the lights / flickered) → During the stormPrompt: Find the preposition: a word like under, after, with, over, behind, across, on, through.
  2. The kite got stuck in a tree. What does "in a tree" tell you? (where / when / which one (it describes a noun)) → wherePrompt: Ask: does it tell where, when, or which person or thing?

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. The cat slept under the warm blanket. What does "under the warm blanket" tell you? (where / when / which one (it describes a noun)) → wherePrompt: Ask: does it tell where, when, or which person or thing?
  2. Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? A bright rainbow appeared over the hills. (appeared / rainbow appeared / over the hills / A bright rainbow) → over the hillsPrompt: Find the preposition: a word like under, after, with, over, behind, across, on, through.

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: Prepositions of time, place and cause.
  • 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-4.

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

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Find the prepositional phrase

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    The girl with the red scarf waved. What does "with the red scarf" tell you?

    • A. where
    • B. when
    • C. which one (it describes a noun)

  2. Question 2

    Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The robot rolled across the kitchen floor.

    • A. The robot rolled
    • B. rolled
    • C. the robot
    • D. across the kitchen floor

  3. Question 3

    A rainbow appeared over the hills. What does "over the hills" tell you?

    • A. where
    • B. when
    • C. which one (it describes a noun)

  4. Question 4

    Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The puppy ran through the long grass.

    • A. ran through
    • B. The puppy ran
    • C. the puppy
    • D. through the long grass

  5. Question 5

    We will meet at noon. What does "at noon" tell you?

    • A. where
    • B. when
    • C. which one (it describes a noun)

  6. Question 6

    Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? During the storm, the lights flickered.

    • A. flickered
    • B. During the storm
    • C. the lights flickered
    • D. the lights

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Answer key: Find the prepositional phrase

  1. 1. C. which one (it describes a noun)

  2. 2. D. across the kitchen floor

  3. 3. A. where

  4. 4. D. through the long grass

  5. 5. B. when

  6. 6. B. During the storm