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

Short vowel then ff, ll, ss, zz or ck

Phonics & Sight Words

CCSS RF.1.3.ACCSS L.1.2.DEngland: Y1 Spelling (ff, ll, ss, zz, ck after a short vowel)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Short vowel then ff, ll, ss, zz or ck.

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: Two letters, one sound: sh, ch, th, ng

Leads to: Silent letters: kn, wr, gn and mb; The /j/ sound at the end: -dge or -ge?; Endings that sound like 'ul': -le, -el, -al, -il

Materials: Sound cards and picture cards, Magnetic letters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Two letters, one sound: sh, ch, th, ng). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Which word has the "th" sound in it? (lunch / thin / shin / song) → thinPrompt: Look for the two letters t and h side by side.
In the word "song", which two letters work together to make ONE sound? (so / ng / on) → ngPrompt: Say the word in sounds. Which sound is written with two letters?
In the word "fang", which two letters work together to make ONE sound? (fa / ng / an) → ngPrompt: Say the word in sounds. Which sound is written with two letters?

Hook · 3 min

Hide picture cards in a bag and ask children to say the first sound of each one they pull out.
Share the objective: Short vowel then ff, ll, ss, zz or ck. 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 spelling is correct? not empty
Step 1: Look at the sound just before the end of the word.
Step 2: After a short vowel in a one-syllable word, f, l, s and z are usually doubled.
Step 3: So the answer is: full
Answer: full
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 spelling is correct? not empty (fule / ful / full) → fullPrompt: Is the vowel sound short (like in 'cat') or long?
Type the whole word. The end is missing. pu_ (the opposite of push) → pullPrompt: Work out the word from the clue.

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.

Type the whole word. The end is missing. so_ (you wear it on your foot) → sockPrompt: Work out the word from the clue.
Which spelling is correct? a bird that quacks (duck / duk / duc) → duckPrompt: Is the vowel sound short (like in 'cat') or long?

Watch out for

Adding an extra "uh" to sounds ("buh" instead of a clean b).
Reading the letters one by one but not blending them into a word.

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Two letters, one sound: sh, ch, th, ng.
Use concrete materials: sound cards and picture 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: Silent letters: kn, wr, gn and mb; The /j/ sound at the end: -dge or -ge?; Endings that sound like 'ul': -le, -el, -al, -il.
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