English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly
Spelling
CCSS L.2.4.BEngland: Y2 Spelling (suffixes)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly.
- 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: Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er
Leads to: Find the root word (unhelpful → help); Adding -ly: happily, gently, basically; What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness)
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 (Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word fits? Right now I am ___ (talk). (talking / talks / talk / talked) → talkingPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
- Which word fits? Every day she ___ (walk). (walking / walk / walked / walks) → walksPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
- Which word fits? Every day she ___ (rest). (rests / resting / rested / rest) → restsPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Suffixes -ment, -ness, -ful, -less, -ly. 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: Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. Sit down ___ so the baby does not wake. (quiet)
- Step 1: A suffix changes the meaning or the job of a word.
- Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Sit down quietly so the baby does not wake."
- Step 3: So the answer is: quietly
- Answer: quietly
- 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.
- Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. The puppy was ___ and fell asleep on the sofa. (sleep) (sleepment / sleepy / sleepness / sleepful) → sleepyPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
- Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. The broken toy was ___. (use) (useful / useless / useness / usement) → uselessPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
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.
- Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. We felt ___ that the rain would stop soon. (hope) (hopeness / hopement / hopely / hopeful) → hopefulPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
- Choose the word with the right suffix to finish the sentence. The puppy was ___ and fell asleep on the sofa. (sleep) (sleepment / sleepness / sleepy / sleepful) → sleepyPrompt: Read the sentence with each choice.
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: Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er.
- 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: Find the root word (unhelpful → help); Adding -ly: happily, gently, basically; What does the suffix mean? (-less, -ful, -able, -er, -ness).
- 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-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder