English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 30 minutes
Adding suffixes to -fer words (referring, reference)
Spelling
CCSS L.5.2.EEngland: Y5/6 Spelling (adding suffixes to words ending in -fer)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Adding suffixes to -fer words (referring, reference).
- 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: Doubling in longer words: forgetting, beginning, but gardening
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 (Doubling in longer words: forgetting, beginning, but gardening). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Add -ing to "enter". Type the new word. → enteringPrompt: Clap the word and find the strong (stressed) syllable.
- Which spelling is correct? (whisper + ed) (whispered / whisperred) → whisperedPrompt: Say "whisper" aloud. Which syllable is strongest?
- Do you double the last letter of "market" before adding -ed? (Yes: double the last letter / No: just add the suffix) → No: just add the suffixPrompt: Clap the word. Is the beat strongest at the end?
Hook · 3 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Adding suffixes to -fer words (referring, reference). 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: Add -al to "refer". Type the new word.
- Step 1: In "referral" the stress stays on -FER, so double the r.
- Step 2: So the answer is: referral
- Answer: referral
- 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.
- Add -ed to "transfer". Type the new word. → transferredPrompt: Say the new word aloud. Is -fer still the strong (stressed) part?
- Which spelling is correct? (infer + ence) (inferrence / inference) → inferencePrompt: Say both words aloud and listen for the stressed syllable.
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? (differ + ence) (differrence / difference) → differencePrompt: Say both words aloud and listen for the stressed syllable.
- Add -ing to "confer". Type the new word. → conferringPrompt: Say the new word aloud. Is -fer still the strong (stressed) part?
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: Doubling in longer words: forgetting, beginning, but gardening.
- 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder