English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
Endings -gue and -que (tongue, unique)
Spelling
CCSS L.3.2.FEngland: Y3/4 Spelling (-gue and -que, words of French origin)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Endings -gue and -que (tongue, unique).
- 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: Soft c and soft g (city, giant)
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 (Soft c and soft g (city, giant)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- What sound does the g make in "dragon"? (/j/ as in "jam" / /g/ as in "goat") → /g/ as in "goat"Prompt: Look at the letter just after the g.
- Which word has a soft g (it sounds like /j/, as in "giant")? (gym / goat / give / gift) → gymPrompt: Say each word aloud.
- What sound does the c make in "cot"? (/s/ as in "sun" / /k/ as in "kite") → /k/ as in "kite"Prompt: Look at the letter just after the c.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Endings -gue and -que (tongue, unique). 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: Clue: a huge number of pests, like locusts. Which letters fill the gap? p l a _ _ _
- Step 1: -gue says /g/ (tongue) and -que says /k/ (unique). Both endings come from French.
- Step 2: The word is "plague".
- Step 3: So the answer is: gue
- Answer: gue
- 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.
- Clue: make someone curious. Which letters fill the gap? i n t r i _ _ _ (gue / que) → guePrompt: Say the word. Does it end with a /g/ sound or a /k/ sound?
- Which spelling is correct? (antiqe / antik / antique) → antiquePrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky part.
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? (mosqe / mosc / mosque) → mosquePrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky part.
- Clue: someone you work with. Which letters fill the gap? c o l l e a _ _ _ (gue / que) → guePrompt: Say the word. Does it end with a /g/ sound or a /k/ sound?
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: Soft c and soft g (city, giant).
- 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-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder