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

Tricky words (common exception words)

Phonics & Sight Words

CCSS RF.1.3.GEngland: Y1 Common exception wordsEngland: Y2 Common exception words

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Tricky words (common exception words).

  • 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: Sight words: first set

Leads to: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two; Tricky words: third set (once, friend, school…)

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 (Sight words: first set). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. ___ you like apples? (My / Do / The / To) → DoPrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.
  2. Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. The kite went ___ in the sky. (is / up / and / the) → upPrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.
  3. Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. Here ___ my new book. (are / to / is / in) → isPrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.

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: Tricky words (common exception words). 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 word is spelled correctly? Clue: a question word (___ is your name?)
  • Step 1: Common exception words have tricky parts you need to remember.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: what
  • Answer: what
  • 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 word is spelled correctly? Clue: the number after one (two / tu / twoo / tow) → twoPrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
  2. Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. She ___ like to come to my party. (woud / wud / would) → wouldPrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?

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. Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a word meaning "ought to" (You ___ wear a coat) (should / shoud / shuld / shud) → shouldPrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
  2. Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. ___ is your name? (Wat / What / Wot) → WhatPrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?

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: Sight words: first set.
  • 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: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two; Tricky words: third set (once, friend, school…).
  • 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

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Tricky words (common exception words)

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. There are ___ birds on the roof.

    • A. tow
    • B. tu
    • C. two

  2. Question 2

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: the opposite of "here"

    • A. there
    • B. thare
    • C. ther
    • D. thair

  3. Question 3

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. The teacher ___ we could go outside.

    • A. sed
    • B. said
    • C. sayd

  4. Question 4

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: the number after one

    • A. two
    • B. tu
    • C. twoo
    • D. tow

  5. Question 5

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. ___ is your name?

    • A. What
    • B. Wat
    • C. Wot

  6. Question 6

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a question word about place (___ is my hat?)

    • A. where
    • B. wair
    • C. wher
    • D. whair

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Answer key: Tricky words (common exception words)

  1. 1. C. two

  2. 2. A. there

  3. 3. B. said

  4. 4. A. two

  5. 5. A. What

  6. 6. A. where