English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
aw or au? (paw, launch)
Phonics & Sight Words
CCSS RF.2.3.BEngland: Y2 Phonics (aw, au)England: Y2 Spelling
Objective and success criteria
Students will: aw or au? (paw, launch).
- 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: R-controlled vowels: ar or or?
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
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 (R-controlled vowels: ar or or?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Clue: you send one on a birthday. Which letters fill the gap? c _ _ d (ar / or) → arPrompt: Work out the word from the clue.
- Which spelling is correct? (storme / storm / starm) → stormPrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky sound.
- Clue: you ride in it on the road. Which letters fill the gap? c _ _ (ar / or) → arPrompt: Work out the word from the clue.
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: aw or au? (paw, launch). 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: the month after July. Which letters fill the gap? _ u g u s t
- Step 1: aw is often at the end or before n, l or k (paw, lawn, crawl, hawk); au is usually inside the word (launch, sauce).
- Step 2: The word is "August".
- Step 3: So the answer is: au
- Answer: au
- 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: a patch of short grass. Which letters fill the gap? l _ _ n (aw / au) → awPrompt: Work out the word from the clue.
- Which spelling is correct? (yawn / yorn / yaun) → yawnPrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky sound.
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? (strawe / strau / straw) → strawPrompt: Say the word slowly and listen for the tricky sound.
- Clue: a house with ghosts in a story. Which letters fill the gap? h _ _ n t e d (aw / au) → auPrompt: Work out the word from the clue.
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: R-controlled vowels: ar or or?.
- 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
- 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