English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
Prepositions of time, place and cause
Grammar
CCSS L.3.1England: Y3 GPS (prepositions)England: KS2 SATs GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Prepositions of time, place and cause.
- 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: Position words (in, on, under, next to)
Leads to: Expanded noun phrases; Find the prepositional phrase; before, after, since: preposition, conjunction or adverb?
Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Position words (in, on, under, next to)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Choose the position word that fits. The cup is ___ the plate and the bowl. (in / between / under / on) → betweenPrompt: Picture the scene in your head.
- Choose the position word that fits. The plane flies ___ the clouds. It is higher than them. (behind / above / under / in) → abovePrompt: Picture the scene in your head.
- Choose the position word that fits. The cat is sleeping ___ the bed. It is hiding below it. (on / under / in / behind) → underPrompt: Picture the scene in your head.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Prepositions of time, place and cause. 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 preposition that fits. The shop is ___ the bank and the café.
- Step 1: Prepositions link a noun to the rest of the sentence, often showing time or place.
- Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The shop is between the bank and the café."
- Step 3: So the answer is: between
- Answer: between
- 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 preposition that fits. My birthday is ___ July. (in / at / on / by) → inPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?
- Which word is the preposition? A spider crawled up the wall. (spider / up / wall / crawled) → upPrompt: A preposition comes before a noun or noun phrase.
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 word is the preposition? We walked through the dark tunnel. (through / dark / walked / tunnel) → throughPrompt: A preposition comes before a noun or noun phrase.
- Choose the preposition that fits. We have swimming ___ Tuesday. (in / on / by / at) → onPrompt: Does the gap tell us when, where or how long?
Watch out for
- Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
- Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Position words (in, on, under, next to).
- Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
- 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: Expanded noun phrases; Find the prepositional phrase; before, after, since: preposition, conjunction or adverb?.
- 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