English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 30 minutes
Adding -er and -est (fast, faster, fastest)
Spelling
CCSS L.1.4.CCCSS L.2.1.EEngland: Y1 Spelling (-er and -est with no change to the root)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Adding -er and -est (fast, faster, fastest).
- 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: Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er
Leads to: Irregular comparisons: good, better, best and bad, worse, worst
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 (Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word fits? Right now I am ___ (play). (play / plays / playing / played) → playingPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
- Which word fits? Right now I am ___ (walk). (walking / walked / walks / walk) → walkingPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
- Which word fits? Yesterday I ___ (paint). (painting / paint / paints / painted) → paintedPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Adding -er and -est (fast, faster, fastest). 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 -er to "dark". Type the new word.
- Step 1: dark + er = darker
- Step 2: So the answer is: darker
- Answer: darker
- 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 -est to "clean". Type the new word. → cleanestPrompt: Does the word end in two consonants or a vowel team? Then just add the ending.
- Which word fits? A whisper is ___ than a shout. (soft / softest / softer) → softerPrompt: Are we comparing two things, or more than two?
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.
- Add -est to "long". Type the new word. → longestPrompt: Does the word end in two consonants or a vowel team? Then just add the ending.
- Which word fits? My baby brother is ___ than me. (younger / young / youngest) → youngerPrompt: Are we comparing two things, or more than two?
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: Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er.
- 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
- Move on to: Irregular comparisons: good, better, best and bad, worse, worst.
- 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