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

What makes a sentence?

Grammar

CCSS L.1.1.JEngland: Y1 GPS (sentences)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: What makes a sentence?.

  • 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: Building a simple sentence

Leads to: Joining words: and, but, or, because; Statements, questions, commands, exclamations; Fragments and run-on sentences

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 (Building a simple sentence). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: What makes a sentence?. 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 one is a complete sentence? • my sister likes • My sister likes apples. • likes apples • My sister apples.
  • Step 1: "My sister likes apples." tells us who and what they did, starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: My sister likes apples.
  • Answer: My sister likes apples.
  • 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 one is a complete sentence? • The wind blew the leaves. • blew the leaves • the wind blew • The wind the leaves. (The wind blew the leaves. / blew the leaves / the wind blew / The wind the leaves.) → The wind blew the leaves.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
  2. Which one is a complete sentence? • The wind the leaves. • The wind blew the leaves. • blew the leaves • the wind blew (The wind the leaves. / The wind blew the leaves. / blew the leaves / the wind blew) → The wind blew the leaves.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.

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 one is a complete sentence? • the cat chased • The cat chased a mouse. • chased a mouse • The cat a mouse. (the cat chased / The cat chased a mouse. / chased a mouse / The cat a mouse.) → The cat chased a mouse.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
  2. Which one is a complete sentence? • my sister likes • likes apples • My sister apples. • My sister likes apples. (my sister likes / likes apples / My sister apples. / My sister likes apples.) → My sister likes apples.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.

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: Building a simple sentence.
  • 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: Joining words: and, but, or, because; Statements, questions, commands, exclamations; Fragments and run-on sentences.
  • 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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What makes a sentence?

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Which one is a complete sentence? • Grandad grows tomatoes. • grandad grows • Grandad tomatoes. • grows tomatoes

    • A. Grandad grows tomatoes.
    • B. grandad grows
    • C. Grandad tomatoes.
    • D. grows tomatoes

  2. Question 2

    Which one is a complete sentence? • rang loudly • the bell rang • The bell loudly. • The bell rang loudly.

    • A. rang loudly
    • B. the bell rang
    • C. The bell loudly.
    • D. The bell rang loudly.

  3. Question 3

    Which one is a complete sentence? • The cat chased a mouse. • the cat chased • The cat a mouse. • chased a mouse

    • A. The cat chased a mouse.
    • B. the cat chased
    • C. The cat a mouse.
    • D. chased a mouse

  4. Question 4

    Which one is a complete sentence? • The wind the leaves. • the wind blew • The wind blew the leaves. • blew the leaves

    • A. The wind the leaves.
    • B. the wind blew
    • C. The wind blew the leaves.
    • D. blew the leaves

  5. Question 5

    Which one is a complete sentence? • A fox ran into the woods. • ran into the woods • a fox ran into • A fox into the woods.

    • A. A fox ran into the woods.
    • B. ran into the woods
    • C. a fox ran into
    • D. A fox into the woods.

  6. Question 6

    Which one is a complete sentence? • We played on the swings. • On the swings. • we played on • Played the swings

    • A. We played on the swings.
    • B. On the swings.
    • C. we played on
    • D. Played the swings

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Answer key: What makes a sentence?

  1. 1. A. Grandad grows tomatoes.

  2. 2. D. The bell rang loudly.

  3. 3. A. The cat chased a mouse.

  4. 4. C. The wind blew the leaves.

  5. 5. A. A fox ran into the woods.

  6. 6. A. We played on the swings.