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.
- Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. I see a dog ___ a cat. (is / and / to / the) → andPrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.
- Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. ___ you like apples? (The / Do / My / To) → DoPrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.
- Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. The ball is ___ the box. (go / he / in / the) → inPrompt: 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.
- Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: the word for "those people" (___ are my cousins) (thay / they / thy / thei) → theyPrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
- Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. They ___ a new puppy. (hav / have / haff) → havePrompt: 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.
- Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. We ___ at the beach all day. (were / wur / wer) → werePrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?
- Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a question word about place (___ is my hat?) (where / whair / wher / wair) → wherePrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
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