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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? • Grandad grows tomatoes. • grandad grows • grows tomatoes • Grandad tomatoes. (Grandad grows tomatoes. / grandad grows / grows tomatoes / Grandad tomatoes.) → Grandad grows tomatoes.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
  2. Which one is a complete sentence? • A fox into the woods. • ran into the woods • a fox ran into • A fox ran into the woods. (A fox into the woods. / ran into the woods / a fox ran into / A fox ran into the woods.) → A fox ran into the woods.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? • My sister apples. • likes apples • my sister likes • My sister likes apples. (My sister apples. / likes apples / my sister likes / My sister likes apples.) → My sister likes apples.Prompt: A sentence needs someone or something AND what they do.
  2. Which one is a complete sentence? • grows tomatoes • Grandad grows tomatoes. • Grandad tomatoes. • grandad grows (grows tomatoes / Grandad grows tomatoes. / Grandad tomatoes. / grandad grows) → Grandad grows tomatoes.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? • grows tomatoes • Grandad grows tomatoes. • Grandad tomatoes. • grandad grows

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

  2. Question 2

    Which one is a complete sentence? • omar fed • Omar fed the ducks. • Omar the ducks. • fed the ducks

    • A. omar fed
    • B. Omar fed the ducks.
    • C. Omar the ducks.
    • D. fed the ducks

  3. Question 3

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

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

  4. Question 4

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

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

  5. Question 5

    Which one is a complete sentence? • fed the ducks • Omar fed the ducks. • Omar the ducks. • omar fed

    • A. fed the ducks
    • B. Omar fed the ducks.
    • C. Omar the ducks.
    • D. omar fed

  6. Question 6

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

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

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Answer key: What makes a sentence?

  1. 1. B. Grandad grows tomatoes.

  2. 2. B. Omar fed the ducks.

  3. 3. C. We played on the swings.

  4. 4. D. Grandad grows tomatoes.

  5. 5. B. Omar fed the ducks.

  6. 6. B. We played on the swings.