• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Who or what? Did what? (subject and predicate); Common and proper nouns). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which part is the SUBJECT (who or what the sentence is about)? A huge wave crashed onto the rocks. (A huge / the rocks / A huge wave / crashed onto) → A huge wavePrompt: Ask: who or what did something?
2. Which word is a proper noun (the name of a particular person, place or day)? The children waved at Mrs Patel. (waved / at / children / Patel) → PatelPrompt: Proper nouns are special names.
3. Which part is the PREDICATE (what the subject does)? The robot in the corner flashed its lights. (in the corner / flashed its lights. / The robot / The robot in) → flashed its lights.Prompt: Find the subject first: who or what?

• Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
• Share the objective: Capital letters in titles (The Day the Robots Danced). Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Which book title uses capital letters correctly?
• Step 1: In a title, use a capital for the first word, the last word and every important word. Small words like a, the, and, of, in, on, to and for stay small unless they come first.
• Step 2: So the answer is: The Day the School Floated Away
• Answer: The Day the School Floated Away
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• 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 book title uses capital letters correctly? (The girl who talked to bees / The Girl Who Talked to Bees / The Girl Who talked to Bees / The Girl Who Talked To Bees) → The Girl Who Talked to BeesPrompt: Check the small words: a, the, and, of, to, in, on, for.
2. Every word in this title has a capital. Which word should NOT? When The Owls Came Home (When / The / Home / Owls) → ThePrompt: The first word always keeps its capital.

• 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Which book title uses capital letters correctly? (The girl who talked to bees / The Girl Who Talked to Bees / The Girl Who Talked To Bees / The Girl Who talked to Bees) → The Girl Who Talked to BeesPrompt: Check the small words: a, the, and, of, to, in, on, for.
2. Type this title with the correct capital letters. the day the school floated away → The Day the School Floated AwayPrompt: Start with a capital.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.