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English lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 45 minutes

One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring)

Vocabulary

CCSS L.K.4.AEngland: Reception Communication and LanguageEngland: Y1 Vocabulary

Objective and success criteria

Students will: One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring).

  • 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: Sorting words into groups

Leads to: Literal or figurative? Phrases that don't mean what they say

Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Sorting words into groups). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word does not belong with the others? oval, triangle, circle, wind (oval / triangle / circle / wind) → windPrompt: What do most of the words have in common?
  2. Which group does "snow" belong to? (shapes / animals / weather / clothes) → weatherPrompt: What is a snow?
  3. Which word does not belong with the others? apple, cherry, banana, coat (apple / cherry / banana / coat) → coatPrompt: What do most of the words have in common?

Hook · 5 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring). Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Birds fly south in winter.
  • Step 1: Some words have two meanings. The rest of the sentence tells us which one.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: to move through the air with wings
  • Answer: to move through the air with wings
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 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. What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Wave goodbye to Grandma! (moving water in the sea / to move your hand to say hello) → to move your hand to say helloPrompt: Read the whole sentence, not just the word.
  2. Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: light (not heavy)? (Switch on the light. / A feather is very light.) → A feather is very light.Prompt: Read both sentences carefully.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: bat (an animal with wings)? (The bat hung upside down in the cave. / I hit the ball with my bat.) → The bat hung upside down in the cave.Prompt: Read both sentences carefully.
  2. What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Birds fly south in winter. (a small insect / to move through the air with wings) → to move through the air with wingsPrompt: Read the whole sentence, not just the word.

Watch out for

  • Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
  • Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Sorting words into groups.
  • 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: Literal or figurative? Phrases that don't mean what they say.
  • 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/kindergarten.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? I heard the dog bark.

    • A. the hard outside of a tree
    • B. the sound a dog makes

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: ring (jewellery)?

    • A. Grandma's ring is silver.
    • B. Did the bell ring?

  3. Question 3

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Birds fly south in winter.

    • A. to move through the air with wings
    • B. a small insect

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: light (not heavy)?

    • A. A feather is very light.
    • B. Switch on the light.

  5. Question 5

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Wave goodbye to Grandma!

    • A. to move your hand to say hello
    • B. moving water in the sea

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence uses the word with this meaning: wave (in the sea)?

    • A. A huge wave crashed on the sand.
    • B. Wave to your friends!

  7. Question 7

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Please don't kick the can across the road.

    • A. to be able to
    • B. a metal tin

  8. Question 8

    What does the word mean in THIS sentence? Mum wears a gold ring.

    • A. jewellery for your finger
    • B. the sound a bell makes

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Answer key: One word, two meanings (bat, duck, ring)

  1. 1. B. the sound a dog makes

  2. 2. A. Grandma's ring is silver.

  3. 3. A. to move through the air with wings

  4. 4. A. A feather is very light.

  5. 5. A. to move your hand to say hello

  6. 6. A. A huge wave crashed on the sand.

  7. 7. B. a metal tin

  8. 8. A. jewellery for your finger