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

Start a sentence with a capital letter

Punctuation

CCSS L.K.2.AEngland: Reception WritingEngland: Y1 GPS (capital letters)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Start a sentence with a capital letter.

  • 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: Capital letters for I and names

Leads to: Days of the week and months of the year; Capitals for names, days, months and places

Materials: Punctuation cards, A short unpunctuated text, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Capital letters for I and names). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence uses capital letters correctly? • sam and i like to play. • Sam and I like to play. • Sam and i like to play. • sam and I like to play. (sam and i like to play. / Sam and I like to play. / Sam and i like to play. / sam and I like to play.) → Sam and I like to play.Prompt: The word I is always a capital letter.
  2. Which sentence uses capital letters correctly? • I live in rome. • i live in Rome. • I live in Rome. • i live in rome. (I live in rome. / i live in Rome. / I live in Rome. / i live in rome.) → I live in Rome.Prompt: The word I is always a capital letter.
  3. Which sentence uses capital letters correctly? • sam and i like to play. • Sam and i like to play. • Sam and I like to play. • sam and I like to play. (sam and i like to play. / Sam and i like to play. / Sam and I like to play. / sam and I like to play.) → Sam and I like to play.Prompt: The word I is always a capital letter.

Hook · 5 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Start a sentence with a capital letter. 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: Which sentence is written correctly?
  • Step 1: A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (period).
  • Step 2: So the answer is: The cat hid in a box.
  • Answer: The cat hid in a box.
  • 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. Which sentence is written correctly? (My kite is red / my kite is red. / my Kite is red. / My kite is red.) → My kite is red.Prompt: Look at the very first letter of each sentence.
  2. Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. we had fish for tea. → WePrompt: Only the first letter changes.

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 is written correctly? (we went to the park. / we Went to the park. / We went to the park / We went to the park.) → We went to the park.Prompt: Look at the very first letter of each sentence.
  2. Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. the dog is wet. → ThePrompt: Only the first letter changes.

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Capital letters for I and names.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation 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: Days of the week and months of the year; Capitals for names, days, months and places.
  • 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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Start a sentence with a capital letter

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. the bus is big.

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is written correctly?

    • A. Look at that big ship
    • B. look at that big ship.
    • C. Look at that big ship.
    • D. look At that big ship.

  3. Question 3

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. sam sat on a log.

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. dad made a cake.

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. the dog is wet.

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. mia has a pet rabbit.

    Answer

  7. Question 7

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. look at that big ship.

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    Fix the first word of this sentence. Type it with a capital letter. we had fish for tea.

    Answer

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Answer key: Start a sentence with a capital letter

  1. 1. The

  2. 2. C. Look at that big ship.

  3. 3. Sam

  4. 4. Dad

  5. 5. The

  6. 6. Mia

  7. 7. Look

  8. 8. We