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English lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes

Order of adjectives (a lovely little old red box)

Grammar

CCSS L.4.1.DEngland: Y4 GPS (expanded noun phrases)England: Y3/4 Writing (noun phrases)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Order of adjectives (a lovely little old red box).

  • 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: Expanded noun phrases; Adjectives

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

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

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Expanded noun phrases; Adjectives). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which group of words is the longest expanded noun phrase in the sentence? I read a scary book about ghosts. (a scary book about ghosts / about ghosts / I read / read a scary) → a scary book about ghostsPrompt: Find the main noun first.
  2. Which word is an adjective (it describes a noun)? We saw a shiny star. (we / saw / shiny / star) → shinyPrompt: Find the noun first.
  3. Choose the adjective that fits the gap. The ___ elephant splashed in the river. (splashed / enormous / quickly / elephant) → enormousPrompt: The gap comes before a noun. What word could describe it?

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Order of adjectives (a lovely little old red box). 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 noun phrase has the adjectives in the natural order?
  • Step 1: Adjectives usually go in this order: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose, then the noun.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: a tiny green frog
  • Answer: a tiny green frog
  • 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 noun phrase has the adjectives in the natural order? (a metal round tray / a round metal tray) → a round metal trayPrompt: Say both aloud. Which sounds natural to an English speaker?
  2. What kind of adjective is "beautiful"? (opinion / size / age / origin (where from)) → opinionPrompt: Ask: does it say what someone thinks, how big, how old, what colour, where from, or what it is made of?

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 noun phrase has the adjectives in the natural order? (a beautiful long dress / a long beautiful dress) → a beautiful long dressPrompt: Say both aloud. Which sounds natural to an English speaker?
  2. What kind of adjective is "ancient"? (opinion / size / age / material (what it is made of)) → agePrompt: Ask: does it say what someone thinks, how big, how old, what colour, where from, or what it is made of?

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: Expanded noun phrases.
  • 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

  • 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-4.

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

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Order of adjectives (a lovely little old red box)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    What kind of adjective is "new"?

    • A. age
    • B. colour (color)
    • C. origin (where from)
    • D. material (what it is made of)

  2. Question 2

    Which noun phrase has the adjectives in the natural order?

    • A. a long beautiful dress
    • B. a beautiful long dress

  3. Question 3

    What kind of adjective is "tiny"?

    • A. size
    • B. age
    • C. colour (color)
    • D. material (what it is made of)

  4. Question 4

    What kind of adjective is "golden"?

    • A. opinion
    • B. colour (color)
    • C. origin (where from)
    • D. material (what it is made of)

  5. Question 5

    What kind of adjective is "plastic"?

    • A. size
    • B. age
    • C. origin (where from)
    • D. material (what it is made of)

  6. Question 6

    What kind of adjective is "French"?

    • A. opinion
    • B. size
    • C. age
    • D. origin (where from)

  7. Question 7

    What kind of adjective is "horrible"?

    • A. opinion
    • B. size
    • C. age
    • D. material (what it is made of)

  8. Question 8

    What kind of adjective is "beautiful"?

    • A. opinion
    • B. size
    • C. origin (where from)
    • D. material (what it is made of)

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Answer key: Order of adjectives (a lovely little old red box)

  1. 1. A. age

  2. 2. B. a beautiful long dress

  3. 3. A. size

  4. 4. B. colour (color)

  5. 5. D. material (what it is made of)

  6. 6. D. origin (where from)

  7. 7. A. opinion

  8. 8. A. opinion