English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 45 minutes
Capital letters and full stops (periods)
Punctuation
CCSS L.1.2.ACCSS L.1.2.BEngland: Y1 GPS (capital letters, full stops)England: Y2 GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Capital letters and full stops (periods).
- 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; Ending a sentence: . ? !
Leads to: Commas in dates, addresses and letters; Apostrophes in contractions; Commas in lists
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; Ending a sentence: . ? !). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 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.
- Which mark goes at the end? Where is my hat (. / ? / !) → ?Prompt: Is it telling, asking or showing a big feeling?
- Which sentence uses capital letters correctly? • I can see mia. • i can see Mia. • I can see Mia. • i can see mia. (I can see mia. / i can see Mia. / I can see Mia. / i can see mia.) → I can see Mia.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: Capital letters and full stops (periods). 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? • the moon is bright tonight • The moon is bright tonight. • the moon is bright tonight. • The moon is bright tonight
- Step 1: A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (period).
- Step 2: So the answer is: The moon is bright tonight.
- Answer: The moon is bright tonight.
- 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.
- Which sentence is written correctly? • a fox ran across the road • A fox ran across the road. • a fox ran across the road. • A fox ran across the road (a fox ran across the road / A fox ran across the road. / a fox ran across the road. / A fox ran across the road) → A fox ran across the road.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
- This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? on saturday we visited grandma in leeds. (2 / 3 / 4 / 5) → 4Prompt: Count the first word.
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.
- Which sentence is written correctly? • The frog sat on a log • The frog sat on a log. • the frog sat on a log. • the frog sat on a log (The frog sat on a log / The frog sat on a log. / the frog sat on a log. / the frog sat on a log) → The frog sat on a log.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
- This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? tom and ella live in cairo. (2 / 3 / 4 / 5) → 3Prompt: Count the first word.
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: Commas in dates, addresses and letters; Apostrophes in contractions; Commas in lists.
- 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