English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes

Adding suffixes to -fer words (referring, reference)

Spelling

CCSS L.5.2.EEngland: Y5/6 Spelling (adding suffixes to words ending in -fer)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Adding suffixes to -fer words (referring, reference).

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: Doubling in longer words: forgetting, beginning, but gardening

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Word cards, Look-say-cover-write-check sheets, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Doubling in longer words: forgetting, beginning, but gardening). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Add -ed to "budget". Type the new word. → budgetedPrompt: Clap the word and find the strong (stressed) syllable.
Which spelling is correct? (permit + ing) (permitting / permiting) → permittingPrompt: Say "permit" aloud. Which syllable is strongest?
Do you double the last letter of "omit" before adding -ed? (Yes: double the last letter / No: just add the suffix) → Yes: double the last letterPrompt: Clap the word. Is the beat strongest at the end?

Hook · 5 min

Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
Share the objective: Adding suffixes to -fer words (referring, reference). 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: Add -al to "refer". Type the new word.
Step 1: In "referral" the stress stays on -FER, so double the r.
Step 2: So the answer is: referral
Answer: referral
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.

Add -ing to "suffer". Type the new word. → sufferingPrompt: Say the new word aloud. Is -fer still the strong (stressed) part?
Which spelling is correct? (prefer + ing) (preferring / prefering) → preferringPrompt: Say both words aloud and listen for the stressed syllable.

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.

Add -ing to "offer". Type the new word. → offeringPrompt: Say the new word aloud. Is -fer still the strong (stressed) part?
Which spelling is correct? (infer + ing) (inferring / infering) → inferringPrompt: Say both words aloud and listen for the stressed syllable.

Watch out for

Spelling every word exactly as it sounds.
Learning a list for a test but not using the words in writing.

Support and stretch

Support

Review first: Doubling in longer words: forgetting, beginning, but gardening.
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

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-5.

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