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

Endings: -cious/-tious, -cial/-tial

Spelling

CCSS L.5.2.EEngland: Y5/6 Spelling (-cious, -tious, -cial, -tial)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Endings: -cious/-tious, -cial/-tial.

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: Endings: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian

Leads to: Endings: -able/-ible, -ant/-ent, -ance/-ence

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 (Endings: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

Which ending completes the word? deci___ (from decide) (cian / ssion / tion / sion) → sionPrompt: Look at the root word in brackets. How does it end?
Which ending completes the word? expre___ (from express) (sion / tion / cian / ssion) → ssionPrompt: Look at the root word in brackets. How does it end?
Which ending completes the word? exten___ (from extend) (tion / sion / cian / ssion) → sionPrompt: Look at the root word in brackets. How does it end?

Hook · 5 min

Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
Share the objective: Endings: -cious/-tious, -cial/-tial. 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 ending completes the word? vi___ (fierce and violent)
Step 1: Related words often show which letter to use.
Step 2: The root word has a c (or the letter before the ending is a vowel), so we use c.
Step 3: The word is "vicious".
Step 4: So the answer is: cious
Answer: cious
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 ending completes the word? fic___ (made up) (citious / titious) → titiousPrompt: Think of a related word: grace → gracious, office → official, caution → cautious, part → partial.
Which ending completes the word? nutri___ (good for your body) (tious / cious) → tiousPrompt: Think of a related word: grace → gracious, office → official, caution → cautious, part → partial.

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 ending completes the word? confiden___ (secret) (cial / tial) → tialPrompt: Think of a related word: grace → gracious, office → official, caution → cautious, part → partial.
Which ending completes the word? deli___ (tasting very good) (tious / cious) → ciousPrompt: Think of a related word: grace → gracious, office → official, caution → cautious, part → partial.

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: Endings: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian.
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: Endings: -able/-ible, -ant/-ent, -ance/-ence.
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