English lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 45 minutes
Book covers: title, author and illustrator
Reading Comprehension
CCSS RL.K.6CCSS RI.K.6England: Reception LiteracyEngland: Y1 Reading
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Book covers: title, author and illustrator.
- 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: Who, where and what happened?
Leads to: Parts of a book: contents, glossary and index
Materials: A short text or extract (one copy each), Highlighters, Question cards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Who, where and what happened?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- The cat sat on the mat. Then it saw a mouse and ran away. What did the cat see? (a fish / a bird / a mouse / a dog) → a mousePrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
- In the night, the owl sat in the tall tree and hooted. When does this story happen? (after school / at night / at lunch / in the morning) → at nightPrompt: What does the character say and do?
- Ben has a red ball. He kicks it to his dog, Spot. What color is the ball? (yellow / red / green / blue) → redPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
Hook · 5 min
- Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
- Share the objective: Book covers: title, author and illustrator. 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: The Big Green Bus Written by Omar Ali Illustrated by Kate Brown What is the title of the book?
- Step 1: Title: The Big Green Bus. Author: Omar Ali. Illustrator: Kate Brown.
- Step 2: So the answer is: The Big Green Bus
- Answer: The Big Green Bus
- 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.
- Ten Little Frogs Written by Ruth Adams Illustrated by Ben Cole Who is the author (the person who wrote the words)? (Ruth Adams / Ten Little Frogs / Ben Cole) → Ruth AdamsPrompt: The title is the name of the book. 'Written by' tells the author. 'Illustrated by' tells the illustrator.
- Choose the best answer. What is the back of a book for? (the first page of the story / the pictures only / telling you a little about the book / the title page) → telling you a little about the bookPrompt: Think about a book you know. What is on the front?
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.
- Ten Little Frogs Written by Ruth Adams Illustrated by Ben Cole Who is the author (the person who wrote the words)? (Ten Little Frogs / Ben Cole / Ruth Adams) → Ruth AdamsPrompt: The title is the name of the book. 'Written by' tells the author. 'Illustrated by' tells the illustrator.
- Choose the best answer. What do we call the name of a book? (the picture / the title / the page / the author) → the titlePrompt: Think about a book you know. What is on the front?
Watch out for
- Answering from memory or opinion instead of evidence in the text.
- Copying a long quote without explaining what it shows.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Who, where and what happened?.
- Use concrete materials: a short text or extract (one copy each).
- 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: Parts of a book: contents, glossary and index.
- 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