English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 45 minutes
Who is speaking? Reading dialogue
Reading Comprehension
CCSS RL.1.6England: Y1 ReadingEngland: Y2 Reading
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Who is speaking? Reading dialogue.
- 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: Characters and setting
Leads to: How do characters respond when things happen?; Who is telling the story? First person or third person
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 (Characters and setting). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Bear yawned and stretched. "Time to sleep until spring," he said, and curled up in his cave. Who is the main character? (the cave / Bear / Spring / a bird) → BearPrompt: What does the character say and do?
- Gus the goat loved to climb. He climbed rocks, hills and even the farmer's shed! What does Gus love to do? (climb / sing / sleep / swim) → climbPrompt: What does the character say and do?
- On a snowy morning, Ollie and his sister built an igloo in the garden. When does this story happen? (on a hot night / on a snowy morning / on a rainy afternoon / in summer) → on a snowy morningPrompt: What does the character say and do?
Hook · 5 min
- Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
- Share the objective: Who is speaking? Reading dialogue. 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: "I lost my hat," said Ben. "I will help you look," said Ana. Who said "I will help you look"?
- Step 1: Speech marks show the words someone says. 'said ___' tells us who.
- Step 2: So the answer is: Ana
- Answer: Ana
- 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.
- "Look, a rainbow!" shouted Mia. Jack looked up and smiled. Who saw the rainbow first and shouted? (Jack / the rainbow / a teacher / Mia) → MiaPrompt: Find the words inside the speech marks.
- "I can't find my lunchbox anywhere," sighed Omar. How does Omar feel? (proud / excited / sleepy / worried) → worriedPrompt: Find the words inside the speech marks.
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.
- "Grandpa is coming today!" said Zack, jumping up and down. How does Zack feel? (bored / sad / excited / worried) → excitedPrompt: Find the words inside the speech marks.
- Owl hooted, "Who is there?" "It is only me," squeaked Mouse. Who squeaked? (nobody / a cat / Owl / Mouse) → MousePrompt: Find the words inside the speech marks.
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: Characters and setting.
- 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: How do characters respond when things happen?; Who is telling the story? First person or third person.
- 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