English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes
Silent letters
Spelling
CCSS L.5.2.EEngland: Y5/6 Spelling (silent letters)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Silent letters.
- 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: ie or ei?
Leads to: Commonly misspelt words
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 (ie or ei?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- ie or ei? Choose the letters that complete the word. w___rd (very strange) (ie / ei) → eiPrompt: Is there a c just before the gap?
- ie or ei? Choose the letters that complete the word. c___ling (the top of a room) (ie / ei) → eiPrompt: Is there a c just before the gap?
- ie or ei? Choose the letters that complete the word. caff___ne (a substance in coffee and tea) (ie / ei) → eiPrompt: Is there a c just before the gap?
Hook · 5 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Silent letters. 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 letter is silent in "island"? Type the letter.
- Step 1: Say "island": one letter is written but not pronounced.
- Step 2: So the answer is: s
- Answer: s
- 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 letter is silent in "wrong"? Type the letter. → wPrompt: Say the word aloud slowly.
- Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. She brushed her hair with a ___. (comb / coam / com) → combPrompt: Which word has a letter you cannot hear?
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.
- Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. I sucked my ___ when I was little. (thumb / thumm / thum) → thumbPrompt: Which word has a letter you cannot hear?
- Which letter is silent in "autumn"? Type the letter. → nPrompt: Say the word aloud slowly.
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: ie or ei?.
- 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: Commonly misspelt words.
- 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