English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes
Suffix rules: doubling, drop the e, y to i
Spelling
CCSS L.2.2.DEngland: Y2 Spelling (adding suffixes)England: Y3 GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Suffix rules: doubling, drop the e, y to i.
- 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: Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er
Leads to: Endings: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian; Endings: -ture, -sure, -ous; US and UK spelling
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 (Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word fits? Right now I am ___ (plant). (planting / plant / plants / planted) → plantingPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
- Which word fits? Yesterday I ___ (paint). (paints / painting / painted / paint) → paintedPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
- Which word fits? Right now I am ___ (look). (looking / look / looks / looked) → lookingPrompt: Look at the time word: yesterday, right now or every day.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Suffix rules: doubling, drop the e, y to i. 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: Join the word and the suffix: fat + est. Type the new word.
- Step 1: Root word "fat", suffix "-est".
- Step 2: Short word, one vowel, one consonant at the end: double the last consonant before adding a vowel suffix.
- Step 3: So the answer is: fattest
- Answer: fattest
- 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.
- Join the word and the suffix: cold + est. Type the new word. → coldestPrompt: Look at the end of the root word: is it a single consonant after a short vowel, an e, or a y?
- Which spelling is correct for carry + ed? (carried / carryyed / carrieed / carryed) → carriedPrompt: Look at the last letters of the root word.
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 spelling is correct for sit + ing? (siting / sitting) → sittingPrompt: Look at the last letters of the root word.
- Join the word and the suffix: shine + y. Type the new word. → shinyPrompt: Look at the end of the root word: is it a single consonant after a short vowel, an e, or a y?
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: Adding -s, -ing, -ed and -er.
- 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: -tion, -sion, -ssion, -cian; Endings: -ture, -sure, -ous; US and UK spelling.
- 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-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder