English lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes
Adjective or adverb? (quick or quickly)
Grammar
CCSS L.2.1.EEngland: Y2 GPS (-ly)England: Y3 GPS
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Adjective or adverb? (quick or quickly).
- 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: Adjectives
Leads to: Adding -ly: happily, gently, basically; Adverbs that tell how, when or where
Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Adjectives). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word is an adjective (it describes a noun)? I ate a juicy orange. (juicy / I / orange / ate) → juicyPrompt: Find the noun first.
- Choose the adjective that fits the gap. The ___ puppy wagged its tail. (tail / wagged / playful / happily) → playfulPrompt: The gap comes before a noun. What word could describe it?
- Which word is an adjective (it describes a noun)? My grumpy brother stomped upstairs. (grumpy / stomped / upstairs / brother) → grumpyPrompt: Find the noun first.
Hook · 5 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: Adjective or adverb? (quick or quickly). 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 word fits? Mia sang ___ at the concert.
- Step 1: Adjectives describe nouns. Adverbs (often ending in -ly) describe verbs.
- Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Mia sang beautifully at the concert."
- Step 3: So the answer is: beautifully
- Answer: beautifully
- 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 word fits? Be ___ with the scissors! (carefully / careful) → carefulPrompt: Does the word describe a noun (a thing) or a verb (how something is done)?
- Which word is the ADJECTIVE (it describes a noun)? The clever fox tricked the crow. (crow / fox / tricked / clever) → cleverPrompt: Find the verb and the nouns first.
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 word is the ADVERB (it tells how the action is done)? She whispered the secret quietly. (she / quietly / whispered / secret) → quietlyPrompt: Find the verb and the nouns first.
- Which word fits? The tortoise walked ___ to the finish line. (slow / slowly) → slowlyPrompt: Does the word describe a noun (a thing) or a verb (how something is done)?
Watch out for
- Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
- Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Adjectives.
- Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
- 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: Adding -ly: happily, gently, basically; Adverbs that tell how, when or where.
- 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