English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 45 minutes
is, are, was or were?
Grammar
CCSS L.1.1.ECCSS L.1.1.CEngland: Y1 GPSEngland: Y2 GPS (past and present)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: is, are, was or were?.
- 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: He hops, they hop: matching verbs to one or many
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
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 (He hops, they hop: matching verbs to one or many). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which verb fits? The baby ___ a lot. (sleep / sleeps) → sleepsPrompt: Who is doing the action: one, or more than one?
- Write the verb in brackets so it matches the subject. A frog ___ the ball. (catch) → catchesPrompt: Is "A frog" one person or thing, or more than one?
- Which verb fits? The babies ___ a lot. (sleep / sleeps) → sleepPrompt: Who is doing the action: one, or more than one?
Hook · 5 min
- Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
- Share the objective: is, are, was or were?. 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: Choose the right word. We ___ at the zoo last Saturday.
- Step 1: Now: is (one) / are (more). Past: was (one) / were (more).
- Step 2: Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "We were at the zoo last Saturday."
- Step 3: So the answer is: were
- Answer: were
- 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.
- Choose the right word. Yesterday the shop ___ closed. (is / were / was / are) → wasPrompt: Is it about now or about the past? Look for time words like yesterday or now.
- Read each sentence carefully. Which sentence is correct? (The puppies hungry. / The puppies was hungry. / The puppies were hungry. / The puppies is hungry.) → The puppies were hungry.Prompt: Find who or what the sentence is about. One or more than one?
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.
- Read each sentence carefully. Which sentence is correct? (Last week the river was very high. / Last week the river are very high. / Last week the river were very high. / Last week the river is very high.) → Last week the river was very high.Prompt: Find who or what the sentence is about. One or more than one?
- Choose the right word. We ___ at the zoo last Saturday. (were / is / was / are) → werePrompt: Is it about now or about the past? Look for time words like yesterday or now.
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: He hops, they hop: matching verbs to one or many.
- 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
- 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