English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 60 minutes
When y is a vowel: sky or happy?
Phonics & Sight Words
CCSS RF.1.3.CEngland: Y1 Phonics (y as /igh/ and /ee/)England: Y2 Spelling (-y)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: When y is a vowel: sky or happy?.
- 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: The long a sound: ai or ay?
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Sound cards and picture cards, Magnetic letters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (The long a sound: ai or ay?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Clue: have fun with toys. Which letters fill the gap? p l _ _ (ai / ay) → ayPrompt: Is the long /ai/ sound in the middle or at the end of the word?
- Which spelling is correct? (pante / paint / paynt) → paintPrompt: Say the word and find the long vowel sound.
- Clue: the hard part on the end of your finger. Which letters fill the gap? n _ _ l (ai / ay) → aiPrompt: Is the long /ai/ sound in the middle or at the end of the word?
Hook · 6 min
- Hide picture cards in a bag and ask children to say the first sound of each one they pull out.
- Share the objective: When y is a vowel: sky or happy?. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: In the word "fly", what sound does the y at the end make?
- Step 1: "fly" has one syllable.
- Step 2: So the answer is: like the "igh" in "night"
- Answer: like the "igh" in "night"
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- In the word "funny", what sound does the y at the end make? (like the "igh" in "night" / like the "ee" in "see" / like the "y" in "yes") → like the "ee" in "see"Prompt: Count the syllables (beats) in the word.
- Which word ends with a y that sounds like "igh" (as in "night")? (jelly / lady / family / dry) → dryPrompt: Say each word aloud and listen to the last sound.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which word ends with a y that sounds like "ee"? (dry / story / why / spy) → storyPrompt: Say each word aloud and listen to the last sound.
- In the word "shy", what sound does the y at the end make? (like the "igh" in "night" / like the "ee" in "see" / like the "y" in "yes") → like the "igh" in "night"Prompt: Count the syllables (beats) in the word.
Watch out for
- Adding an extra "uh" to sounds ("buh" instead of a clean b).
- Reading the letters one by one but not blending them into a word.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: The long a sound: ai or ay?.
- Use concrete materials: sound cards and picture 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
- 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