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English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 60 minutes

Relative clauses

Grammar

CCSS L.4.1.AEngland: Y5 GPS (relative clauses)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Relative clauses.

  • 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: Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, where)

Leads to: Simple, compound and complex sentences; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, where)). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the relative pronoun. The doctor ___ helped us was kind. (which / who / where / whose) → whoPrompt: What does the pronoun refer back to: a person, a thing, a place, or something belonging to someone?
  2. Choose the relative pronoun. I like books ___ make me laugh. (who / whose / where / that) → thatPrompt: What does the pronoun refer back to: a person, a thing, a place, or something belonging to someone?
  3. Choose the relative pronoun. The girl ___ won the race is my friend. (who / where / whose / which) → whoPrompt: What does the pronoun refer back to: a person, a thing, a place, or something belonging to someone?

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Relative clauses. 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: Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The book that I borrowed was really funny.
  • Step 1: A relative clause is a subordinate clause that begins with a relative pronoun and describes a noun.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: that I borrowed
  • Answer: that I borrowed
  • 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.
  1. Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The book that I borrowed was really funny. (The book / I borrowed was / that I borrowed / was really funny) → that I borrowedPrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.
  2. Which sentence correctly joins these two sentences with a relative clause? Ms Chen gave us a test. Her lessons are fun. (Ms Chen, who lessons are fun, gave us a test. / Ms Chen, whose lessons are fun, gave us a test. / Ms Chen, which lessons are fun, gave us a test. / Ms Chen whose, lessons are fun gave us a test.) → Ms Chen, whose lessons are fun, gave us a test.Prompt: Which relative pronoun matches the noun (person, thing, place, belonging)?

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.
  1. Which sentence correctly joins these two sentences with a relative clause? Ms Chen gave us a test. Her lessons are fun. (Ms Chen, whose lessons are fun, gave us a test. / Ms Chen whose, lessons are fun gave us a test. / Ms Chen, who lessons are fun, gave us a test. / Ms Chen, which lessons are fun, gave us a test.) → Ms Chen, whose lessons are fun, gave us a test.Prompt: Which relative pronoun matches the noun (person, thing, place, belonging)?
  2. Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The town where I grew up is by the sea. (The town / is by the sea / where I grew up / I grew up is) → where I grew upPrompt: Look for who, which, that, where, when or whose.

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: Relative pronouns (who, which, that, whose, where).
  • 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: Simple, compound and complex sentences; Commas: restrictive vs non-restrictive, coordinate adjectives; Independent clause, dependent clause or phrase?.
  • 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

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Relative clauses

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence correctly joins these two sentences with a relative clause? My uncle is a pilot. He lives in Spain.

    • A. My uncle, whose lives in Spain, is a pilot.
    • B. My uncle who, lives in Spain is a pilot.
    • C. My uncle, which lives in Spain, is a pilot.
    • D. My uncle, who lives in Spain, is a pilot.

  2. Question 2

    Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The man who lives next door has a parrot.

    • A. who lives next door
    • B. next door has
    • C. has a parrot
    • D. The man

  3. Question 3

    Which sentence correctly joins these two sentences with a relative clause? The puppy is very shy. It hides under the table.

    • A. The puppy, which hides under the table, is very shy.
    • B. The puppy, where hides under the table, is very shy.
    • C. The puppy, whose hides under the table, is very shy.
    • D. The puppy which, hides under the table is very shy.

  4. Question 4

    Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The book that I borrowed was really funny.

    • A. was really funny
    • B. I borrowed was
    • C. The book
    • D. that I borrowed

  5. Question 5

    Which sentence correctly joins these two sentences with a relative clause? The museum was closed. We wanted to visit it.

    • A. The museum, where we wanted to visit, was closed.
    • B. The museum, who we wanted to visit, was closed.
    • C. The museum which, we wanted to visit was closed.
    • D. The museum, which we wanted to visit, was closed.

  6. Question 6

    Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The cake which Leila baked won first prize.

    • A. Leila baked won
    • B. which Leila baked
    • C. won first prize
    • D. The cake

  7. Question 7

    Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? The town where I grew up is by the sea.

    • A. where I grew up
    • B. is by the sea
    • C. I grew up is
    • D. The town

  8. Question 8

    Which part of the sentence is the relative clause? Our dog, who is ten years old, still loves to run.

    • A. still loves to run
    • B. who is ten years old
    • C. is ten years
    • D. Our dog

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Answer key: Relative clauses

  1. 1. D. My uncle, who lives in Spain, is a pilot.

  2. 2. A. who lives next door

  3. 3. A. The puppy, which hides under the table, is very shy.

  4. 4. D. that I borrowed

  5. 5. D. The museum, which we wanted to visit, was closed.

  6. 6. B. which Leila baked

  7. 7. A. where I grew up

  8. 8. B. who is ten years old