Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 60 minutes

Capital letters and full stops (periods)

Punctuation

CCSS L.1.2.ACCSS L.1.2.BEngland: Y1 GPS (capital letters, full stops)England: Y2 GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Capital letters and full stops (periods).

  • 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: Capital letters for I and names; Ending a sentence: . ? !

Leads to: Commas in dates, addresses and letters; Apostrophes in contractions; Commas in lists

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

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Capital letters for I and names; Ending a sentence: . ? !). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which sentence uses capital letters correctly? • My dog is called rex. • My dog is called Rex. • my dog is called Rex. • my dog is called rex. (My dog is called rex. / My dog is called Rex. / my dog is called Rex. / my dog is called rex.) → My dog is called Rex.Prompt: The word I is always a capital letter.
  2. Which mark goes at the end? We go to school (. / ? / !) → .Prompt: Is it telling, asking or showing a big feeling?
  3. Which sentence uses capital letters correctly? • Today i met Zara. • today I met zara. • Today I met zara. • Today I met Zara. (Today i met Zara. / today I met zara. / Today I met zara. / Today I met Zara.) → Today I met Zara.Prompt: The word I is always a capital letter.

Hook · 6 min

  • Read a short passage with no punctuation and let the class hear why it's confusing.
  • Share the objective: Capital letters and full stops (periods). 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 sentence is written correctly? • the moon is bright tonight • The moon is bright tonight. • the moon is bright tonight. • The moon is bright tonight
  • Step 1: A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop (period).
  • Step 2: So the answer is: The moon is bright tonight.
  • Answer: The moon is bright tonight.
  • 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 sentence is written correctly? • we made a big sandcastle • We made a big sandcastle. • we made a big sandcastle. • We made a big sandcastle (we made a big sandcastle / We made a big sandcastle. / we made a big sandcastle. / We made a big sandcastle) → We made a big sandcastle.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
  2. This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? my cat ate a fish. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the first word.

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 is written correctly? • Our class went to the farm. • Our class went to the farm • our class went to the farm • our class went to the farm. (Our class went to the farm. / Our class went to the farm / our class went to the farm / our class went to the farm.) → Our class went to the farm.Prompt: Look at the very first letter.
  2. This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? my cat ate a fish. (0 / 1 / 2 / 3) → 1Prompt: Count the first word.

Watch out for

  • Using commas where a full stop (period) is needed.
  • Putting apostrophes in plurals (apple's).

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Capital letters for I and names.
  • Use concrete materials: punctuation 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: Commas in dates, addresses and letters; Apostrophes in contractions; Commas in lists.
  • 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

eurekami

Capital letters and full stops (periods)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? my cat ate a fish.

    • A. 0
    • B. 1
    • C. 2
    • D. 3

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence is written correctly? • i lost my red glove • i lost my red glove. • I lost my red glove. • I lost my red glove

    • A. i lost my red glove
    • B. i lost my red glove.
    • C. I lost my red glove.
    • D. I lost my red glove

  3. Question 3

    This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? we go swimming on friday.

    • A. 1
    • B. 2
    • C. 3
    • D. 4

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence is written correctly? • Our class went to the farm. • Our class went to the farm • our class went to the farm. • our class went to the farm

    • A. Our class went to the farm.
    • B. Our class went to the farm
    • C. our class went to the farm.
    • D. our class went to the farm

  5. Question 5

    This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? yesterday i saw aunt rosa at the market.

    • A. 2
    • B. 3
    • C. 4
    • D. 5

  6. Question 6

    Which sentence is written correctly? • We made a big sandcastle. • We made a big sandcastle • we made a big sandcastle. • we made a big sandcastle

    • A. We made a big sandcastle.
    • B. We made a big sandcastle
    • C. we made a big sandcastle.
    • D. we made a big sandcastle

  7. Question 7

    This sentence has no capital letters. How many capital letters does it need? the dog barked at max.

    • A. 1
    • B. 2
    • C. 3
    • D. 4

  8. Question 8

    Which sentence is written correctly? • a fox ran across the road. • A fox ran across the road • A fox ran across the road. • a fox ran across the road

    • A. a fox ran across the road.
    • B. A fox ran across the road
    • C. A fox ran across the road.
    • D. a fox ran across the road

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Capital letters and full stops (periods)

  1. 1. B. 1

  2. 2. C. I lost my red glove.

  3. 3. B. 2

  4. 4. A. Our class went to the farm.

  5. 5. C. 4

  6. 6. A. We made a big sandcastle.

  7. 7. B. 2

  8. 8. C. A fox ran across the road.