English lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 60 minutes
Formal or informal language?
Vocabulary
CCSS L.5.3.BCCSS L.4.3.CEngland: Y6 GPS (formal and informal vocabulary and structures)England: Y5/6 Writing (register)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Formal or informal language?.
- 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: Synonyms or antonyms? Word pairs
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Synonyms or antonyms? Word pairs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Are these words synonyms or antonyms? timid / bold (synonyms (similar meaning) / antonyms (opposite meaning)) → antonyms (opposite meaning)Prompt: Put each word in the same sentence. Does the meaning stay the same or flip?
- Which word is an ANTONYM (opposite) of "shallow"? (flat / deep / thin / low) → deepPrompt: Think of a sentence with the word in it.
- Are these words synonyms or antonyms? accept / refuse (synonyms (similar meaning) / antonyms (opposite meaning)) → antonyms (opposite meaning)Prompt: Put each word in the same sentence. Does the meaning stay the same or flip?
Hook · 6 min
- Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
- Share the objective: Formal or informal language?. 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: Is this sentence formal or informal? Please ensure that all mobile phones are switched off.
- Step 1: Formal language suits official writing; informal language suits friends and family.
- Step 2: So the answer is: formal
- Answer: formal
- 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.
- Is this sentence formal or informal? I am writing to request information about the trip. (formal / informal) → formalPrompt: Would you say this to a friend, or write it in a letter to a head teacher?
- Which is the most FORMAL way to say "need"? (require / gotta have / fancy / be after) → requirePrompt: Formal words are often longer and come from Latin or French.
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 is the most FORMAL way to say "ask for"? (go for / ask around / request / beg for) → requestPrompt: Formal words are often longer and come from Latin or French.
- Which sentence is best for a letter to a head teacher or principal? (Science museum trip, yes or no? / So, like, the science museum would be cool. / I am writing to ask whether our class could visit the science museum. / Hiya! Can we go to the science museum?) → I am writing to ask whether our class could visit the science museum.Prompt: A letter to a head teacher needs a formal, polite tone.
Watch out for
- Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
- Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Synonyms or antonyms? Word pairs.
- Use concrete materials: word 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-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder