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

Tricky words (common exception words)

Phonics & Sight Words

CCSS RF.1.3.GEngland: Y1 Common exception wordsEngland: Y2 Common exception words

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Tricky words (common exception words).

  • 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: Sight words: first set

Leads to: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two; Tricky words: third set (once, friend, school…)

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 (Sight words: first set). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. I like ___ run fast. (to / the / is / my) → toPrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.
  2. Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. Look at ___ little cat! (to / we / is / the) → thePrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.
  3. Choose the word that makes the sentence make sense. Mom and Dad ___ at home. (is / are / to / the) → arePrompt: Read the sentence with each word in the gap.

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: Tricky words (common exception words). 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 word is spelled correctly? Clue: a question word (___ is your name?)
  • Step 1: Common exception words have tricky parts you need to remember.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: what
  • Answer: what
  • 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 word is spelled correctly? Clue: more than one person (pepol / people / peopel / peeple) → peoplePrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.
  2. Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. We ___ at the beach all day. (were / wer / wur) → werePrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?

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. Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. ___ is your name? (Wat / Wot / What) → WhatPrompt: All three choices sound the same. Which one looks right?
  2. Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a lot of (___ children like games) (meny / menny / many / mani) → manyPrompt: These are tricky words: they do not sound the way they are spelled.

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: Sight words: first set.
  • 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

  • Move on to: Homophones: there/their/they're, to/too/two; Tricky words: third set (once, friend, school…).
  • 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

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Tricky words (common exception words)

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: the past of "can" (I ___ swim when I was five)

    • A. cud
    • B. coud
    • C. culd
    • D. could

  2. Question 2

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. They ___ a new puppy.

    • A. haff
    • B. have
    • C. hav

  3. Question 3

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a word meaning "ought to" (You ___ wear a coat)

    • A. shuld
    • B. shoud
    • C. should
    • D. shud

  4. Question 4

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. I like ice cream ___ it is sweet.

    • A. because
    • B. becuase
    • C. becos

  5. Question 5

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: each one (___ child gets a sticker)

    • A. evry
    • B. everee
    • C. evrey
    • D. every

  6. Question 6

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. She ___ like to come to my party.

    • A. woud
    • B. wud
    • C. would

  7. Question 7

    Which word is spelled correctly? Clue: a word that gives a reason (I ran ___ I was late)

    • A. because
    • B. becos
    • C. bicause
    • D. becuase

  8. Question 8

    Choose the correct spelling to finish the sentence. My best ___ lives next door.

    • A. frend
    • B. freind
    • C. friend

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Answer key: Tricky words (common exception words)

  1. 1. D. could

  2. 2. B. have

  3. 3. C. should

  4. 4. A. because

  5. 5. D. every

  6. 6. C. would

  7. 7. A. because

  8. 8. C. friend