English lesson plan · 1st grade (Year 2 in England) · 45 minutes
Plurals: add -s or -es?
Spelling
CCSS L.1.1.CCCSS L.2.2.DEngland: Y1 Spelling (-s and -es)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Plurals: add -s or -es?.
- 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: One or more than one? Adding -s
Leads to: Irregular plurals (children, teeth, mice)
Materials: Word cards, Look-say-cover-write-check sheets, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (One or more than one? Adding -s). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word means MORE THAN ONE? (book / stars / girl / tree) → starsPrompt: Look at the end of each word.
- One girl, six ___. Type the missing word. → girlsPrompt: "six" means more than one.
- Which word fits? Dad bought a ___. (cakes / cake) → cakePrompt: Is it one, or more than one?
Hook · 5 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Plurals: add -s or -es?. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: More than one bell: which is right?
- Step 1: "bell" ends in "ll".
- Step 2: Most words just add -s.
- Step 3: So the answer is: bells
- Answer: bells
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- More than one bus: which is right? (buses / buss) → busesPrompt: Say the plural out loud. Can you hear an extra beat at the end?
- Type the word for more than one girl. → girlsPrompt: Look at the end of the word.
You do: independent practice · 10 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 · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- More than one dog: which is right? (doges / dogs) → dogsPrompt: Say the plural out loud. Can you hear an extra beat at the end?
- Type the word for more than one frog. → frogsPrompt: Look at the end of the word.
Watch out for
- Spelling every word exactly as it sounds.
- Learning a list for a test but not using the words in writing.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: One or more than one? Adding -s.
- 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
- Move on to: Irregular plurals (children, teeth, mice).
- 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