Daily Lesson Plan -- Lesson 41

Use of "Was" and "Were"

Subject: English | Class: Prep | Series: Skillford

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Overview

In this lesson children learn to use "was" and "were". "Was" and "were" talk about what has already happened. We use "was" for one, and "were" for more than one. Children read sentences aloud and then fill in blanks with "was" or "were".

Learning Objectives

• Understand that "was" and "were" talk about what has already happened
• Use "was" for one and "were" for more than one
• Read sentences such as "She was happy." and "They were sad."
• Fill in blanks with "was" and "were"

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Day 1: Was and Were (35 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 63, pencils, board and marker

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Say "Today I am at school. Yesterday I was at home." Children repeat "Yesterday I was at home."

Main Activity (25 minutes)

• Read the rule: "'Was' and 'were' talk about what has already happened. Use 'was' for one, and 'were' for more than one."
• Read the instruction: "Read each sentence aloud." Children repeat the four sentences on page 63:
  • She was happy.
  • It was a sunny day.
  • We were at school.
  • They were sad.
• Read the Activity instruction: "Fill in the blanks with 'was' or 'were'." Complete together:
  1. It was cold.
  2. They were eating rice.
  3. The baby was in the cot.
  4. The boys were singing.
  5. The fish was in the bowl.
• Teacher's Note activity: copy the five sentences onto the board with the blank left open. Let children come out one at a time and fill them in. Ask each of them why they chose that word before you say whether it is right.

Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

• Say a sentence about one person or thing and one about two people. Children say "was" or "were".

Differentiation

• Support: Practise only "She was happy" and "They were sad"
• Extension: Children say one "was" sentence and one "were" sentence about what happened yesterday

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Teaching Tips

• Ask first: is it one or more than one?
• "Was" is for one. "Were" is for more than one.
• Use "yesterday" to help children remember that the sentence is about the past