Active English Explorers

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Overview

Subject: English
Year Group: Year 5
Duration: 60 Minutes
Number of Students: 8
Curriculum Links:

• English – Spoken Language: KS2 National Curriculum (England) – “articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions”, “use spoken language to develop understanding through imagining and exploring ideas”.
• Reading Comprehension – “listening to and discussing a wide range of texts”, “drawing inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives”.
• Writing (Handwriting and Vocabulary) – “developing a wider vocabulary”, “learning to spell new words correctly and using them in context”.
• Phonics/Spelling – “spell further homophones and understand rules for adding prefixes and suffixes”.

This lesson has been uniquely tailored to Small Stars 3.0 Book 3, Unit Five, Lesson 3 and develops fluency and confidence using vocabulary and sentence structures based on sports and s-blends.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Confidently use the sentence structure "I like (sport)" in response to and when asking "What do you like doing?"
2. Recognise and differentiate S-blend sounds (sk-, sc-, sm-, sn-, st-, sw-).
3. Identify and understand key sports actions through song, speaking exercises and games.
4. Show emerging fluency in handwriting target sports vocabulary.
5. Comprehend a short narrative about sports and answer oral comprehension questions.
6. Recognise key vocabulary from context in a dialogue.

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Keywords

• Sports: playing badminton, playing basketball, playing football, playing table tennis, playing tennis, running, swimming
• S-blend words: scary, skate, smile, snake, step, swim

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Resources Needed

• Flashcards: 97, 99, 171–175 (sports)
• Flashcards: letters c, k, m–n, s–t, w (phonics)
• Inflated balloons with s-blends written on them
• Puppet (e.g. ‘Mel’ or ‘Roddy’)
• Audio/Presentation for Hello Song, Unit 5 Song, Goodbye Song
• Student Book 3A (Pg. 64–65)
• Practice Book 3A (Pg. 56–57)
• Pencils
• Whiteboard and markers
• Chairs, arranged in two lines facing each other
• Computer/headphones/audio player

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Lesson Plan Structure

⏱ 0–15 mins: Warm Up & Introduction

1. Greeting & Settling In (3 mins)

• Greet each child by name as they enter: “Hello, Ben! Ready to learn?”
• Ask “What’s your name?” using the puppet. Each student responds.
• Have students greet their peers: “Say hello to the person next to you!”
• Take in students’ Student and Practice Books for later distribution.

2. Sing the "Hello Song" (2 mins)

• Display Activity 1 Slide 1.
• “Stand up!” and perform actions. Encourage confident singing and participation.

3. Unit 5 Sports Song (3 mins)

• Display Activity 2 Slide 1.
• Play through once to listen.
• Play again for pupils to clap and act out the movements with each sport.

4. "I like (sport)" Circle Game (7 mins)

• Display sports flashcards in a circle on the floor.
• 3 children walk around to music.
• Pause music → Seated students ask “What do you like doing?”
• Walkers respond e.g. “I like playing basketball.” Model and support pronunciation.
• Repeat with new groups.

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⏱ 15–40 mins: Core Language Focus

5. Whisper Line Relay (Speaking Practice) (6 mins)

• Arrange chairs in two lines. Divide the class into two teams.
• Whisper a sentence to the first student (“I like running”).
• It is passed down the line by whisper.
• Last student says sentence aloud. Points awarded for accuracy.
• Rotate positions; repeat with multiple target sports.

6. Student Book Activity (Listening & Writing) (6 mins)

• Display Activity 3 Slide 1.
• Elicit sport vocabulary with flashcards.
• Distribute pencils and books.
• Play audio track: students circle correct pictures on Pg. 64–65.
• Replay audio and check answers as class.

7. Dialogue Practice (Role Play) (7 mins)

• Display Activity 4 Slides 1–10.
• Use puppet for modelled dialogue:
  • “What do you like doing?”
  • “I like swimming!”
• Two students roleplay using picture prompts.
• Repeat with other pairs. Vary the prompts.

8. Peer Interviews (Speaking & Listening) (6 mins)

• Choose a strong student to model Q&A with teacher: "What do you like doing?"
• Partner work: students ask and answer with sentences using flashcards as aid.
• Rotate partners after 2 minutes. Repeat. Teacher monitors and scaffolds vocabulary.

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⏱ 40–55 mins: Phonics – S-Blends Focus

9. S-Blends Review – Sounding Out (4 mins)

• Show individual phonics flashcards: e.g. ‘s’ = /s/, 'k' = /k/
• Blend them together aloud: 'sk' = /sk/
• Repeat with: sm-, sn-, st-, sc-, sw-

10. Interactive S-Blends Matching (5 mins)

• Display Activity 5 Slides 1–6.
• Listen to audio: students point to the correct S-blend on the board/slides.
• Choose students to tap the letters/blends after hearing them.

11. Balloon Pass – Phonics Game (6 mins)

• Children sit in a circle.
• Pass the s-blend balloon around with music.
• Stop music → student reads out blend they see (e.g. "sn") and says a word. E.g. “Snake!”
• Repeat multiple rounds. Adjust pacing to keep energy high. Use two teams for speed.

Extension/Challenge: Ask the student to spell the S-blend word.

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⏱ 55–60 mins: Cool Down & Review

12. Practice Book Review & Feedback (3 mins)

• Return books.
• Check previous pages (Pg. 56–57). Offer quick verbal feedback and praise good work.

13. "Goodbye Song" & Exit Routine (2 mins)

• Sing Goodbye Song with actions (Presentation Activity 6).
• One by one: child answers “What do you like doing?” while showing a flashcard.
• Teacher says: “Goodbye, Ben!” / “Goodbye, teacher!” Line up to leave.

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Cross-Curricular Enrichment Ideas

• PSHE Link: Discussion Tie-in – “Which sport helps your body and mind feel better?”
• PE Link: Physical warm-up of running on the spot, pretending to swim, kick, etc.
• Art Extension: Draw yourself playing your favourite sport and label using “I like…”

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Differentiation & Support

• EAL Learners: Use visuals/gestures for meaning, scaffold with sentence starters.
• SEND Pupils: Use simplified vocabulary, allow more time, offer tactile flashcards.
• Higher Ability: Encourage fuller sentences, e.g. "I like playing football because it's fun."

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Monitor during Q&A circle game, whisper relays, and partner speaking.
• Diagnostic: Observe if s-blends are accurately produced during balloon activity.
• Summative: Completion of Student Book pages and accurate use of target structure.

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Plenary Reflection Question

🧠 “What new word did you use today that you’d never said before?”
💬 Encourage verbal answers as they line up.

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Teacher Note Reminder

✔️ Reinforce that sk- and sc- sound the same
✔️ Emphasise blending > vocabulary memorisation
✔️ Keep pace energetic, vary pairs for speaking to keep engagement high
✔️ Gentle balloon rules = smooth play! 😊

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This session delivers cross-modal English immersion with movement, song, pair work, phonics and grammar – an outstanding foundation for confidence in spoken and written English through fun and sport.