Adjectives for Bears

Overview

This 45-minute lesson is the third of 15 lessons in the unit "Teddy Bear Picnic Adventures". It introduces Year 1 students to adjectives, focusing on describing teddy bears and using 'and' to join two adjectives in simple sentences. The lesson is crafted to align with the National Curriculum for England (Years 1 English: Spoken Language and Writing), is highly interactive, and uses vocabulary enrichment to build language skills.

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National Curriculum Links

English: Year 1

• Spoken Language

  • Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers.
  • Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas.

• Writing: Composition

  • Write sentences by: saying out loud what they are going to write about.
  • Sequencing sentences to form short narratives.

• Writing: Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

  • Regular plural noun suffixes (-s, -es).
  • Understand how words can combine to make sentences (basic sentence structure).
  • Learn to join words and clauses using 'and'.
  • Use adjectives to describe.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Use adjectives to describe teddy bears.
• WALT: Join two adjectives with 'and' in a sentence.
• WALT: Write simple descriptive sentences about their teddy bears.

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Success Criteria

• I can say some words that describe my teddy bear.
• I can say and write two adjectives joined by 'and'.
• I can write a simple sentence about my teddy bear.
• I listen to others and share my describing words.

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Resources

• Personal teddy bears or teddy bear pictures (one per child)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Adjective word cards with large, clear font (dyslexia-friendly font such as Comic Sans, with clear spacing)
• Sentence strip paper and pencils
• Colourful adjective flashcards (illustrated for visual support)
• Sentence frames: "My teddy bear is ___ and ___."
• Chart paper for brainstorming adjectives
• Phonics mats for letter sounds support

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Gather students and show a teddy bear (the teacher’s or a large plush).
• Ask: “How would you describe this teddy bear?”
• Model adjectives (e.g., soft, brown, fluffy). Write answers on the board.
• Briefly recap from previous lessons the idea that adjectives are describing words.

2. Adjective Brainstorming (10 minutes)

• Each child has their teddy bear or a picture of one.
• In pairs, children whisper adjectives they think of to describe their teddy bears.
• Invite pairs to share 1-2 adjectives with the class.
• Teacher writes adjectives on chart paper, using different colours for each adjective to visually separate words for dyslexic learners.
• Highlight words that describe size, colour, texture etc., linking back to vocabulary enrichment.

3. Focus on Joining Words with ‘and’ (10 minutes)

• Introduce the word ‘and’ as a joining word, visually showing it on a card.
• Teacher models how to join two adjectives: “My teddy bear is soft and brown.” Write it on the board.
• Use sentence strip and flashcards to build sentences as a class — e.g., “soft” + “fluffy”, “big” + “brown”.
• Students repeat sentences out loud together and individually.

4. Guided Writing (15 minutes)

• Using sentence frames (“My teddy bear is ___ and ___.”), children write their own sentences, choosing two adjectives from the brainstorm or their own ideas.
• Circulate to support spelling and sentence structure.
• Encourage phonics mats and word cards for spelling support.
• Dyslexia-friendly strategies: use coloured overlays on paper, provide larger-lined paper, allow oral rehearsal before writing.

5. Sharing and Plenary (5 minutes)

• Invite volunteers to share their sentences aloud.
• Display some sentences on the wall for a “Teddy Adjective Gallery.”
• Recap: Ask “What did we learn about adjectives and joining words today?”
• Reinforce the use of ‘and’ and descriptive words.

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Differentiation

Group	Strategy	Support/Challenge
Lower ability	Use picture cards for adjectives; one adjective per sentence; paired verbal rehearsal pre-writing	Sentence starters given; additional 1:1 support
Typical learners	Write two adjectives joined by ‘and’; use scaffolded sentence frame	Mix and match adjective cards for variety
Advanced learners	Write longer sentences with three adjectives joined by ‘and’ or add ‘but’ for contrast	Extension: Create a short story about their teddy bear with descriptive sentences

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Extension Activities

• Adjective Sorting Game: Have an adjective treasure hunt. Hide adjective cards around the room and children find and sort by category (colour, texture, size).
• Teddy Bear Poetry: Write a simple two-line poem using adjectives and ‘and’ (e.g., “My teddy bear is soft and round. My teddy bear makes a funny sound.”)
• Create an Adjective Monster: Using craft, create a teddy monster and describe it using adjectives to extend vocabulary.

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Assessment and Recording

• Observe children during the adjective brainstorming and guided writing tasks.
• Note ability to generate adjectives, join with ‘and’ and form sentences.
• Collect written sentences for evidence of success criteria achievement.
• Use oral feedback and plenary discussion to assess listening and speaking skills.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Were the adjectives varied and relevant?
• Did children master using ‘and’ to join adjectives verbally and in writing?
• Were all children engaged and supported according to need?
• How well did the dyslexia-friendly strategies support learners?
• What could be modified for next lesson to further embed vocabulary skills?

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This lesson ensures a fun, descriptive, active learning experience tailored to young learners just beginning formal writing, and building foundational vocabulary and grammar skills per the National Curriculum's expectations.