Prepositions of Time

Lesson Plan Overview

Curriculum Area: English – Grammar
Level: Key Stage 2, Year 4
Time Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 30 students

This lesson plan is designed with the inductive approach in mind, aligning with the KS2 national curriculum that develops pupils' grammatical knowledge and understanding of sentence construction. It actively involves students through hands-on activities, group competitions, a game, and a song, fostering a love for learning grammar in a creative, engaging manner.

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Lesson Objectives

• Cognitive Domain (Understanding/Analysing): After exploring examples of sentences with time expressions, students will be able to deduce and articulate the rules for using prepositions of time ('at,' 'on,' 'in') with 80% accuracy.

• Affective Domain (Valuing): Students will show enthusiasm for learning English grammar by participating in group activities, games, and creative tasks, demonstrating collaboration and appreciation for peer learning.

• Psychomotor Domain (Applying): Using their newly learned grammatical rules, students will construct at least 3 sentences individually using the correct prepositions of time.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Prepositions of Time PowerPoint (to be prepared or written on the board)
• Strips of paper for timelines
• Prepositions of Time exercise worksheet (15 sentences with blanks)
• Soft ball for the class game
• Fun music for "Pass the Ball" game
• A prepositions quiz (10 multiple-choice questions, displayed on board or printed)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Engage (10 minutes)

• Begin the class with a fun, imaginative introduction by humming or playing a "Time Machine" sound effect.
• Ask: "If you could time travel, when would you go? Share a sentence using time expressions, such as 'I’d go to __ in the morning' or 'I’d go to __ on Saturday.'"
• Write several examples shared by students on the board, such as: "in the morning," "on Saturday," "at 8 PM."
• Prompt curiosity by underlining "in," "on," and "at," and ask: "What do all these words have in common? Why do we use them?"
• Build anticipation by telling students they’ll become "Time Detectives" to uncover the rules themselves!

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2. Explore (15 minutes)

Activity: Create a Time Timeline

• Hand out a long strip of paper to each student/group.

• Instruct them to create a timeline for their typical day or week. For example:

  • Morning: 'at 9 AM' Breakfast
  • Tuesday: 'on Tuesday' Football Practice
  • Summer: 'in August' Holiday

• Allow students to decorate their timelines with drawings to represent events.

• In small groups, compare their timelines and identify patterns in the use of "at," "on," and "in." Prompt students to discuss why these words were chosen.

Group Deduction Task:

• Have each group come up with their own version of rules for when to use "at," "on," and "in." Bring the groups together to share their ideas and ensure they deduce correctly.

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3. Explain (10 Minutes)

• Using a Prepositions of Time PowerPoint (or write neatly on the whiteboard), clearly explain the rules for "at," "on," and "in," confirming and expanding upon students’ deductions:

  • "At": Times of day (at 7:00), meal times (at lunchtime), holidays (at the weekend).
  • "On": Days (on Monday), specific date (on 15th June), specific parts of days (on Tuesday morning).
  • "In": Months (in August), years (in 2020), periods of time (in 5 minutes).

• Use practice sentences displayed visually, such as:

  • "The school trip is __ Friday." (on)
  • "I was born __ 2013." (in)

Ask students to suggest additional examples aloud.

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4. Extend (15 Minutes)

Worksheet Practice:

• Distribute a worksheet with 15 sentences where the preposition of time is missing (e.g., "I eat breakfast __ the morning.").
• Students complete it individually or in pairs. Afterward, review the answers together.

Game: Pass the Ball

• Play fun music while students pass a soft ball around. When the music stops, the student holding the ball must make a sentence using a given preposition of time.

• Example: "My holiday starts __ July." (in).

• Extend the activity by converting the sentence into 3rd person:

  • Student says: "I visited Grandma on Sunday."
  • Teacher asks the class: "When did she visit her Grandma?"
  • Class replies: "She visited her Grandma on Sunday."

• Reward students with verbal praise or the chance to select the next piece of music for the game.

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5. Evaluate (10 minutes)

Pop Quiz:

• Display a quick multiple-choice quiz of 10 questions on the whiteboard, asking students to complete sentences by selecting the correct preposition ("at," "on," "in").
• Have students use mini-whiteboards or paper to show their answers simultaneously, ensuring individual understanding.

Reflection Discussion:

• Close the lesson with reflective questions:
  • "What did you find interesting about prepositions today?"
  • "Which preposition do you think you will use most, and why?"

Homework (Optional):

Ask students to write about their favourite day or week and include at least 5 sentences using prepositions of time.

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Differentiation

• For higher-achieving students, challenge them to identify prepositions of time in a paragraph or short story during the extension.
• For students needing support, provide completed examples on worksheets and offer 1:1 guidance during group activities.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observe students’ participation during discussions, group timeline activity, and pass-the-ball game.
• Summative: Evaluate accuracy in their worksheet answers, quiz results, and their ability to deduce prepositional usage.

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This detailed, student-centred, and highly engaging lesson plan will ensure Year 4 students learn prepositions of time in a way that's fun, interactive, and memorable!