Real or Fake?

Lesson Overview

• Curriculum Area: English – Phonics
• Level: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
• Duration: 5 minutes
• Class size: 12 students
• Focus sounds: ch and sh

Learning Objective

By the end of the lesson, children will be able to recognise and distinguish between real and fake words containing the digraphs ch and sh.

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Resources Needed

• Large flashcards with words (both real and fake) printed clearly
• A small basket or box labeled "Real Words"
• A small basket or box labeled "Fake Words"
• A fun character puppet to help introduce the game (optional for engagement)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (1 Minute)

📢 Teacher Says:
"Today, we are going to play a fun game! Some words are REAL words that we use every day, and some are just silly, made-up words! Let’s use our listening ears to decide which words are real and which ones are fake!"

👀 Engage the Class:

• Show the puppet (if using one) and say, "This is my friend, Charlie the Checker! He needs your help to sort real and fake words. Are you ready?"
• Briefly remind children of the ch and sh sounds, exaggerating how they are said: "Ch like in chair… Sh like in ship…"

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2. The Game – Real or Fake? (3 Minutes)

🔤 How to Play:

1. Hold up a flashcard with a word containing ch or sh (e.g., chip, shun, chiz, shop, shab).
2. Read the word out loud, then ask: “Is this a REAL word, or a FAKE word?”
3. The children give a thumbs up for real words and a thumbs down for fake words.
4. Call on a student to place the card in either the "Real Words" or "Fake Words" basket.
5. Repeat with about 6–8 words to keep the pace quick and engaging.

Words to Use:

Real: chip, shop, chin, ship, chat, shut
Fake: chab, shiz, chun, shap, shog, chub

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3. Wrap-Up (1 Minute)

👏 Praise & Review:

• Celebrate the children's effort: "You are all word detectives! Great job spotting real and fake words!"
• Reinforce learning: "Can anyone tell me a real word with ch? How about a real word with sh?"
• End with a fun challenge: "Next time, listen carefully for ch and sh sounds in the words we say every day!"

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Differentiation & Support

✔ For more confident learners: Encourage them to put the real words into a sentence.
✔ For those needing support: Model the sounds clearly and use hand signals to help them hear the sounds.

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Assessment Opportunities

✅ Observing students' reactions (thumbs up/down) shows their understanding.
✅ Listening for confident blending of ch and sh sounds during the review.

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Why This Works

🌟 Active Learning – Moving cards into baskets reinforces understanding.
🌟 Engagement – The puppet (if used) makes learning fun and interactive.
🌟 Phonics Mastery – Helps children recognise digraphs ch and sh in a playful way.

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🎉 Teacher Tip: Try playing this game outside during a phonics hunt! Hide words around the playground and have children find and sort them into the right basket.