Mastering Helping Verbs

Grade: 8

Duration: 45 Minutes

Class Size: 20 Students

Subject: English Language Arts (ELA)

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Common Core Standards Addressed

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.A
Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences. (Extend to helping verbs as part of verb phrase comprehension.)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.B
Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice, in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1.D
Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood.

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Learning Objectives (I Can Statements)

• I can identify helping verbs in sentences.
• I can explain the role helping verbs play in a verb phrase.
• I can use helping verbs correctly when constructing sentences.
• I can distinguish between main verbs and helping verbs.

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Success Criteria

• I correctly highlight helping verbs in given sentences.
• I explain how helping verbs change the meaning or tense of a main verb.
• I create sentences using helping verbs appropriately.
• I demonstrate understanding by correcting sentences with missing or incorrect helping verbs.

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Materials

• Whiteboard and markers
• Handouts with sample sentences (printed with a dyslexia-friendly font such as OpenDyslexic, large print, and high contrast)
• Index cards with verbs (both main and helping verbs)
• Chart paper for group activity
• Laptops/tablets (optional for extension activities)

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Lesson Activities

1. Introduction and Hook (5 minutes)

• Start with a quick “Helping Verbs Warm-Up” quiz on the board. Example: Write three sentences, two with helping verbs, one without; have students raise hands to identify which sentences contain helping verbs.
• Use relatable examples (e.g., “She is running,” “They have finished,” “He does his homework”) to engage interest in how helping verbs work.

2. Direct Instruction (10 minutes)

• Define helping verbs clearly: explain that helping verbs “help” the main verb to express tense, mood, or voice.
• List common helping verbs (am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, does, did, will, shall, can, could, may, might, must, should) on the whiteboard.
• Demonstrate how they combine with main verbs to form verb phrases with examples.
• Model identifying helping verbs in sample sentences.

3. Guided Practice (10 minutes)

• Distribute dyslexia-friendly handouts with sentences.
• Work through 5 example sentences together as a class. Students underline helping verbs and circle main verbs.
• Use index cards: In pairs, students receive mixed cards and create correct verb phrases using helping and main verbs. They share one with the class.

4. Group Activity (10 minutes)

• Divide class into 4 groups (5 students each).
• Each group receives a short paragraph with missing helping verbs.
• Students discuss and decide which helping verbs fit best, then write the complete paragraph on chart paper.
• Groups present their completed paragraph and explain their choices.

5. Independent Practice & Assessment (5 minutes)

• Students write 3 original sentences using helping verbs correctly.
• Collect work for formative assessment.

6. Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Quick round: Each student states one new thing they learned about helping verbs ("I can..." statement).
• Teacher provides verbal feedback and previews upcoming related lessons on verb mood and voice.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For Struggling Learners: Use color-coded verbs to visually separate helping and main verbs. Provide sentence starters during writing activities. Use oral instructions supported with visuals.
• For Students with Dyslexia: Dyslexia-friendly handouts, extra time for reading and writing, headphones for audiobooks or text-to-speech on digital devices.
• For English Language Learners (ELL): Use sentence frames and graphic organizers to scaffold understanding. Include visual aids/posters with verb phrases.
• For Advanced Learners: Challenge by creating complex sentences involving multiple helping verbs and moods (conditional, subjunctive). Encourage peer teaching during group activities.

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Extension Activities

• Digital Game Creation: Students can design a simple digital quiz or game targeting helping verbs using platforms like Kahoot or Quizlet (if available) outside of class time.
• Creative Writing: Write a short story or dialogue that heavily uses helping verbs to convey different tenses and moods. Share stories with the class or create an illustrated book.
• Grammar Detective: Students find examples of helping verbs in their independent reading books and explain their function in context.

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This lesson plan integrates multi-sensory approaches, collaborative learning, and differentiation to meet the varied needs of eighth-grade students while aligning rigorously with Common Core standards on understanding and using helping verbs.