Past Tense Practice

Grade

6th Grade

Duration

53 minutes

Class Size

50 students

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Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards for ELA & Literacy (grades 6-8):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4
  Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.1
  Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1
  Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify and use the auxiliary verb avoir in present tense forms (j’ai, tu as, il/elle a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont).
• Construct simple past tense sentences using avoir + past participle.
• Recognize the common past participle endings (-é, -i, -u) and apply them correctly.
• Verbally collaborate with peers to build meaningful past tense sentences.
• Write an original past tense sentence using avoir correctly for an exit ticket.

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Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector and screen (to display visuals and games)
• Printed sentence builder cards (subject pronouns, avoir forms, past participle verbs)
• Individual whiteboards or notebooks for student writing
• Timer or stopwatch

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up Introduction (10 minutes)

Purpose: Introduce the concept of past tense with aujourd’hui (today) vs hier (yesterday).

• Begin by writing on the board:
  Aujourd’hui vs Hier
• Engage students with simple examples (in English) comparing actions they do today vs. yesterday (e.g., “Today I eat lunch. Yesterday I ate lunch.”).
• Briefly introduce the idea that yesterday’s actions need a different verb tense (past tense in French).
• Show a quick visual: Timeline with Aujourd’hui and Hier, highlighting how actions switch in time.
• Ask: “Can anyone tell me one thing they did yesterday?” Write one or two examples on the board.

2. Lesson Presentation (15 minutes)

Purpose: Teach the structure Sujet + AVOIR + Participe passé and forms of avoir.

• Display the structure clearly on the board and explain:
  Sujet (subject pronoun) + Avoir in present tense + past participle = Past action sentence.
• Teach avoir forms, write on board:
  • j’ai (I have)
  • tu as (you have)
  • il/elle a (he/she has)
  • nous avons (we have)
  • vous avez (you have - plural/formal)
  • ils ont (they have)
• Drill pronunciation by chorally repeating each form.
• Next, introduce past participle endings with examples:
  • verbs ending in -er → -é (parler → parlé)
  • verbs ending in -ir → -i (finir → fini)
  • verbs ending in -re → -u (vendre → vendu)
• Write and pronounce 3 verbs per group with their past participle.

3. Guided Practice: Sentence Builder Game (20 minutes)

Purpose: Reinforce present avoir forms and past participle through interactive pair work.

• Divide students into pairs (25 pairs).
• Each pair receives a set of cards: subject pronouns, avoir present tense forms, and verbs with their past participles.
• The goal: build and say aloud correct past tense sentences. For example: Tu as parlé or Nous avons fini.
• Circulate around the room, listening and giving immediate feedback.
• For engagement, turn it into a light competition: which pair builds the most correct sentences in 10 minutes?
• Encourage students to switch partners after 10 minutes to enhance collaborative skills (aligns with CCSS.SL.6.1).

4. Independent Writing / Exit Ticket (8 minutes)

Purpose: Check individual understanding through a quick written sentence.

• Prompt: “Write one sentence using avoir and a past participle to tell what you did yesterday.”
• Students write their sentence on whiteboards or notebooks.
• Collect or quickly review to check accuracy of avoir use and past participle endings.

5. Wrap-Up (optional if time permits or for homework)

• Brief recap of structure and forms learned.
• Encourage students to think about other verbs they might want to use in sentences tomorrow.

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Differentiation & Accessibility

• For ELLs and struggling learners: Provide a simplified verb list and sentence starters. Pair with confident speakers.
• For advanced learners: Challenge them to make negative past tense sentences using ne... pas with avoir.
• Visual learners: Use charts with color-coded verbs and verb endings.
• Kinesthetic learners: Use physical cards and encourage acting out verbs.

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Reflection and Teacher Notes

• Monitor pair interactions for student participation.
• Use formative assessment insights from exit tickets to plan follow-up lessons.
• Incorporate technology next lesson by creating digital fill-in-the-blank exercises for individualized practice.

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This lesson plan integrates rigorous grammar instruction aligned to Common Core standards by focusing on language conventions, vocabulary development, and collaborative speaking activities. It blends traditional instruction, active engagement, and formative assessment to maximize student learning in 6th grade language acquisition.