Grade 1 English FAL: Building Sentences with Sight Words – Week 42 Term 4

1. I

Used to talk about yourself. Example: “I am happy.”

2. can

Shows ability to do something. Example: “I can jump.”

3. see

Using your eyes to look at something. Example: “I can see a bird.”

4. the

Used before a noun to show a specific thing. Example: “the cat”

5. a

Used before a noun for any one thing. Example: “a book”

Hook Activity:

Sing an energetic action song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” with English actions. Teacher models actions clearly while singing. Learners join in with clapping, stamping, and jumping. This gets learners engaged and ready to learn while exposing them to English rhythm and vocabulary.

Introduction Activities:

• Quick Review (3 minutes): Display sight word flashcards from previous lessons. Hold up each card and have learners read chorally together: “I, can, see, the, a”. Make it fun by varying volume (whisper/loud) and speed (slow/fast).
• Today’s Focus (2 minutes): Show a simple picture and model the sentence pattern: “I can see a cat.” Point to yourself for “I”, make binoculars with hands for “see”, and point to the picture. Have learners repeat the sentence with actions.

Activity 1: Direct Instruction – Shared Reading (8 minutes)

Read a Big Book or display enlarged pictures with simple sentences following the “I can see…” pattern. Read expressively, pointing to each word as you read. Examples: “I can see a dog. I can see the sun. I can see a tree.”

• Read each page twice – first time for meaning, second time tracking print
• Ask simple comprehension questions: “What can you see in the picture?”
• Encourage learners to predict what comes next
• Emphasize the sight words by pointing and having learners read with you

Activity 2: Guided Practice – Building Sentences Together (10 minutes)

Create sentences together as a class using word cards and picture cards.

• Step 1: Place large word cards “I”, “can”, “see”, “a”, “the” on the board/floor
• Step 2: Show picture cards of familiar objects (ball, cat, book, bird, etc.)
• Step 3: Invite learners to help build a sentence by arranging word cards and adding a picture
• Step 4: Read the sentence together chorally, pointing to each word
• Step 5: Act out the sentence if possible (pretend to see the object)
• Repeat with 4-5 different pictures, always using the same sentence pattern

Activity 3: Independent Practice – Oral Sentence Building (10 minutes)

Learners practice making their own sentences orally.

• Pair Work (5 minutes): Learners work in pairs. Give each pair a set of small picture cards. Partner A shows a picture, Partner B says: “I can see a/the [object]”. Then they swap roles. Teacher circulates to listen and support.
• Circle Time Sharing (5 minutes): Gather learners in a circle. Each learner gets a turn to say one sentence about something they can see in the classroom: “I can see the door” or “I can see a book”. Teacher models first, then goes around the circle.

Consolidation Activity (4 minutes):

Play “I Spy” game using the sentence pattern. Teacher starts: “I can see something blue.” Learners guess and respond in full sentences: “I can see the sky” or “I can see a pencil.” Continue with 3-4 rounds, allowing learners to be the leader.

Exit Ticket (3 minutes):

As learners line up to leave, each child must tell the teacher one thing they can see, using the complete sentence: “I can see a/the [object].” Teacher gives a thumbs up or high five for correct attempts. This provides quick individual assessment of understanding.

📝 Formative Assessment (Ongoing)

• Observation during activities: Note which learners can recognize sight words, construct sentences correctly, and participate actively
• Listening during pair work: Circulate and listen to learner conversations, noting pronunciation and sentence structure
• Response monitoring: Track which learners respond confidently to questions and which need additional support
• Checklist: Use a simple checklist to note each learner’s ability to recognize the 5 target sight words

📋 Summative Assessment

• Exit ticket performance: Ability to construct and say a complete sentence independently
• Sight word recognition: Can identify at least 3 out of 5 sight words when shown flashcards
• Oral participation: Level of engagement and confidence in speaking English during activities

🤝 For learners who need support:

• Pair with a confident English speaker during partner activities
• Use more visual support – actions, pictures, and gestures with every word
• Allow use of home language to explain meaning, then translate to English
• Reduce number of sight words to focus on (just “I”, “can”, “see” initially)
• Provide sentence starters and let them complete with a picture or gesture
• Give extra time during exit ticket – allow them to point and teacher can model sentence

🚀 For advanced learners:

• Encourage them to extend sentences: “I can see a big black dog”
• Introduce variation: “I can see…” OR “I see…” OR “Can you see…?”
• Ask them to create sentences about what they saw on the way to school
• Challenge them to use different sentence patterns: “The cat is big”
• Have them help peers by being “sentence helpers” during activities
• Provide additional vocabulary cards to expand their sentences

♿ For learners with barriers to learning:

• Visual impairments: Use large print sight word cards, high contrast colors, position learner close to board
• Hearing impairments: Face the learner when speaking, use clear gestures and actions, provide visual cues
• Speech difficulties: Accept pointing to word cards as valid response, don’t pressure to speak loudly, celebrate attempts
• Processing difficulties: Give one instruction at a time, use consistent routine and structure, allow more processing time
• Attention challenges: Use frequent movement breaks, vary voice tone and volume, provide fidget tools if needed

✅ What worked well:

[To be completed after lesson – Consider: Which activities engaged learners most? Did learners achieve the objectives? How was participation?]

🔧 What could be improved:

[To be completed after lesson – Consider: Which learners struggled? What activities need more time? What materials were missing? How can pacing be improved?]

📝 Notes for next lesson:

[To be completed after lesson – Consider: What concepts need reinforcement? Which sight words to review? What new vocabulary to introduce? Any follow-up activities needed?]