Any sentence in English can be divided into different components known as parts of speech. These parts are meant to follow the rules of English grammar. Any English language learner, irrespective of their age, must be well-versed in these parts of speech and the rules governing them to become proficient in the language.
Apart from giving access to online games and conducting activities to learn parts of speech, one of the best tools educators can use to teach their students is a lesson plan. A carefully designed lesson plan can cover all the important points that students must know related to any given subject.
If you’re a teacher or a homeschooling parent looking for resources to educate your child or English learners, we present to you this blog post that shares a well-drafted lesson plan for introducing students to an important part of speech known as ‘Adjectives.’
What are adjectives?
Adjectives are words that make the English language more interesting! These words describe other words, like nouns and pronouns, and have the power to evoke feelings.
For example, when you hear someone say ‘fireworks,’ ‘smile,’ or ‘sunset,’ do you feel anything? Probably not. But word combinations like ‘dazzling fireworks,’ ‘a warm smile,’ or ‘a serene sunset’ will surely evoke an emotion in your heart and mind.
Now, that’s the power of adjectives we are talking about! These words beautify the English language and help in providing more information. Adjectives allow us to add details to a sentence as we communicate and offer better clarity to our readers or listeners.
Why do kids need to learn about adjectives?
Adjectives are a critical aspect of the English language. Having knowledge about adjectives and their usage has several advantages, which is why kids must learn about them.
- Kids develop vocabulary as new words are added to their knowledge.
- The knowledge of adjectives improves a child’s communication skills as they learn to share their thoughts and ideas in a better way.
- It enhances creative writing skills by giving kids the ability to add creative details to their writing.
- Adjectives nudge kids to pay attention to details when they try to describe something.
- It boosts their imagination and builds connections as they use descriptive words when talking to one another.
What should an effective adjective lesson plan comprise?
A lesson plan must provide a holistic learning experience for the students. There is no need to fit all the concepts into one lesson plan. In fact, an effective lesson plan breaks the entire unit into smaller subsections so kids can concentrate on them one at a time and gradually build their knowledge of the topic. Coming back to today’s topic of discussion, a well-crafted lesson plan on adjectives must comprise the following:
1. An introduction to adjectives
Any lesson plan should always begin with an introduction. It helps kids know what they are going to learn on a particular day. Beginning your lesson with an introduction to adjectives will capture the attention of students and create interest.
It will help them understand why it is important to learn adjectives and will provide them with a direction to look forward to. You can conduct a warm-up activity on the topic, like the one we have mentioned in our lesson plan, to set the stage for learning.
2. An opportunity to learn new adjectives
The second point an adjective lesson plan must consist of is a chance to learn new adjectives. This will help build the learner’s vocabulary, so they have a good number of adjectives in their arsenal to use in subsequent activities.
To accomplish this, you can show images to your students and encourage them to describe each one of them. Chances are your students will be able to use some describing words like ‘hot’ for tea or ‘cold’ for ice cream but will be unaware that those words are actually adjectives.
3. An opportunity to practice using adjectives
After students understand what adjectives are and have a few adjectives in their kitty, it is time to conduct activities that allow students to practice using adjectives they know of.
Adjectives-based activities will help students develop stronger language skills and become better communicators. Students will get the hang of using these words, which will be critical to their academic success.
Simple yet effective adjective lesson plan for beginner English learners
In this section, you will find a lesson plan specially drafted to teach students about adjectives. Before you get started, print ample copies of pages 3 and 4 from the lesson plan so that each student can have one copy. Also, provide them with all the materials mentioned in the lesson plan so they are all set for learning.
Here is the sample plan for you to download and use for free.
Our lesson plan includes two activities for students: ‘Read and Circle’ and ‘Write an Adjective.’ However, you may include more than two fun activities to master adjectives in your lesson. You can easily find new activities by browsing other resources available on the Internet and include them if you have some extra instructional time.
Also, as your students will be new to this concept, you can work along with them to help them complete the activity and facilitate their understanding.
How to conclude an adjective lesson plan?
Concluding a lesson plan is as important as introducing the concept to students. An effective conclusion can help you evaluate how well your students have understood the concept and give you a chance to assign extended activities. Let’s have a closer look at each one of them.
A. Evaluate students’ understanding of adjectives.
After you have finished the two given activities in the lesson plan, it’s time to evaluate student understanding. This can be done by conducting a simple quiz or by having students solve a worksheet with no help from your side.
You can now or later review student worksheets to ascertain if your students have grasped the topic well or not. Any lag in understanding can be taken care of then and there or in the next session.
B. Assign extended activities to enhance their understanding further.
The next step in the lesson conclusion is assigning extended learning activities like giving at-home assignments to students so they can review their knowledge of adjectives and reinforce their understanding.
These assignments don’t necessarily have to be in the form of worksheets. To encourage students to learn at home, you could provide them links to online adjective games or ask them to prepare a project that showcases everything they know about adjectives.
Another idea could be recommending books to read to strengthen their adjective vocabulary and see the appropriate use of these words in sentences.
Wrapping up,
An adjective lesson plan serves as an educator’s guide that includes the concepts that kids need to learn, the sequence in which they should be taught, and the ways in which educators can make an evaluation. It is a great tool for facilitating learning in the classroom without going off track.
The lesson plan we have shared above helps in acquiring basic knowledge of adjectives. Once your students gain proficiency in the basics, you can prepare another lesson plan to cover advanced concepts like different forms of adjectives (positive, comparative, and superlative) as well.
As students move from one lesson plan to the next, their linguistic knowledge will improve, and they will learn to express themselves beautifully by using the right adjectives, at the right places and at the right time.
I am Priyanka Sonkushre, a writer and blogger. I am the person behind “One Loving Mama,” a mom blog. Equipped with a Bachelor’s degree along with an MBA, my healthcare background helps me deeply understand learning difficulties. I know how challenging it can be for parents to find the right resources to help their children excel in life. So, here I am to blend my healthcare expertise with my parenting experience to create valuable and helpful resources for parents and teachers supporting children with learning differences. If you wish, you can follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn.