Introduction Begin the lesson by reading the book ‘Little Mouse Gets Ready’ by Jeff Smith, which introduces the concepts of proper and common nouns, as well as other language components (1). This is a good way to stimulate discussion and allow the children to make connections between the terms they have heard and what they hear in the book (2).

Lesson Outline

• Brainstorm a list of words that fill in the blanks e.g. John, the __, last Wednesday (answer: boy) • Discuss the concept of a proper noun and its attributes (e.g. specific and unique) • Show examples of proper nouns and ask the students to identify them • Use a venn diagram to differentiate between proper nouns and common nouns • Introduce the rules of capitalization for proper nouns • Introduce worksheets to practice using proper nouns

Questioning

• Ask questions related to the concepts and rules of proper nouns • Ask questions that encourage the children to use their imagination when creating sentences and stories incorporating proper nouns.

Assessment

• Ask the children to use proper nouns in their own stories and have them read their stories aloud to the class • Use the worksheets to check for understanding

Differentiation

• Allow students to work in pairs or small groups according to their learning needs. • Provide supplementary worksheets for the more advanced learners • Provide extra support for the students who are struggling

Plenary

• Review the main points of the lesson • Remind students of the main attributes of proper nouns • Encourage students to use proper nouns in their everyday speaking

Resources

1. ‘Little Mouse Gets Ready’, Jeff Smith https://www.amazon.com/Little-Mouse-Gets-Ready-Smith/dp/0698417386

2. Proper Nouns Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AykjM04JU6o

3. Proper Nouns Worksheets https://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/language_arts/nouns/ https://www.teachables.scholastic.com/teachables/guest/worksheets/plural+possessive+proper+nouns+worksheet+5th.pdf