Introduction

Welcome children to today’s lesson on Proper Nouns. Explain that a proper noun is a name given to a particular person, place or thing. Provide examples of proper nouns such as London, Leanne, the Eiffel Tower, Tuesday and summer.

Lesson Outline

Explain that a proper noun always begins with a capital letter. Show some examples and ask the children to explain why the words are proper nouns and why they need to start with a capital letter.

Next, explain that proper nouns don’t usually have articles (a, an, the) before them, except in some cases such as The Beatles.

Show the children two lists of words: • Cats • John • Sun • China • The Great Wall

Explain that the words in the first list are common nouns, but the words in the second list are proper nouns.

Inform the children that proper nouns are sometimes used to name people, places or things. Show some examples and ask the children to identify which words are proper nouns.

After this, watch a short video together on proper nouns to reinforce learning.

Questioning

• What is a proper noun? • What words always start with a capital letter? • What are examples of proper nouns? • What rule do we need to follow when using proper nouns?

Assessment

Ask the children to complete a worksheet (see link below) on proper nouns. The worksheet contains a range of activities including: • Identifying proper nouns in a list • Writing some proper nouns • Sorting words into proper nouns and common nouns

Differentiation

For children who find the worksheet too challenging, provide simpler activities such as matching proper nouns to their corresponding common nouns.

Plenary

Remind the children that proper nouns are always written with a capital letter and are used to name particular people, places or things. Ask one or two children to provide an example of a proper noun to summarise the lesson.

Resources

Video – Proper Nouns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHdtsUtBVg0

Worksheet – Proper Nouns https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-l-5224-proper-nouns-worksheet