This is my family
Children learn eight family words, describe people with "he" and "she", read about Leo's family and start a family poster.
At a glance
- From
- Level 1, Next Steps English: Week 2, Family
- Grammar
- he / she / they
- Key language
- mum, dad, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa, baby, cousin / This is my... / He is... She is... They are...
- Children make
- A labelled family drawing with three sentences.
- Class size
- Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.
Objective
Children name eight family members and describe them with "This is my...", "He is..." and "She is...".
Success criteria for children
- I can say eight family words.
- I know when to use "he" and when to use "she".
- I can write three sentences about my family.
Timing: 60 minutes
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Warm-up: hello review | Quick name, age and feelings chain from week 1. |
| 5 to 17 | Family words | Teach eight words from the board family; drill and point. |
| 17 to 27 | He, she and they | He for boys and men, she for girls and women; a quick sorting game. |
| 27 to 40 | Reading: Leo's family | Read the text together, then answer in pairs. |
| 40 to 55 | Writing: my family | Worksheet: match, choose he or she, draw and write about my family. |
| 55 to 60 | Exit ticket | Hold-up he or she cards for five quick sentences. |
Materials
- A simple family tree drawn on the board (stick people are fine)
- Eight word cards: mum, dad, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa, baby, cousin
- Worksheet, pencils, crayons
- Family (free, linked from Week 2)
- Grammar practice (free, linked from Week 2)
Before the lesson: Draw a stick-person family on the board and label nothing yet. Some children live with one parent, grandparents or carers: say "Families are all different" at the start, and let children draw whoever they live with.
Step by step, with teacher talk
0 to 5 minWarm-up: hello review
- Run a chain down each row: "I'm Ana. I'm seven. What's your name?" Keep it fast.
"Let's remember last lesson. Ana, what's your name? How old are you? Now ask Ben."
5 to 17 minFamily words
- Point to each person on the board family and say the word. Stick the word card under it.
- Drill each word: class, then boys, then girls, then one row.
- Play "Point and say": you point fast, the class shouts the word. Then remove the cards one by one and play again from memory.
"This is my family. This is my mum. This is my dad. This is my brother..."
"Families are all different. Some are big, some are small. All families are good."
- Is a brother a boy or a girl? (A boy.)
- Is grandma your mum's mum or your sister? (Mum's mum, or dad's mum.)
- Is a baby big or small? (Small.)
17 to 27 minHe, she and they
- Write two big headings: he and she. Say "dad" and point to "he". Say "sister" and point to "she".
- Call out words. Children point right for "he", left for "she", both arms out for "they" when you say two people ("mum and dad").
- Model sentences: "This is my grandpa. He is old. He is funny." Children repeat.
"Grandma. He or she? She! She is my grandma."
- My brother is tall. Do I say "he" or "she"? (He.)
- Mum and dad: he, she or they? (They.)
27 to 40 minReading: Leo's family
- Copy the passage onto the board before class, or read it from the page.
- Read it aloud once while children listen. Read again with the class joining in.
- Pairs answer the questions orally, then check with the class. Ask a child to come and draw Leo's family on the board from the text.
"Read and find: how many people are in Leo's family? Count them with your fingers."
40 to 55 minWriting: my family
- Do the first item of each task together.
- Children draw their family in the box and write three sentences. Walk the room and help with spelling.
- Two or three children show their drawing and read one sentence.
55 to 60 minExit ticket
- See below. Note children who mix up he and she.
Differentiation
Support
- Give a sentence frame on the board: "This is my ___. He / She is ___."
- Let children label the drawing with single words instead of sentences.
- Use only four words (mum, dad, brother, sister) for children new to English.
Stretch
- Add adjectives: tall, short, funny, kind, old, young.
- Write a fourth sentence with "has got": "She has got long hair."
- Ask a partner "Have you got a brother?" and report back.
Reading passage
Hello! I'm Leo. This is my family.
This is my mum. She is a doctor. She is kind. This is my dad. He is tall and funny.
This is my sister, Ella. She is ten. This is my baby brother, Max. He is one. He is very small!
This is my grandma. She lives with us. She makes good soup.
Questions
- How many people are in the picture with Leo?
- What is Leo's mum's job?
- Who is tall and funny?
- How old is Max?
- Who makes good soup?
Printable worksheet
Prints on its own A4 page. Use Print the worksheet above, or print the whole plan and the worksheet starts on a new page. One copy per child, or one per pair to save paper.
My family
Leo's family
Hello! I'm Leo. This is my family.
This is my mum. She is a doctor. She is kind. This is my dad. He is tall and funny.
This is my sister, Ella. She is ten. This is my baby brother, Max. He is one. He is very small!
This is my grandma. She lives with us. She makes good soup.
1. Circle he or she.
- This is my dad. He / She is tall.
- This is my sister. He / She is ten.
- This is my grandma. He / She is kind.
- This is my baby brother. He / She is small.
2. Read about Leo. Write the word.
- Leo's is a doctor.
- Ella is Leo's .
- Max is years old.
3. Draw your family. Write three sentences.
Answer key
Reading passage questions
- Five: mum, dad, Ella, Max and grandma.
- She is a doctor.
- Leo's dad.
- He is one.
- Grandma.
Worksheet
- 1: He, She, She, He.
- 2: mum; sister; one.
- 3: answers will vary. Look for "This is my..." and the right he or she.
Exit ticket
Give each child a slip folded in half with he on one side and she on the other. Say five sentences with a gap ("My uncle... is funny"). Children hold up the right side. Count the class at a glance.
Homework
Finish the family drawing at home. Ask someone at home to listen while you say "This is my..." for every person in the picture.
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Start free with LitlingsMore lesson plans
- Level 1, Week 2: Family (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
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