We are learning when to use past tense.
Success criteria
I can find and use past tense verbs when reading or talking about something that has already happened.
Lesson structure
- Return to My Place by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins and reread the 1978 double page spread of Mike’s story. Mike’s story is in present tense.
- Make an enlarged version on the section of the text that describes Easter lunch so that all students can clearly see the text. Draw attention to the year (1978) and compare to present. Mike is not 7 anymore. If he were retelling his story about Easter what might he have to change in this extract? Focus on the verbs - all the examples in this extract demonstrate irregular past tense (e.g. have-had, is-was, get-got). Make the edits on the enlarged version.
- Using shared writing, rewrite Mike’s story in past tense. Ask for input for the writing content and prompt for the use of past tense. Reread for sense. Students highlight the past tense verbs.
- Make an anchor chart of irregular verbs: present to past. Also discuss the use of regular past tense verbs that add the morpheme ‘ed’.
For the teacher:
- Add ‘ed’ to verb stem e.g. walk → walked
- If the verb stem ends in ‘e’, just add a ‘d’ e.g. use → used
- If the verb ends in a stressed vowel and consonant, double the consonant and add ‘ed’ e.g. plan →planned
- If the verb ends in y, change the ‘y’ to an ‘i’ and add ‘ed’ e.g. try → tried.
(see Derewianka, 1998, p. 62-63).
- During reading time, ask students to identify examples of past tense verbs in their guided reading texts or independent reading choices. Mark with a sticky note. Record in their reading response journal. Share with whole class. Add to anchor chart.
- Return to the success criteria. Can students identify an example of a past tense verb? Can they use an example in their talk? Students self-evaluate.