English Lesson Plans [with Templates] for Elementary School Students

Back-to-school season is around the corner. And you're on the hunt for new lesson ideas.

Look no further! We've put together a few free sample lesson plans to make this year a great one for all of your English students.

This blog includes English lesson plans for a variety of grade levels. So, whether you teach 1st grade English, 6th grade English or any grade level in between, there's an idea here for you!

Each sample lesson plan template includes the learning objective and instructions. 

These learning objectives were created with common curriculum standards in mind, so you can rest assured that they are appropriate and useful in your classroom.

Many of the activities even provide fun ways to stretch students’ reading skills.

Ready to jump in? Let's go!

In a first-grade classroom, English exercises often include phonics activities, such as matching letters to sounds, to help students develop their reading skills.

Students also engage in vocabulary-building exercises through picture/word associations and simple sentence construction to enhance their language comprehension. 

Reading aloud and shared reading sessions are also common to foster listening skills and reading fluency.

Here are a few lesson plan ideas that use some of those activities. 

Lesson Plan: Story Sequencing with Picture Stories

Learning Objective: First grade students will understand story structure and be able to create a simple narrative.

Instructions:

• Provide students with a series of pictures that depict a simple story.
• Students arrange the pictures in order and then write or share out loud a sentence or two about each picture.

Lesson Plan: Phonics Fun with Sound Matching Game

Learning Objective: First grade students will practice phonics skills and improve their ability to decode words.

Instructions:

• Prepare cards with pictures and corresponding words (e.g., a picture of a cat and the word "cat").
• Mix up the cards and have students match the picture cards with the correct word cards.
• Once matched, students read the words aloud.

In a second grade classroom, English exercises still include phonics activities, but they may be more complex. They could include challenging students to practice sound-letter relationships through games and worksheets.

Reading comprehension exercises are also important in second grade. These activities may include reading short stories followed by answering questions to enhance understanding and critical thinking. 

Writing activities, such as composing simple sentences and paragraphs, help develop students' grammar and creative expression.

Lesson Plan: Story Mapping Exercise

Learning Objective: Second grade students will be able to identify and describe the main elements of a story (characters, setting, plot). They will also improve their reading comprehension and analytical skills. 

Instructions:

• Select a story that your class will enjoy or one that is part of your curriculum. 
• Read the story aloud to the class. Show pictures if there are any. 
• Provide each student with a story map worksheet that includes sections for characters, setting, problem and solution.
• Have students fill in the worksheet as they listen to the story.

Lesson Plan: Vocabulary Building with Word Detective

Learning Objective: Second grade students will expand their vocabulary and improve word recognition.

Instructions:

• Create a list of sight words and hide them around the classroom.
• Students act as "word detectives" and search for the words.
• When a word is found, the student reads it aloud and uses it in a sentence.

Once in third grade, students will continue to work on their reading comprehension by reading short passages and answering questions to demonstrate understanding. 

Writing exercises may involve composing simple essays or creative stories. 

There is more focus on grammar in third grade. Grammar exercises focus on teaching the parts of speech, punctuation and sentence structure to reinforce language rules.

Lesson Plan: Grammar Scavenger Hunt

Learning Objective: Third grade students will improve their ability to recognize and use different parts of speech and punctuation marks.

Instructions: 

• Create a scavenger hunt list with items such as "Find a sentence with a comma," "Locate an adjective describing a person," or "Identify a sentence with a conjunction."
• Place various books, magazines and printed articles around the classroom.
• Students will work in pairs to find examples of each item on the list, writing down the sentence and the source.
• Once the hunt is completed, review the findings as a class, discussing why each item fits the criteria.

Lesson Plan: Vocabulary Charades

Learning Objective: Third grade students will enhance their vocabulary knowledge. Through active participation and teamwork, students will solidify the meanings of new words in a fun, memorable way. 

Instructions: 

• Write vocabulary words on slips of paper, focusing on words they have recently learned.
• Divide the class into small groups. One student from each group picks a slip and acts out the word without speaking, while their group guesses the word.
• Set a time limit for each round, and rotate the actors so every student gets a turn.
• Keep a score for each group, and after the game, review the vocabulary words and their meanings.

Reading comprehension activities in fourth grade will include longer and longer passages. 

Vocabulary exercises are also common, where students learn new words through context clues and usage. 

Many teachers also introduce creative writing tasks, such as composing short stories or journal entries.

Lesson Plan: Book Report Diorama

Learning Objective: Fourth grade students will enhance reading comprehension and summarization skills by creatively presenting the main events and themes of a book. 

Instructions:

• Choose a book from the reading list.
• Create a diorama (a three-dimensional scene) in a shoebox that depicts a significant scene from the book.
• Write a one-page report explaining the scene, why it is important to the story and what themes or messages it conveys.
• Present the diorama and report to the class.

Lesson Plan: Persuasive Writing Debate

Learning Objective: Fourth grade students will learn to construct a clear and coherent argument. They will provide supporting evidence and practice public speaking skills.

Instructions: 

• Choose a topic (e.g., "Should homework be banned?").
• Write a persuasive essay arguing for or against the topic.
• Prepare to present your argument to the class in a debate format.
• Each student will have 2 minutes to present their argument, followed by a 1-minute rebuttal from the opposing side.

In fifth grade classrooms, English students may be doing writing exercises that challenge them to write essays and creative stories with proper grammar, punctuation and organization.

Reading comprehension activities often challenge students to think beyond the story and use critical thinking skills when reviewing what they have read. 

Vocabulary exercises, such as word matching and sentence completion, help students expand their language skills. 

Lesson Plan: Character Interview

Learning Objective: Fifth grade students will use analytical skills to understand a character's traits, motivations, and actions. Students will also practice speaking and listening skills.

Instructions: 

• Choose a character from a book your class is currently reading.
• In pairs, students will write a list of interview questions they would like to ask the main character.
• One student will play the role of the interviewer and the other will respond as the character.
• Perform the interview in front of the class or in small groups.

Lesson Plan: Poetry Slam

Learning Objective:  Fifth grade students will gain confidence in expressing themselves creatively and enhance their public speaking skills. They will also learn different poetic forms and devices.  

Instructions:

• Write an original poem on a theme of your choice (e.g., nature, friendship, dreams) or allow each student to choose their own theme. 
• Have students revise their poems after receiving feedback from peers.
• Then, encourage students to practice reading the poem aloud with appropriate intonation and emotion.
• Put on a class poetry slam event where your students perform their poems for an audience.

Sixth grade English teachers are focused on further developing reading comprehension skills to prepare students for more advanced pieces of literature. 

Vocabulary exercises might involve matching words to definitions, using new words in sentences, or exploring synonyms and antonyms. 

Grammar exercises focus on parts of speech, sentence structure and punctuation to improve writing skills.

Lesson Plan: Book Club Discussion

Learning Objective:  Sixth grade students will articulate their understanding of a novel’s themes and characters. They will provide evidence from the text to support their analysis and engage in meaningful discussions with peers​.

Instructions:

• Select a grade-appropriate novel and divide your class into small groups.
• Assign each group a set of discussion questions related to the themes, characters and plot of the book.
• Allow students to discuss these questions within their groups and prepare a brief presentation of their insights.
• To wrap-up, facilitate a class-wide discussion where each group shares about their group discussions.

Lesson Plan: Story Starters with a Twist

Learning Objective: Sixth grade students will practice creative writing. They will learn to develop stories with clear sequences and imaginative details. 

Instructions:

• Provide each student with a "story starter" sentence. For example, "Once upon a time, in a land where the trees could talk, there lived a..."
• Ask the students to write a short story based on the starter, ensuring it has a beginning, middle and end.
• Encourage them to include at least three characters and one conflict.
• After writing, have them pair up and exchange stories. Each student will read their partner's story and suggest an alternate ending.