Reading: Structure Patterns, Past Actions and Question-and-Answer Passages for Primary 2

Class: Primary 2
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 7 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Reading
Previous Lesson: First Term English Language Studies Examination
Topic: Reading: Structure Patterns, Past Actions and Question-and-Answer Passages
Subject Matter: Passage Illustrating the use of the various structure patterns. (i) Passage describing past actions (ii) Passage connected with asking answering questions

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify verbs in the past tense in a given passage.
• Answer simple questions based on a reading passage.
• State the main idea of a short passage.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in reading different types of passages.
• Participate actively in class discussions about passages.

Psychomotor Domain

• Read short passages clearly and with understanding.
• Write simple sentences describing past actions.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Primary 2 English Textbook
• NAPPS/ABUJA ERC Scheme of work for Primary 2

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Reading texts (simple stories, short dialogues)
• Flashcards with past tense verbs
• Whiteboard/Blackboard
• Markers/Chalk
• Pupils’ English textbooks and notebooks

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it helps pupils develop essential reading comprehension skills by recognizing different sentence structures. Understanding how to identify past actions and respond to questions in passages improves their ability to interpret information and communicate effectively in English.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are expected to have basic reading skills, including recognizing simple words and forming simple sentences.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Reading: Structure Patterns, Past Actions and Question-and-Answer Passages

Understanding Structure Patterns in Passages

Reading passages can have different ways of putting sentences together. These are called structure patterns. Today, we will look at passages that tell us about things that happened before (past actions) and passages that help us ask and answer questions.

Passages Describing Past Actions

These passages use words that tell us about things that have already happened. These words are called past tense verbs. They often tell us what someone did yesterday, last week, or a long time ago.

Example Passage:

Yesterday, Bola went to the farm. She helped her mother to plant yam seedlings. After that, they drank water and rested under a tree. They came home in the evening.

Past Tense Verbs in the Passage:

1. went
2. helped
3. drank
4. rested
5. came

Passages Connected with Asking and Answering Questions

These passages give us information that we can use to ask questions or find answers. They help us understand details from a story or text.

Example Passage:

My name is Emeka. I have a small dog named Bingo. Bingo loves to play in the park. Every morning, I take Bingo for a walk. He always barks at the birds.

Questions and Answers from the Passage:

1. Question: What is the boy’s name?
2. Answer: The boy’s name is Emeka.
3. Question: What is the name of his dog?
4. Answer: His dog’s name is Bingo.
5. Question: Where does Bingo love to play?
6. Answer: Bingo loves to play in the park.
7. Question: What does Bingo bark at?
8. Answer: Bingo barks at the birds.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Reading Aloud, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging learners/Recalling prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them what they remember about reading stories. The teacher then tells them that today they will learn about different ways stories are told and how to find information in them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively.

Learning Point: Prior reading skills

Step 2: Explanation of Past Actions

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that some stories tell us about things that happened in the past. The teacher introduces the concept of past tense verbs (e.g., “walk” becomes “walked,” “eat” becomes “ate”). The teacher uses simple examples on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and observe the examples on the board.

Learning Point: Understanding past tense

Step 3: Examples of Past Actions

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Illustration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes a short passage on the board (similar to the example in the Board Summary) that describes past actions. The teacher reads it aloud, emphasizing the past tense verbs, and asks pupils to identify them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the passage, read along, and point out the past tense verbs.

Learning Point: Recognizing past tense verbs

Step 4: Guided Practice (Past Actions)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided practice/Feedback

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to make their own simple sentences about what they did yesterday, using past tense verbs. The teacher provides support and corrects errors.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt to form sentences about their past actions.

Learning Point: Forming past tense sentences

Step 5: Introduction to Q&A Passages

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that some passages are good for asking and answering questions. The teacher reads a short, simple passage and asks a direct question about it to show how information is found.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the passage and answer the teacher’s question.

Learning Point: Purpose of questions

Step 6: Reading and Answering Questions

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reading comprehension/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes another short passage (similar to the example in the Board Summary) on the board. The teacher reads it and then writes a few questions based on the passage, guiding pupils to find the answers within the text.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the passage silently and then orally answer the questions asked by the teacher.

Learning Point: Comprehension skills

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Read the passage about Bola and name two things she did on the farm.
2. Change the word “play” to show past action.
3. From the passage about Emeka, what is the name of his dog?
4. Where does Bingo love to play?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Passage comprehension

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes into their notebooks, focusing on the example passages and questions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording key information

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds pupils that reading helps them learn about past events and find answers to questions. The teacher encourages them to practice reading at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of reading.

Learning Point: Recap of reading skills

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the short story below and answer the questions that follow in your notebook.

Story: Last Saturday, my family and I went to the beach. My brother, John, played with a big blue ball. I built a sandcastle. My mum bought us ice cream. We had a lot of fun.

1. What did the family do last Saturday?
2. Who played with a big blue ball?
3. What did I build?
4. What did Mum buy for them?
5. Write one sentence about what you did last Sunday.

Lesson Keywords

• Past actions – things that have already happened
• Past tense – verbs that show actions completed in the past
• Questions – sentences that ask for information
• Answers – responses to questions
• Passage – a short piece of writing or text

Differentiation

For slower learners: Provide simpler passages with fewer sentences and fewer past tense verbs. Offer flashcards with common past tense verbs and their present tense forms for matching. Guide them individually in answering questions by pointing to the exact sentences in the passage.

For faster learners: Challenge them to identify more past tense verbs in longer passages. Ask them to create their own short passages about past events and write questions for their classmates to answer. Encourage them to use a wider range of past tense verbs.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: “Primary 2 reading past tense stories” or “Primary 2 comprehension question and answer passages”.

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, prepare the reading texts or stories, ensuring they are clear, simple, and appropriate for Primary 2 pupils. Have flashcards ready for past tense verbs if needed. During the lesson, clearly explain how verbs change to show past actions and provide multiple examples. Encourage pupils to read aloud and actively participate in identifying past tense verbs and answering questions. Allow them to copy the Board Summary notes during Step 8, ensuring they understand the examples provided. Pay close attention to individual pupils’ reading and comprehension levels, offering support to those struggling and extending challenges to those who grasp the concepts quickly. Ensure the classroom environment is conducive to reading and discussion.