These emergency lesson plans for Year 2 Literacy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources.

Autumn Term

Word Level Work
In table groups identify as many different homophones as possible.
Pick 1-3 homophone pairs and write a sentence to show the difference in meaning.
Identify from classroom labels, books and own knowledge words with (short) oo, ar, oy,
ow
In pairs write words with and then without the s, ed, ing endings.

Sentence and Text Level Work
Joining words…. As a class identify the joining words after, meanwhile, during, before,
then, next, after a while in pairs write a selection of sentences to show these words being
used.
Write a selection of simple/short sentences down and in pairs students to join them
together with the joining words.
Using the joining words write a short story/account relating to a certain topic.
Draw a map of the school and label it using arrows, lines, boxes and keys.
Draw a storyboard to illustrate carrying out a simple task using organisational devices to
label it.
In pairs retell a story in the correct order.
Discuss a story and relate to events in their own lives.
In pairs write a poem about school/topics they are studying this term.

Spring Term

Word Level Work
In pairs clap out the syllables in their reading books
Write down words and draw vertical lines through the word to show the syllables
In pairs get each other to give a word to their partner to identify amount of syllables
Give each table group a word and investigate what words they could add to it to make
more words eg man – milkman, postman (man, pan, him, tea, hand)
Wh, oh, ch investigation. Using dictionaries how many words can they find containing
these diagraphs?

Sentence Level Work
Write a list based on the topic they a studying/things they would take on holiday/shopping
list
Write 3-4 sentences about themselves using capitals, full stops.
In pairs read aloud a page from a book using different expressions.
Write some information about their school using speech marks, labels, bold, headings, and
sub-headings to put in class book.

Text Level Work
Dictionary Race – give each table a whiteboard, pen and dictionaries. Say a word and
groups to find it and write either the page number it is on or the definition depending on
their ability and hold it up once done.
In pairs use a non-fiction book to write some questions asking what page they would find
certain information on. Swap questions with another pair, and then answer the questions
using the index.
Write a poem based on the topic they are studying.
Using a setting from a traditional tale write a story about themselves.
Write/design a wanted poster for the Big Bad Wolf/Goldilocks/Wolf from Three Little
Pigs/any ‘bad’ character from a book.
Pick a character from a story and draw a portrait of them. Around the portrait write words
or phrases to describe them.

Summer Term

Word Level Work
Syllable work as term two.
Recap on spellings in previous five terms (above).
Hangman with the spellings.
Identify as many words as possible with the endings ful and ly using signs, books, own
knowledge.

Sentence Level Work
Write questions about a topic using When, Where, What, How, Who.
Brainstorm different types of questions they could ask e.g. time? Day?
Search through selection of books to find questions.
Write sentences using the correct verb e.g. catch/caught, go/went, see/saw based on a
book.

Text Level Work
Read and compare a selection of books by the same author – e.g. Anthony Browne. What is
the same? What is different? Complete a table/list to show the difference.
Write about an author – their name, alive or dead? Publisher? Identifying where they found
this information.
Read and compare two similar books from two different authors and identify the
differences to feed back to the class.
Write a nonsense poem with rhyming words.
Write tongue twisters – own or from books – to make a class poetry book.
Give a verbal book review on a book they have read.
Write a book review for a class book.
Describe a character/scene/setting from a story they would write.
In pairs start planning a long story on a particular theme (e.g. relate to topic being
studied).

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on Year 3 and Year 4 Emergency Lesson Plans for History. Check out our resources area here too.

These emergency lesson plans for Year 1 Literacy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources.

Autumn Term

Word Level Work
CVC bingo, write a selection of CVC words on the whiteboard and in pairs children to pick
4/6 words. Play bingo calling words from the board. Extension – ask child to call the
words.
Rhyming CVC words – put a CVC word on the whiteboard and students in pairs/table groups
to write down as many rhyming words as they can. Extension – time the activity.
“I’m thinking of a word beginning with C that rhymes with mat” students to guess and then
spell the word you are thinking of. Then let students take turns to think of a word. Move
to doing it in pairs.
Identify different signs in the classroom and their uses then design their own sign for the
classroom.
Identify as many different items in the room beginning with…

Sentence Level Work
Students to pick 1-3 CVC words depending on ability, and write a sentence using them.
Students to write a sentence without capital letter or full stop. And partner needs to
correct it/find what’s missing.
Identify sentences and nonsense sentences. In pairs write one of each, swap with another
pair and they need to work out which is which.

Text Level Work
In groups of 3/4 create a freeze frame from their favourite book for rest of class to guess.
Write words to describe a character from a book (pick the book from the classroom/a
well-known book)
Act out their favourite nursery rhyme/fairy tale.
Create a story board for a story you have read to them.
Write directions to get to the hall.
Draw a map for you of the school and label.

Spring Term

Word Level Work
Sound Detectives
– using their reading books and books in classroom students to find words ending with
ff, ll, ss, ck, ng, nd, lp,st
– using their reading books and books in classroom students to find words beginning
with bl, cr, tr, str
– using their reading books and books in classroom students to find words within words

Sentence Level Work
Design a poster to explain what a sentence/capital letter/full stop is.
Read a sentence to a partner with different emotions (happy, sad, excited, and bored) and
partner to guess what emotion.

Text Level Work
Describe their favourite character from a fairy tale in pairs for their partner to guess.
Create a story board for a fairy tale.
In pairs verbally retell a fairy tale.
In groups look at a non-fiction book and mind map it may be about to tell the rest of the
class.
Get the class to explain to you what a non-fiction book is and its features.
In a pair use a non-fiction book to find out 1-3 (depending on ability) interesting facts to
share.
In a group draw round one member and then all label different body parts – extension –
what they do, e.g. eyes for seeing.
Create a story board for the school day and write captions underneath.
Using their reading books try and find words in the dictionary and write what page it’s on.

Summer Term

Word Level Work
“Ing” “ed” detectives – in pairs students look around the classroom/in books to find words
with the endings then write a sentence using one of each.
In pairs write as many words as they can think of with the phonemes ee, ai, ei,(long) oo,
oa in.

Sentence Level Work
Write three questions they would like to ask their teacher/head teacher.
Write questions for a character in a book.

Text Level Work
Describe their ideal playground.
Write about their ideal bedroom.
Write about a trip/outing they have been on recently.
Write about a day in the life of a character from a book.
Create a guide about the school for students/staff who are new.
Look at non-fiction books and explain the different features.
In pairs, look at a non-fiction book and discuss what the book could be about just by
looking at the front cover and the blurb.
Write three questions that people could find the answer out by reading the book.

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on Year 1 Emergency Lesson Plans for Numeracy. Check out our resources area here too.