Grade 1 · Lesson 21 — Why we need them, and what they are

U1 · Level One — Parts of Speech · Pronouns (1 of 3) · blocked practice · 10–15 min · 18 slides · no Poodle book pages yet — Square One runs on remedial sheets
Anchor to leave them with: A pronoun stands in for a noun.

ObjectiveStudents will why we need them, and what they are.

Smallest pieceSaying the naming word twice sounds wrong; I, you, he, she, it, we, they fix it.

Spot test“Whose place is it taking?”

Why that test works'Which noun is it replacing?' works because a pronoun is only meaningful when something earlier supplies its meaning. If no noun answers the question, the word is not doing a pronoun's job.

Why — in your own words—

MaterialsMini-whiteboard + pen per student · Board or screen for the deck · Board space kept clear for the VIP — it stays up all lesson · Worksheet — Lesson 21 · Deck: G1_L021_… .pptx · If it breaks: Remedial sheet 09

Vocabulary — pre-pointedT3: pronoun = a word that stands in for a naming word, so we do not say it twice
T2: identify = find and name

Slide	Part	On screen / book	Teacher says	Teacher does — point, click, clap	Students
1	Launch	Grammar — Day 21	(nothing yet — this is on screen as they come in and settle)	Have Grammar — Day 21 up before they enter. Say nothing about it; it is doing its work by being there.	See it on the way in. Know grammar is next.
2	Launch	Why we need them, and what they are	“Assalamu alaykum.”	Greet and settle.	Return the greeting.
3	Launch	Today — Launch highlighted	“Our plan.”	Point down the five steps.	Look.
—	Launch	(no slide — retrieval)	“Yesterday: nouns you cannot touch — idea nouns. Quick — one together.”	60 seconds, no longer. Same language as when it was taught, a NEW example. Note: SPIRAL. If they cannot do this, that is today's real work — stop and reteach with the sheet named against the error.	Answer together.
—	Launch	Why — say it ten seconds, off screen, in your own words	“Every one of these words is a tool you will keep for life.”	Why this matters. Say it, do not read it. Ten seconds. Note: Your words. A different reason every lesson, on purpose.	Listen.
4	Launch	Saying the naming word twice sounds wrong; I, you, he, she, it, we, they fix it.	“Saying the naming word twice sounds wrong; I, you, he, she, it, we, they fix it.”	Say it slowly. This is the one idea of the day. Note: CONFOUND CONTROLLED: Taught from a PROBLEM. Subject pronouns only — object forms are Grade 2.	Listen.
5	Launch	What we will do · A pronoun is a word that stands in for a naming word, so we do not say it twice. · Saying the naming word twice sounds wrong; I, you, he, she, it, we, they fix it. · The question we ask: “Whose place is it taking?” · Then we find them together.	“Saying the naming word twice sounds wrong; I, you, he, she, it, we, they fix it. The question we ask ourselves is: Whose place is it taking?”	Click once per line. Land on the question — it is the tool they keep.	Listen.
6	Launch	I AnswerWhose place is it taking? → yes	“I. Whose place is it taking?”	Ask it, answer it aloud together, then click.	Answer together.
7	I do	Today — I do highlighted	“Watch me do one — then I will leave it on the board.”	Point to I do.	Watch.
8	I do	I-do example Watch me do one the exact task, modelled — sentence · question · ring it · name it	“We gave Poodle and him some soup.” … “Whose place is it taking?” … “We — a pronoun.” “Your turn: same question, on your board.”	One click per move: the sentence · the question · ring the word and name it · hand it over. Do it exactly the way you want them to do it — this is the task they are about to do on their boards, not a different, easier one. Note: Model the DOING, not only the thinking. The ring is the same mark they will make; the wording is the same wording you want back.	Watch. Hands still.
—	I do	(board — build the VIP, then leave it up)	(you are narrating each stage as you draw it — see the stages)	Build on the BOARD, not the slide. · Write We gave Poodle and him some soup. (p.25) · ① Write the question underneath: Whose place is it taking? · ② Try it on We — “We = ?” — it works · ③ Ring We and name it: a pronoun Then leave it up for the whole lesson. Note: Walk it one click per step — this is the slide the teacher talks through, not one to flash. Leave the BOARD copy up; the slide can move on once they start, because the same strip is printed at the top of their sheet. Come back to it if anyone stalls.	Watch it being built. It stays there to look at.
9	We do	Today — We do highlighted	“Together. Boards out.”	Boards out.	Boards ready.
—	We do	(no slide — a student models, then turn and talk)	“Watch him/her do one. Same question, out loud.” … “Now turn to your partner. One of you does the next one out loud, the other one checks the question was asked.”	Student models first — pick someone you are confident will do it well; this first model sets the standard the class copies. Then turn and talk: 60 seconds, one item, and they swap roles. Listen for who says the question aloud and who just says an answer. Note: This is the Interactive Modeling step 4 move. It is not in every lesson — only where a procedure is new. Start over if the class does not watch the model silently.	One models; then partners take turns.
10	We do	We gave Poodle and him some soup. (p.25) Answerfind the pronoun	“We gave Poodle and him some soup.” … “Whose place is it taking?”	Wait. Boards up on signal. Scan before you reveal.	Write the answer, boards up.
11	We do	The word pronoun means for the noun. Answerfind the pronoun	“The word pronoun means for the noun.” … “Whose place is it taking?”	Wait. Boards up on signal. Scan before you reveal.	Write the answer, boards up.
12	We do	he Answeryes — Whose place is it taking? works	“he” … “Whose place is it taking?”	Wait. Boards up on signal. Scan before you reveal.	Write the answer, boards up.
13	We do	she Answeryes — Whose place is it taking? works	“she” … “Whose place is it taking?”	Wait. Boards up on signal. Scan before you reveal.	Write the answer, boards up.
14	You do	Exit directions Before you start · Sheet and pencil · Ask the question on every item · Find the pronoun in each one · Do all of them, then look up · Wait for “go”. procedure — given standing still, before anyone moves Worksheet — Lesson 21	“Before you move. Sheet and pencil. Ask the question on every item. Find the pronoun in each one. Do all of them, then look up. When I say go — and not before.”	Exit Directions. Give ALL of it standing still, before anyone touches anything. Then release. Do not add instructions once they are working — that is what the VIP on the board is for. Note: Given BEFORE the release, in one go. Adding a step mid-task is what produces the hands going up.	Listen with hands still. Then start.
15	You do	VIP slide How we did it together the worked example — one click per step 1. Write We gave Poodle and him some soup. (p.25) 2. ① Write the question underneath: Whose place is it taking? 3. ② Try it on We — “We = ?” — it works 4. ③ Ring We and name it: a pronoun Worksheet — Lesson 21	“On your own. The question is the same: Whose place is it taking?”	Their sheet carries the same strip. Come back to this if anyone stalls.	Work alone.
16	Closure	Today — Closure highlighted	“Boards up one more time.”	Point to Closure.	Boards ready.
17	Closure	Pronouns may also have person and number. Answer— (check against the spot test, not the meaning)	“Last one. Whose place is it taking?”	Boards up on signal. Scan. Click to reveal. Note: Held-out item — the class has not met this one.	Answer. Hold up.
18	Closure	A pronoun stands in for a noun.	“A pronoun stands in for a noun.”	Collect boards.	Repeat: “A pronoun stands in for a noun.”

If it breaks — stop and repair

Do not move on. Reteach with the sheet named against the error, and let the float absorb it.

Secure looks like: Given two sentences where the second opens with a pronoun, the child names the noun it replaces and can swap it back without the sentence breaking.

Common errors

Cannot say which noun the pronoun replaces
Recognising the word is easier than tracking the reference.
→ “Put the naming word back in. Does it still make sense?” The swap-back is both the check and the repair. Remedial sheet 09
Uses a pronoun with no noun before it, then cannot explain it
Speech does this constantly and is understood from context.
→ “Who is he? I do not know yet — you have not told me.” Remedial sheet 09
Calls “my” or “his” a pronoun
They are, in fact — just not the kind being taught.
→ Say yes, and say it is a different kind we meet later. Never mark a correct instinct wrong.

Three tiers

Core	As written.
Bridge	2–3 word items only. Teacher does the first one with the student.
Foundation	One word at a time; student echoes, then one clap. No sentences yet.

Non-verbal cue

Pronoun: two fingers swapping places, left over right

Question continuum: “How many claps?” (concrete) → “How do you know that was one word and not two?” (open)

As-Suffah Academy · Language Arts · Grade 1 · Lesson 21 Launch → I do → We do → You do → Closure