Grade 7 · Lesson 31 — Adverb

U1 · Level One — Parts of Speech · Adverb (—) · blocked practice · 10–15 min · 14 slides · no Poodle book pages yet — Square One runs on remedial sheets
Anchor to leave them with: The subject is who or what it is about.
ObjectiveStudents will tell adverb apart in mixed practice.
Smallest pieceReview and apply what we already know.
Spot test“Which question is this?”
Why that test works'How, when, or where?' works because those are exactly the questions a verb leaves open. The adverb is the answer the verb invites.
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 31 · Deck: G7_L031_… .pptx · If it breaks: Remedial sheet 19
Vocabulary — pre-pointedT3: subject = who or what the sentence is about
T2: sort = put into groups
SlidePartOn screen / bookTeacher says Teacher does — point, click, clapStudents
1LaunchGrammar — Day 31(nothing yet — this is on screen as they come in and settle)Have Grammar — Day 31 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.
2LaunchAdverb“Assalamu alaykum.”Greet and settle.Return the greeting.
3LaunchToday — Launch highlighted“Our plan.”Point down the steps.Look.
LaunchWhy — say it
ten seconds, off screen, in your own words
“Naming a thing is the first step to understanding it.”Why this matters. Say it, do not read it. Ten seconds.
Note: Your words. A different reason every lesson.
Listen.
4LaunchToday the questions jump around: subject.“Today the questions jump around — subject. Your first job, before you answer anything, is to notice which one I am asking.”Say it slowly. This is the actual objective of the day.
Note: NAME THE INTERLEAVING. Unannounced mixing feels random to a six-year-old; announced, it is a game they can win.
Listen.
5LaunchThe questions
· Subject — “Who or what is this about?”
· I will not tell you which is coming.
· Listen for the question, THEN answer.
“Subject: “Who or what is this about?”. I will not tell you which is coming.”Click per line. Write the questions on the board and leave them up.Listen.
6I doToday — I do highlighted“Watch me work out which question it is — then do one.”Point to I do.Watch.
7I doI-do example
Watch me do one
the exact task, modelled — sentence · question · ring it · name it
“The children were giggling.” … “Who or what is this about?” … “children — a subject.” “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 The children were giggling.
· ① Write the question underneath: Who or what is this about?
· ② Try it on children — “children” — it works
· ③ Ring children and name it: a subject
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.
8We doToday — We do highlighted“Together. Boards out.”Boards out.Boards ready.
9We doNotice that a verbal infinitive is different from a prepositional phase such as to Boston, which is two words.
Who or what is this about?
Answerfind the subject
“Notice that a verbal infinitive is different from a prepositional phase such as to Boston, which is two words.” … “Who or what is this about?”Say the SENTENCE, then point at the question as you say it. Boards up on signal.Decide which question, then answer.
10You doExit directions
Before you start
· Sheet and pencil
· Read the question above each one BEFORE you answer it
· Find the subject
· Do all of them, then look up
· Wait for “go”.
procedure — given standing still, before anyone moves
Worksheet — Lesson 31
“Before you move. Sheet and pencil. Read the question above each one BEFORE you answer it. Find the subject. 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.
11You doVIP slide
How we did it together
the worked example — one click per step
1. Write The children were giggling.
2. ① Write the question underneath: Who or what is this about?
3. ② Try it on children — “children” — it works
4. ③ Ring children and name it: a subject
Worksheet — Lesson 31
“On your own. Read the question first, every time.”Watch for children answering the previous question out of habit — that is the error this day exists to surface.Work alone.
12ClosureToday — Closure highlighted“Boards up one more time.”Point to Closure.Boards ready.
13ClosureNotice that a verbal infinitive is different from a prepositional phase such as to Boston, which is two words.
Answerfind the subject
“Last one — and I am not telling you which question.”Boards up on signal. Reveal.Answer. Hold up.
14ClosureListen for the question first.“Listen for the question first.”Collect boards.Repeat it.

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: Answers the right question for each item without prompting, and self-corrects when they realize they answered the previous one.

Common errors

  • Marks the first word rather than the subject
    The subject usually starts the sentence, so position works often enough to hide.
    → “Who or what is it ABOUT? Say the whole naming part.” Remedial sheet 19
  • Misses a compound subject
    The search stops at the first hit, as it did with nouns.
    → “Who else?” Remedial sheet 19

Three tiers

CoreAs written.
Bridge2–3 word items only. Teacher does the first one with the student.
FoundationOne word at a time; student echoes, then one clap. No sentences yet.

Non-verbal cue

Subject: left hand out, palm up — the same cue as the naming part
Question continuum: “How many claps?” (concrete) → “How do you know that was one word and not two?” (open)
As-Suffah Academy · Language Arts · Grade 7 · Lesson 31 Launch → I do → We do → You do → Closure