Action Detectives: Uncovering the Present Progressive!

A fun and interactive 90-minute lesson for an 11-year-old homeschool student (Year 5) to learn about and practice using the present progressive tense through reading, games, and creative storytelling. The lesson focuses on application and creativity rather than rote memorization.

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Welcome, Action Detective! (Year 5 Focus)

Today, we're going on an exciting mission to uncover a special way we talk about actions that are happening RIGHT NOW! This is called the Present Progressive Tense. This lesson will help you understand and use it, which is a key skill for Year 5 English. It’s all about actions in motion!

Time Allotment: 90 Minutes

Section 1: Warm-up - Action Power! (10 minutes)

Let's get our brains buzzing with actions!

  • Activity: Verb Brainstorm
  • How to play:
    1. Together, let's brainstorm as many action words (verbs) as we can in 2 minutes. Think about things you do every day, things animals do, or even things superheroes do!
    2. Write them down on the whiteboard or large paper.
    3. Circle your top 5 favorite action words from the list.
  • Goal: To activate prior knowledge of verbs and get ready to talk about actions.

Section 2: The 'Happening Now' Clue - Introducing Present Progressive (15 minutes)

When we want to talk about an action that is happening at this very moment, we use a special code: the Present Progressive tense. It tells us the action is 'in progress'.

  • Explanation:

    The Present Progressive tense is made with two parts:

    1. A 'helping' verb: A form of the verb "to be" (am, is, are)
    2. The main action verb with -ing added to the end.

    For example:

    • I am talking. (I + am + talk + ing)
    • She is reading. (She + is + read + ing)
    • They are playing. (They + are + play + ing)
    • The cat is sleeping.
    • We are learning.
  • Quick Check:
    • Let's look at our brainstormed verbs from the warm-up. Can we change a few into the present progressive form? For example, if we have 'jump', how would we say someone is doing it now? (He/She is jumping). If the verb is 'run'? (He/She is running - remember to double the 'n' for some verbs!).

Section 3: Activity 1 - Present Progressive Spotters (20 minutes)

Now that you know what to look for, let's become 'Present Progressive Spotters' in a story!

  • Materials needed for this activity: A short, engaging story or a few paragraphs from a Year 5 level book.
  • Activity:
    1. We'll read the story together, or you can read it aloud.
    2. As we read, your mission is to spot all the sentences or phrases using the present progressive tense (look for 'am/is/are + verb-ing').
    3. When you find one, say "Spot!" and we'll underline or list it.
    4. Let's discuss what action is happening right now in that part of the story and who is doing it.
  • Goal: To identify the present progressive tense in context and understand its use in narratives.
  • Teacher Tip: Choose a text rich with present progressive examples. Discuss how these verbs make the story feel immediate and active.

Section 4: Activity 2 - Action Charades: "What Am I Doing?" (20 minutes)

Time to get active and use our new skills! This is a great way to practice forming sentences.

  • Materials needed for this activity: Slips of paper with action verbs (or use the brainstormed list), a container.
  • Activity:
    1. Write some simple action verbs on slips of paper and put them in a container (e.g., eat, sleep, run, draw, sing, dance, read, write, swim, laugh, build, fly).
    2. Take turns picking a verb from the container.
    3. Without speaking, act out the verb AS IF YOU ARE DOING IT RIGHT NOW.
    4. The other person guesses what you are doing by saying a full sentence in the present progressive. For example, "You are dancing!" or "He/She is sleeping!"
    5. The person acting can then confirm: "Yes, I am dancing!"
  • Goal: To practice forming and speaking sentences in the present progressive tense in a fun, kinesthetic way.
  • Differentiation: For a simpler version, the acting person can say the verb first, and the guesser forms the sentence. For an added challenge, the guesser can also ask a question in present progressive: "Are you painting?" or try to use more complex verbs.

Section 5: Activity 3 - Creative Storytellers: "The Never-Ending Action Story" (20 minutes)

Let's use our imagination and the present progressive tense to build an amazing story together!

  • Materials needed for this activity: Whiteboard/paper, markers.
  • Activity:
    1. We'll start a story with a sentence using the present progressive. For example: "A brave knight is riding his horse through a dark forest."
    2. Then, we take turns adding one sentence at a time to continue the story. Each new sentence MUST use the present progressive tense and describe an action happening NOW in the story.
    3. Example continued:
      • Student: "The horse is stepping carefully over a gnarled root."
      • Teacher: "An owl is hooting from a tall tree above them."
      • Student: "Suddenly, a mysterious light is glowing from behind a bush!"
    4. Let's see how long and exciting we can make our 'happening now' story! We can write it down as we go, creating our own short action story.
  • Goal: To creatively apply the present progressive tense in a collaborative writing/speaking context, focusing on narrative flow and imagination.

Section 6: Wrap-up & "Action Hero" Review (5 minutes)

  • Recap:

    Quickly, let's remember: When do we use the Present Progressive tense? (Answer: To talk about actions happening right now!). What are the two special parts we need to make it? (Answer: A form of 'to be' like 'am/is/are' + the main verb ending in '-ing').

  • Action Hero Moment:

    Think of one thing someone you know (or even a pet, or a character from a book!) MIGHT be doing right now. Tell me in a full Present Progressive sentence. For example: "My dad is probably working in his office." or "Spider-Man is swinging between buildings."

  • Well Done! You've done an amazing job being an Action Detective today! You're now a master of describing what's happening NOW! Keep spotting and using those '-ing' action words!