Home›Lesson Plans›World Languages›American Sign Language · Grade 6

ASL Classifiers — An Introduction

Sixth graders meet one of ASL’s most powerful and unique features — classifiers: handshapes that represent objects and show how they move. A “3” handshape becomes a car; a “1” handshape becomes a person walking.

Grade 6Classifiers50 minutes1 class periodACTFL / Visual LanguageExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Assign or share this lesson
Share to Google Classroom Share to Microsoft Teams

Copy link works with Canvas, Schoology, Moodle and any other LMS — paste it in as a resource or assignment.

Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain classifiers.
  • ✓Use a handshape for an object.
  • ✓Show movement.
  • ✓Describe with signs.
Essential Question

ASL can paint a picture in the air! A special handshape can “become” a car or a person. What are classifiers?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Classifiers Check

Project each item and have students answer about ASL classifiers.

✋ Understand ASL classifiersTry it
Answer each question about ASL classifiers.
The Lesson · Visual-Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Sign · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Painting in the Air

5 min

A special handshape can “become” a car or a person — what are classifiers?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a “3” hand as a car.
  • Ask what it shows.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Classifiers

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Classifiers Check.
  • Note handshape = object.
  • Show movement.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Watch.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Use a “3” hand to “drive.”
  • Use a “1” hand to “walk.”
  • Sign along.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Try it.
  • Try it.
  • Try.
4

Sign — Sign

12 min

Students sign.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a car turning.
  • Show a person walking up.
  • Sign to a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Show it.
  • Sign.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what a classifier is.
  • Give an example.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Give one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Novice-Mid).

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Explore ASL grammar.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare descriptive tools.

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: read classifiers.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to visual description.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Classifier photo cards.
  • Model with objects.
  • Use a mirror.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with the vehicle classifier.
  • Model one at a time.
  • Copy together.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add the person classifier.
  • Describe a scene.
  • Show two objects moving.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • ✋Classifier cards
  • 💻Classifiers Check
  • 🪩A mirror (optional)
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

classifiera handshape for an objectvehicle classifiera “3” handshapeperson classifiera “1” handshapeCLshort for classifiermovementhow the object movesdescribeto show how things lookspaceASL uses space for locationshowto picture something in the air
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a classifier in ASL?
A handshape that represents an object and shows how it moves.
QUESTION 2
What handshape can show a car driving?
A “3” handshape, moved like a vehicle.
QUESTION 3
What do classifiers help you do?
Describe how things look and move.

Reflect: classifiers.

Have students use a “3” handshape to show a car driving and turning. A printable ASL classifiers sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 ASL Classifiers (Intro)Flip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 ASL Classifiers (Intro)Quiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ ASL Classifiers (Intro)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: CL, classifier, describe, movement, person classifier, show, space, vehicle classifier
  1. a handshape for an object
  2. ASL uses space for location
  3. a “1” handshape
  4. how the object moves
  5. short for classifier
  6. to show how things look
  7. to picture something in the air
  8. a “3” handshape

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a classifier in ASL?
  2. What handshape can show a car driving?
  3. What do classifiers help you do?
Answer key — Part A: 1) classifier · 2) space · 3) person classifier · 4) movement · 5) CL · 6) describe · 7) show · 8) vehicle classifier
Part B: 1) A handshape that represents an object and shows how it moves. 2) A “3” handshape, moved like a vehicle. 3) Describe how things look and move.