It's simple really: English grammar can be a very dry subject, but this need not be the case. For a few years now, I have been developing a games-based approach to teaching important grammar concepts. It is amazing how the introduction of dice takes the learning into a new place - the element of chance making it seem less like work and more like play. Because I test my games extensively in the classroom, I get a feel for what works. Dump your boring worksheets and start dicing with grammar.
It's simple really: English grammar can be a very dry subject, but this need not be the case. For a few years now, I have been developing a games-based approach to teaching important grammar concepts. It is amazing how the introduction of dice takes the learning into a new place - the element of chance making it seem less like work and more like play. Because I test my games extensively in the classroom, I get a feel for what works. Dump your boring worksheets and start dicing with grammar.
Your class will enjoy playing: 'Will you or won't you?'
This is a brilliant way of motivating children to use modal verbs accurately in sentences.
Children have to play against each other. One child is trying to go to a sleepover and the other other is desperately trying to avoid it.
Sounds bonkers? Well, maybe a little, but it certainly generates a lot of sentence work and discussion.
Children will all know what modal verbs are by the end of the lesson. That's a promise.
All instructions and resources included - just add dice and counters.
Prepositions can be a tricky group of words for some children. Through these three games, children will become very comfortable at knowing, classifying and using prepositions and prepositional phrases.
First, play the memory test - some surface level learning that ensures that children know some examples of prepositions.
Next, play the sorting game. This goes a little deeper, and children learn the different functions of prepositions.
In the final game, children move on to prepositional phrases and use them in sentences.
The last game is differentiated 3 ways to support those that need it and challenge those that are ready.
Play these games over two lessons and your class will be confident at explaining the functions of prepositions and able to use prepositional phrases within written compositions.
Explanations of the concepts, rules and resources all included, as always.
A simple presentation about active and passive sentences, with some key questions. It leads into a board game that could be used for independent work, in pairs. The game could be recorded in written sentences or simply to used to orally practise active and passive.
Assessment focus
I can use a wide variety of sentences and conjunctions in my writing
Explanation
Some of us are great at writing long descriptive sentences, whilst others are superb at short and shocking ones. We don’t always remember to use a wide variety of sentence types throughout our writing. It is far more enjoyable to read a story packed with questions, exclamations, complex sentences and speech sentences than a story that sticks to one or two of these.
Have you ever wanted to write a story without doing any planning or preparation? Well, now’s your chance!
This is a whole lesson about the spelling patterns able and ible.
It includes 2 short quizzes, making up new words and a fun writing activity that encourages children to apply their understanding, using a tried and tested word bank and a fun (persuasive) context.
Great for spelling and sentence work.
I can say and write simple, compound or complex sentences
If children become confident at using a blend of simple, compound and complex sentence structures, their writing will be varied and accurate. For many young writers, this is not easy to achieve. These sentence skills must be revisited and rehearsed over and over again.
Practising sentence skills could get boring! This lively dice game, to be played in pairs, generates lots of purposeful talk about sentences. Children collect game cards to win! If children record their sentences, it also generates plenty of good examples to refer back to during whole class sessions.
The activity is differentiated three ways. At its most basic, children generate a mixture of the three sentence types. On track writers try a wider variety of subordinating conjunctions. More able writers are moved on to creating sentences with a greater number of clauses.
I used this for myth writing. If you wanted to, the ‘game cards’ and sentence examples on the ‘dice guides’ could be easily changed to match any story or text. It’s a great way of learning or revisiting these three important sentence types.
*I have added a version of the game with Beowulf game cards and another version with ‘ough’ words, to demonstrate how the game can be adapted to different texts or spelling patterns.
A lesson pitched at upper KS2 that breaks down solving a multi-step word problem. Multiplication, addition, and subtraction are required!
Work is differentiated to two different abilities.
Answers also provided.
This lesson is planned in detail and fully resourced, with warm up activities and 5 independent activities, all about subtracting from multiples of 10.
First there is a subtraction fluency warm up activity, to get children involved straight away.
Using the mastery approach, the lesson begins with simple concrete activity (using counters) that everyone can access. Following this, children can quickly move on to other activities, at their own pace.
I used this in a Y3 class and it was a great session. It could work well in Y2 or early in Y4, to check understanding.
This is a 14 session biography writing unit for upper KS2. Children explore the life of Anne Frank - supporting history learning about WW2 - and then go on to choose one of four other people who SHOOK THE WORLD while they were young (Boyan Slat, Greta Thunberg, Pele or Marley Dias). After learning new writing skills, children write a biography about their chosen subject.
If you purchase this unit, please open the youthquake biography zip file. Each of the 14 lessons is organised into its own subfolder. All lesson plans, lesson slides and activities are included - it’s ready to go. Everything is created in PowerPoint and Word, so you can edit and adapt as you wish. The png files you can see in the previews are just there to give a taste of the first few lessons.
Your class will enjoy learning about biographies and creating a YOUTHQUAKE!
Throughout this unit, I would recommend reading children selected biographies from YouthQuake: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook the World by Tom Adams & Sarah Walsh.
Here are seven sessions inspired by Louis Sachar’s ‘Holes’ (or the film of the same name) pitched at Year 5 or Year 6. First, children write an informal letter from Stanley to a member of his family back home. After that, they write a formal letter of complaint from Mrs. Yelnats to Warden Walker. There are also optional cold task and hots tasks (Pizza Problems!) if you need them.
It’s all in Powerpoint and Word, so edit as you wish. Absolutely everything you need is in the zip folder. Models and planning are frames included along with many other supporting resources (word banks, text extracts and information pages). Get stuck in!
Here is an overview of the six sessions:
OPTIONAL COLD TASK
Pizza problems! Write an informal email to a friend. Use the planning frame and the word bank if you need them.
Reading fluency and tricky vocabulary
Look at tricky words and rank them. Use synonyms and paraphrases to replace tricky words. Improve reading fluency through modelled and paired reading.
• I can explore unfamiliar vocabulary in context
• I can read a story fluently
Plan an informal letter to Mom **
Read the start of Stanley’s letter and Mom’s reply. Discuss how Stanley is creative with the truth. Focus on planning structure – give each paragraph a theme. Share read an example letter before starting.
• I plan an informal letter
• I can use informal language and sentence structures
Write a letter to Mom
Explore the difference between formal and informal. Identify formal and informal language. Revisit contractions and dashes – they are common in informal writing. Write a letter home.
• I can make contractions by dropping letters and using an apostrophe in their place
• I can add chatty afterthoughts using dashes
Plan a formal letter
Explore formal language choice. Get into role as one of Stanley’s parents. Pick three key points to complain about. Read information relating to your three points and plan your letter.
• I can use precise language (limited, inadequate, insufficient) and write in a formal style
Write a formal letter
Share read a formal letter paying close attention to grammar features. Spend time exploring word banks. Write formal letters, maintaining an appropriate register throughout.
• I can write maintain a formal style throughout my writing
• I can use a range of (upper KS2) punctuation
OPTIONAL HOT TASK
Pizza problems 2! Write a letter of complaint. Use the planning frame and the word bank if you need them.
Seven poetry lessons for upper KS2 with a focus on performance, creative writing and book making. All plans and resources included - everything you need is here. All work is produced using Word and Powerpoint, so edit as you wish. Most of all… enjoy. This is a fun unit! Please use the contents within the zip folder, and not the PNG files, which are previews of the unit.
Overview of unit
Session 1 Explore tricky vocabulary
I can explore the meaning of words
Session 2 Read, discuss, perform
I can bring a poem to life using my voice
**Session 3 Explore, map, recite **
I can visualise a poem and recite it from memory
Session 4 Comprehension
I can explain the meaning of words in context
I can find information in poetry
I can justify inferences with evidence
Session 5 Create poetry
I can write a free verse poem using a familiar theme and structure
Session 6 Peer edit for impact + perform
I can choose verbs and nouns phrases to create imagery
I can perform my own composition fluently
Session 7 present your poem as a book
Optional session: fold and cut A3 paper to create a 3-D concertina book showcasing your poem
A fully resourced, fifteen session writing unit with a powerful climate change theme. It is pitched at upper KS2 and has a focus on sentence variety. Children explore the text ‘Planet SOS’ by Marie G Rhode, which describes a series of waste monsters and how to defeat them. This unit looks closely at the E-waste Golem.
Children explore the grammatical features of the text, and then compose a piece of work that demonstrates a similar range of sentences. As the unit progresses, children learn about waste - a contributor to climate change - and how we can reduce the problem.
During the unit, children will combine a monster with a type of damaging waste - there are three of each to pick from. Children create unique pieces of writing that explain the causes of a particular waste issue and persuade the reader to the think carefully about the impact of throwing things away.
For the final outcome, children will create destructive waste monsters, and then give the reader useful guidance on how to defeat them. At the end of the project, artwork (optional!) and writing could be combined to create a class book of waste monsters. Absolute everything you need is in the zip folder. Enjoy!
What type of writing is this?
Like lots of modern information books, Planet SOS does not fit neatly into one genre.
• The text has many of features of explanation writing: the author explains how waste is created and how it can be reduced.
• It also has persuasive features: the reader may be persuaded to combat the monster and reduce waste.
• The text has features typical of non-fiction, information writing: each page is packed with information about waste and mythical creatures.
• There are also elements of fiction writing: types of waste are personified as a series of mythical monsters.
Summary of objectives
Reading and vocabulary
• I can use drama to develop my vocabulary and communication skills
• I can show understanding through tone, volume and action
• I can look for key words and find information (in non-fiction texts)
• I can explain the impact of using second person point of view
Grammar
• I can use a colon to introduce a list (when the clause before the list is independent)
• I can use dashes to interrupt a sentence and add information
• I can write multi-clause sentences
• I can use the future perfect tense
• I can use a relative clause to add information about a noun
• I can write a conditional sentence
• I can identify different sentence structures
Planning and composition
• I can grow my knowledge by reading and researching
• I can write using second person point of view
• I can include a range of sentences in my writing
• I can assess and improve my writing with a partner
This is a one week (5 lesson) poetry unit inspired by a Simon Armitage poem. The unit is based on my popular free resource ‘First day back poetry’. I have spent some time developing that activity into five fully resources lessons. I hope your class enjoy it as much as mine did! Everything you need is here. All resources are fully editable (PowerPoint and Word). If you buy this unit, please please open the zip folder, containing lesson-by-lesson sub folders within. The PNG files are just to preview the unit.
Lesson 1 Reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension
• I can read poem showing understanding through pace, tone and volume
• I can discuss a poem and discover its meaning
Activity 1 Model expressive reading of a line and then a verse.
Activity 2 Partner reading.
Activity 3 Discuss the poem and try some comprehension questions
Lesson 2 Exploring vocabulary
• I can explore the meaning of words (in context)
Activity 1 Reusing and defining
Activity 2 Sketchnoting
Lesson 3 Capturing ideas for poems of our own
• I can compose lines for a free verse poem using my own life experiences
Activity 1 Connect
Activity 2 Enjoy listening to poetry
Activity 3 Partner talk
Independent task Can you make the ordinary sound amazing?
Lesson 4 Arrange and edit for poetic techniques
• I can edit my poem for poetic techniques
Activity 1 Warm up
Activity 2 Listen
Activity 3 Arrange
Activity 4 Edit for poetic technique
Activity 5 Peer assess
Lesson 5 Present and perform!
• I can prepare a poem to be presented to an audience
Activity 1 Read your poem
Activity 2 Think of title for your poem
Activity 3 Prepare your poem to be read aloud
Activity 4 In groups of four, read your poems to each other
This is a five session writing workshop designed to support Y6 writers achieve their age related expectation. It could easily be adapted by other KS2 classes for use as news report unit.
During the project, children pick events from the story of Theseus and retell them in a journalistic style. They explore topic sentences, direct speech, reported speech, passive voice and many other skills. All resources are included.
I ran this as a one-day writing workshop for writers who were a little off track.
It could easily be adapted for use in any KS2 setting - everything is fully editable.
I had some great outcomes - I’m sure you will too.
This resource is six activities linked to the text. They are ready for children to pick up and use independently.
Defining and reusing tricky words from the text
Picking out the key features of a fable from the text (and from ‘The Promise’)
Adding fronted adverbials to sentences from the text
Grouping synonyms to create a word bank for fable writing
I can plan a fable of my own
I can write a fable of my own
This is a one day greater depth writing workshop aimed at upper KS2. There are 13 resources attached and a detailed plan of the day. Children have a complete piece of writing by the end of the workshop. Here is a brief summary of the day:
Part 1 Get to know the model
Reading as reader: How did the story make you feel?
Reading as writer: How did the author do that?
Drama (pairs) – bring the text off the page
Part 2 Know your animal!
Part 3 Know your mysterious object!
Part 4 Quick plan
Part 5 Parentheses activity
Part 6 Extended writing time
Success criteria for extended writing
I can organise my story creatively and keep the reader in suspense (withholding vital information and using flashbacks)
I can create suspense using modal verbs and rhetorical questions
I can interrupt my sentences using ‘dramatic dashes’ (parentheses)
I can use technical language appropriately in my creative writing (precise language around my animal’s physical features, habitat, behaviour and offspring)
I can use figurative language
KS2 poetry with patterns - 4 lessons - fully resourced.
I love using ‘Amulet’ by the amazing Ted Hughes as a model for children’s poetry writing. Here are four sessions that explore this rich and powerful poem in creative ways. By the end of session 4, children will have created powerful poems of their own.
Objectives covered:
Part 1 Understanding a poem
I can discuss a poem in a group, listen carefully to others and build on my own ideas.
I can explore the meaning of tricky words and phrases.
I can infer what the poet may have been thinking.
Part 2 Reciting a poem
I can read using intonation to add meaning
I can visualise a poem
I can recite a poem from memory
Part 3 Exploring nouns and noun phrases and gathering ideas
I understand the terms noun and noun phrase
I can use precise nouns and rich descriptive language
Part 4 Creating poems of our own
I can create a magical poem with patterns
Your class will love creating poems in the style of Ted Hughes!
It can be tricky for young spellers to choose between the suffixes ‘-able’ and ‘-ible’. The two player dice game ‘WinnABLE’ gives players lots of opportunities to spell and discuss these words and introduces a much needed element of FUN! There is also a simple presentation and a word sorting warm up to use with your class. I’d allow a full session for this suffix work.
Fully resourced 3 week unit for this text also available in my store!
I wrote this model text for year 3/4 children learning about the Stone Age (Bronze Age and Iron Age models are also included in your download). Important year 3/4 conjunctions, prepositions and adverbs are shown in red. The model has been written so that the children can easily use it to help them structure their own reports on the Bronze Age or the Iron Age. There is one image and it is from PIXABAY.
I have also included some teacher notes about the text. If you are a talk for writing school, I have included the ‘story map’ for the first 4 paragraphs - that’s the amount we ‘talk’ off-by-heart.
I have included Bronze Age and Iron Age versions of the Stone Age model. This is to show how the model can easily adapted to new subjects, and to give ideas for outcomes that the children could research and write.
Finally, there are two activities related to the Iron Age version of the model that may be handy. One involves adding prepositions to information sentences. The other involves organising information in a sensible way (sub headings, captions etc).
Put your children in pairs to play the fun spelling game ‘VictoriOUS’. It’s a two player dice game that enables children to learn these four rules for adding the suffix ‘ous’:
Some root word do not change – just add ‘ous’
For many root words that end in e, take off the ‘e’ and add ‘ous’
If the root word ends ‘-ge’, keep the ‘e’ and add ‘ous’
Change the ‘y’ to an ‘i’ and add ‘ous’
How about words that can’t have the ‘ous’ suffix?
Peer assessment is built in. Everything that you need is here - just add 1-6 dice!