Assessment focus I can use colons to explain and add detail (description: detail) I can use colon sentences in non-fiction writing Colons can be used for various purposes (before lists, introducing quotes), but this activity focuses on the use of the colon to separate two main clauses. By playing this dice game, children get plenty of opportunities to practise this skill, whilst finding out about some very creepy creatures. There is also a version of the activity for learners that need a lot of support, and an explanation of what to do with your high attaining writers. Enjoy!

I can use the relative pronouns ‘who’, ‘which’, ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘whose’ and ‘that’ to write relative clauses. Specific relative pronouns are used when referring to different nouns. The fun dice game ‘Meet the relatives’ encourages children to think about which relative pronoun is most suitable for the noun in the sentence. The aim of the game is to be the first player to write an embedded relative clause using each of the relative pronouns on the game card. There are three versions of the game, to ensure that all learners are included and appropriately challenged. Enjoy meeting the relatives!

6 editable posters, pupil questionnaire, pupil response sheet, spreadsheet for data This resource is designed to support learning about growth mindsets in primary schools. It includes 6 growth mindset posters. These are saved as jpegs and as a powerpoint, so that you can edit them to meet your own needs. It also includes a pupil questionnaire made up of 11 questions in a powerpoint, so that you can assess the impacts of raising awareness of mindsets in your school. Use it before you start any work on mindsets, and then again at the end of the year. There is a pupil response sheet too, to make data analysis easy. I used this across Year 5, as a sample group, but I think it could be used across the primary age range. I have now added a simple spreadsheet. This will help you analyse your data giving a percentage for each response and generating a simple bar graph for each question. I dropped the graphs into a powerpoint to share with staff, governors and of course pupils. It’s a useful ‘before and after’ activity to show any impact/identify where you need to do more work.

Play this to develop children’s understanding of clauses and to encourage children to vary the number of clauses they include within their sentences. I have tried so many approaches to teaching this, and I have had the most success with this one. Assessment focus I can understand the terms ‘clause’ and ‘conjunction’. I can write sentences with one or more clauses. I can write sentences with many clauses, without confusing the reader. Here you will find three versions of the engaging dice activity ‘Clauses, clauses, clauses’. In its simplest form, children write one or two clause sentences, using a limited number of conjunctions. Other versions go up to six clauses - very tricky! I have also included an extra version (my favourite activity for teaching clauses, conjunctions and multi-clauses sentences) called ‘Clauses, clauses, clauses - scavenger hunt version’. This activity promotes lots of talk around word classes and building multi-clause sentences. I recommend playing this a few times across the school year, as these skills need revisiting many times to build confidence. I hope your class find these activities as useful as mine did. Good luck!

I use this in year 5 and year 6 - I'm sure it could be useful for ages 7-14. I can understand the meaning of ‘addition’ words and ‘cause and effect’ words I can develop an argument using ‘addition’ or ‘cause and effect’ Explanation When children try to add a further point to an argument they often get confused between two key language functions: • ‘addition’ - adding a further related point (also, in addition to, furthermore, moreover…); • ‘cause and effect’ - explaining the effect of the previous point (therefore, consequently, as a result of, because of this…). This can result in children making points that are nonsensical: Mobile phones make children safer because they can contact their parents in the event of an emergency. Consequently, children can contact online safety websites and get useful advice about online bullying. Here we see that a misunderstanding of the adverb ‘consequently’ has weakened the argument. An ‘addition’ adverb such as ‘furthermore’ would make a lot more sense. The same problem can occur in reverse. Text messaging during lessons is a distraction. In addition to this, children secretly sending text messages will fall behind their classmates. In this passage, the second point is a consequence of the first and not an additional argument. A cause and effect adverb such as ‘therefore’ would make much more sense. Use the activity "Addition or cause and effect?" to help children understand how to develop a point without confusing the reader.

‘Noun or Not?’ is a two player dice game aimed at Key Stage 2 children. It has an interesting wildlife theme and built in peer assessment, so pupils can correct each other as they go along. There are 6 ‘going deeper’ activities involving plenty of challenge. I’m sure your class will love this way of looking at nouns - BETTER THAN A WORKSHEET!

Reading comprehension! Drawing! Drama! High quality writing! Newspaper reports! These five fully resourced sessions aimed at Year 5 or Year 6 give children an opportunity to produce excellent non-fiction using a fiction context - no research required! Available in Word and PowerPoint so that you can edit and adjust to suit your needs. Through these 5 sessions, children will explore 3 news reports about heroes; generate their own toolkits; strip a fiction text (Beowulf) back to its bare bones; create captions and draw scenes from the story; take part in drama activities and finally write news reports using a consistent style and appropriate register. I have recently added useful editing questions for children to ask each other - I would suggest a final session for editing and improving. It is helpful (though not essential) if the children have previously explored the story of Beowulf. If they have not heard the story before, allow a little extra time to get familiar with the text (included). These sessions could make up a one week unit or be run over one day, as a writing workshop. Enjoy!

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

Hi teachers of the world! I love using Roger Mcgough’s fantastic ‘What I love about school’ to motivate pupils to write poetry with patterns. I’ve used it several times, and the children often come up with brilliant poems of their own, once they have had time explore the patterns. A shortened version of the poem, some comprehension activities and planning sheet are included. Have fun! If you like this activity, you may like my grammar games and units of work.

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.

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

Six poetry lessons for upper KS2 with a focus on performance and creative writing. 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! 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

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.

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!

Two model information texts (one about Celts and one about Romans) for use in KS2

Here is a fun 2 player dice game to liven-up exploring silent letters. There is also a PowerPoint with plenty of activities and questions to get the session started. There is an extension task for speedy players who finish games quickly.