Adverbs are one of the trickier word classes, so let's start off with the basics and learn in a playful way. From Year 3 onwards, children are expected to understand the term 'adverb' and use adverbs in sentences. From Year 4 onwards, children are expected to be able to open sentences with adverbs. In this fully resourced lesson (including lots of engaging activities), complete with lesson plan, presentation and a lively dice game, children will learn to understand the term 'adverb' as well as exploring some of the functions of adverbs. They will also have plenty of opportunities to use adverbs in sentences orally - though if desired, they could record their learning as well. There is also more challenging task for your talented writers and I have included the game cards so that you can edit them to match your class text. This lesson would also be an ideal revision tool for the Year 6 Grammar Test.

How many times have you taught your class about the rules for setting out direct speech? Worksheets are not the answer! How about trying a playful approach? Working in pairs children roll dice, create sentences and score them. They have to look closely at punctuation and think carefully about reporting clauses to be successful at the game. This game can also move more able writers on because players often need to add further chunks (or phrases and clauses) onto the end of the direct speech sentence. If they apply this skill in their writing, it can add depth. I have also added a more advanced version of the game, teaching children to interrupt direct speech by dropping the reporting clause into the middle of the sentence. As with all of my resources, everything is included (teacher/child friendly explanation of key concepts, score cards, rules, dice guides) apart from the dice and the paper!

*This version is for United States buyers. There is a UK version too. This is a large word doc. containing all 40 of my grammar games. This represents a fair few evenings and weekends (I know - get a life!). All of these games have been tested in class and adjusted if needed - they have a real impact on learning. For each grammar skill there is: a child friendly explanation of the grammar concept; printable rules and resources for a lively dice game; suggestions to challenge or support learners; suggestions for application of the skill in written work. Here are some of the skills covered: commands, questions and statements/ simple and compound sentences/ adverbs/ proper nouns/ classifying nouns/ contractions/ pronouns/ prepositions/prepositional phrases/ apostrophes/ adjectives/ sentence variety/ parentheses/semi-colons/ discussion/ persuasion/ complex sentences / causal connectives/ fronted adverbials/ speech/ relative clauses/ modal verbs

There are two useful resources here: 1. A carefully planned lesson about parentheses using dashes, exploring how different types of extra information can be added to a sentence. This includes a detailed lesson plan and 3 activities (the final one is a team game, with clear differentiation). All resources are included. The lesson covers these Year 5/Year 6 objectives: I understand the terms dash and parenthesis/parentheses; I can explain some uses for parentheses; I can use parentheses creatively for lots of different purposes. This is perfect for a demonstration lesson or an observed session. There is minimal ‘teacher talk’ and lots of active pupil engagement. 2. I have also included a further punctuation game: ‘Punctuation show-offs’. I can use brackets, dashes (parentheses) and semi-colons in my sentences. Would you like the writers in your class to be ‘punctuation show-offs’? Me too. I created this dice activity to encourage children to add extra information to sentences using parentheses (brackets and dashes) and also to separate closely related main clauses using semi-colons. I have also provided teacher and - more importantly - child friendly explanations and examples of all concepts. Children may incidentally find out about Usain Bolt, Picasso, Stephen Hawking and a 1000kg bowl of cereal. Have I caught your interest yet? This whole activity has a ‘show-off’ theme and it’s fun. After playing this, you can remind your class to be ‘punctuation show-offs’ in their own writing. Finally, I have added a ‘Victorian’ version of the same game, to show how it can be adapted to different themes.

This is a 3 week English unit on myth writing. If you buy this, just use the zip folder - the other resources are just there to preview. I have used this myth many times and developed it each time. It always gets fantastic writing from children, regardless of their attainment. The model text follows the pattern of a ‘warning story’, and it is flexible enough allow young writers to create their own unique myths. I have adapted it for use in Y4, 5 and 6. I am sure it would work in other year groups too. Within the zip you will find: detailed and creative planning to a high standard; a very short version of the traditional story the Asrai, to be used as a model text; a tool kit (or set of success criteria); planning sheets (differentiated); peer assessment sheets (differentiated); some of my dice grammar games that can be used during the unit; writing prompts; comprehension questions. I am sure you could quickly adapt this for use in your own class - it is ready to be used! I hope your class enjoy writing some incredible myths, using the simple pattern of ‘The Asrai’.

Quiz, Quiz, Trade is a fun and active way for children to learn facts. The cards can be tailored to cover any subject area, topic or learning objective and are particularly useful for introducing a new subject area that your class wouldn't already know lots about. You could include a range of differentiated questions, but I have often found that the children you least expect will learn the more complicated facts after playing this game. The idea behind Quiz, Quiz, Trade is that it is a fun, non-threatening and exciting game that is inclusive for all and will help all children in your class to acquire knowledge quickly. Really handy when you just need them to have a bit of background knowledge or learn something quickly in order to apply or develop the knowledge in their work. Quiz, Quiz, Trade can be used for any age group (my cards are all aimed at years 4-6) that will be able to read the questions and answers. I have used Quiz, Quiz, Trade in observations with much success (see instruction page) and consistently use it to introduce new topics in class-the children love it!

I or Me? These two pronouns are used regularly in English spoken language and writing, but often incorrectly! In KS2 children are expected to make an 'appropriate choice of pronoun or noun within and across sentences to aid cohesion and avoid repetition'. This resource provides a lesson plan outlining the rules regarding when to use 'I' and 'me' correctly (focussing on using I or me with another name) through a Powerpoint presentation with working examples and a board game. It also teaches the children a 'trick' to use to self-check that they have chosen the correct pronoun. There are 'support' and 'challenge' versions of the game and the grids are complete with no cutting out required, saving you plenty of time! The game is a fun way to consolidate the learning and includes a simple lesson plan, the game, the powerpoint presentation and the game boards, all of which can be edited and adpated to suit your pupils. I or Me? is best suited to Years 4-6 for use with children who speak english as their first language or for older children for whom english is an additional language.

This one week KS2 English unit has a focus on performance and art (instead of writing). Over five sessions, children learn about intonation and perform two poems expressively. Both poems retell famous Greek myths (‘The Minotaur’ and ‘Icarus’). Children also present lines from a poem through art and book making. A highly enjoyable unit! Here is a brief overview of each session. Detailed plans and all resources are included. Session 1 Watch and evaluate • I can say which poetry performance I enjoyed the most • I can evaluate a poetry performance Open questions You are the judge! Convince another Session 2 Performing poetry • I can show understanding through tone, volume and action Ping pong! What does Michael Rosen have to say about performance poetry? Explore the model Perform – small groups Peer assessment Perform – whole class Session 3 Applying our new skills and knowledge to a new poem • I can show understanding through tone, volume and action (revisit) • I can prepare a poem to read aloud and to perform “Rock… paper… anything!” Let’s perform Introducing a new poem Can we use our new knowledge and skills for a different poem? Perform – whole class Session 4 Presenting a poem through book making and art (part 1) • I can discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination Performance poetry! Windows and words How will we show the meaning of each line through pictures? Session 5 Presenting a poem through book making and art (part 2) • I can discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination Warm up: Ping-pong Activity 1: Capturing a poem in pictures

If you are reading Goodnight Mr. Tom here are three very short drama acativities for childrent o try in pairs. They could be used just to help children engage with the story.I asked children to use these three short pieces of drama to support them in writing a diary entry and the produced some wonderful writing.Hope they are of use to someone out there in teacherland.If you use it, please review it!

Key Stage 2 nounsA fun game for 2 players exploring proper, common, concrete, abstract and collective nouns. I designed it to support children preparing for the Y6 grammar test. It could be useful for anyone exploring different types of nouns. Enlarge the game board and playing cards up to A3 for less fiddly fun. Enjoy! If you would like more like this please download my other games. They come with presentations and lesson plans.If you use this, please leave a review - it's good teacher karma!My e-book of 20 grammar games is also available for a fiver! It'll boost grammar skills without inducing boredom.

I have edited the National Curriculum into a word document that just shows the grammar content to be introduced in each year group (and the glossary). I find this useful for staff training purposes - hope you find it useful too.

27 ways to for KS2 writers to edit and improve their own writing. This project was written by Fiona Keeling and Maurice Leahy and has been loosely inspired by Brighton Train Station (bear with us). We put it together to help children develop writing further at the editing stage. The PowerPoint explains how it works, but we are sure you’ll find your own ways to use this. Fiona brings it to life in her classroom with a cap, whistle and realistic train tickets! It was a lot of work, so if you spot the odd error, please let us know and we will put it right. We hope it saves you some precious time. Please leave a review. Happy editing!

A fully resourced, three week, Year 6 writing unit based on chapter 14 of ‘Number the Stars’ by Lois Lowry. This unit links beautifully with history learning, World War 2. If children a familiar with the story of Anne Frank, this text provides another example of what was happening in Europe in the final years of the WW2. All planning, slides and activities are included - no extra work necessary. Outcome After looking closely at chapter 14 of Number the Stars, children write their own suspenseful, historical story about a child who has to take a mysterious and important package on a dangerous journey. **The following objectives are comprehensively covered: ** Grammar skills • Use a parenthesis (a single dash) to add an afterthought • Use short sentences to create suspense • Use expanded noun phrases to add descriptive detail • Personify nouns Composition • Develop a historical character • Build atmosphere and create contrasting settings • Apply an understanding of the key features of historical stories and suspense writing • Plan a story using a familiar structure to support Reading and Vocabulary • Explore unfamiliar vocabulary in context • Develop reading fluency skills • Retrieve information and infer meaning • Retell a traditional story • Identify the key features of historical stories and suspense writing

A three week KS2 writing unit with a powerful environmental theme. All lesson plans, PowerPoints and activitiy resources included - it’s ready to go. Pupils explore a one-sided argument about fossil fuels, and then create their own persuasive writing about food waste. Turn your class into eco-heroes! Teach children about persuasive devices, and encourage them to use these skills to make a positive change. I used this project in Y4, but it could be quickly adapted for any KS2 class - all resources are fully editable. If you buy this resource, ignore the preview images (these are just png screen shots) and open the zip folder. Inside this folder, you will find full versions of all plans, presentations and tasks, organised into lesson-by-lesson folders for ease of use. Please also see my new ‘climate change’ unit, Waste Monsters, aimed at upper KS2. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12966461

Talk! Drama! Reading skills! Sentence skills! Making and drawing! Spelling skills! Writing a narrative! This is a creatively planned and fully resourced three week writing unit. It is aimed at year 1, or the beginning of year 2. The planning and activities have been carefully differentiated and there are plenty of opportunities for greater depth writing. If you buy this, please use the zip folder. It is organised into folders, lesson by lesson. The following objectives are covered across the three week unit (many are covered more than once): Drama • I can explore a story through improvisation and role play. I can act out a story I know using voices for characters. Spelling • Suffixes that can be added to verbs) with a focus on -ed endings: I can add the –ed suffix to verbs. Sentence/Punctuation • How words can combine to make sentences: I can show what I already know about sentences. I can talk in sentences. I can spot sentences. • Introduction to capital letters, full stops demarcate sentences: I can add full stops to the end of a sentence. • Joining words and joining clauses using and: I can join my ideas together using ‘and’. • Capital letters for names: I can use capital letters for names. Composition • Sequencing sentences to form short narratives: I can put sentences in a sensible order. I can use the skills I have learned to write a story. • Similes: I can write a simile. **Reading: ** • Vocabulary: I can fix meaning breakdowns. • Inference: I can tell you about why a character does or says things. **Terminology: ** • letter, capital letter, word, sentence, punctuation, full stop

Word and PDF both included Assessment focus I can build solid sentences Explanation We teach a lot of grammar in primary schools, but many children still struggle to see how it all fits together. There are plenty of children in upper KS2 who cannot compose grammatically correct sentences. Whilst it is true to say that reading, story-telling and listening to stories are the best ways to build awareness of sentences, it may also be helpful to give children some basic sentence patterns to use. If children can internalise these basic patterns, they may be able to use them in infinite different ways. Ultimately, we hope that children feel confident enough to move away from the patterns we give them and onto creating patterns of their own. Who is this for? On Track (ARE) The ‘4 brick’ version of this activity is for writers who could be at age related expectation if they could create grammatically correct extended sentences. Support There is also very simple ‘3 brick’ version of the activity for learners who are not able to write in simple ‘one clause’ sentences. Going deeper Children who are already confident at writing in accurate sentences can try the ‘Follow the dice’ activity (included). These learners will focus on using sentence variety.

This is a fully planned, fully resourced 3 week narrative unit. It has been designed to enable Year 6 writers to produce ARE and possibly greater depth writing. All docs have been created on Word and PowerPoint so you can adapt it as you wish. The unit is driven by chapter three of ‘The Explorer’. Children spend time getting to know ‘The Den’ before creating their own survival stories. If you have an opportunity to do some den building, this unit really comes to life. If this is not possible, you could design dens or create model dens. There are den building resources included. By the end of the unit, children will have produced some extended narrative writing after many short bursts of preparatory writing. But more than that, everyone will have a lot of fun too - the plan is packed with games and creative activities (‘Three words only’, ‘Would I lie to you?’, ‘Knights, riders and dancers’, ‘Survival Quiz’ and many more…). Everything is oraganised into lesson-by-lesson folders for ease of use. If you buy this unit, ignore the PNG files which have been used to preview parts of the unit. Instead, find the zip folder that contains all of the resources in full. Enjoy!

THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE PARAGRAPHING A FUN AND CONCRETE EXPERIENCE. This is a fun and engaging activity (for groups of four) about organisation within a paragraph. Using a non-fiction context (information about mammoths) pupils go to a paragraph party. They have to work out who is hosting the party (the topic sentence), who is the uninvited guest (information that doesn’t belong) and various other activities. In short, it’s a lively and memorable way of exploring non-fiction paragraphs.

Updated instructions now added Quiz, Quiz, Trade is a fun and active way for children to learn facts. The cards can be tailored to cover any subject area, topic or learning objective and are particularly useful for introducing a new subject area that your class wouldn’t already know lots about. You could include a range of differentiated questions, but I have often found that the children you least expect will learn the more complicated facts after playing this game. The idea behind Quiz, Quiz, Trade is that it is a fun, non-threatening and exciting game that is inclusive for all and will help all children in your class to acquire knowledge quickly. Really handy when you just need them to have a bit of background knowledge or learn something quickly in order to apply or develop the knowledge in their work. Quiz, Quiz, Trade can be used for any age group (my cards are all aimed at years 4-6) that will be able to read the questions and answers. I have used Quiz, Quiz, Trade in observations with much success (see instruction page) and consistently use it to introduce new topics in class-the children love it!