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.
This is a KS2 sentence intervention for the whole class based on the brilliant short film ‘The Present’! It is made up of 12 carefully planned and fully resourced sessions, complete with PowerPoint slides. Everything is editable and it’s all ready to use with no additional preparation.
For one reason or another, many children arrive in Year 4, 5 or 6 with significant gaps in their understanding of basic sentence grammar. Often we are asking them to repeatedly take part in extended writing tasks when they can’t tell us what a sentence is or write accurately.
Use these 12 lively sessions with your class and you will quickly see an impact on sentence accuracy. Soon, children will be engaging with grammar and you’ll here: “Is this a run-on?” or “Does this sentence make sense?” Music to any teacher’s ears!
Allow about an hour for each workshop and adapt it to suit your own needs.
Let’s give children the knowledge and skills to start talking about sentences.
If you purchase this unit, please use the zip. Each lesson is resourced in its own sub-folder for ease of use. All planning (Word) and slides (PowerPoint) are included too. The images are just to enable previewing of the unit.
Overview of the unit
Workshop 1 (slides 1-3)
Sentence assessment task
Workshop 2 (slides 4-14)
I can tell the difference between a sentence, a fragment and run-on
I can change fragments and run-ons into sentences
Workshop 3 (slides 15-19)
I can tell the difference between a sentence, a fragment and run-on
I can change fragments and run-ons into sentences
Workshop 4 (slides 20-28)
I can start a sentence with How? When? or Where?
Workshop 5 (slides 29 – 39)
I can use these conjunctions: ‘because’, ‘but’, ‘so’
Workshop 6 (slides 40-45)
I can tell the difference between statements, questions and exclamations
I can write statements, questions and exclamations
Workshop 7 (slide 46 – 52)
I can identify a run-on
I can correct a run-on
Workshop 8
I can punctuate direct speech (slide 53-59)
Workshop 9 (slides 60-64)
I can start a sentence with How? When? or Where? (2)
Workshop 10 (slide 65-69)
I can peer assess writing and set a target
I can plan a story
Workshop 11 (slides 70 – 74)
I can use accurate sentences in my story writing
Workshop 12 (slide 75-84)
I can edit my work and improve it for my readers
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.
