Useful talking about text prompts

A simple Minotaur worksheet to use to describe the Minotaur.

These are just some book discussion ideas used to challenge Upper KS2. The book talk looked for evidence that the book is a comedy, evidence that the book is about a tryanny and evidence of themes. We also discussed our likes and dislikes and words we felt described the book. We also looked at words used by reviewers to describe Wed Wabbit and decided if we did, or did not agree with their opinion . There are examples of the response to the topics by a child included as a model. There are also blank sheets for pupils to fill in their own discussion ideas. The words that have been used by critics to describe the book to promote discussion is also included.

Quiz - template for children to write questions about a topic

Character - negative character traits vocab building list. I cut up the words and pupils sorted the list into words they knew, thought they might know and definitely didn't know. Words could also be used to sort, for example, words with linked meanings and made into Mind Maps. Suited to some pupils in Upper Key Stage 2, but also some pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4.

Bullet point advice about how to redraft a story.

Examples of dangling modifiers (found on the internet) for pupils to work out the double meanings.

A scaffold visual planner to help children to write creatively and to use the senses, feelings and imagery in their description.

Write story starts sentences beginning in each of the following ways. There are some exemplars from books of each technique.

Fun examples of how changing punctuation changes meaning

Examples of funny dangling modifiers (found on the internet) for children to work out the double meanings.

This is a reading mat with questions to prompt quality text discussion of any story. It could be used as a whole class, for individuals or with groups.

This mat provides question prompts to use with any reading book. It helps to develop deeper understanding with highly able readers. It uses higher order reading skills and develops the pupils ability to support answers with evidence from the text. It could be used with individuals, or small groups.

This mat provides question prompts to use with any poem. It helps to develop deeper understanding with highly able readers. It uses higher order reading skills and develops the pupils ability to support answers with evidence from the text. It could be used with individuals, or small groups.

A poetry mat - with question prompts for highly able readers to be able to discuss any poem in guided reading.This mat provides question prompts to use with any poem. It helps to develop deeper understanding with highly able readers. It develops the pupils ability to support answers with evidence from the text. It could be used with individuals, or small groups.

Character - positive character traits vocab building list. I cut up the words and pupils sorted the list into words they knew, thought they might know and definitely didn't know. Words could also be used to sort, for example, words with linked meanings and made into Mind Maps. Suited to some pupils in Upper Key Stage 2, but also some pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4.

This is a great lesson on character. The modelled writing task makes pupils focus on Dahl's style. There are two word documents for pupils to adapt to create modelled character descriptions. See the two pdfs which show the work produced by the task.