Year 4 - Guided Reading - The Reluctant Dragon
This two week guided reading plan focuses on The Reluctant Dragon by David Lucas. This plan follows a whole class guided reading approach meaning that all children are required to do the same activity on each day. The activities are differentiated.
The activities include a follow up task, comprehension, language activity and spelling focus.
Example Plan:
Text: The Reluctant Dragon
Day 1:
Children to have the front cover of the text and first page and complete table
What techniques can you see?
Is the Reluctant Dragon going to be a villain or a hero? What tells you this?
Children to read pages 1 - 11 in pairs.
Content Domain:
Identifying, discussing and collecting effective words and phrases which capture the reader’s interest and imagination e.g. metaphors, similes
Making predictions based on information stated and implied
Possible Questions:
pp2-5 What is the difference between “terrible” and “terrified”? Does the shepherd’s wife look frightened? What about his son?
p8 The boy says “Don’t worry.” Do you think his parents are: very worried – a little bit worried – not at all worried?
p11 What kind of questions would you ask a dragon?
Activity:
Make a prediction about what might happen in the story
Day 2:
Follow Up Task
Content Domain:
Identifying main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and summarising these
Children to read pages 12 - 30 in pairs.
Activity:
Look at pages 12- 30 in pairs. Write down any figurative language. Pick out similes, metaphors adjectives that evoke the scene.
e.g I suppose the Earth sneezed or shook itself.
Day 3:
Spelling Focus: [SHORT ACTIVITY]
See Slides on IWB
Day 4:
Comprehension
Children to read pages 31 - 40 in pairs.
Content Domain:
Analysing and comparing a range of plot structures.
Activity:
Children to complete a range of questions using different skills. True/False, matching different sentence starters and endings, ordering the story.
Day 5:
Free reading – any text
Free writing – writing a new introduction to The Reluctant Dragon.
Challenge: Can they include any of the spelling words we have focused on?
Year 4: Electricity Follow Up Task: Circuits
Follow-up task: LO: I can ask relevant questions and predict what might happen.
This is a follow up task to check children’s understanding around circuits. The activity requires children to predict what will happen for a particular circuit and explain why.
Year 4 - Electricity - Cloze Activity
This is a short activity where children need to fill in the gaps about electricity. This could be used as an AFL activity completed at the end of a unit to check understanding.
Year 4 - PSHE - Needs and Wants.
In this lesson the class will learn about the difference between needs and wants. I recommend using a circle time to discuss how there are things in life that we cannot do without (air, food, shelter etc) and there are those things in life we want (Xbox, Macdonalds etc).
This worksheet then provides a table for children to write down a list of needs and wants, and then reflect on the difference between the two.
This is a perfect opportunity to assess whether they have truly understood.
Year 4 - PSHE - Researching different celebrations and cultures.
In this lesson you will give your class the opportunity to research different prominent celebrations from around the world
There are 6 celebrations but you could add more. I have used Eid, Chinese New Year, The Sabbath, Thanksgiving, Diwali and Easter.
An example of the type of questions asked are below:
What celebration am I researching?
Eid
Who celebrates it?
Where is it celebrated?
How do people celebrate it?
What do I need to join in the celebration?
When is it celebrated?
What feelings are felt during this celebration?
Happiness Thoughtfulness Sadness Hope Remembrance
Why?
LO: I can identify the differences between rights and responsibilities.
This activity has the class using a Venn diagram to show the responsibilities they had when in year 1 vs year 4. Then they mind map the different rights they have as both a student and a young person.
Lastly they reflect on the difference between rights and responsibilities.
This activity focuses on tally charts, pictograms and block diagrams.
Learning Outcome: To interpret and construct simple tally charts, pictograms and block diagrams.
First they must create a tally chart using the information given, then turn this tally chart into a pictogram. Part of this also requires them to create a key which links a symbol to represent 2 sandwiches.
Next they use the block diagram and tally chart to create a block diagram. Lastly there are some questions that help them to interpret the data.