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!

Lesson plan, presentation and two dice games (the main game is differentiated 3 ways) included. Ready to go! Apostrophes! Why do so many of us get them wrong? This is a carefully planned lesson about apostrophes for Years 4, 5 or 6. It would also be an ideal revision tool for the Year 6 Grammar Test. First, children are given the chance to revisit prior learning through the fun warm up game ‘The Memory Test’. Following that, they will learn about possessive apostrophes and common misconceptions during the presentation. When they are ready, the two player game ‘Apostrophe Abduction’ will provide them with plenty of challenge or support, depending on the version you give them. I have included three versions of the game : A ‘support’ version - this game uses a very short text, with only 10 highlighted apostrophe words to focus on. An ‘on track’ version - children have to hunt for plurals, possessive apostrophes and contractions. A challenge version - the same as the ‘on track’ version, but across a full story - quite a challenge to find every plural, contraction and possessive apostrophe.

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

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

This is a fully resourced unit inspired by ‘The Iron Man’. Children change key parts of a known story into news reports. Every session has a detailed plan, a presentation and resources for writing tasks. This was planned for Y4, but it could be easily adapted to any KS2 class (everything is fully editable in Word and PowerPoint). There are some preview screen shots to give you a feel for the unit, but the whole unit is included in the attached zip folder. Each lesson is organised into subfolders for ease of use. Enjoy! Here is a brief overview of the 15 sessions: Pre-unit Assessment - Cold task – ‘Lion loose in school grounds’ • I can show what I already know about newspaper reports Asking questions – reading comprehension • I can ask questions about the text I am reading Interviewer and eye witness part 1: Hogarth • I can use drama explore events from different points of view Interviewer and eye witness part 2: Hogarth’s father • I can reuse words from the text Interviewer and eye witness part 3 and 4: farmer and police officer • I can use drama explore events from different points of view Paragraph structure • I can group and order information Headlines and summaries I can tell, sell and summarise Adverbials of time (fronted adverbials) • I can use adverbs to say when an event happened Adverbials of time (again!) • I can use adverbs to say when an event happened Switching between different voices (objective journalistic comment and informal first person quotes) • I can change between third person (journalist) to first person (eye-witness) Extend a paragraph with further related information • I can add information to a paragraph (sticking to the theme) Co-create a toolkit and pick out key features from news reports • I can identify the features of a news report Combine writing from sessions 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 to create a full news report. • I can edit, improve and publish my work Generate ideas for hot task through drama and plan a news report • I can plan a news report Extended writing - Apply learning from across the unit • I can write a newspaper report (based on a known narrative)

Orally rehearse the language of persuasive writing and balanced discussion before writing using these dice games, model texts, planning frames and toolkits. Throughout Key Stage 2, children are expected to take part in debates and compose one-sided arguments or balanced discussions. To be successful at this, children need plenty of opportunities to use the language of argument. Connecting phrases such as ‘it is obvious that’, ‘other people claim that’ and ‘opponents of’ need to be orally rehearsed as children do not encounter them regularly in their daily lives. This fully planned session, complete with a presentation and a fun dice game, will give children the experience of using the language of argument in a purposeful way. Use this session prior to any ‘argument’ style writing and it will give children the tools to be successful. *I have now added ‘Whose side are you on? Advanced’. This version is for 4 players and enables children to create full balanced discussions orally. The patterns they use exactly mirror the structure of a written balanced discussion. **I have also added a model text, a planning frame and a self assessment sheet for persuasive writing and a model text, a planning frame and a self assessment sheet for discussion writing. ***I have also added: a one sided model text in favour of Victorian style child punishment (for children to argue against!) a one sided model against mobile phones in school for children to argue ‘for’ a mobile phone fact or opinion sorting activity a one sided model for animals in circuses for children to argue against a one sided argument against computer games for children to argue ‘for’ a computer games counter argument activity a computer games fact or opinion sorting activity a for and against sorting activity linked with space a for and against sorting activity linked with aliens

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’.

This is a fully resourced, 3 week writing unit celebrating the work of black authors and exploring the themes of ‘A house like no other’ from the ‘Happy Here’ collection. By the final session, children will have written and edited their own ‘overcoming fear’ story. Absolutely everything you need is here. All slides and and resources have been created using PowerPoint and Word. Unit overview - 15 sessions including: Session 1: introduce the theme of the unit LO: I can listen to a poem and discuss it Session 2: pre-teach new vocabulary and make predictions LO: I can explore the meaning of words **Session 3: notice new vocabulary and make new predictions ** LO: I can ask questions and predict what might happen Session 4: What impact does the text have on the reader? Reading comprehension skills – summarising/impact of language choices LO: I can summarise the main ideas drawn from a short text Session 5: 'The argument’ Write dialogue about a child trying to avoid something that has been paid for LO: I can add adverbial phrases to speech sentences Session 6: ‘The Incident’ Look at the incident in first person. Create a diary recount and make use of modal verbs to convey self-doubt and uncertainty. LO: I can use modal verbs to show possibility and uncertainty Session 7: ‘The object’ Descriptive writing – imagine you could wear something that would magically take away all your worries and fears. LO: I can use ellipses to create drama and suspense Session 8: ‘Hot spot!’ What would it be like in for Izzy in this uncomfortable situation? Create multi-clause sentences. LO: I can use a range of conjunctions (if, but, while, when) Session 9: ‘The show’ Using dashes to add ‘chatty asides’ into sentences. LO: I can use dashes to interrupt a sentence or to extend a sentence Session 10: planning a narrative in which a character overcomes their fear Children use two resources: one provides prompts; the other is for recording ideas. LO: I can plan a short story for a Year 5 audience And five more amazing sessions!

Talk! Drama! Reading skills! Grammar skills! Games! Writing an information text! In this three week non-fiction writing unit, children look at an information text (a poster about the now destroyed Brighton Chain Pier). Then they play with the text and create new sentences of their own, developing key Year 2 grammar skills. Finally they create an information text of their own (Brighton Palace Pier), applying the skills taught in the previous two weeks. Every resource is included and resources are differentiated 3 ways - there’s a lot of work here! You could easily swap the model for an attraction local to you. I would simply keep the model and swap the outcome to an attraction near you - the skills in this unit are all transferable. When you download, use the full unit and planning in the zip folder - ignore the files uploaded for the preview. Here are the objectives covered thoroughly across the three weeks: This unit revisits Y1 grammar: I can make up sentences. I can join my ideas using ‘and’. This unit introduces new Y2 grammar concepts: I can use commas for lists. I can use questions, statements, exclamation and commands. I can use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify [for example, ‘the polished stones’]. I can add a chunk (clause) using ‘and’ (coordination) This unit introduces the following Y2 terminology: noun, noun phrase, statement, exclamation, command, adjective, verb, comma This unit introduces these Y2 composition objectives: I can write an information poster. I can plan or say out loud what I am going to write about. I can use new words (vocabulary). I can write my ideas in sentences (continued from Y1). I can make improvements and changes with the teacher or with my friends. I can re-read to check that my writing makes sense. I can proof-read to check my spelling and punctuation [Are the ends of my sentences punctuated correctly?] I can read aloud what I have written clearly and with expression. Reading skills : I can spot meaning breakdown. I can repair a meaning breakdown. Enjoy!

A one week unit for Y5 or Y6 exploring the weird and wonderful poem ‘Civil War on The Moon’, by the amazing Ted Hughes. Once the children have unpicked the tricky vocabulary (using the presentation attached), they will love this poem about two armies fighting for domination of the moon. My classes are always very keen to create new armies for a poem of their own. I use it during our space topic. I have included teacher notes about the parts children find a little tricky and a breakdown of each verse. I hope you have fun with this!

Fully differentaited dice game! Identify and correct apostrophe catastrophes. This game is differentiated into three versions to include all learners. Apostrophes are first introduced to children in Year 2 (UK National Curriculum). By the end of Year 4, children are expected to use apostrophes accurately to show possession, omission and to mark plural possession. This game provides an opportunity to practise all three types of apostrophe use mentioned above and would also be very useful to revise the use of apostrophes in Years 5 and 6. The 'support' version of the game could be used with younger children as it just focuses on apostrophes of possession and omission. The game includes instructions on how to play (with ideas about how to finish the game), differentiated versions, and resources to support and challenge pupils. There are also 'time-saver' versions of the game cards that don't need to be cut out! ***I prefer to use the game 'landscape', and I blow the pupil recording sheets up to A3 so that they have lots of space to write. I have added a landscape version of the game.***

KS2 poetry with patterns - 4 lessons - fully resourced. I love using ‘Amulet’ by the amazing Ted Hughes as a model for children’s poetry writing. Here are four sessions that explore this rich and powerful poem in creative ways. By the end of session 4, children will have created powerful poems of their own. Objectives covered: Part 1 Understanding a poem I can discuss a poem in a group, listen carefully to others and build on my own ideas. I can explore the meaning of tricky words and phrases. I can infer what the poet may have been thinking. Part 2 Reciting a poem I can read using intonation to add meaning I can visualise a poem I can recite a poem from memory Part 3 Exploring nouns and noun phrases and gathering ideas I understand the terms noun and noun phrase I can use precise nouns and rich descriptive language Part 4 Creating poems of our own I can create a magical poem with patterns Your class will love creating poems in the style of Ted Hughes!

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!

Here is a short science fiction/suspense model for Year 5 or Year 6. I have also included an annotated version with teacher notes showing all of the key grammatical features, the way the text is structured and some suggested activities. How is this text organised? Are you good at hiding? Do you ever keep secrets? Can you keep secrets from your reader? This story is all about keeping secrets, and causing confusion, uncertainty and suspense! Can you keep the identity of your man character (a cat in the model text) hidden until the end and let the reader try and work out what they are? Can you keep the danger unknown until right at the end? Can you finish on a cliff hanger? So many questions… Build your own story from here. Scatter clues about the identity of your main character and keep the danger hidden. Here are the themes of each part of the story: Setting, fear, an unknown thing coming Flashback 1: unclear warnings and rhetorical questions Sustaining injuries: main character stops what she is doing and runs for home, but it is treacherous Home and family: How is the character motivated to survive? Her den and cubs! Flashback 2: she remembers more warnings, but the threat remains uncertain and confusing Main character finds a familiar place – nearly home? – nearly safe? A mysterious object finally appears – everything scatters – character’s identity revealed Fear changes to hunger – prey becomes predator… cliff hanger!

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!

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.

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.