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.
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 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’.
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.
Spelling can be fun when approached through games. Here are some great spelling games that I have perfected over the years.
Huge saving available here!
Use the presentation to explore ary, ory and ery word endings.
Play the fun two player game with built in self assessment - Word race: ‘ary’, ‘ery’, ‘ory’
Challenge and support activities are included.
Challenge:
Try the ary ory ery riddles included (‘challenge activity’).
Support:
Match the word cards and sentence cards and write the sentences down.
From Year 2 onwards children are expected to understand and compose statements, commands and questions as part of their understanding of grammar and punctuation.
Bring this dry subject matter to life by playing 'Mission Control'. Why should a fun games-based approach only be used in mathematics?
This resource has everything you need:
full lesson plan with differentiation;
PowerPoint to support direct teaching;
fully resourced game.
Just add 1-6 die and you are ready for blast off. 10...9...8...7...
Children are expected to capitalise proper nouns from Year 1 onwards, but many children in Key Stage 2 find this tricky to remember. Often, children do not understand the difference between common and proper nouns.
This lesson, complete with presentation and an dice game, will give children experience of using a wide variety of proper nouns, from book titles to shop names.
Classes about to undertake the Y6 Grammar Test would find this a useful refresher on common and proper nouns.
Make missing capital letters a thing of the past by playing: ‘How many capital letters?’
Two dice games for KS2:
‘Point or show quantity’ pupils explore the two basic functions of determiners.
‘Introduce the noun’ pupils add determiners to noun phrases and sort determiners into groups.
Both games have a competitive element but are tightly focused on the following objectives:
I know that determiners have two jobs: ‘pointing’ or ‘showing quantity’
I can use determiners accurately in sentences
I can use a wide variety of determiners to introduce nouns
I can sort determiners into groups
Determiners can get a little confusing for primary school aged children when you get beyond simple ‘a’ or ‘an’ activities. How far you go with your class is best judged by you (of course!).
Through the presentation (which you may wish to simplify, depending on how far you wish to go with determiners) and engaging dice games, children will use lots of talk, and really engage with this tricky-to-define but important group of words.
Teach children the important skill of organisation within a paragraph. Essential for non-fiction writing. This bundle is suitable for information writing, persuasive and biography writing.
Teach modal verbs in the context of the amazing 'Guinness surfer with horses' advert (young teachers: google it).
Assessment focus:
I know some modal verbs, and I can explain why they are useful.
I can use modal verbs statements and questions.
I can use modal verbs creatively to show possibility/likelihood.
In this fully resourced lesson, pupils learn about modal verbs and then use them in sentences about the doubts and worries of the surfer in the advert and the dangers he faces.
There is clear differentiation for high attainer, on track learners and SEN learners.
The powerpoint will guide you through.
Enjoy!
This is a terrific descriptive writing lesson. Children contrast the inside of a tent (at night) to the outside.
Lesson summary:
1. Vocabulary/simile sorting activities for 'meaning breakdown' and then for inside/outside
2. Release high attaining (AMA) writers to do indoor/outdoor writing independently
3. Shared (teacher led) writing of ‘indoor’ for everyone else
4. Rest of class use word bank (developed during part 1) for independent ‘outdoor’ writing
It would work well from Y2 upwards - I used it in Y3, but I can imagine older writers enjoying this activity.
Children use images and word banks to create wonderfully rich descriptive writing.
You are buying:
a detailed lesson plan and presentation, with inside/outside image
word banks
tasks
suggested shared writing
Enjoy!
Everything you need to get your KS2/KS3 class using the language of argument, persuasion, discussion or debate. This set of resources includes games to develop vocabulary and resources that lead to extended writing. You'll love these - I use them often in year 5 and year 6!
In Key Stage 2, especially from Year 4 onwards, children are expected to use a variety of conjunctions accurately. I think that ‘if’ and ‘although’ deserve as a whole session on their own because they are two of the trickier conjunctions. Children often use ‘although’ inaccurately as they do not understand it’s meaning.
Included is:
a warm-up activity to get children thinking right from the moment they come in;
a 20 slide PowerPoint with lots of activities to engage with;
a detailed lesson plan;
a simple SAN/low attainers activity.
You are buying four resources here. They could be used in this order:
1. A scavenger hunt activity - active start to the lesson
Cut up the word bank provided and stick the cards around the room, or simply leave the word bank out on tables. Children need to hunt for words that match plural rules. Finally, children apply the rule and change the singular noun into its plural form.
2. Extension tasks (in orange) for those that finish quickly.
3. A PowerPoint that goes over the rules from the scavenger hunt. Clear up any misconceptions before moving on to the next activity...
4. A fun dice game for exploring 6 of the most common rules for changing singular nouns into plural nouns. The first one to fill their solar system with plural nouns wins!
It has a space theme ('Plural Planets'), but I have included an editable version of the gameboard so that you can easily change the theme to match your class topic. Enjoy!
*I have added a' Vikings' themed gameboard to show how the game can be adapted to different writing topics.
Assessment focus
I can use a wide variety of sentences and conjunctions in my writing
Explanation
Some of us are great at writing long descriptive sentences, whilst others are superb at short and shocking ones. We don’t always remember to use a wide variety of sentence types throughout our writing. It is far more enjoyable to read a story packed with questions, exclamations, complex sentences and speech sentences than a story that sticks to one or two of these.
Have you ever wanted to write a story without doing any planning or preparation? Well, now’s your chance!
A simple presentation about active and passive sentences, with some key questions. It leads into a board game that could be used for independent work, in pairs. The game could be recorded in written sentences or simply to used to orally practise active and passive.
Assessment focus
I can compose simple and compound sentences.
Explanation
This is two versions of the same game. By rolling dice and flipping cards, children construct their own simple and compound sentences. The second version has lots of silent letters words as this was a spelling focus in my class.
It is an effective way of making sure that children are secure with these basic - yet important - sentence structures.
This is a whole lesson about the spelling patterns able and ible.
It includes 2 short quizzes, making up new words and a fun writing activity that encourages children to apply their understanding, using a tried and tested word bank and a fun (persuasive) context.
Great for spelling and sentence work.
I can use a colon to introduce a list (when the clause before the list is independent)
This fun dice game gives children lots of opportunities to use a colon to introduce a list.
I have included three versions of the game, to ensure that all learners are included and challenged appropriately.
On track version: In pairs, use the on track dice guide. As players progress in the game, they must shade one colon on their game board for every item (or noun phrase) they include in each list. The first player to reach the finish is the winner.
Support version: In pairs, children use the support dice guide. During each round both players create a list sentence, using the opening clause on the dice guide, and a list of noun phrases. There are visual prompts on the dice guide to support writers with ideas.
Challenge version: Use the ‘on track’ dice guide, but ask the children to experiment with lists made up of expanded noun phrases that include commas, wherever possible. They can try using semi-colons to separate the items in each list.
Example of a sentence that could be created by playing this dice game at challenge level:
To create her magic potion she needed the following: wild mushrooms, from the lower field; oak bark, from the oldest tree in Western Wood; three long, white feathers and a twist of fresh sap, not more than a day old.
Your class will soon get the hang of colons to introduce lists if you play this for a session.