Some nice planning. In 4 groups so lots of differentation. Example : L.O To order positive and negative numbers and find differences between numbers (not set) Dividing by 10,100 and 1000 quick fire questions Must: I can order sets of negative numbers Share with the children an image of a thermometer, what is it used for? What do we know about temperature? Children to mark on the thermometer temperatures they know ie body temp, boiling point etc. Can temperature go below zero? What do we call those numbers? Share with the children -15, -2, -20, -9 and -21. Where on the thermometer do these go? Discuss smallest to biggest ordering, which number is smaller/larger. In pairs order a set of numbers (+ and -) L/A Children to order sets of negative numbers. Moving on to reading temperature problems. (activity 1-2 on pg6 NPM 6a) Number lines/thermometer to support?

Some easy worksheets to get pupils uplevelling. Good exercise to have on the desk when they arrive in class. Plus some nice VCOP and Pie Corbett stuff. Improving Sentences Checklist: improve the verb add an adjective (WOW word) extend with a connective start with an ly, ed or ing word include a simile or a metaphor add an adverbial Sentence up Levelling There was a volcano There were sparks flying Molten lava streamed down the sides

Planning and worksheets. Read chapter 3 and 4. Discuss the characters of Ruskin and Elvis. Do you like these characters? Explain. What do they look like? How do they move? Do they have friends/ family? What clothes do they wear? Discuss. Draw up a list of ideas. Task: To compare the characters of Ruskin and Elvis supporting your description with evidence from the text. Children to describe each character and complete an illustration. Children to check over their work and improve it. Discuss the comparisons they have made. Which character is the most interesting? Which do you like? Why? Highlight the WALT. Read p.27 ‘The playground was made of asphalt that sparkled in the sunlight like crushed diamonds on black velvet.’ Describe your school using images like this. The hall was… My classroom was… My teacher is… Task: Write a character description of Ruskin using the three shot camera frame. Model how to write the character description using the frame (use Elvis). Long shot, mid shot, close up and reveal.

Sample planning : Genre: Poetry Unit 2 – Classic/Narrative poems. Focus Texts: ‘The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes. ‘Maggie and the Dinosaur’ by Dave Ward.‘The Works’ (poetry anthology) by Paul Cookson. ‘The Puffin book of utterly brilliant poetry’ (Anthology) edited by Brian Patten. Prepare to share a narrative poem from an anthology: Maggie & the Dinosaur, p463 in The Works by Paul Cookson. Explain that an Anthology is a collection of poems specially chosen by a person: an anthologist. Highlight that Narrative poems are poems which tell a story. Point out that not all narrative poems have the same structure although each poem will probably have its own! They often have many verses just like a song, with each verse telling the next part of the story. Ask the children to respond to the narrative poem we shared. Which parts, lines & words did they enjoy the most? Did they like the way that the poem was read? Narrative poems are often long so they need to be read in a way that keeps the audience interested from start to finish. Just like a good story reader would make a story sound interesting. Children to be split into mixed ability groups of four and given copies of two poems: ‘Dave Dirt’s Christmas presents’ and ‘GreedyGuts’ both by Kit Wright. Ask the question: how can you be sure that you are looking at a narrative poem? They should decide which they would like to share with the class. How are they going to read it? Altogether, in pairs, individually on rotation? Allow each group time & space to practice for presentation. Groups to present their poems. Other groups to offer constructive feedback. Success Criteria: I know that a narrative poem is one which tells a story. I can contribute to a group activity, taking turns where necessary.

Great planning. sample : Key Questions Teaching Show the children the PowerPoint ® about different sentence types. Ask the children to give some examples of sentence types that we use in own writing. Remind the children of the BOYS and 2A sentences. Write suggestions down. Ask could we extend these sentences, giving more detail? Model how we might come up with a simple sentence – ‘I walked into school’ – and add another simple sentence to give more detail. Tell pupils this week we will be focusing on flashback stories. Ask children what does it mean to flashback? Ask pupils if they can recall the main stages of a narrative. Put up mixed words on board. Can pupils recall the order? Opening Build up Dilemma Events Resolution End Tell pupils effective flashback stories often open in the middle of action. This week we will focus on how to write an effective flash back opening. First we are going to explore a possible story plot. Today’s lesson we are going to look at a picture still and pupils are going to work in pairs to work out what is happening / happened. What does it mean to flashback? How should a narrative be structured? Why is this a good structure? Tell pupils there are two ways to start an effective flashback story opening. We can use a 3-ed sentence or an If… If… If… sentence. This week we are going to explore 3-ed sentences. The technique we are going to use is called the Cliff hanger 3-ed sentence. First part of our lesson we are going to look at just the 3- ed sentence. Explain to the pupils, -ed sentences describe a characters emotion/feelings. The sentence starts with 3 adjectives which end in –ed. Eg. Frightened, confused, amused. Show another still picture from ‘Holes’. (see slide 2 of PPT). Ask children to write as many adjectives ending in ‘ed’ as they can think of to describe the scene. Together, use these adjective and come up with a 3-ed sentences to describe this scene. E.g. Disgusted, puzzled, repulsed, he held the shoes away from his nose. Children now to generate their own using the words. Now show slide 3. Children to generate 3-ed sentences. Which words best describe the image? Why? Which sentence is the most effective? Why? Would changing the order of the adjectives make it sound better/worse? Why?

Nice planning : sample : Read 3/4 Pie Corbett poems (see list below this plan or plan resources) – NOT Wings. Discuss the poems read eg which one did you like best and why? Is anything similar about the poems? Focus their attention onto things that are typical of Pie Corbett. Use 3 headings: Subject matter/Style of poem/Language. Discuss each of these (subject matter is what the poem is about eg nature, travelling, observations etc). Style is free verse or strict rhythm/regular or irregular rhyming patterns, use of speech or dialogue etc. Language refers to the vocabulary – the use of adjectives and descriptions, metaphors or similes eg ”I heard the paving slabs groan as they muscled for space.” (See plan resources.) Start looking at poems of Pie Corbett under these 3 headings. Give chn time to talk in pairs/small groups about each heading and take feedback. Ask chn to come up and scribe some ideas under each heading. Explain that we will now be exploring some of these headings in more detail. Easy Give chn a selection of Pie Corbett poems. Model reading a couple to the chn. Discuss what was similar or different in terms of the subject matter. Chn to then read some more poems in pairs and start to sort them into groups that are similar and why. Stick the similar poems onto A3 paper and make rough jottings about why they are similar. TD Medium/Hard Work in pairs or 3s. Take turns to pick a Pie Corbett poem and read it out loud to rest of group. Repeat this until lots of poems have been read. Provide highlighting pens & poetry checklist (plan resources) to guide their discussion. Ask chn to go back over each poem carefully & highlight any language that makes the poem interesting eg adjectives & descriptions. Give chn the metaphor & simile example sheet (plan resources) to refer to and see if they can highlight any of these in another colour. Make sure chn annotate their highlighting with their own comments. Is there anything linking these Pie Corbett poems together? Does he repeat any language techniques? Finally they look at the style of the poems. Is there a regular rhythm in the poems? Do they use speech?

Great planning and powerpoints on this fascinating topic. sample : Speaking • Tell a story using notes designed to cue techniques such as repetition, recap and humour Drama • Reflect on how working in role helps to explore complex issues Understanding and interpreting texts • Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is implied • Compare different types of narrative and information texts and identify how they are structured Creating and shaping texts • Reflect independently and critically on their own writing and edit and improve it • Experiment with different narrative forms and styles to write their own stories Sentence structure and punctuation • Adapt sentence construction to different text-types, purposes and readers • Punctuate sentences accurately, including using speech marks and apostrophes Understand, analyse and compare several ‘visual texts’. Comment on the technical parts of a visual text. Write a review using correct format and language. Whole Class Shared Learning Guided and Independent Activities: Start to understand what is meant by a ‘visual text’. What do we know so far about narrative writing? Create a list of facts to add to working wall including: fictional, dialogue, opening etc. Explain to the children briefly, that they are going to watch a short, animated film, entitled ‘The Piano.’ Explain also that there is no dialogue or narration; it will be up to the children to decide what the film is about, to answer simple questions, raise some of their own and provide their own explanations for what they see. Tell the children that they’re going to watch the film, quietly and without comment at first. Then, watch ‘The Piano’ by Aidan Gibbons. Model completing thinking feeling and speech shapes linked to the narrative.

Lots of great planning for an exciting unit. Nice powerpoints. Sample : Share the learning outcome for the unit with the children; share the concept of the working wall. What is narrative? Fact or fiction? Ascertain that this unit is about fiction/narrative/stories. We have three weeks to achieve our learning outcome. Ask children what they know about JK Rowling. Who is she? What is her job? (use correct terminology- she is an ‘author) Where is she from? (Born in Gloucestershire) Can children name any of her books? (Harry Potter series plus several supplements) Etc. Activity One Come back together, show children a picture of JK Rowling – does this help? Children to move to next group’s poster and add any more info that they can now think of. Is there anything they agree/disagree with? Lead into a class discussion on this famous children’s author: Has anybody read any of her books? What are her stories about? What genre do you think her stories are written in? (Clarify what we mean by ‘genre’ if needed). What is the purpose of narrative writing? (Display ‘to entertain and enthrall’ on the working wall). Read first tale from ‘Tales of the Beadle Bard’ – The Wizard and the Hopping Pot. Discuss what is distinctive about this story (what does it remind you of?)

About a months work of year 5 Literacy planning. Some nice Roald Dahl stuff in there. sample : Recap on the children’s knowledge of poetry i.e. alliteration, similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia as the Iron Man is rich in poetic features. Introduce the book to the children. Highlight the cover of the book. What do you think the book will be about? Discuss with partners, share ideas with the class. Read the blurb. Why do you think the book is described as a modern fairy tale? Introduce that the author of the book is also a poet. Share that there are many poetic features in the text that are used to describe the characters and setting e.g. similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia. The children will have to take notes of these features. Read chapter 1 to the children. Ask the children to jot descriptions of Iron Man on their whiteboards while listening to the story. Use a PowerPoint to highlight the description of Iron Man on page 1-2.The children will create a mind maps on Iron Man. They will create a description his movements, his features and his personality. Focus: Characters WALT : To create a description of a character from a text. WILF: Use of adjectives, verbs and poetic features (i.e. similes, alliteration and onomatopoeia). Use neat handwriting. Share sentences with the class and discuss the descriptions they have created. What type of character is he? What similes are used in the text?

Some great planning for Charlie Small Gorilla City. You get microsoft word documents. Plus Notebook files if you can play those. Sample : LO: I can investigate a character and list key questions. Prior to lesson, create a display area in the class – or another area of the school – consisting of a copy of Charlie Small’s journal (see GORILLA CITY cover), photographs of settings and animals from the text, a map (copied from the book) and his rucksack. Also include a fact file on any 2 of the creatures mentioned in the text ~ e.g. the hyena or gorilla. The contents of his rucksack may be listed on cards; or some of the items actually on display. TA or other adult in school to enquire about these items and chn asked to ‘investigate.’ Teacher/TA to read note from Charlie – see inside book cover. In small groups, chn list questions they would like to ask the author – Charlie Small – and discuss what they would like to learn further about his expedition(s). Class share ideas. LO: I can identify author style and purpose. I can choose effective vocabulary to describe a character. Explore the cover design and shared reading of the Publisher’s note, plus the note from Charlie. Discuss the impact of the illustrations, writing style, the crinkled and stained journal entry by Charlie and use of words in capitals for emphasis. With response partner, chn talk, then make notes on what they have learnt about Charlie from his opening note. * Have an outline of a silhouette on the wall to represent Charlie. Teacher or TA read pages 2-6. In pairs, chn list some key words to describe Charlie’s personality, behaviour, likes and dislikes, based on what they have learnt so far. Ask them to select their most powerful adjective and write it on a Post-It note. Add these to the role on wall. Extension: discuss the use and purpose of each item in the rucksack.

Planning from my time in Primary Schools. PRUNING NEEDED! Lots of music info. Lots of great composers. Beethoven Greig Mozart Tchaikovsky Sample : TOPIC: Listening and Understanding Music KS1LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVENRESOURCES: dvd copy of Disney’s Fantasia; Beethoven/Pastoral sheet; pictures of orchestral instrumentsLESSON ONEWatch the Pastoral Symphony excerpt, and explain that this very old film uses music that is even older. The artists listened to the story in the music and created their story to fit it. Having watched the excerpt, ask the children what they noticed about how the music and the cartoon went together. Think about the peaceful music for the peaceful scenes; the angry music for the storm; the way the winged horses alight in time to the music etc.Watch a second time, pausing as appropriate to highlight the interaction of music and cartoon. Start to spot instruments.LESSON TWOListen to the Fantasia version of the Pastoral without the cartoon. Invite the children to recognise instruments. Show them pictures of the instruments as they name them, discussing how they are played, how their sounds differ from each other, and why they suit the different aspects of the music. Discuss the differing roles within an orchestra and look at the layout of the orchestra. Invite the children to draw a picture of their favourite instrument and explain why it is their favourite.LESSON THREEWatch the Fantasia excerpt again and remind the children that this story is the artists’ idea of the musical story. Explain that the artists used mythological characters because these were very popular in paintings at the time the music was composed (you could show them some). Invite the children to listen to the music and write their own story, or create their own picture either using the mythological characters or their own ideas.LESSON FOUR Explain that the class is going to listen to the story of the man who composed the Pastoral Symphony, and then write about him and his famous piece of music. Provide the children with paper to make notes should they wish, and the sheets to write up their findings when they are ready.

During my time as a teacher, I enjoyed doing a Big Write or Big Writing. I’ve gathered all my materials together. I liked it as it kept the children occupied all week, leading to a big write on Friday Mornings. There’s some great ideas and powerpoints in here. I’ve included a lot of Greek Myths stuff as I remember this as the best Big Write. sample : To understand the features of myths Introduce the topic of Myths and Legends. Mind map any ideas about ‘myths’ children already have. Explain that the class will be building up their own myth. With each group working on a different aspect of the myth. Show success criteria – list of features of a myth. Read Theseus and the Minotaur, pick out the different features of the myth, evident in this story. Each group will discuss and write ideas for each section. LA (Supported by Ta) Group 1: Describe the hero of the myth. Group 2: Describe the monster of the myth. Children will write ideas, words on post-it notes. If this was a full lesson: Put together all the different groups’ ideas to build a storyboard for the class myth. As a class, decide on a title for our class ‘myth’. Children can: identify all the features of myths Features of a ‘myth’ · When and where is it set? · A hero/heroine · What is the problem? · Does the hero have special powers? · Fantastical beast · The hero’s journey · The conflict · The solution · How does it end? · Is it interesting? MA (Supported by ta) Group 3: Describe the setting of the myth. Group 4: Describe the journey the hero will make. Children will write ideas, words on post-it notes. HA (Supported by Ta) Group 5: Describe the problem the hero will face. Group 6: Describe the resolution to the problem. Children will write ideas, words on post-it notes.

Nice lesson. Possible cross curricular links. Outside area planning. Learning Objectives. Ma 1 Organising and explaining Ma 3 Calculate perimeter/area of squares and rectangles. • To explain methods and reasoning • To solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain patterns and relationships. • Calculate perimeters and areas of rectangles. • Find the largest area that can be made with a rectangle that has a perimeter of 26 metres. Success criteria. • To be able to work out the area of a rectangle or square. • To make different rectangles that all have the same perimeter. • To recognise the largest area. • To compare the relationship between the length of the sides and the area of the rectangle. • To explain reasoning. Mental/Oral. 10 mins. LSA to support LA children. The answer is 16. What is the question? Using the yes/no cards hold up the correct side in response to the question. 15 + 1, 10 + 4, 18 – 2, double 2 ……. (12 questions.) Can we think of any more to add to the list? Discuss any misconceptions as they arise, also the quick ways to add numbers mentally. Emphasis on bonds and doubles or near doubles. With a partner, using InWB find as many questions as possible for the statement. The answer is 24. What could the question be? Vocabulary. add subtract multiply divide double near double half equals Resources :- Yes/No cards. InWBs and pens. Nice worksheets and powerpoint to do an investigation on the area and perimeter of squares and rectangles. Possible cross curricular links. Outside area planning. Learning Objectives. Ma 1 Organising and explaining Ma 3 Calculate perimeter/area of squares and rectangles. • To explain methods and reasoning • To solve mathematical problems, recognise and explain patterns and relationships. • Calculate perimeters and areas of rectangles. • Find the largest area that can be made with a rectangle that has a perimeter of 26 metres. Success criteria. • To be able to work out the area of a rectangle or square. • To make different rectangles that all have the same perimeter. • To recognise the largest area. • To compare the relationship between the length of the sides and the area of the rectangle. • To explain reasoning. Mental/Oral. 10 mins. LSA to support LA children. The answer is 16. What is the question? Using the yes/no cards hold up the correct side in response to the question. 15 + 1, 10 + 4, 18 – 2, double 2 ……. (12 questions.) Can we think of any more to add to the list? Discuss any misconceptions as they arise, also the quick ways to add numbers mentally. Emphasis on bonds and doubles or near doubles. With a partner, using InWB find as many questions as possible for the statement. The answer is 24. What could the question be? Vocabulary. add subtract multiply divide double near double half equals Resources :- Yes/No cards. InWBs and pens.

Literacy plans for year 4. Mainly word doucuments for recounts newspaper book week persuasive texts poetry antibullying week imaginary worlds stories with historical settings stories with imaginative settings stories with historical settings narrative writing and book week creative writing holy week Bits of Roald Dahl the Twits references. Sample planning : What newspapers and magazines can the pupils name? What are the articles usually about? Discuss the purpose of a newspaper. WALT – know the features of a newspaper text. WILF – good expression Read through the opening paragraph of a newspaper article. Children to discuss the features and the structure of the opening paragraph. Newspaper articles have all of the important information in the opening paragraph. The opening paragraph is not overly descriptive. This information includes who, what, when, where, why and how. (It is written this way because most people do not read an entire newspaper article all the way through. So newspaper writers put the most important information at the beginning). Children wrote learn the opening paragraph of a newspaper article. Firstly as a class, followed by group work. Recap the features of an opening paragraph of an article. SW – target group to discuss the features of the article.

Some great planning you can use throughout the year for year 4 Maths. I’ve divided it into 9 blocks. sample planning : Partition, round and order four-digit whole numbers; use positive and negative numbers in context and position them on a number line; state inequalities using the symbols MA2 L3 How many _ in each number? Children recognise how many Th, H, T & U are there WALT – Order and partition 3 and 4 digit numbers WILF – knowledge of place value Well organised work Pupils to be reminded of place value. Which column to we go to first to see which the bigger number is? What does it mean to partition a number? Children work though a couple of t. led examples. MA – 4 digit number sheet (MT) A – 3 digit number sheet (Indep) LA – partitioning 2 digit numbers. Discuss what each number is made up of - which is the biggest number in a group. Q? What happens if we swap the t & u around? (JH) Prep for Tue – do any children remember the rule for rounding. Discuss in talk partners and report back Partition, round and order four-digit whole numbers; use positive and negative numbers in context and position them on a number line; state inequalities using the symbols How many _ in each number? Children recognise how many Th, H, T & U are there WALT – round numbers to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000 WILF – rounding numbers accurately Mental addition of 2 digit nos Well organised pencil procedures Remind pupils of the findings from yesterday’s plenary. How do we round to the nearest 10? What about to the nearest hundred. Children put rule to the test using whiteboards to assess understanding. Children will be asked to add two numbers mentally and round the answer. Which mental strategies could we use? Ch discuss best way. MA to use pencil a paper proc with bigger numbers. Differentiated worksheets MA – ind A – MT less able JH Investigation. What is the highest and lowest numbers that will round to 4000. What is the difference? Multiply and divide numbers to 1000 by 10 and then 100 (whole-number answers), understanding the effect Children to use whiteboards – 10 x = Division Q? For MA WALT – multiply divide whole numbers by 10, 100 WILF - Understanding of the process Well organised work Moving onto decimals Mental maths methods What happens to a number when you multiply it by 10? Key points Children will know that add a 0 is not the correct answer. Decimal point stays in the same place. All children start by demonstrating their knowledge of mult by 10 and 100 then dividing by 10 100 MA – working with a mixture of whole and decimal numbers (JH) A – using whole numbers only LA – multiplying by 10 JH Who can explain the rule? Pupils are given 3 minutes to come up with the rule for multiplying by 10 or 100. Feedback to the rest of the class

Some great planning for year 4 Science. Plenty of material. Planning, powerpoints etc. Four vital areas. Nice experiments.

A series of short but interesting Maths investigations. Nice worksheets for year 5 pupils. Bits on tally charts and graphs. Nice powerpoint on reading scales.

Nice worksheet on Ramadam. Plus other nice bits and bobs on Islam and other religions.

Materials for teaching Easter and Jesus and his disciples. Planning powerpoints etc. Road to Emmaeus board game.

Nice powerpoint on the Ascension. Plus Teaching Strategies Lent Vigil Explained. Vigil four parts explained.