Activities for Responding to Reading in Year 5

Activities for Responding to

Reading in Year Five

Written and compiled by the Lancashire Literacy Consultants

Year 5 – Teacher’s Notes

The activities are not intended to be issued without prior discussion and preparation. The activities require a range of reading strategies to complete. Wherever possible, each

activity has a reference to the Assessment Focus being developed. This will support teachers in covering a range of comprehension strategies and provide part of the ongoing evidence for assessing a child’s reading.

Many can be used as part of a Guided Reading session and completed with teacher support.

Some may be used more than once with different texts.

You may decide not to use all of the sheets, and some children may have a different selection

to others. You may choose sheets that support work done in the shared and guided session, or sheets

appropriate to individual children’s personal reading. Some of the activities are designed to be completed over time – such as collecting aspects of

language to use in the children’s own writing. These could be enlarged and displayed so that all the children could contribute.

Some activities may need to be differentiated – they are on the Literacy web site and you

may download them and alter them or use a sheet from a younger age group (www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/nationalstrategy/literacy).

If you do not want to use photocopied sheets, these ideas are easily transferred to paper or

exercise books. Or why not download the activity and work on screen. Most of the activities provide opportunities for Speaking and Listening about books and

reading. Year 5 Reading Objectives:

Strand Objectives

Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain events or ideas. 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. Distinguish between everyday use of words and their subject-specific use.

7

Explore how writers use language for comic and dramatic effects. Reflect on reading habits and preferences and plan personal reading goals. Compare the usefulness of techniques such as visualisation, prediction and empathy in exploring the meaning of texts.

8

Compare how a common theme is presented in poetry, prose and other media.

The Reading Assessment Focus - Overview grid

AF Strategies Key phrase

1

Use a range of strategies, including accurate decoding of text, to read

for meaning

Decode accurately. Read with understanding.

2

Understand, describe, select or

retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and

reference to text

Seek, find and understand. Literal responses to text.

Text reference.

3 Deduce, infer or interpret

information, events or ideas from texts

Between the lines Inference and deduction.

Interpret. Put yourself in their shoes.

Text reference.

4

Identify and comment on the

structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and

presentational features at text level

Structure. Commenting on presentational features.

Why is the text presented and organised as it is?

5

Explain and comment on the writers’

use of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and

sentence level

Language. Why did the writer use that word /

phrase / image / sentence etc. Literary awareness. Impact on reader.

6

Identify and comment on the writers’

purposes and viewpoints, and the overall effect

The Writer. Writer’s purpose.

Writer’s attitudes and values. Big messages about life.

7

Relate texts to their cultural and historical contexts and literary

traditions.

The Text and the World. How the text fits into its social,

historical, cultural, literary heritage context.

In a

ddit

ion

to a

wid

e ra

ngin

g re

ad a

loud

pro

gram

me,

and

chi

ldre

n’s o

wn c

hoic

es, p

upils

in Y

ear

5 wi

ll re

ad:

• N

ovel

s an

d st

orie

s by

sig

nifi

cant

chi

ldre

n’s a

utho

rs

• Tr

adit

iona

l sto

ries

•

Fabl

es

• M

yths

and

Leg

ends

•

Stor

ies

from

oth

er c

ultu

res

• Pl

ays

• In

stru

ctio

ns

• Re

port

s •

Expl

anat

ions

•

Pers

uasi

ve t

exts

•

Dif

fere

nt p

oeti

c st

yles

•

Clas

sic

and

narr

ativ

e po

ems

• Ch

oral

and

per

form

ance

poe

try

• Th

ere’

s a

Boy

in t

he G

irls

’ Bat

hroo

m

• Th

e H

ighw

aym

an

• Th

e M

idni

ght

Fox

• St

reet

Chi

ld

• Se

nsat

iona

l

The

Year

5 R

eade

r ‘I c

an…’

… re

cogn

ise

the

diff

eren

t wa

ys t

hat

auth

ors

pres

ent

char

acte

rs a

nd f

ind

evid

ence

in t

he t

ext

… te

ll th

e di

ffer

ence

be

twee

n fi

gura

tive

and

lit

eral

lang

uage

and

ta

lk a

bout

how

the

y af

fect

the

rea

der

… te

ll fr

om w

hose

vie

w th

e st

ory

is b

eing

tol

d an

d re

tell

the

stor

y fr

om a

dif

fere

nt

view

poin

t

… ke

ep t

rack

of

a su

bjec

t th

roug

h th

e pr

onou

ns in

a t

ext

… us

e m

y ow

n ex

peri

ence

and

wid

er

read

ing

to j

udge

tex

ts

… pi

ck u

p au

thor

’s cl

ues

to h

elp

me

unde

rsta

nd

text

s

… us

e th

e pu

nctu

atio

n in

com

plex

sen

tenc

es

to h

elp

unde

rsta

ndin

g wh

en r

eadi

ng

… re

cogn

ise

the

feat

ures

of

diff

eren

t te

xt t

ypes

… re

spon

d to

wha

t I

read

– im

agin

ing

even

ts

and

how

char

acte

rs

feel

… ca

n in

form

atio

n qu

ickl

y fr

om d

iffe

rent

so

urce

s an

d de

cide

wh

ich

is m

ost

usef

ul

… ca

n fi

nd m

y wa

y ar

ound

tex

ts q

uick

ly

and

effe

ctiv

ely

… di

scus

s bo

oks

and

auth

ors

and

reco

mm

end

titl

es t

o m

y fr

iend

s

… us

e th

e fr

ont

cove

r bl

urb

and

revi

ews

to

help

me

choo

se w

hat

I re

ad

… kn

ow w

hat

to e

xpec

t fr

om d

iffe

rent

typ

es

of t

exts

… us

e di

ffer

ent

stra

tegi

es t

o wo

rk o

ut

unkn

own

word

s

Books I have read this year

Date Title Author

Fict

ion

Books I have read this year

Date Title Author

Non

-Fiction

Collect and Compare Story Openings Find three books or stories that you have read or would like to read. Titles: Book/story one: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Book/story two: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Book/story three: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Read the first few paragraphs of each. Do they start with action, dialogue or description? Book/story one: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Book/story two: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Book/story three: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Which book or story would you want to read the most? …………………………………………… What was it about the opening that made you want to read on? ……………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Which book or story did not tempt you to read on? …………………………………………………… Why? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Collect and Compare Story Openings

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Compare different types of narrative and information texts and

identify how they are structured. Assessment focuses: Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Assist the children in finding three books or stories with contrasting openings; description, dialogue, action. Ask them to read the first paragraph or two of each book and to discuss the way in which the author has started the story. Encourage them to: • talk about the type of story each might be; • what is already known from the beginning; • what they would like to know more about; • predict what might happen; • which book was the most tempting to read and why; • which book was the least tempting to read and why; • what techniques have the authors used to draw the reader in?

Identifying Story Structures Make brief notes in each box to identify the different stages in the plot of different stories. Story One: Title:

Setting: Problem: Conflict:

Complication: Crisis: Resolution:

Story Two: Title: Setting: Problem: Conflict:

Complication: Crisis: Resolution:

Story Three: Title: Setting: Problem: Conflict:

Complication: Crisis: Resolution:

Identifying Story Structures

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Compare different types of narrative and information texts and

identify how they are structured. Assessment focuses: Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and presentational features at text level Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level This activity may take several sessions as it involves reading a selection of short stories and comparing their structures. Use stories with clear structures. Discuss the common features of story structure using the terminology familiar to the children. If the words on the activity sheet, differ to the ones used in your class, the words can be changed by downloading one from the Lancashire literacy website and changing the original. (See teacher’s notes). Supply the children with two or three short stories of different genres; e.g. science fiction, myths, legends, adventure. Discuss the elements that they will be looking out for. Ask them to make brief notes in the boxes identifying the relevant features and stages of the story.

Thin

king

Ahe

ad!

Ti

tle:

W

hat

do I

kno

w?

Wha

t do

I w

ant

to k

now?

W

hat

have

I le

arnt

? Ev

iden

ce f

rom

the

tex

t

Thinking Ahead! Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain events or ideas. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts This activity involves the use of a KWL grid. The children make notes in the K (what I already know) column. They will not have read any of the book at this stage. They would use prior knowledge of the author and text type; the picture on the cover and the blurb to help them. The children would then write down questions in the W (what I would like to know) column. They could note down predictions in this column, too. When they have finished the book, the children could note down what they have found out about characters and events with evidence from the text to back up their findings. This activity is often associated with non-fiction texts but it is equally useful with fiction.

Story Mapping Draw a ‘map’ of the main events of a story or book that you are reading. Draw a picture of each setting and event with brief notes from the text. Join each event with arrows to show the progress of the story. Title:

Story Mapping

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Compare different types of narrative and information texts and identify how they are structured. Assessment focuses: Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts, including grammatical and presentational features at text level This activity can be done at the end of a book or whilst the book is being read. At each stage or chapter, ask the children to draw a snapshot of the setting and main event. This can be annotated with words or phrases from the text that sum up the event.

Raining Cats and Dogs!

Have you ever heard people say things that don’t make sense but you understand what they mean? Have you ever heard anyone say ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’? What do they really mean? How do you feel if you’re ‘feeling under the weather’? Keep your ear to the ground (another one) for some more expressions. People use them all the time. Fill in the speech bubbles with the expressions you hear. Draw a picture for each one.

Raining Cats and Dogs!

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Explore how writers use language for comic and dramatic effects. Assessment focuses: Reading AF6: Identify and comment on the writers’ purposes and viewpoints, and the overall effect We use expressions all the time that don’t make any sense literally, but we all know what is meant. This activity is designed to be added to over time. When an idiom is encountered in shared or guided reading, or when someone uses one when speaking, it can be added to the sheet. It is also fun to have a class sheet that can be added to. Leave the expressions for a day or two – see who can guess what they really mean before you explain. A typical breakfast television or radio programme will provide dozens of idioms. Some examples: over the moon fire away! stand on your own two feet under the weather poke your nose into other peoples’ business blow the cobwebs away in the twinkling of an eye in a sorry state been in the wars nagging doubt if the cap fits scare the living daylights See The Penguin Dictionary of English Idioms

From Prose to Playscript!

Choose a scene from your reading book that contains dialogue between two or three characters. Change the scene into a playscript. Remember to show who is speaking and how they are acting by giving a stage direction. Cast:

Scene:

Characters: (stage direction) What they say

From Prose to Playscript! Framework objectives: Strand 9: Experiment with different narrative form and styles to write their

own stories Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level This activity helps children to distinguish between the ways in which character’s actions and manner are portrayed in narrative, and by stage directions in playscripts. Ask the children to ‘translate’ a piece of narrative containing a lively exchange between characters to a playscript. They will need to indicate the setting, and how the characters should act out their lines through stage directions.

It’s

the

Way

You

Say

It!

A

utho

rs o

ften

use

dia

logu

e to

tel

l you

, the

rea

der,

how

a c

hara

cter

is f

eelin

g or

beh

avin

g. L

ook

out

for

exam

ples

like

the

se w

hen

you

are

read

ing:

“A

wha

t?” s

aid

Har

ry, i

nter

este

d. “B

ut w

hy?

Wha

t ha

ppen

ed?”

Har

ry a

sked

urg

ently

. “Ga

llopi

n’ Go

rgon

s, t

hat

rem

inds

me,

” sai

d H

agri

d, c

lapp

ing

a ha

nd t

o hi

s fo

rehe

ad w

ith

enou

gh f

orce

to

knoc

k ov

er a

car

t ho

rse

. . .”

Wri

te y

our

exam

ples

in t

he li

ned

squa

res

and

draw

the

cha

ract

er’s

face

to

sho

w ho

w th

ey a

re f

eelin

g or

act

ing.

Don

’t f

orge

t to

use

the

m in

your

own

writing

! “

“ “

“ “

“ “

“

It’s the Way You Say It! Framework objectives: Strand 7: Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Explore how writers use language for comic and dramatic effects. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Ask the children to look out for adverbs that indicate the way in which dialogue is being spoken. e.g. “Sorry,” Harry said quickly. The more able may be able to identify adverbial phrases that extend the manner in which dialogue is being spoken. e.g. “I never expected this,” he said, in a low, worried voice.

Characterisation Find extracts in your book or story that present characters through description, dialogue and action. Write the extracts in the space provided.

Description Title:

How does this description make you feel about this character? Would you like them? Why? Why not?

Dialogue Title:

How do the characters feel? How do they feel about each other?

Action Title:

What does the action tell you about what the character is like? What type of person do you think they are?

Characterisation Framework objectives: Strand 7: Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Explore how writers use language for comic and dramatic effects. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Many children use description to convey the characters in their own writing. It is useful to be aware that characterisation can take several forms and that readers are made aware of character’s personalities through the way they speak, act and respond to other characters as well as through description. Ask the children to look out for the ways in which characters are portrayed – through description, dialogue, and the ways they respond to other characters. These extracts are then noted in the boxes provided. The children should then write how each technique makes them feel as a reader. Encourage the children to justify their views.

The Missing Bits! Find a place in your story or book where you could write an additional scene, or add another speaker to a section of dialogue. Remember to keep to the style of the author.

Original story title: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page number where you have added your scene …………………………………………………………… Author’s last sentence ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Missing Bits!

Framework objectives: Strand 9: Experiment with different narrative form and styles to write their

own stories Assessment focuses: Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Reading AF6: Identify and comment on the writers’ purposes and viewpoints, and

the overall effect Choose a story that has scope for additional scenes or characters. Discuss the possibilities with the children and ask them to: • include a further character in a dialogue between other characters, maintaining the

style and viewpoints; OR • add a ‘meanwhile’ scene to describe what may be going on somewhere else at the

same time; OR • add a further complication, dilemma or twist to an existing story.

In Other Words……… Words are like colours. Just think about how many shades of blue there are – sky blue, sea blue, duck-egg blue, navy blue! Well, words are the same – think about upset and sad, angry and cross, happy and cheerful. Good writers choose just the right word in the right place. Look out for words you like to use and find as many synonyms as you can in your thesaurus. Think about the slight differences in their meanings.

Word Synonyms Shades of meaning cheerful in a good mood content quietly happy carefree no worries

e.g. happy

jolly full of fun and laughter

In Other Words……… Framework objectives: Strand 7: Explore how writers use language for comic and dramatic effects. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Supply the children with a selection of words that they often use in their writing or ask them to select words from their reading. Ask the children to find synonyms for each word and to discuss how they differ from each other in ‘shades of meaning’. Discuss a few examples and what each means to the children. Some suggestions: sad cross big hot said hungry eat run

Making Notes Topic:

Titles of books used:

Key facts:

Choose a picture. What does it show?

Explain a diagram in words:

What has surprised you that you did not know before?

Making Notes

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain

events or ideas. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text Supply the children with a selection of books from which they can extract information on one topic; e.g. spiders; Islam; What the Egyptians ate. Give the children the activity sheet and ask them to make notes in each of the sections. Emphasise the need to identify key points rather than chunks of text. A follow-up activity could be to tell a friend about the topic, using the notes to structure their explanation.

“Direct” and Reported Speech

Read the newspaper cuttings that your teacher has given to you. Highlight direct speech in one colour and reported speech in another. Copy each example below and then change it to the other form.

Direct speech 1:

Change:

Direct speech 2:

Change:

Direct speech 3:

Change:

Reported speech 1:

Change:

Reported speech 2:

Change:

Reported speech 3:

Change:

“Direct” and Reported Speech Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain events or ideas. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text Provide the children with a selection of newspaper articles. Ask them to highlight direct speech in one colour and reported speech in another. Ask the children to copy each example onto the activity sheet and to translate it into the other form, as above.

Aut

hor?

Nar

rato

r? C

hara

cter

? W

ho is

tal

king

to

you?

St

orie

s ca

n be

wri

tten

in t

hree

way

s. T

he a

utho

r te

lls t

he s

tory

, a n

arra

tor

tells

you

wha

t is

hap

peni

ng, o

r, o

ne o

f th

e ch

arac

ters

tel

ls

you

what

is h

appe

ning

. Thi

s ac

tivi

ty is

for

you

to

deci

de w

hat

effe

ct e

ach

met

hod

has

on y

ou, t

he r

eade

r. R

ead

the

text

s yo

ur t

each

er

has

give

n yo

u an

d di

scus

s th

e fo

llowi

ng w

ith

your

rea

ding

gro

up.

Te

xt o

ne t

itle

: (fi

rst

pers

on)

Text

one

tit

le: (

thir

d pe

rson

)

Wha

t im

pres

sion

do

you

have

of

the

char

acte

r?

Wha

t im

pres

sion

do

you

have

of

the

char

acte

r?

Wha

t ha

ve y

ou le

arne

d ab

out

them

?

Wha

t ha

ve y

ou le

arne

d ab

out

them

?

Chan

ge a

sec

tion

of

text

to

thir

d pe

rson

.

Chan

ge a

sec

tion

of

text

to

thir

d pe

rson

.

Doe

s th

is c

hang

e af

fect

how

you

fee

l abo

ut t

he c

hara

cter

? H

ow?

Doe

s th

is c

hang

e af

fect

how

you

fee

l abo

ut t

he c

hara

cter

? H

ow?

Author? Narrator? Character? Who is talking to you?

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level Ask the children to choose two texts; one written in the first person and one written in the third person. Discuss the extent to which each engages the reader. Encourage the children to talk about: • how they respond to the character speaking directly to the reader; • how they respond to the character described by the author or narrator. Ask the children to transform the extracts from first to third and third to first. How do the children feel about the characters now? (This activity may have to be transferred to paper if the extracts are longer than the boxes allow.)

Myths, Legends and Fables Note down the features of each genre using words and phrases from the text.

Myth A traditional story about gods and heroes which may explain a natural event

Legend A traditional story about heroic characters based on truth but added to over time.

Fable A short story to teach a moral lesson.

Characters: Characters: Characters:

Plot: Plot: Plot:

Words and phrases: Words and phrases: Words and phrases:

‘Typical ingredients’ ‘Typical ingredients’ ‘Typical ingredients’

What does the story explain? How is the character portrayed?

What is the moral or message?

Myths, Legends and Fables Framework objectives: Strand 7: Compare different types of narrative and information texts and

identify how they are structured. Assessment focuses: Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level Provide the children with stories or extracts of myths, legends and fables. Discuss the characteristic features of each genre. Ask the children to note down these features on the activity sheet.

Same but Different! Read the two versions of the same story that your teacher has given to you. Note down what is similar about the two stories. What is different about them? Story One:

Story Two:

Similarities: Similarities: Characters: Characters:

Plot:

Plot:

Language:

Language:

Differences: Differences: Characters: Characters:

Plot:

Plot:

Language: Language:

Same but Different! Framework objectives: Strand 7: Compare different types of narrative and information texts and

identify how they are structured. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Provide two versions of the same story. Discuss the basic story-line. Ask the children to read the stories and to identify the similarities and differences. Ask the children to note down these features on the activity sheet. Suggestions: • Beauty and the Beast and Billy Beast (Heinemann Literacy World Essential Texts

Stage 3). • Different versions of myths, legends and fables. • Creation stories. • Different versions of traditional tales and fairy stories.

Let Me Tell You a Story.

Make brief notes about each stage of the story to help you retell the story orally.

Notes from a story Stability:

Setting Characters When, where, who?

Threat:

Change Problem

Complicating action:

characters’ responses characters’ actions/reactions

interaction between characters events to carry the story forward

consequences of characters’ actions

dilemmas

Resolution: • How characters

extract themselves from a situation

• How things work out for everyone.

• What characters have learned

Let Me Tell You a Story.

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain

events or ideas. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text This activity requires the children to make brief notes about the main events in a story to provide prompts for an oral retelling of the story. Ask the children to use these notes to tell the story to the class in the plenary or at another appropriate time.

A Favourite Poem Chosen by ____________________________________________________

I have chosen this poem because ……………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A Favourite Poem Framework objectives: Strand 8: Reflect on reading habits and preferences and plan personal

reading goals. Assessment focuses: Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level Reading AF6: Identify and comment on the writers’ purposes and viewpoints, and

the overall effect As part of a unit of work on poetry, ask the children to read poetry in their independent and quiet reading times. Encourage discussion about their preferences and why they like particular poems. Ask the children to write their favourite poem on the activity sheet and to add their reasons for their choice; referring to the theme, the effect of the language and how it affects them as a reader. The children’s choices can then be compiled into an anthology of favourite poems.

A Favourite Poem – My Version

By __________________________________________________

A Favourite Poem – My Version

Framework objectives: Strand 8: Reflect on reading habits and preferences and plan personal

reading goals. Assessment focuses: Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level This activity is an extension of the ‘A Favourite Poem’ activity. Ask the children to use the poem they chose for the previous activity as a base for a poem in which they have substituted their own ideas, maintaining the rhythm and style of the original. Alternatively, the children could insert or add an additional verse to the original.

Non-Fiction Texts – Talk Frame

Use this outline to help you navigate your non-fiction book.

Title:

Author:

What is the book about? Use the blurb to help you.

The cover design shows… Does the cover make you want to read the book? Is the book attractive and exciting to look at? Why?

Fill in the first two columns of your KWL grid

Each person in the group think of a question that the book may be able to answer. Is there a contents page, an index? Is the book divided into chapters? Is each chapter divided into separate headings?

Look at the contents. Is there anything listed that might help you find the answer to one of your questions? Try.

Look at the index. Can you find something that might lead you to the answer to another of your questions? Try.

Look at chapter one. What is the title of this chapter? Describe how the text is laid out. Has the author used headings? Do you think it would matter if the headings were in a different order? Why? Why not?

What sort of pictures have been used? Do they help you understand the text?

Skim over the text. What is the chapter about?

Scan through the text and list the key words in chapter one.

Read chapter one of your book. (You could take it in turns to read to each other)

Is the information easy to understand? Why?

Did you enjoy this book? What did you like about your non-fiction book?

What did you not like about the book?

Were you surprised by anything in the book?

Did you find the answers to your questions? Easily, or was it difficult?

Fill in the last column of your KWL grid

Non-Fiction Texts – Talk Frame Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain

events or ideas. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text This activity can be undertaken by a group or by an individual. Supply the group with an non-fiction book at the appropriate level. Assign group roles: • talk leader – to make sure everyone has a turn and to sum up what each person says; • group organiser – to read the questions and to make sure everyone is on task and

contributing; • scribe – to make the notes on the KWL grid • reporter – to report back to the rest of the class in the plenary. The children will need the talk-frame and a KWL grid.

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Points of View

Think about someone in your book who is not the main character. Rewrite a scene from your book from this character’s point of view. Do

they feel differently about the situation? Do they know something that the main character does not know? Would the main character be surprised about how

they feel? Title: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Scene: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Points of View Framework objectives: Strand 7: Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Organise a group of children into a ‘freeze-frame’. This is when you pick a particular point in a story where the characters are involved in an event which affects them in a certain way. Ask each child to talk about how they feel as that character, in that situation, at that time. For example the story may be told from the main character’s point of view or perspective. (We know how Harry Potter felt when Dudley Dursley was opening all his birthday presents at the beginning of the first book, but how did Dudley feel? Or his mother or father?) Ask the children to write the scene from a story but from a different point of view from that in the story. Encourage discussion about other events in the story which may affect the way each character views the current situation.

Write a Letter

Imagine that you are a character from your book.

Write a letter to another character to tell them what you feel about events or something they have done. Or write a letter to an imaginary friend telling them about something that has happened in the story.

Character’s address here:

Date:

Dear

Write a Letter

Framework objectives: Strand 7: Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Ask the children to imagine that they are a character from the book they are reading. Discuss the situations that the character is involved in and how they might feel. The letter could be to another character containing something related to the plot, or to an imaginary friend, telling them about what has been happening to them as the character.

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Thoughts about my book Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain

events or ideas. Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Assessment focuses: Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Discuss the points below with the children. Make a copy for the children to refer to as they complete the task. Encourage the children to justify their opinions and to avoid retelling the story. Reading Response It is important that you should have your own opinions about the books that you read both in and out of school. Try to write down your thoughts, feelings and ideas about what you read so that you make these clear to yourself, your teacher or other pupils in the class. When you read a book use these notes to help you write up your response to your book 1. Title, Author and Cover Complete this section before you start to read the book. Note down what you think the book will be about using any clues in the title and the cover picture. Write down what you know about the author; you may find some information at the beginning or end of the book. 2. Your First Impressions Read the first ten pages or so, stopping, if possible, at the end of a chapter or section. Try to describe what you think or feel about: • Whether the story is what you expected • What has happened so far • The main characters in the book Make a note of what you think is going to happen so that you can check later to see if you were correct. Write down any questions you have about the story. 3. About Halfway Through Make a note of whether your thoughts or feelings about the story and the characters have changed. If they have, try to explain why and how. Think again about where the book is going. Have your thoughts about how the story will end changed? Explain why and make a note of what you think will happen. 4. The Ending Look back over your earlier notes on the book you are reading. Write down what you think about how the book ended. Were you surprised? Say if you would recommend the book to people in your class and say why. Words like good, bad, boring, all right, don’t tell people reading your notes very much, so try not to use them.

I Have Just Read Use these questions to help you write about the book you have just read. Ask your teacher for some lined paper or use your exercise book.

I Have Just Read: By: What genre does this novel belong to? How long is the book? How long did it take you to read it? Who are the main characters in this book? What are they like? What do they think of each other? What is the plot of this book? Which is the most dramatic event? How do things change for the characters? How would another character view the events in the book?

What was really good about this book?

What would you have changed about the book?

Who would you recommend this book to, and why?

Draw a character and a scene from the book.

I Have Just Read Framework objectives: Strand 7: Make notes on, and use evidence from across a text to explain

events or ideas. Infer writers’ perspectives from what is written and from what is

implied. Strand 8: Reflect on reading habits and preferences and plan personal

reading goals. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text Reading AF3: Deduce, infer or interpret information, events or ideas from texts Reading AF5: Explain and comment on the writers’ use of language, including

grammatical and literary features at word and sentence level This activity can be undertaken by the class to write about a class novel, or by individual children using their own novels. The activity sheet provides a framework for writing. The children will need to use lined paper or their exercise book as they will differ greatly in the amount of writing they produce in response to this objective. Encourage the children to: - say what they think; - say why they think it; - justify their views; - refer to the text for evidence.

Hotel Towel Cards

Help us to Help Our Environment Environmental care is often a matter of

taking little steps which reduce the demands on the earth’s natural resources.

Help us to do this by kindly considering using the bathroom towels a second time.

Place your towels on the towel rail to USE THEM AGAIN. Place your towels in the bath or shower to CHANGE THEM

Royal Hotel Kirkwall

In the interest of the environment

Imagine just how many towels are

unnecessarily washed each day in all the hotels throughout the world.

The truckloads of washing powder used,

the reservoirs of water needed and the energy consumed to wash and dry them.

Towels placed in the bath/shower means

please exchange

Towels placed on the towel rail means I will use again

Thank you for your co-operation

Dear Guest

HELP US TO HELP OUR ENVIRONMENT In an effort to exercise the dual responsibility to both you and the environment Menzies Hotels has introduced a fully ecological bathroom policy.

TOILETRIES The “Press and Wash System” installed in your bathroom provides products of the highest quality. All products are dermatalogically tested, kind to the skin, packaged in recyclable, biodegradable plastic and are not tested on animals.

TOWELLING To help us reduce the use of laundry chemicals and save precious energy, placing used towels on the bathroom floor will indicate that you wish to be provided with clean linen. Used towels placed on the rack will not be changed.

For a healthy environment

Dear Guests, Can you imagine how many towels are washed every day in hotels all over the world and the enormous amount of detergent needed which therefore pollutes our waters? Please help us to be greener and decide for yourselves. Towels on the floor means please change them, towels on the rail means we’ll use them again.

Thank you.

1. Read these cards. They are to tell hotel guests about the use of bathroom towels. Discuss the ways in which they are written. Which ones are the most persuasive? Why?

2. What ‘tricks’ have the hotels used to make you do as they wish? Why do you really think they want you to re-use your towels?

Hotel Towel Cards Framework objectives: Strand 7: Compare the usefulness of techniques such as visualisation,

prediction and empathy in exploring the meaning of texts. Assessment focuses: Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level Ask the children to read the selection of cards from various hotels. These cards instruct guests on what to do with used towels. The children should discuss the persuasive techniques that have been used to ensure the guests do as the hotels wish. Techniques such as; - use of the second person ‘you’ and first person ‘we’; - inclusive language – ‘ We all care . . .’ ‘dual responsibility’ - emotive language – ‘pollutes our waters’ ‘taking little steps’ - exaggerated language – ‘truckloads of detergent’ Encourage the children to question the real motives behind such texts – a reduction in labour and resources costs. These cards are just one example of the types of texts that can be found for free with a little effort. There are many other types that can be compared. e.g. leaflets on: - healthy eating; - giving up smoking; - keeping the environment litter free; - advertisements for similar products; - promotional leaflets for theme parks, attractions etc

Glossary

Topic: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Word Definition

Glossary Framework objectives: Strand 7: Distinguish between everyday use of words and their subject-

specific use. Assessment focuses: Reading AF2: Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or

ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text Reading AF4: Identify and comment on the structure and organisation of texts,

including grammatical and presentational features at text level This activity can be used to create glossaries for work across the curriculum. The children should discuss the technical vocabulary associated with different subjects and topics and to create glossaries for one of these. They may also make glossaries for younger children, e.g. Tooth words for Year 3. This activity could also be done using IT. The children could then download appropriate clipart to illustrate their glossaries, e.g. pyramids; roman soldiers; religious symbols etc. Possible glossaries: - 2D shapes - 3D shapes - Four rules of number words - Mathematical words - Earth, Sun and Moon words - Religious words associated with specific faiths - Life cycle words – pollination, fertilisation, germination, seed-dispersal - Words about Ancient Greece