Monday 30 June 2008

Year 5 Prose - Combining Different Types of Sentence



L.O. To combine different types of sentence in a short paragraph

This term we have spent some time focussing on the use of the comma; next term, our focus will be on bringing all our prose work together.

Homework: Write a description of the office in this picture, using all of our descriptive techniques - your challenge is to use all the sentence:
* Fragment
* Impact
* Simple
* Compound (using the 'joining comma')
* Complex

Feeling clever? Include all four of the commas we have studied - listing, adverb-starter, joining and bracketing.

Don't forget to annotate your finished paragraph, showing the different paragraphs you've used.

Year 6 History - Diorama



L.O. To understand the structure of a Victorian classroom

You are going to create a diorama of a Victorian classroom. Click here for more information, Year 6!

Due: Monday

Year 4 Creative Writing - Story Structure Poster



L.O. To revise the structure of the first 15 lines of a short story

Create a poster on A4 paper to explain story structure to Year 3 pupils.

Include all of the 'first three sections of a short story' information at http://www.baldworm.co.uk on the poster. Remember to include all of our descriptive techniques.

Due: Friday

Sunday 29 June 2008

Year 5 Comprehension - Eight mark question!



//L.O. To revise the use of evidence to support answers to four (or more) mark questions//

Please complete the 'Adam Worth' comprehension, paying particular attention to winning all eight marks for the last question - don't forget to P-E-E all over the page!

Wednesday 25 June 2008

Year 5 - Weekend Creative Writing - Suspense in a Comedy



L.O. To understand that you can include suspense in a comic story

Lots of girls think you can only use suspense techniques in an adventure or horror story. Not so, my friends!

Write a comic (amusing)story based the picture above and the following title: The Pumpkin Competition . Feel free to use the characters in the story we looked at in class. Make sure that you include our suspense techniques. Write one-and-a-half sides of A4.

Feeling clever? Even though we're focusing on suspense, don't forget to set the scene using all of our descriptive techniques!

Oh, and don't forget to describe the pig! Here's a video to help:

Year 5 - Impact Paragraphs



L.O. To revise the use of short, impact paragraphs in a passage of suspense

Imagine Montmorency is creeping around a house late at night. Write a scene of suspense, using all of Bald Worm's suspense techniques, where Montmorency fears he is going to be caught.

Write 10 lines - then annotate your writing using a gel pen to show me where you have used the different suspense skills! Make sure you include some short, impact paragraphs, and perhaps an ellipsis or two...

Due: Thursday

Don't forget we'll be making one of these next week!

Monday 23 June 2008

Year Six Fashion Project - Taking Measurements



How do I know my outfit will fit me?

1. It is highly important that you take your measurements using a flexible tape measure. Please ask Mum/Dad/Sister/Nanny to help!

If you are basing your design on the t-shirt you may already be confident about your garment fitting; otherwise, you will need to consider the following:

Neck Measurement
Sleeve Measurement
Cuff Measurement
Chest Measurement
Hip Measurement
Waist Measurement
Shoulder Measurement
Upper Body Measurement

There are some tips on getting this right here.

2. You should then create a design on paper showing your dress in component parts, complete with measurements.

Learn more about the 'cost' of fashion here.



Year 4 Creative Writing - Kinesthetic learning



L.O. To revise the structure of the first 1/2 page of a short story

We have been studying the structure of the first 15 lines of a short story. To help you remember this key information, we are going to create 'clapping and movement rhymes'. This is a kinesthetic learning tasks - learning by carrying out a physical activity, rather than listening to a lecture or watching a demonstration.

Kinesthetic learning is a key learning style. Learn more about learning styles here.

In class, we enjoyed videos of the year Six 'parts of speech' clapping and movement rhymes. You're going to create the same thing, but this time it is for story structure.

Homework: In pairs, create a memorable 'clapping and movement' rhyme to help your friends remember the structure of the first fifteen lines of a short story. Make sure you include references to exciting first lines, all of the descriptive techniques (five senses, colour, simile, etc), shown feelings and describing a character.

You can learn more about these key skills through the links below:

What is story structure?
Exciting first line
Setting the scene using our descriptive techniques
More speech and describing one of the characters

We'll video all of your work next week, and vote for the 'best' - Which is the most memorable rhyme? Which rhyme packed in the most information about story structure?

Here is an example of the parts of speech rhyme from a school in the North of England. Your rhyme will need to be longer than this to pack in all the information -and you might want to include some dance elements, too!

Find time to meet with your partner - at break, lunch or after-school - to write and rehearse your story structure clapping rhyme!

Sunday 22 June 2008

Year 5 Comprehension - Suspense Techniques



Please complete the 'Lord Loss' comprehension. Don't forget to revise our suspense techniques at baldworm.co.uk!

There is a special wiki page for our suspense revision work here.

Thursday 19 June 2008

Year 6 Fashion Project - Full A4 Design



L.O. To complete a design for an outfit based on a t-shirt

Please complete a full-colour design on the A4 sheet of paper. Leave room to glue on a sample of any material you are going to sew onto the t-shirt.

Year 5 Creative Writing - Full-length Montmorency Story



L.O. To include all four characterisation techniques in a short story

You are going to write your own Montmorency short story! This is the scenario:

Montmorency is coming home from a crime through the sewers when he realises someone is following him…

Plan and write a story based on this scenario. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4. Make sure you include direct speech, lots of shown feelings, questions about the character and thoughts.

Feeling clever? Don't forget to combine all of our descriptive techniques as you 'set the scene', e.g. describe the sewer.

Year 5 Spellings & Montmorency



Please learn your spellings for next week, and ensure you read the Montmorency extract for tomorrow's lesson, when we'll be revising the four characterisation techniques, and attempting a piece of timed writing.

Wednesday 18 June 2008

Year 5 Characterisation - Including thoughts in a Dialogue

Please write the Cissie thought homework task. Visit the 'Characterisation' area on the Year 5 page to learn more.

Tuesday 17 June 2008

Year 3 Creative Writing - First Line & Set the Scene



We are beginning to learn about story structure. With stories, we should
* Open with an exciting first line;
* Then use our descriptive skills to 'set the scene'

Write the opening six lines of the following adventure stories:

1. The Dragon's Cave

2. The Teenager and the Most Untidy Bedroom in the World!

3. The Beautiful Princess and Her Palace of Gold

For each of the titles write an exciting first line and then set the scene using our descriptive techniques. Here is an example by a Year 3 pupil from last year:

"I'm going to eat everybody!" roared the Dragon, breathing fire.
The Dragon lived in a simply enormous cave. The room was higher than a ancient church, and it must have been as big inside as a ship. The dragon slept on a bed of golden straw, but it smelt damp and musty. All through the day and night, bats whispered from the roof of the cave. It felt cold inside - until the dragon breathed out another flame.

Year Five - Identifying Impact Sentences

Impact sentences bring interest and variety to your writing. Read through the next few chapters of Montmorency, highlighting impact sentences with a gel pen or highlighter.

Monday 16 June 2008

Year Six - Band Logo and Cover








You've started putting music to your lyrics, and come up with a band name.

Homework:
1. On A4, using the media of your choice, one of you will design the 'cd cover' for your song.

2. On A4, one of your designs a logo based around your band name. It should be easy for teenagers to stencil onto their bags!

Due: Wednesday

I'd also like you to put a cover on your Fashion sketchbook.

Due: Tuesday

Sunday 15 June 2008

Year 5 Comprehension - Revising P-E-E



L.O. To revise the importance of quoting from a passage (P-E-E)


Please complete the 'Greedy Aunt' comprehension. Remember to focus on P-E-Eing all over the page!

See the comprehension section of the pupil wiki to download another copy.

Year 4 Creative Writing - First 15 lines - Character Descriptions



L.O. To revise the structure of the first 15 lines of a short story


You are going to write the first 15 lines of a short story whilst following Bald Worm's story structure advice.

Click here to read full details, and access useful links, on the Year 4 pupil wiki page.

Friday 13 June 2008

Year Six Pop Song 2008



Next week you will begin working on the music for your pop song with Miss Nicholson.

You homework for the weekend is to write a ballad based on a journey. Don't forget to include meter, rhyme and dialogue.

Click here for hints and advice from the pupil wiki. Once typed, please upload into your group page on the pupil wiki.

Thursday 12 June 2008

Year 5 Creative Writing - Questions about a Character

L.O. To understand that when writing in the third person ‘questions about a character’ develop characterisation

Please complete the 'Donkey/Cowboy' task. Write 1/2 side of A4.

Revise questions about a character at http://www.baldworm.co.uk/skills/more_techniques.html

Click here for the characterisation revision pupil wiki page.

Tuesday 10 June 2008

Year 5 'Show, Don't Tell'



L.O. To revise the difference between an author ‘telling’ and ‘showing’

Please complete the Montmorency Doctor Farcett 'show, don't tell' task. Remember to study the advice at baldworm, here, before you begin!

Attention, Montmorency fans!

Year 5 - Characterisation



L.O. To analyse a text for examples of shown feelings

Over the next two weeks we are going to be focussing on characterisation - the key to writing a brilliant story.

Please read through the Montmorency text and highlight in a bright pen any examples of shown feelings. We'll be sharing these at the beginning of Wednesday's session, so make sure you bring your homework in tomorrow!


The key to success at 11+ is to include lots of shown feelings!

Year 3 Creative Writing - Exciting Opening Lines!


L.O. To collect exciting opening lines

Please look through your books at home, and in the library, for five books that begin with an exciting opening line. Bring these books to the lesson next Tuesday!

You can learn why exciting opening lines are so important by clicking here.

Feeling clever? Find some opening lines written in the first person that are based around something surprising.

Sunday 8 June 2008

Year 4 Creative Writing - Revising Story Structure



L.O. To revise the structure of the first two sections of a short story (exciting first line and setting the scene)

Homework: You are going to write the first fifteen lines of a short story. Here is my plan for a short story about a dilemma:

Characters:
Hashim - a school boy
Mr Gradgrind - his teacher

Location: A school room

Beginning: Hashim didn't do his English homework last night? Should he confess to Mr Gradgrind?

Middle: Hashim decides to confess to his teacher...

End: ...but before he can say anything his classmate, Sally, tells Mr Gradgrind she has left her story on her desk - and Mr Gradgrind puts her in detention for the rest of the week!

Your homework is to write the first 1/2 page- roughly 15 lines of A4 - of this story, including an exciting first line and then setting the scene the descriptive techniques we studied in the Spring.

Feeling clever? Try to include some shown feelings alongside the direct speech.

Click here to revise exciting first lines.
Click here to revise setting the scene in a short story.

Download another copy of the worksheet from box.net by clicking here.

Remember you are not telling the whole story; you're just writing the first part of it so you can revise story structure!

Year 5 Comprehension - Revising Annotation

We focussed on revising the key annotation techniques that enable us to tackle comprehension questions with confidence

Please complete the 'good thief' comprehension.

Don't forget you can revise the key annoation techniques by clicking here.