Year 6: The Creative Life!

Inspired by Finding Neverland, your homework this weekend is to read the papers/look in magazine and find one picture or story that inspires you in some way. Clip it out, and be prepared to talk about it on Monday.

Remember, the creative mind is always on the looks out for images and ideas!

Don't forget there are lots of suggestions for gathering ideas here.

Year 5: Writing a Non-linear Story

L.O. To be able to write a non-linear story

Please complete the story based on the images you received in class. Remember to include lots of descriptions and shown feelings alongside your dialogue. I'm sure I don't need to remind you to visit baldworm.co.uk for more information on non-linear stories!

Feeling clever? Try to include both metaphor and simile as you 'set the scene'.

Due: Monday.

Year 6: Romeo & Juliet Audition (Thursday 29 January)

As 11+ ends our school play begins! Year Six are about to dive headlong into Shakespeare's Verona!

Homework: Learn either Romeo or Juliet's lines from the 'meeting' scene from Act 1 Scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet. We will hold our first 'audition' next Friday.

(Note: photograph of 'fair Verona' by Benleto; used under Creative Commons license)

Year 5 Writing: Redraft (Thursday 29 January)

Please plan and write a non-linear fairy tale with the end at the beginning, e.g. retell the Three Little Pigs with the Wolf being cooked and eaten as the first paragraph, then 'cut back' to the beginning of the story.

Write 1 1/2 sides of A4. Due: Tomorrow.

Don't forget you can learn more about redrafting and non-linear stories at http://www.baldworm.co.uk.

Due: Friday.

Year 5: Spellings & Reading about Non-linear Stories

Tonight's homework comes in two parts:

1. Learn the spellings for next week; don't forget you can make this learning fun by using the games at Spelling City. We love Spelling City: it makes something that can be a bit of a chore into an enjoyble learning experience!

2. Read the short pack on writing Non-linear stories; we'll be studying this in detail tomorrow, and finishing our work on 'spooky' stories by writing non-linear versions of our Frankenstein stories! Further details can be found here

Due: Tomorrow

Bald Worm's 500th Post!

You're reading the 500th blog post on Bald Worm's blog! Hurrah!

But have you visited some of our other sites? Don't forget to visit the comprehension blog - http://bit.ly/comprehension - where you can enjoy brilliant pupil podcasts, the pupil wiki and Bald Worm's writing advice site.

And then there is Bald Worm's secret project...

Year 5: Learn your Lines!

Don't forget that tomorrow is our Romeo & Juliet audition! Make sure you know the Apothecary's lines 'by heart' - this is your last chance to impress!

P.S. We'll also have our spelling test tomorrow!

Poor Mr Paw!

Mr Paw has been in an accident!

On Friday, whilst prowling around the neighbourhood, he somehow got his tail trapped under a garage door! Ouch!

One trip to the Emergency Vet later and he is one very sore Paw. Half the fur on his tail has been shaved off, and he has to wear a ridiculous plastic funnel over his head for the next ten days.

He is, it is fair to say, one unhappy catty!

Year 5 Comprehension - Analysing the Use of Similes

A simile is the comparison of two unlike things using the word 'like' or 'as', e.g. as big as a bus. Click here to play a similes matching game.

Please complete the comprehension. Don't forget to use the following when answering questions 3-5:

The author is comparing...to...
This is an effective comparison because...
The author wants the reader to feel...

Due: Wednesday.

Optional Year 6 Homework: Fairy Tale Post-it Notes!

Why not create some more of witty fairy tale post-it notes?

Dear Rapunzle,

I hate to say this, but your dandruff is becoming a real problem. I was walking past your tower the other day and was nearly buried under the stuff. Disgusting! Have you tried Head and Shoulders?

Yours sincerely,

A Brave Prince

Draft on A4, and you can copy them up for display on Monday! Have fun!

P.S. Don't forget you can hear our 'instant podcast' here!

Year 5: Varying the Presentation of Direct Speech in a Short Story

L.O. To include varied dialogue in a short story.

Task: Write a story based on the picture you were given in class. Want to know more? Visit the special area of baldworm.co.uk dedicated to planning a story based on a picture!

Make sure that you include varied dialogue, like this:

"It is alive!" screamed the Doctor.

Igor nodded: "You are a genius, master!"

"I know, Igor. I know."


Feeling clever? Try to include the bracketing comma for names!

Due: Monday.

Year 5: Final 'Romeo & Juliet' Audition

Your Thursday night homework is in two parts:

1. Learn the 'root words' for the test next week.

2. Learn the lines for the Apothecary. Romeo knows that in Mantua death is the penalty for selling poison, but he thinks that the desperately poor Apothecary would take the risk. He's right! Remember, the apothecary is afraid to sell the poison, but he can't turn down the money.

We'll have an audition next Wednesday!

Year 6 Optional Task - Using Extended Metaphor

L.O. To employ an extended metaphor in a piece of fiction

Imagine a fox is being chased by a hound....

Write the first 15 lines of a short story, using an extended metaphor when you 'set the scene'. Don't forget to include colons, semi-colons and a complex sentence using the bracketing comma.

Due: Thursday

Year 5: Varying the Presentation of Direct Speech

//L.O. To understand the benefits of varying the presentation of direct speech//

In class we looked at presenting direct speech by beginning with the name + speech tag/shown feelin, e.g.

Bob started to shake. "A-re you a monster?"


Write a dialogue between a mad professor and his creature, where the professor is trying to teach his new creature, varying your presentation of direct speech. Don't forget to include lots of shown feelings!

Due: Thursday

Waterstone's - Book of the Year!

Click here to learn about the nominees for the Waterstones Book of the Year.

What is the best book you've read this year? My vote would go to The Graveyard Book by the brilliant Neil Gaiman.

Year 5: Bracketing Off Names (Monday 19th January 2009)

//L.O. To understand the use of the 'bracketing' comma to 'bracket off' names//

Over the next few weeks we'll be learning about the bracketing comma - the key to writing brilliant prose!

Task: Write a dialogue (a conversation) between four member of a family who argue about where to go on holiday. Your task is to 'bracket off' names using a comma as you write, e.g.

"I think we should go to Australia, Bob!" said Sally.

Feeling clever? 'Bracket off' words 'No' and 'Yes', e.g.

"Yes, that's a brilliant idea, Bob!" exclaimed Sally.


Write 1/2 side of A4.

Due: Tuesday

Year 5: Writing is Rewriting (Weekend homework)

Writing is rewriting - authors don't write one draft and publish their work, and neither should you. Work on your sentences until they're perfect!

Task: Write a second, improved version of your 'A Bump in the Night' story. You may choose to type this, print and stick it into your books. Don't forget those brackets and dashes!

Learn more about redrafting here.

Year 5 - Spooky Stories! (Thursday 15th January 2009)

Task: Please complete the first draft of your 'A Bump in the Night' Vampire story in your A4 book. Don't forget that you can revise suspense at http://www.baldworm.co.uk, Bald Worm's guide to writing a short story. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.

Please read through your 'finished' work before throwing down your pen for the night!

Due: Friday.

Feeling clever? Don't forget to include brackets and dashes.

Don't have nightmares!

P.S. You can play our online countdown game here! Why not play against your family?

Year 6 Optional Task: Multiple Persectives

The optional task for Year is to read the infomation at Bald Worm on Two Perspectives, and to write a story entitled 'The Thief', writing from two different points-of-view, e.g. a thief and his/her victim.

Feeling clever? Use a different prose style for the contrasting voices

Year 5: Romeo & Juliet Audition (Wednesday, 14th January 2008)

Romeo's manservant in Romeo and Juliet is Balthazar. We are going to audition for the part of Balthazar next Wednesday. This is a key role: it is Balthazar who delivers the news to Romeo that his beloved Juliet is 'dead'.

Task: Please learn all of the Balthazar lines for next Wednesday!

P.S. The image above is the 'real' Romeo & Juliet balcony in Verona, Italy!

Year 5: Prose Style & 'ful' Spellings

1. Please complete the Brackets, Dashes & Hyphens worksheets in your book;

Due: Wednesday

2. Learn your 'using 'ful' spellings for a test next Tuesday. You can play useful games and test yourself at Spelling City.

P.S. Don't forget to bring in your 'Mapmaker's Monster' comprehension tomorrow!

Year 6: Comprehension (Monday, 13th January 2009)

As we saw in the first North London Consortium exam, the key to 11+ comprehensions is often the 'longer mark' questions.

Task: Please complete the 'WWII longer mark question' comprehension.

Year 5: Suspense-skills Comprehension

//L.O. To understand the techniques a writer uses to create suspense or tension//

We're looking at 'spooky stories' in class. Why not read the brilliant Mapmaker's Monster by Rob Stevens.

Task: Please complete the 'Mapmakers' comprehension, paying particular attention to the 8 mark question at the end!

Don't forget you can revise suspense techniques at http://www.baldworm.co.uk; there is information - and useful podcasts - on the P-E-E approach to answering comprehension questions at http://bit.ly/comprehension

Due: Wednesday.

Year 5: The Bat!

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

Task: Imagine you or someone else is just fallling to sleep at night when a bat flies in through their bedroom window...

Plan a story entitled The Bat - but only write the first 15 lines of the story (1/2 page), following our story structure.

Feeling clever? Don’t forget to use similes & metaphors when writing your descriptions; the real clever-clogs will include the listing, the joining and the adverb-starter commas.

Due: Monday.

Year 6 - Good Luck (and Optional Weekend 'Ticking Over' Homework)

Tomorrow is the first North London Consortium exam, for schools like Francis Holland, Notting Hill & Heathfield! Good luck to our super Year Six girls - I'm sure you're going to knock the Grumpy Examiner for six!

If you want to keep 'ticking over' during the weekend, please try the Section 8 (page 40) or Section 9 (page 42) activities in the 'Tricky Bits' book - but, most of all, relax and have fun!

Year 5 - First 15 lines

Please read the information on the structure of the first 15 lines of a short story at Baldworm.co.uk.

Read the following:
1. http://www.baldworm.co.uk/Story_structure/opening.html

2. http://www.baldworm.co.uk/Story_structure/scene.html

3. http://www.baldworm.co.uk/Story_structure/talking.html

If you have speakers, please listen to the 2007-8 Year Six Story Structure podcast

P.S. Don't forget the spelling test tomorrow!

Year Six: Comprehension 'Tricky Bits'

Well done to all the L.E.H. and St. Benedict's girls! It sounds like you all did yourselves justice!

Task: Please complete the 'Using Dialogue to Infer Character' & 'Using Description to Infer Setting' exercises in the 'Tricky Bits' book. Don't forget there is all the advice you need for comprehensions at http://bit.ly/comprehension

P.S. The Year 6 girls in school yesterday took part in a secret experiment in IT (Click on the 'Student Entries')

Due: Thursday.

Year 5: Using Root Words

Please learn your Root Words spellings for a test on Friday. Don't forget you can learn these spellings by playing the games at Spelling City..

P.S. Don't forget to bring in the Parliament of Blood comprehension; we've be going through it tomorrow.

Year 5 Comprehension - Analysing the Author's Use of Suspense Techniques

Welcome back, Year 5!

We are going to revise suspense and story structure by looking at child-friendly Horror stories.

Please complete the 'Parliament of Blood' comprehension.

Don't forget that you can revise suspense techniques here.

You can revise P-E-E at http://bit.ly/comprehension

Due: Tomorrow