Monday 10 December 2012

Year Six Xmas Holiday Homework


Your Xmas holiday homework is on our V.L.E. here (requires LPlus username and password).

Have a great break, Year Five and Six! Merry Christmas!

Friday 7 December 2012

Composition: 'Continue a Passage'



Please write a continuation based on 'The Nativity'.

Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.

Due: Monday

Monday 3 December 2012

Frankenstein versus the Wolfman (Action Techniques)






Class paired writing on Frankenstein is here.

Please write an action scene inspired by the following image of 'Frankenstein versus the Wolfman'. Write 10 lines, using all of our action techniques. Due: Friday:

Download a copy of our 'self-assessment for self-improvement sheet':

Fighting Techniques Live Writing (Tuesday's lesson)


Don't forget to enter your name!

Comprehension: Dracula!



Please complete the 'Dracula' comprehension.

N: Please complete your 'Witch' comprehension for tomorrow.

Due: Friday

A quick revision 'it's and its' game is here.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Flipped Classroom Homework: Continue a Passage & Friday's Homework

Tuesday's homework

1. Write a scene of suspense based on the image above; use all of our suspense techiques. Write 15 lines. You may begin like this:

I knew the man couldn't be trusted: you could tell from the way he held his newspaper. He was a crook. A criminal. A rat.

2. Flipped Classroom Homework

You must read pages 1-4 of the 'Continue a Passage' pack and watch this teacher ShowMe on how to 'Continue a Passage' before Friday's lesson:


You may like to listen to this podcast, too:


Make sure you bring the pack in for the lesson on Friday.

There is lots of advice on 'Continuing a Passage' on our LPPlus VLE here: https://alphapluscloud.lpplus.net/schools/falconsgirls/Subjects/English/Wiki/Continuing%20a%20Passage.aspx

Due: Friday 30th

Friday's homework
1. Please write a second - improved - draft of the 'Nativity' story you wrote under timed conditions in class.

2. Please complete 'The Monster's Garden' comprehension.

Due: Monday 3rd

Monday 26 November 2012

Latymer-style Comprehension & 'Flipped' Classroom



1. Please complete the Latymer-style comprehension, Trapped.

Help with Section 4 question 4 & 5 here:
http://www.eslbee.com/sentences.htm

Help with Section 2 question 7 here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv224.shtml


2. Please read the Noir pack and watch the video above before tomorrow's lesson.

We've recorded ShowMes explaining the second 'E' in P-E-E (Point-Evidence-EXPLANATION):


Melissa & Siena explained A-C-Q using ShowMe for iPad:


Samar & Dani explained P-E-E like this:


Watch to the end of Cia and Zahra's ShowMe explanation of P-E-E for a great analogy:





Friday 23 November 2012

Composition & Comprehension Homework 23rd November 2012



Two homework tasks for this weekend:

1. Complete the Arthur comprehension. Answer all of the questions - but pay particular attention to question 7 (a question about the author's use of similes)

2. Please write up your Pickwick Cricket match story on your Kidblog - we'll display these in class next week and record mini-podcasts of your use of characterisation.

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Comprehension: The Old Mine



Please complete the Old Mine comprehension.

Due: Friday

Monday 19 November 2012

Composition Homework

Comprehension tomorrow!

Task: Please complete your second draft of your Mock Exam story - with a focus on improving your writing to 'Great!'

Due: Friday.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Redrafting The Cricket Match

Please write a second draft - improving your story based on Mr. Hitchen's comments - of your 'The Cricket Match' story.

Due: Friday.

Monday 12 November 2012

Comprehension Homework for Friday

Watch the video if you need help remembering the parts of speech! Why not learn the words and sing it!

Please complete the 'Taff and Scotty' comprehension.

Due: Friday

Sunday 11 November 2012

Live Writing (Sunday 11th November 2012 at 5.00 p.m.)



Join Mr Hitchen at 5.00 p.m. on Sunday 11th November to take part in a Live Writing session! Fantastic for 11+ revision - and getting feedback from teachers and pupils across the country!

Friday 9 November 2012

Pickwick Papers & Live Writing on Sunday Tea Time



**Homework**
Please complete your 'The Cricket Match' story. Write 1/2 sides of A4.

Due: Monday

Optional 11+ Revision

I will be helping lead a livewriting session on Sunday at 5.00 p.m. Be on this blog at five to take part in this 11+ revision opportunity!

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Composition Homework: Contrasting Thoughts and Shown Feelings



Please write 1/2 side - where Fagin tries to teach you how to pick a pocket or two! -using speech, thoughts and 'shown feelings'.

Our work on Dickens and Characterisation is on our LPPlus VLE here.

Due: Friday

Monday 5 November 2012

Monday 5th November 2012

Please complete the 11+ past paper. Don't forget to annotate the paper.

Due: Friday.

Date for your diary? Are you around next Sunday teatime, at 5.00 p.m. Mr Hitchen will be leading a Livewriting session at http://livewriting.net/ It would be great if as many of possible of you could take part! See you online on Sunday!

Link to your kidblog is here.

Link to the 100 WC: http://100wc.net/

We commented on blogs, too!

Friday 2 November 2012

Composition Homework: Mock Exam Story Second Draft



Please type up your mock examination story on your kidblog - but you MUST try to improve it as you type it up, based on the feedback you were given in class.

https://alphapluscloud.lpplus.net/schools/falconsgirls/Subjects/English/Wiki/Charles%20Dickens%20and%20Characterisation.aspx

Think: how can I improve on the version I wrote in my examination?

Due: Monday

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Tuesday 30th October: Reflecting on our special day

You have two tasks due Friday:

1. Please complete the reflective blog on today's events on your Kidblog.

2. Please read through the 'Bald Worm on Characterisation' pack, listen to the podcast and watch this movie:



Complete the 'flipped classroom' sheet to prove you've read, listened and watched.

Monday 29 October 2012

Monday 29th October: Comprehension Homework

Please complete section A (the comprehension) of the 2008 paper; don't do section B (the writing task).

Attempt all of the questions.

Electronic version of this comprehension here.

Due: Friday

Sunday 28 October 2012

Livewriting with High Lawn School (Sunday 28th October 2012)



Read Cia's description here:

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Autumn Half-Term Year Six Holiday Homework

Your half-term homework is on our LPPlus VLE here. You will need your user name and password to login.

Homework includes:
* Three writing tasks (help videos, podcasts and info on the VLE);
* 11+ comprehension
* Reading

(Note: LPPlus, who run our VLE, are doing some work on the site from 5.00 on Friday 19th-midnight Sunday 21st; use the hard-copy in your pack if you want to do some of the tasks over the weekend, or start with the comprehension)

Have a great holiday, girls!

Due: First day back after the break

Friday 12 October 2012

Writing: The First Fifteen Lines of a Short Story



1. Before you start writing, take another look at the Prezi and listen to the podcasts on our VLE: CLICK HERE for LPPlus VLE page on the first 15 lines of a short story.

2. Write your 'The Adventure of Sherlock Bones & the Missing Squeaky Toy' story. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.

Make sure you 'tick off' the techniques we want to include in the first 15 lines, girls!

Due: Monday

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Writing: Describing a Character's Appearance



1. Go over your spellings from this term in preparation for the Spelling Age assessment (the test isn't on the spellings - but you need to know the spelling rules that you've been taught).

2. I would like you to draw a characterture of three members of your family (you may include pets in this!) and write a three line description to go with it. Include a simile and try to 'zoom in' on a detail. Remember to be kind!

Our wiki page work on this topic is here, on our LPPlus VLE.

Flipped homework:
3. Watch this video before Friday, please:


Due: Friday

Monday 8 October 2012

Comprehension: The Dark Walk


1. Listen to this podcast before attempting your comprehension:


2. Please complete the 'Dark Walk' comprehension, using the P-E method throughout. Don't forget to use quotation marks and give the line reference.

Lots more materials on our LPPlus VLE comprehension page.

Due: Friday.

(Image from syntagmamedia.com)

Friday 5 October 2012

Year Six Homework: 'The Stolen Goldfish'


Write a story entitled 'The Stolen Goldfish'. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.

I'm looking for you to 'set the scene' at the beginning using 8 lines of description, including figurative language (simile, metaphor and personification); try to include all of the Punctuation Pyramid in this description, too.

Make sure that you brainstorm and plan before you start writing, girls!

Due: Monday
Listen to our self-assessment podcast:

Listen to the audioboos we recorded in class here.

Monday 1 October 2012

Year Six Prose Style: The Punctuation Pyramid



You can see the online punctuation pyramid here.

Task: Write a 10-12 line description of another 'locked room' - with a victim/crime within it. Your challenge is to reach level 5 on the punctuation pyramid.

Example here of reaching level 5:


Flipped classroom: on Friday some of us will be revising the layout of direct speech (talking or dialogue) in a short story; watch this Screenr to prepare for Friday's lesson:


Due: Friday.

Year Six Comprehension: Sherlock Holmes and Point-Evidence



Please complete the Wycombe Abbey Sherlock Holmes comprehension.

Make sure that you answer question 3 using the approach in the video above.

Don't forget to give evidence - a quote from the passage - to support your answers; this video will show you how:


Here is an example of using evidence to answer questions:


This video will help you understand the text:


There is lots of advice on answering questions about figurative language here (login with your VLE username and password).

Due: Friday.

Thursday 27 September 2012

Writing a Sherlock Holmes story: £1,000 Deduction



You are going to complete your '£1,000' story. Make sure you include plenty of additional description as you continue with your story. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.
Due: Monday.

Want to 'do well'? Make sure you can tick off everything on this list:


Flipped homework: next week we'll have a focus on the punctuation pyramid. To prepare:

1. Listen to this podcast on the Punctuation Pyramid:


2. Take a look at the punctuation pyramid here.

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Year Six Composition Homework: Holmes meets Watson



Task: 1. Watch this before you begin writing!


2. Listen to this - and put it onto your iPod/iTouch, too!


3. Write your own version of Watson meeting Holmes for the first time (instructions in book)

Due: Friday. (Don't forget your comprehension, too)

P.S. Listen to our W.I.N.K. reflections on writing 'exciting first lines':

Monday 24 September 2012

Year Six Comprehension Homework: Questions about Similes, Metaphor and Personification


1. Before you start writing, please watch Cia's ShowMe


2. Complete the 'Horse Chestnuts' comprehension, attempting all of the questions. Due: Friday.

3. Learn 'by heart' the words to the Figurative Language rap:


This is the podcast we recorded during our W.I.N.K. session as the end of the lesson:


More on comprehension here.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

Year Five Summer Holiday Homework


Year Five Summer holiday homework is on our LPPlus VLE here: https://alphapluscloud.lpplus.net/schools/falconsgirls/Subjects/English/Wiki/Year%20Five%20Summer%20Holiday%20Homework.aspx


You'll need your VLE password and username to login!

Have a great break - and I look forward to seeing you all again in the Autumn as we build for the examinations in January.

Monday 9 July 2012

Friday 29 June 2012

Year Five and Six Optional Homework: Special 100 Word Challenge - with Prizes!


There is a special 100 Word Challenge this week:‘Send My Friend to School‘.

As the name suggests, they help children in the UK speak up on behalf of the 67 million children who do not go to school.

The prompt this week is to answer this question:

….Why do you think school is important? ….

It can be difficult to imagine something that you have never experienced. Here is a brief description of one little girl’s experience

Ummi is 12 and lives in Kabiji, Nigeria. Her father is a trader and does not earn enough money to buy the books, uniform or shoes Ummi needs to go to school. Instead Ummi sells snacks at a local market. Ummi says “My friends got to Kabiji Primary School. When I see them going, I wish I could go too.”

The people at ‘Send My Friend to School’ have very kindly offered some T-shirts as prizes to the best 5 entries. Let’s make sure they see your very best work! There is an example here: http://kidblog.org/FalconsGirls/baldworm/100-word-challenge-class-model/


Task
Write your 100 words on 'Why do you think school is important?' on your kidblog at
http://kidblog.org/FalconsGirls/wp-login.php?redirect_to=%2FFalconsGirls%2F; I will link any entries to the 100 Word Challenge. Let's see if a Falcons Girl can win one of the prizes!

Monday 11 June 2012

Year Five Homework: Head Girl Election Speech

Please write the first draft of 'Vote for [me]' - your speech for the Head Girl election.

Combine the ideas you wrote in class into 1/2 side of A4.

Do you want your next Head Girl to be on your side? Do you want a Head Girl who is cool, calm and collected? Vote for me as your head girl. I promise you that I'll lobby Miss McGillewie to buy more break time toys; in fact, I will resign as Head Girl if I don't live up to my promise. It is a fact that every teacher knows I am trustworthy...

Don't forget to complete the self-assessment for self-improvement sheet when you've finished.

Due: Friday.

Thursday 31 May 2012

Discussion with Colleges VLE Champions

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Year Six Half-Term Homework

Please begin making notes for our Shakepeare Research Project:


Full details of the project can be found here (login with your VLE password).

Year Five Summer Half-Term Holiday Homework


Year Five half-term homework is in three parts:

1. Make sure you know all your lines for the school play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 'by heart';

2. Write the story based on the picture in your pack; write it in your blue book in your 'best' handwriting;


Remember, I'm looking for you to open with a 'perfect paragraph'!

3. Complete the 'Adam Worth' comprehension.

4. Oh, and please enter this week's School of Puns, too!

Have a great week!

Year Five: Second Half of your Montmorency Story


In class, we wrote the first 1/2 page of a Montmorency story.

For homework, I would like you to complete this story - making sure you include plenty of suspense.

Revise our supsense techniques by watching these videos:

Monday 28 May 2012

LPPlus2012: Olympic Blogging!


The #2012in2012 project is a collaboration project across schools based around the 2012 Olympic Games. The aim is that during the summer term, at least 2012 kids will blog on all of the 216 countries who are competing in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Login here: http://2012in2012.net



Year Five homework
Please imagine you are an 100 metre sprinter from Croatia. Write a paragraph about how you feel as you win the gold medal. Write 6-8 lines

Try to include all of our 'perfect paragraph' techniques.

Due: Tuesday.

Monday 21 May 2012

Year Five: Setting the Scene using a full range of punctuation


Imagine a jewellery shop, with a window full of precious gems...

Describe the shop as if you were looking through the window.

Your challenge is to include:
* a semi-colon;
* a colon;
* a dash
* a bracket

Tip: Make sure you 'zoom in' on individual jewels and gems!

Write this up on your Kidblog.

Due: Tomorrow.

Friday 18 May 2012

Finish First Draft of Your Goodbye Letter & Enter The School of Puns


You have two pieces of homework for the weekend:

1. Finish writing up your 'goodbye' letter on your kidblog.

2. Enter the School of Puns - write your caption on your Kidblog & send it to be published.

Due: Monday

Year Five: Writing an Escape Story



Please complete your handwritten first draft of your Escape story. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.

Due: Monday.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Look at our British Birds!

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Writing an Escape story: Setting the Scene Task

We are going to write 'Escape!' stories on Friday, inspired by Montmorency



Task: Write a description - not a story - of the inside of your prison cell. Write 10 lines - and use all of the five senses, and a full range of descritive techniques.

Please write this description on your Kidblog; due on Friday.

Monday 14 May 2012

Year Five Comprehension

Please begin your 'Thief in Amsterday' comprehension for this week; we'll talk through this on Tuesday if you have any problems.

Due: Friday

Year Six Goodbye Letter First Draft

Please write the first draft of your goodbye letter, using the frame provided.

Make sure you use:
* Semi-colon
* Colon
* Dash
* Bracket

Due: Tomorrow.

Friday 11 May 2012

Alpha Plus LPPlus Training Event



Handshake for Our New Friends In Burma from Alpha Champion on Vimeo.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Year Five Weekend Homework



Advice on how to do this here:

Year Six Goodbye Letters



What would you say to yourself if you came face-to-face with the three-year-old you?



Please write your first draft on your Kidblog: http://kidblog.org/FalconsGirls/

Write 250-300 words.

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Year Five Describing a Character

We have been learning to describe a character, by:
* Zooming in on a detail
* Using a simile
* Including interesting adjectives

Task: Describe 4 members of your family. For each description, write 3-4 lines, and include a simile. Be kind!

Due: Friday.

Friday 4 May 2012

Year Five and Six: Sewers & the Highwayman


Year Five
Please complete your 'Lost in the Sewer' story.

You must write 1 1/2 sides of A4.

Don't forget to include description in the second half of the story, too.

Due: Tuesday.

Year Six


Please create any drawings/cut out any silhouettes you require to complete your 'Highwayman' animation on Tuesday.

Due: Tuesday

Have a great Bank Holiday!

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Year Five & Six Homework: We've Entered the 'School of Puns' Cartoon Caption Competition


We've entered the third School of Puns cartoon caption competition here.

Year Five
Please write a description of a sewer. Make sure you use all of our descriptive techniques. Write 10-12 lines.

Due: Friday

Year Six

On Friday, we're going to create our own Highwayman animation.

In preparation, please find as many pictures/images of Highwaymen & horses that you can; we'll need these to inspire our animation!

Due: Friday

Monday 26 March 2012

Year Five and Six Easter Holiday Homework


Year Five Easter Holiday Homework
Your homework for the three week break is here, girls.

Don't forget to write the WALT and date!

Year Six Easter Holiday Homework
Please learn all of your lines and cues 'by heart'; we will have a run through of the play without scripts on Friday 27th April (the first Friday after you come back).

Some methods you may like to try:
* Ask someone at home to test you;
* Write down your words on cue cards;
* Record the other characters' lines to help you with the cues.

Spare copies of the script may be downloaded from here (you need version 2).

Have a great break girls! You deserve it!

(Image by cakewhiz; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Year Five Composition: Write a Pig Competition Story



“Lord Emsworth, you must be so proud that you’ve entered your beautiful porker into his first competition!” said the judge.
Shivering, his Lordship bit his mud-caked nails.
‘I’d better win this dashed show!’ he thought.


Please write your 'pig competition' story. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4. Include lots of showing feelings, thoughts and speech.

Due: Tuesday.

Thursday 22 March 2012

Year Five Comic Stories: The Drones Club


Year Five have been learning about how to combine the three comic tricks in a short story.

Task: Please complete your Drones Club story, paying attention to your paragraphing, please!

Due: Monday

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Constrating Thought and Speech

Year Five have been thinking about the second and third comic rules: contrasting thought and speech, and using hyperbole (over-the-top ideas!)

Our class compostition on the Kidblog is here.

Task: Write a conversation between a teacher and a Headmaster. They must be really polite to one another...but the Headmaster is secretly thinking some terrible things! Make it as funny as possible by using contrasting speech and hyperbole. Write 1 side of A4; don't forget to INDENT new paragraphs.

Due: Friday

Monday 19 March 2012

50/50 for the 100 Word Challenge!

50/50 100 Word Challenge with High Lawn School, Bolton



Welcome to 50/50 - a special way to enter the 100 Word Challenge! Pupils at Falcons Girls are going to come up with a plan and write the first 50 lines of a story, based on a 100 Word Challenge prompt - and pupils at another school, High Lawn, are going to write the next 50 words, and improve on the first half of the story, too. This is a great way to learn more about how to become a brilliant writer through collaborating with a peer.

Mrs Skinner (founder of the 100 Word challenge) has set a special prompt for this first 50/50: '...that noise, it was...'

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/25 (Cia)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/26
(Dani)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/27 (India)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/28
(Zahra)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/29 (Samar)

Year Five are Collaborating!

Year Five are working on collaborative writing projects with two schools! Firstly, they've shared the first half of their 'Pricking Pomposity' stories with Roseville College in Sydney. Roseville College is a K-12 Anglican Girl’s School in Sydney, Australia; they've also been writing the first half of 100 word challenge entries, for pupils at High Lawn School, Bolton, to finish off!

Comic Fiction (collaborating with Roseville School, Sydney, Australia)


http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/19 (Cia)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/20 (Dani)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/21 (India)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/22 (Zahra)

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/23 (Samar)

Sunday 18 March 2012

Balloon Debate Winner!


Congratulations to Queen Elizabeth (India) - she survived by using a range of persuasive techniques. Thank you to everyone who voted in our poll.


Friday 16 March 2012

Year Five Comic Stories Homework



We've been thinking about the first of our three comic tricks: pricking pomposity.

Learn again by watching this ShowMe:


Homework:
Please write 1/2 side - write your version of the 'pricking pomposity' drama you performed in class. (Our class composition is here).

Challenge: Don't use any dialogue (talking); do use lots of shown feelings!

Feeling clever? Think about those varied sentence openings!

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Year Five Flipped Classroom Pack: Comic Stories

Year Five are beginning their comic stories unit, learning how to write 'funny' stories!

1. Listen to the podcasts below:




2. Watch these videos:




3. Read the 'Flipped Classroom: Bald Worm on Characterisation' pack:


To prove that you've listened - and to help me see where you need additional help or challenge - please complete the form below:

Due: Friday


Monday 12 March 2012

Live discussion with The Head's Office!



As part of Book Week, Year Five and Six are taking part in a 'live' 100 Word challenge session with The Head's Office.

The discussion was inspired by Cherise Duxbury's brilliant livewriting.net.

Jabberwocky & Year Five Comprehension



Year Six

Please complete the first draft of your nonsense poem. Type it onto your Kidblog - but don't give away what the subject of the poem it; your readers will guess by leaving comments.

Due: Tomorrow (Tuesday)

Year Five
Please complete the 'Heidi' comprehension.

Revise our work on 'questions about a character' by listening to (or downloading) this podcast:


Due: Friday.

Don't forget that tomorrow is our live chat with the founder of the 100 Word Challenge!

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Balloon Debate


Year Five have been learning about persuasive techniques:


To share their knowledge, they're having a balloon debate. A balloon debate is a debate in which a number of speakers attempt to win the approval of an audience. The audience is invited to imagine that the speakers are flying in a hot-air balloon which is sinking and that someone must be thrown out if everyone is not to die.

Each speaker has to make the case why they should not be thrown out of the balloon to save the remainder. Typically each participant speaks on behalf of a famous person, profession, fictional character, etc.

Who would you save? Listen to our podcasts - and then vote in our survey!

Save the Queen! (mp3)

Save Michael Jackson (mp3)

Save Lady Gaga (mp3)

Save Jessie J (mp3)

Save William the Conqueror (mp3)

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Download a free copy of the writing prompt:
Persuasive Techniques A FOREST

Monday 5 March 2012

Year Five Comprehension & Year Six


Year Six
Please learn Puck's final speech from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

We will share this on Friday.

Learn more about the 2012 School Play on our special Tumblr.

Year Five
Please complete the 'Man's Closest Relative' comprehension.

Due: Friday.

Thursday 1 March 2012

We've entered another competition!


Year Five have entered the Radio Two 500 Word Challenge competition. Hear a message from Chris Evans here.



Monday 27 February 2012

Year Five: Final Draft of your 500 Word Challenge Entry



Your kidblogs are here: http://kidblog.org/Falconsgirls


For homework:

Please improve your second draft of your 500 Word Challenge story; this is being entered on Tuesday afternoon.

1. Log into your Kidblog;
2. Create a new blog post
3. Open a new tab
4. Copy and paste in your second draft (just like you did over the weekend)
5. …then copy and paste in your description from the lesson
6. Make your final improvements, focussing on including plenty of description!

Friday 24 February 2012

Year Six Poetry: Haiku



Haiku information on the Falcons Girls pupil wiki: http://fsg.wikispaces.com/Year+Six+Poetry

Homework:
1. Write a haiku based on the image provided; play with the sentence, and type it up on your Kidblog.

2. Write a comment on another girl's haiku; praise your favourite line - and point out any cliches or weak images. Make sure any criticism is constructive and balanced with praise!

Due: Monday

Year Five Creative Writing Homework

Please read Mr. Hitchen's comments on your first attempt/draft of your 500 Word Challenge story, and improve it based on the comments.

Remember, include lots of description alongside your dialogue.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Year Five Persuasive Writing



Wiki page on persuasive techniques may be found here.

Homework: Your homework is to find adverts that use at least one of the 'A Forest' persuasive techniques we studied in class. Bring in your weblinks or adverts for next Tuesday.

Due: Next Tuesday.

Monday 20 February 2012

Year Six Poetry & Year Five Comprehension Homework

Year Six Word Pictures
We've been learning how to '..take an idea.'


Please create a creative cover for your poetry journal.

Due: Friday

P.S. Learn all about our Poetry unit here.

Year Five


Please complete the 'Moon' comprehension.

Due: Friday.

Friday 10 February 2012

Year Five Half-Term Homework

500 Word Instructions (mp3)
Miss McGillewie wants you to enter the Radio 2 500 Word competition! You are going to write your first draft over the holidays.

Click here for details.

Our blogs:
Samar

Zahra
India
Cia
Dani

Please write your 500 words on A4 if you don't have chance to access your blog over the holiday.

More information on our LP+ VLE here; advice from authors here.

Year Six can access their Kidblogs here.

Thursday 2 February 2012

Mr Hitchen is here...but not...!

Year Six are with Mrs Mannan
Year Six with Mrs Mannan (mp3)

First hour in IT room on PCs using your wikis: http://falconsgirlspassionproject.wikispaces.com

Year Five are with Miss Walters
Year Five lesson with Miss Walters (mp3)

Your Kidblogs are here: http://kidblog.org/FalconsGirls

You'll need an iTouch for later in the lesson.

Homework
Please complete writing up your 'King in Yellow' story on your kidblog.

Please highlight the six sentence starters in a different colour.

Due: Monday

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Year Five and Six Homework



Year Five
Please write a complete second draft of your 'King in Yellow' story. Make as many improvements as you can - and include the suspense you wrote this morning!

Try to include a colon, too!

Due: Friday

Year Six
Please continue with your passion project. You'll continue this on Friday!

Monday 30 January 2012

New Yorker Caption Competition & Year Five & Six Homework

New Yorker Caption Competition (mp3)

At Falcons Girls we love puns and wordplay! In pairs, we studied this week's New Yorker magazine caption competition - and had a go ourselves! Listen to the podcast above to hear our suggested captions!

Year Five have been using 'reading stems' to ask questions about a text. You can hear some of their reflections at our new Year Five reading reflections blog: http://readingreflections.tumblr.com/

Homework: Please complete the 'Blitz Cat' comprehension.

Due: Friday

Year Six: Please be ready to share with me your research on Friday, when we'll begin working on our respective wiki pages.

Due: Friday

Friday 27 January 2012

Year Five & Six Weekend Homework


Year Six

Please conduct some more research for your 'passion project'.

You may like to add some more thoughts to our 'Children as Philosophers: Still the Same Ship' wallwisher, too!

Due: Monday

Year Five
Please complete your 'The King in Yellow' story. Write 1 1/2 sides of A4. Remember to include the six different sentence starters - & a semi-colon, too!

Due: Monday

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Year Five Composition: The Vampire Classroom



Homework: Please complete the first 15 lines of a 'Vampire Classroom' story, using the description you wrote in class.

Due: Friday.

Monday 23 January 2012

Year Five 11+ Past Paper Comprehension

Learn Again Comprehension Rules (mp3)
Learn Again Comprehension Rules (mp3)

Please complete the 'Myths' comprehension. Remember, have a go at all of the questions. Make sure you 'have a go' at all of the questions, please!

Due: Friday

P.S. The 100 word challenge website is http://100wc.net

Year Six Collective Story

http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/16

Friday 20 January 2012

Year Five Weekend Horror Homework




Task: Please write a 10 line description of this cave. Make your description really spooky!

Your challenge is to use a full range of the sentence starters we've been studying in class, including adjective starters & the 'ing' clause starters!

Feeling clever? Use a full range of descriptive techniques, too! Use this podcast to help you revise:


Click to download the mp3 and add to your iPod!

Non-linear Stories

Holly has finished her examinations - so she spent an hour teaching Cia how to write a non-linear story! Click here to read the results: http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/ep/pad/view/ro.4O5/latest

Thursday 19 January 2012

Live! Exciting New Ways of Learning!

Monday 16 January 2012

Year Five & Six Tuesday Homework



Year Five
Year Five have been writing 'ing'-clause sentence starters! They've been revising the use of the semi-colon, too!

Homework: Please write about an infant experiment...an experiment with terrible consequences! Don't forget what I'm looking for is -'ing' sentence starters. Feeling clever? Include a semi-colon, too!
Due: Friday

Year Six
Good luck for Latymer Upper & Notting Hill, girls!

Latymer girls:
Listen to this before tomorrow:


Year Five & Six Monday night homework



Year Six
Please complete the NHE writing from the point-of-view of one of the characters story. Include authorial intrusion - break the fourth wall!

Due: Tuesday
Year Five
You can watch the Ben Hur chariot race here: http://youtu.be/jpoKdPNM10M (warning: not for the faint hearted!)

Homework: Please answer all of the questions for the boarding school 11+ past paper. Stuck on a question? Ask me on Tuesday!
Due: Friday.

Friday 13 January 2012

London Girls' Schools' Consortium-style Writing Task



Due: Monday

Molly and Alex wrote a collaborative 100 Word Challenge entry!


Molly & Alex have collaborated on a joint 100 Word Challenge entry using Primary Pad, the 'real time' creative writing programme.

This week's prompt was '...all at once they fell over...'

Slowly, the plank started to shiver! It curled towards the deep blue ocean where the waves tossed and turned like sleeping babies.The innocent victim's faces turned blood red as tears trickled down their tanned cheeks, their eyes swelling. The men's spindly ankles shook with fright at the thought of being stripped of  skin by the ferocious sharks; who would have thought pirates showed their vulnerability?

Suddenly, a shark sprung out of the water towards the trembling victims it caught the edge of the plank sending one of the trembling pirates plunging in to the water followed by his fellow crew mates.

The screams of terror echoed in the hot air as they tumbled into the cool water. As the bricks (which were tied to their ankles) took the victims further and further down into the depths of the ocean, they were dragged past sapphire and yellow coral: ruby red starfishes and schools of piranha.

Without warning, a beast of a shark sped towards them, its jaws wide open full of jagged teeth painted a deep red, ready to crunch through their bones! His eyes were full of rage and anger; the terrified pirates screamed for air, but their lungs only filled with more water. What had the men ever done to the captain? They had never mutinied; they had never stolen any treasure! The captain had turned funny ever since he'd hired a new chef.

Petrified, the distraught men kicked.  They tried to reach the surface; they needed air - now! They were never going to surive the bloodthirsty sharks, or would they...



You can watch the girls write the story 'as live' by pressing play on the following link: http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/ep/pad/view/5/latest






Quadblogging with our LP+ VLE: Paired Writing...with partners in Florida, USA!

Year Five been writing stories with partners...in other countries!

As part of our Quadblogging project, Year Five wrote the first part of a horror story - and asked our Quad 91 partner schools to finish them!

Listen to Cia explain how we used Primary Pad to work with partners on the other side of the world:
Collaborating with Quadblogging Partners (mp3)

You can see the finished collaborative story on our LP+ VLE here: https://alphaplus.lpplus.net/schools/falconsgirls/subject/English/Pages/QuadbloggingCollaborativeWriting.aspx

or if you're not a member of the Falcons family, enjoy it here: http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/ep/pad/view/1/latest

Primary Pad for Creative Writing

We've been working with 'PrimaryPad' today. This is a 'real time' collaborative writing tool - and it is really cool, too!

Most of Year Six were out on exams today, so Alex & Molly were working on a collaborative story using Primary Pad:
http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/5

Molly and Alex recorded their stories using the Aurasma app.

Year Five were working on sentence starters. Here is their shared story: http://falconsgirls.primarypad.com/10 (which Cia, Zahra and Dani wrote together sitting side-by-side on their Apple laptops!)

Homework
Please read Michael Cox's story, and complete your own version - 1 1/2 sides of A4 - of 'I was a Teenage Werewolf!'

Use a full range of sentence starters, please!



Tuesday 10 January 2012

Year Five Sentence Starters

Year Five

Write 1/2 page, using all six sentence starters: a girl walking through a spooky, abandoned school.

Due: Friday

Monday 9 January 2012

Year Five & Six Comprehension

Year Five
Please complete the Darren Shan comprehension.

Due: Friday

Year Six
Please complete the Godolphin & Latymer past papers.

Due: Monday.

Saturday 7 January 2012

Musician of the Week!

Inspired by this site, I want you to vote for your favourite of these three pieces of music - all performed by musicians born on January 8th - and we'll play the most popular track at the end of assembly next Monday!





Elvis Presley ('Suspicious Minds')

David Bowie ('Ashes to Ashes')

Shirley Bassey ('Goldfinger')


Friday 6 January 2012

Welcome Back!




Year Five
Year Five have got a fantastic term ahead - including studying Horror Stories, Persuasive Writing and Comic Fiction.

We're kicking off the term by studying the techniques used to write a horror story. Click here for the (password-protected) Horror stories page on the Falcons School for Girls LP+ VLE.

Weekend homework:
1. Please read one of the stories in Michael Cox's '10 Best Horror Stories' ever; summarise the plot and explain in your own words what makes it scary.

2. The 100 Word Challenge has a new blog:
http://100wc.net/
Please enter this week's competition on your Kidblog page (blog won't work? Email me your entry)

Year Six
11+ will soon be done and dusted, and we'll be moving on to three key topics: 'My passion', Poetry and beginning to study Shakespeare in preparation for our School Play, Midsummer Night's Dream.

Please complete the 'Greg' writing task. Make sure you open with a 'perfect' paragraph! Write 1 1/2 sides of A4.



P.S. Enjoy KT and HL's piratepad collaborative story here.