Try Spelling City!

The problem with learning spelling rules is that it can be a bit...boring!

It isn't any longer - the brilliant Spelling City lets you type in your spelling list, and then play loads of games to learn them! Brilliant!

Visit Spelling City at http://www.spellingcity.com/ - and then add it to your favourites folder!

Year Six Character Description Podcasts!

Some of the girls in Year 6 have created podcasts illustrating how to incorporate a character description into the 'flow' of a story. Take a listen here.

Don't forget that podcasts are great for using oral learning!

Half-term Holiday Homework

What a term we've had! Year 5 have learnt all about planning a story, suspense and action techniques, and been introduced to 11+-style comprehensions; Year 6 have been revising the structure of the first 15 lines of a short story and key characterisation techniques, and learnt about Sherlock Holmes and the writing of Charles Dickens. We've learnt about kinesthetic and musical learning techniques, and used podcasts and Animoto videos to share our creativity with the world! Best of all, we're beginning to connect, create and collaborate with pupils on the other side of the world!

Next half-term should be even more exciting! Year 5 will learning about writing longer descriptions, and be taking part in their first global collaborative flat classroom project - Books Go Global; Year 6 will complete their preparation for the 11+ examinations.

Year 5 holiday homework can be found here; Year 6 holiday homework here. Don't forget there are lists of 'great reads' in Bald Worm's reading lists.

Have a great holiday!

FSG joins the Life 'Round Here Geography Flat Classroom!

In the Spring term Year Six are going to be taking part in an international Geography flat classroom project - Life 'Round Here 2008 - telling pupils around the school about life in London. Click here to learn more about this exciting video project!

The Alpha Plus Music World is Tomorrow!

Got your ticket for the Alpha Plus Music World in Westminster? If you haven't you can still enjoy some of the pupil artwork created for the event!







Learn more about the Alpha Plus Music World here.

P.S. There is a top secret plan to record a few 'on the spot' podcasts from back stage before/after the show, using our USB microphones! Visit the blog on Friday to find out if the secret plan comes off!

Well Done, Year 6!

What an effort! You've completed your very first 'Mock Exam day'! Thank you, Year 6, for working so hard!

One of the terms that you need to think about is contrast

Contrast: To show differences when compared: siblings who contrast sharply in interests and abilities; a color that contrasted clearly with the dark background.

Please revise the Bald Worm advice on 'answering questions about similes, metaphors and personification' here.

Listen to our TimezoneExperiences Wiki Work!

We've recorded some brilliant podcasts - and drawn some KidPixs - for our IT 'flatclassroom' project, TimeZoneExperiences. Click here to enjoy one our pupil podcasts, and explore the wiki to enjoy more of our work, and enjoy pictures and Vokis from our partners in America!

Sneak Preview of the Second Half of the 'Alpha Plus Music World' Slideshow

What do you think? Do these pictures represent the songs in the second half of the 'Alpha Plus Music World Prom'? Leave your comments!

Year 6 Comprehension: Read the Question!

L.O. To revise the importance of reading the question when attempting a comprehension paper

We've been looking at the importance of reading the question - and how many points are lost by not doing so!

Make sure you complete the all (i.e. both the first and second sections) of the Latymer 2004 paper.

Don't forget there is tons of comprehension advice - and a podcast on 'reading the paper' - at Bald Worm's comprehension blog: http://bit.ly/comprehension

Due: Tuesday

Year 5 Comprehension - Action Techniques Comprehension

L.O. To recognise the techniques author's use in an action scene.


We've begun looking at action techniques - the tricks authors use to write about fights or crashes. Learn more about writing action scenes at baldworm.co.uk: http://www.baldworm.co.uk/skills/action.html

Homework: Please complete the action techniques comprehension. Don't forget to P-E-E!
Due: Wednesday

Don't forget we'll be testing our spellings on Wednesday: Nouns that end in -o

Nouns that end in -o add -es when they become plural:
potato/potatoes, echo/echoes, hero/heroes

exceptions: studio/studios, piano/pianos, kangaroo/kangaroos, zoo/zoos

either: buffalo/buffalo(e)s, cargo/cargo(e)s, motto/motto(e)s

volcano/volcano(e)s

P.S. You can download copies of the previous Year Five comprehensions from our pupil wiki here:http://fsg.wikispaces.com/Year+5+Comprehension+Autumn+2008-9

Year 5 Spy Models Videos

Want to see the Year 5 spy models? Visit their page on the pupil wiki to watch an Animoto video of the secret bases!

New Movie!

Three of the Year 6 superstars created this movie when they were too injured for P.E.!

Year Six: Including Thoughts

L.O. To revise the layout of thoughts when writing in the third person

We've been studying the writing of Charles Dickens whilst revising the key characterisation techniques: dialogue, shown feelings, questions about the character - and thoughts.

Please write the following story under timed conditions (ask someone at home to time you, or use the online stopclock).

Write a story set in Victorian London entitled: 'The Handkerchief'

I'm going to be looking for your use of characterisation techniques.

Due: Monday

Year 5 Spies: Including Suspense in a Full-Length Short Story

L.O. To include suspense in a short story.

You are going to write the 'gadget' story you planned in class.

In class we looked at how we can include suspense in the last third of a story. Your task is to write a full-length short story - 1 1/2 sides of A4 - that includes suspense, based on the plan you worked on in class. Remember there is a whole section of information on organising your story into a clear structure at http://www.baldworm.co.uk. You might also want to take a listen to last year's Year Six story structure podcast!

Please annotate the 'finished' spy story, showing me where you used suspense.

Due: Monday.

Year 5 Spies: Writing is Rewriting

L.O. To use short, impact paragraphs in a suspense scene

You're going to redraft the suspense scene you wrote last night; we'll record this work as a podcast on Friday, so make sure it is your very best work - it'll be heard all over the world! You should end up with 1/2 side of A4.

P.S. Don't forget it is your spelling test tomorrow!

Due: Friday

Year 6 - Shown Feelings, Questions about the Character & Dickens

L.O. To include questions about the character alongside dialogue and shown feelings

We've been looking at how questions about the character can pull your reader into the story.

Task: Oliver Twist has gone out pickpocketing - when he is caught in the act! Write a dialogue, including varied shown feelings and a 'bunch' of questions about the characters.

Year 5 - Spy - Suspense

L.O. To combine suspense techniques to write a scene of suspense

Homework: 1. Please write a ten line suspense scene where you - a secret agent - are creeping around the spy base you designed! Include all of our suspense techniques.

2. Annotate your passage, showing me where you've included our suspense skills.

Feeling clever? Try to include lots of shown feelings.

Due: Tomorrow

Learn more about suspense at: http://www.baldworm.co.uk/skills/suspense.html

Year 6 - Showing Feelings & Dickens

L.O. To revise the importance of varying the presentation of shown feelings.

There is nothing that excites Bald Worm more than writers remembering to show, not tell. - but we're trying to avoid the 'speech + speech verb + feeling' pattern that can become boring in the middle of our stories by varying our use of 'shown feelings' and questions about the character'.

Homework: Write a dialogue (1/2 side of A4) using varied shown feelings based on the following scenario:

Oliver Twist is thrown out of the workhouse for asking for more food...but, in a horrible 'twist', hw is sent to live and work at Mr Bumble's house! Oh no! Write a scene showing how badly Mr Bumble treats poor Oliver.

Feeling clever? Try to include a colon and a semi-colon!

Due: Tomorrow (Thursday)

New Wiki Podcasts!

We love podcasting! They're a great way to improve our oral skills, and allow us to share our writing with a global audience!

Using our cool USB mini-microphones, Year Six have been recording their clapping rhymes. Visit our pupil wiki to hear the first - the rest will be posted later in the week; you can also listen to some new podcasts at our 'flat classroom' project, Time Zone Experiences.

Year 6 Prose Style - Parts of Speech Game

L.O. To revise the parts of speech

Revise the parts of speech here.

1. Create some 4/5 senteces using the 'parts of speech consequences game' ladder.

2. Turn each individual word in the sentence into a small card, with the word on one side and the part of speech on the other, e.g. If it says 'The' on one side of the card it will say 'Definite article' on the other; it may say 'pink' on one side, and 'adjective' on the other.

You might also want to teach a younger friend your 'clapping rhyme'.

Year 5 Prose Style: The Listing Comma + Spellings for Friday

L.O. To revise the use of the listing comma

Today, we revised how you can use movement to help you learn punctuation. The 'clever-clogs' term for this is kinesthetic learning. Did you enjoy our kung-fu punctuation battle?

We also revised the use of the comma in lists, and saw how this works when we add adjectives.

For homework, please (i) write a description of your home, with a focus on using the listing comma and adjectives

(ii)Teach Mum/Dad/Nanny the 'kung fu' punctuation moves. See how they get on with listing commas!

You should also have a go at the game here.

Spellings - Nouns that end in -o

Nouns that end in -o add -es when they become plural:
potato/potatoes, echo/echoes, hero/heroes

exceptions: studio/studios, piano/pianos, kangaroo/kangaroos, zoo/zoos

either: buffalo/buffalo(e)s, cargo/cargo(e)s, motto/motto(e)s

volcano/volcano(e)s

Year Six Comprehension - Create Your Own Comprehension

//L.O. To revise the different types of question in a comprehension test//

Learn to create your own comprehension by downloading the worksheet from box.net; there is lots of advice, and three brilliant comprehension podcasts, at Bald Worm's comprehension blog - http://bit.ly/comprehension

P.S. Don't forget we're going to record your 'parts of speech' clapping rhymes tomorrow!

P.P.S. Out visiting a school? Dowload a copy of A's pupil-created comprehension and complete for homework on A4 paper.

Homework: Please complete your classmate's comprehension

Year 5 Comprehension - P-E-E in longer answers

//L.O. To understand the need to give a piece of evidence for every mark on offer in 4/5 marks questions//

Visit the Young Bond site here.

Don't forget to visit Bald Worm's comprehension blog - http://bit.ly/comprehension - to learn more, and listen to the Year Six comprehension advice podcast!

Homework: Complete the By Royal Command comprehension. Due: Tuesday.

Parts of Speech

Parts Of Speech!

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: parts of)

Two Year Six girls have created this Powerpoint to help them remember the 'parts of speech'; next week, we'll post our 'parts of speech' clapping rhymes.

Year 5 - Suspense Techniques

L.O. To know the techniques for creating suspense in a short story

We use V.A.K. approaches to help us remember key skills. Learn more about VAK here: http://fsg.wikispaces.com/VAK+and+MI

You are going to create a colourful A4 poster to help you remember Bald Worm's suspense techniques. Learn more about these techniques here.

Due: Monday

Year 6 - Redrafting Task

//L.O. To use a varied prose style when writing a short story//

You are going to redraft your 'Victorian carriage' story - and I want you to focus on making sure you have included at least one of the following:

* A fragment (1-2 word sentence)
* An impact sentence (3-4 word sentence)
* The listing comma
* The joining comma
* The bracketing comma
* Brackets
* A colon
* A semi-colon

If you manage to include all of the above then you are halfway to having an 'elegant' prose style.

Please annotate your 'finished' redraft with a gel pen, showing me where you have included each of the pieces of punctuation/sentence types listed above.

P.S. Don't forget to bring in on USB/send via email to baldworm@baldworm.co.uk/print out your homemade comprehension on Monday!

Due: Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Bald Worm Visitor News

baldworm.co.uk received over 1,000 unique visitors in September - but have you visited the comprehension advice blog? Visit http://bit.ly/comprehension to read the comprehension blog - including the brilliant Year 6 Comprehension podcast - and learn all about P-E-Eing all over the page!

Year Six (Thursday) Distinctive Dialogue

L.O. To use distinctive voices to develop characterisation in a dialogue

Distinctive voices can bring your characters to life!

Write a dialogue (3/4 of a side of A4) between a posh Lord and an uneducated servant - the master suspects the servant of theft.

Revise our work on distinctive voices at bald worm: http://www.baldworm.co.uk/skills/distinctive_voices.html

Feeling clever? Try to include a semi-colon somewhere in the dialogue.

Due: Friday.

Year 5 Spy Project - Stormbreaker

We have read about James Bond's unfortunate experience with a deadly centipede, and seen how Ian Fleming uses suspense techniques.

Task:
Read the first chapter of Alex Rider's first adventure, Stormbreaker.

Due: Friday

Year 6 (Wednesday) Distinctive Dickensian Dialogue

L.O. To write a dialogue using distinctive dialogue

Imagine Mr Pickwick and Mr Jingles are travelling in a cab with a 'wery vude' cabman. Write a dialogue about their discussion - using distinctive speech for Mr Jingles and the cabman. Write 3/4 side of A4.

Learn more about distinctive voices here.

Learn more about our Dickens work and characterisation here.

Due: Thursday.