English

6PS

Monday 23rd Nov

We should be writing a non chronological report about Viking longboats this week but we can save that for when we are back in school with access to your research.

So instead we will work up to a piece of independent fiction writing. Start by watching this short film:

https://www.literacyshed.com/jotun.html

If this link doesn't play it can be found on youtube 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uU2AZkVNBc

It's a film to make you think:

Why is the village deserted?

Who was the hero who fought the troll? (Or was it Thor?)

Why did the young Viking set off on a quest to return the fragment of the hammer? Why is it so important to him?

Today's task is to write a description of one of the settings in the film. Choose from:

1)   The village

2)   The raiders on the ship and the battle

3)   The cave

You should include similes, metaphors and personification.  Describe what you could see, hear, feel and smell.  Lots of adjectives will be needed but in expanded noun phrases.  Can you describe any emotions which each place makes you feel?  Keep it in the past tense..

Eventually you will write about what happens next. Today though is about describing a setting. Some of you will want to know how much you should write. Answer: as much as you need to describe things fully but without waffle, repetition or lack of focus. 

Tuesday 24th Nov

There are two reading comprehension tasks here - take a short break in between them.

Jotun (the Viking film)

Make sure you have completed the description work from yesterday. Today you need to think about what happens next, and how you can carry on with the story.

The best thing with a free write is that there is no limit. And the worst is that there is no limit.

Keep the writing in character with the film - it is a myth or a legend so don't include anything modern. Describe characters and places carefully. Use 'show not tell' to make the reader work things out. Don't be afraid to borrow ideas as long as the words are your own. The basics of a good story are: characters, places, a problem, a situation which becomes worse, a solution and finally what happens to the characters.

The best writers work out a plan, then drop clues into the start which become important at the end. If the monster/troll returns but is trapped in ice, then mention the cold. If the village is attacked and then saved by an avalanche or flood, find a way to mention things that could cause them.

Wednesday 25 Nov

Yesterday I asked you to think about the next 'episode' of the story. Today you need to plan what you wish to write.

Remember 'plan' does not mean 'write out the story'. But it does help if you know who you are going to write about, where they are, and what happens.

If you are stuck, then why not think up a completely new adventure or quest for the young Viking. A new monster to defeat (from the sea? or the dark forest?) Or the return of the old demon who wants to remake his hammer? Or simply write a story inspired by the film: a warrior on his first raid or voyage of discovery. 

Plan the type of descriptions you could use for characters and settings. What words would make the story better? How can you start sentences? (Adverbials, as well as the ing form of verbs - eg Running). Complex sentences will be needed. Remember show not tell. Describe emotions and things the senses can detect. Modal verbs (might, will, would, could, should, can, may, shall, must) add extra detail.

Thursday 26 Nov

Yesterday I mentioned modal verbs - here are a couple of power points to explain. Please then complete the sentences in your books.

And once this little warm up is complete, we can start on the Viking stories!

Please make sure it is your own work. If you want, draft sentences in rough then write them up. Or if you have access to a word processor (MS Word) you can use that (I won't be able to assess spelling or grammar if you do, but it will help your redrafting and editing).

Don't be tempted to write it all in one go. A first paragraph today is fine. Quality beats quantity.

Friday 27 Nov

Carry on with the story!

Read through what you have done so far. You can edit or improve if you want. Then stop and think about the features you've chosen, and the ones you know you've not included so far. Do not indulge in chest beating misery at the things you haven't done - just include them in the next paragraph.

6PB

Monday:

Recap plan for non-chronological report.

Do you have a clear plan for your paragraphs and the sub-headings?

Have you gathered enough information?

Write your introductory paragraph - a brief explanation to tell your reader what a Viking Long-Ship is. You may include some general facts.

Remember to include:

• adverbials
• parenthesis
• relative clauses
• a range of conjunctions
• subject specific vocabulary

Once you've written your paragraph, re-read and make any edits using a different coloured pen. Can you level up any of your vocabulary?

Remember this is INDEPENDENT WRITING (no help from parents please).

Write it on paper, don't use word.

Tuesday: 

Re-read (proof-read) your writing so far.

Today you are going to write your next two paragraphs - use your plan to support you.

This is a formal piece of writing, you are informing your reader/telling them interesting information.

Remember to use sub-headings for each paragraph and don't forget the grammatical elements mentioned in yesterdays work (above).

Once you have finished re-read and check, go through it with your purple pen again.

Wednesday:

Write your final 2 paragraphs.

Thursday:

Revise and edit - can you remember the difference between revising your work and editing your work?

Revise is to change whole clauses, sentences, sections or even paragraphs. To improve and make better.

Edit is to correct any spellings or punctuation.

Go through your writing:

1. Colour in the first word of each sentence, do you notice any repetition? Have you used interesting sentence starters or are they all very similar and "boring". What would Miss Pearson say? Are they year 6 level? Could you revise any to make them more interesting. You might be able to add a fronted adverbial or swap the clauses around?
2. Have you included adverbials to build cohesion within and across your paragraphs? Adverbials tell your reader when, where or how something happened.
3. Go through your writing, can you find any examples of relative clauses? Underline them. Remember relative clauses need to have a relative pronoun (which, where, who, that). They add additional information to the sentence.
4. Have you demonstrated that you can correctly use parenthesis. Brackets, dashes or commas. The punctuation goes around the added information (this could be your relative clause). Remember the added information is your sub-ordinate clause, this means you should be able to remove it from your sentence and your sentence will still make sense. When you use parenthesis you must always using a matching set of punctuation when the information comes in the middle. If it comes at the end of the sentence you only need to use one piece of punctuation with the exception of brackets where we always use two.                For example: Viking Long-ships (which were often made from oak) were designed to allow them to sail in shallow waters. Recently, a Viking long-ship was found and dug up quickly - to prevent it from rotting further.
5. Using a different colour, colour in all the conjunctions you have used. Have you used a range of interesting conjunctions? If not not can you revise some to improve your sentences.
6. Edit, go through and check your spellings with a dictionary. Are all your capital letters and full stops in the right places (remember Viking is a name so it needs a capital letter)? Have you got your punctuation for parenthesis in the right places? Have you remembered your sub-headings?
7. Lastly, read through your work again, read it out-loud, does it all make sense?

Friday:

Repeat step 7 above.

Next we you are going to publish your work as a 2 page spread. You can do this on a double page in your topic books. This is your final copy of your work, the best version.

Plan how you want to set your work out. Do a rough drawing on some paper, your paragraphs still need to be in the right order so that it can be easily read/followed.

You could include fact boxes (you might use bullet points to include a did you know box), your work can be bright, bold and colourful to engage your reader. You can include pictures, if you can you could print some off or you could draw them. 

You can carry this out into the next week. Make sure your final published version is finished for when you return to school on Wednesday.