Tag Archives: resource-free lesson plans

Year 5 Emergency Lesson Plans for Science

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 5 Science are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

 

Topic Lesson Plan
Keeping healthy Design a poster which shows children alternatives to unhealthy snacks, and which promotes exercise too.
Life cycles Seed dispersal, what properties does a seed need to have to be dispersed by wind/animal/water/explosion?
Gases around us Evaporation: why do people hang their clothes on the line on a sunny day? Hang them on the radiator, put them in the tumble dryer? What has happened to the water? Where did it go? Explore children's ideas and help annotate drawings.
Changing state Reversible changes: what can we melt/freeze to make a solid/liquid/gas change state, but then let the temperature return to normal and the s/l/g will revert too? Water/wax… what can we not do this with? Eggs/clay (fired in kiln)
Earth, sun and moon The Moon orbits the Earth, but it also revolves around the Earth. As it is orbiting as well as revolving, we always see the same side of the moon, we never see the 'far side'. What different shapes of moon have you seen? What causes it to appear to change shape?
Changing sounds Recorders out! Explain that sounds are made air vibrating and the space that the air vibrates in is very important. Ask children to experiment with recorders how to change the pitch of the sound, and how that relates to the space in which the air can vibrate. Give one recorder per group of four/five!

 

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Year 4 Emergency Lesson Plans for Science

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 4 Science are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

Lesson Plans for Year 4 Science

Topic Lesson Plan
Moving and growing Work on how important it is to warm up muscles before exercise. Explain how muscles help us to move, then demonstrate a cold muscle (blue-tac, when cold it tears) and a warmed-up muscle using an elastic band. Children write up with illustrations in their books. Do some simple warm-up exercises with them in class.
Habitats Hazardous Habitats: Imagine animals in the wrong habitat, how long could they stay there for without doing serious damage to themselves/others in the environment? Elephant in a pond, human in the desert, fish in the jungle.
Keeping warm Survey of items in your house which help to keep things warm, keep things cool. Differences in your summer clothes and your winter clothes, look at head gear and what difference there is in the use of a cap and a wooly hat.
Solids, liquids and how they can be separated Adding solids to water: imagine! Give children a list of solids in a table and they have to decide whether or not the solid will sink/dissolve/be easy to extract/change and of it's properties. E.g. custard powder, gravy granules (look at temperature of water, keep it a fair test!), soap (look at time in a fair test too), a stone, a coin, a tea bag, tea leaves (look at effect on the water with all.)
Friction Using friction: investigate ways in which we need to control the level of friction so that it is useful, think of tread on tyres, on shoes, playground slides, goal keeper's gloves, shoe laces, ice-skating.
Circuits and conductors Where do we find electricity in the classroom? How are we insulated from it? What materials are used and why? What if the material was changed? Do you know what would happen if we used wool instead? There's a very useful activity on BBC Science Clips (google it!)

 

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Year 3 Emergency Lesson Plans for Science

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 3 Science are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

 

 

Topic Lesson Plan
Teeth and eating Look at what different animals eat and predict what type of teeth they have (incisors for cutting into meat, molars for grinding plants.)
Helping plants grow well Which foods come from plants? Look at ones which aren't obvious, such as cereal/grains.
Characteristics of materials Give children a list of materials and explore their properties. Ask them to choose an object, i.e. ruler, and write (perhaps a table?) what it is made from, and how fit for purpose it would be made from different materials you have looked at.
Rocks and soils Using rocks, can they spot where rock has been used in their school? Stone steps etc. can they think why rock isn't used in other places (refer to previous topic on characteristics of materials), and suggest other ways in which rock could be used (liken to The Flintstones, if it's still on TV!) Rock for a bed? Wheels?
Magnets and springs Give all children an elastic band and after they have investigated its properties, ask them to think of 5 different ways in which it could be used. Explain/show what a spring is and look at their five uses, question whether or not a spring would be more appropriate.
Light and shadows Investigate light (from OHP/IWB?) and it's effect on different materials. Density of shadows formed through cloth, paper, wood etc. Light acting upon materials, does it change the colour? Look carefully! Paint (arghh!) a spectrum of colours seen on one object with varying amounts/qualities of light shone on it.

 

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Year 6 Emergency Lesson Plans for Numeracy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 6 Numeracy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

Block A – Counting, partitioning and calculating

  • Addition and subtraction of decimals (use money – they relate well to it usually!)
  • Ordering, partitioning and rounding decimals. Find decimals by first dividing numbers on a calculator by non-factors.
  • Positive and negative numbers, thermometer, temperature around the world/around the year.
  • Using a calculator (got any?) take them through your day, shop for clothes, shop for meals, tell them your budget to start with, get them to warn you when you're getting close, and can you afford the pair of shoes in the next shop?
  • Logical shape patterns, draw e.g. circle, triangle, square, circle on the board, and get them to predict next three symbols, then do more complex ones, start with triangle (3 edges) and go up 1 edge each time, double the number of corners each time, then colour code them, do shape and colour different pattern to challenge (circle, triangle, square, but red, red, blue, green, so it takes a while for the pattern to be seen properly as they may associate the colour with the shape to start with.

Block B – Securing number facts, understanding shape

  • Revise multiples and factors. Introduce prime numbers and prime factors. Look at tests of divisibility for 10, 100, 1000, 2, 3, 5, see if the children can work out 6 and 9 from this knowledge, and try 4.
  • How would the children work out * and / of decimals mentally? Look at know facts from tables, and apply.., give lots of exercise on applying known facts i.e. 5.6 / 8 = 0.7
  • Look at patterns within shapes… internal angles, external angles, can they find patterns? Helps with Logo!
  • Give the children dice, and in pairs ask to throw 2 fifty times and keep a tally of sum of two faces. Ask first to write a prediction of which number will be the mode and what the average number will be. Stop after 20 or so throws and ask them to check if their predictions are on the right tracks. Present graph and explanation of results, as if Science test, how was it a fair test, was your prediction right, equipment needed, conclusion etc.
  • Naming 2-D quadrilaterals: rhombus, parallelogram, trapezium and kite/delta. Look at irregular polygons and name those too.

Block C – Handling data and measures

  • Probability: Children to make up predictions, it will rain tomorrow, England will win the World Cup, a dodo will be found wandering on the beach down the road, and place them on a scale of probability… use language first, never, unlikely, even chance, l
  • Mode (most common) median (the one in the middle if they're all lined up in order), range and mean (another word for average) of number of hours spent in front of TV/book a week, put onto a pie chart.
  • Children have 1p, 2p and 5p pieces, can they make all the numbers up to 20p with them? Present as an experiment, question, prediction, equipment, results, conclusion.
  • Conversion of metric units, 1.23km to m to cm, l to ml, g to mg etc.
  • Give children a table of data, results from a science experiment, perhaps height of sunflowers grown in different conditions. Children to present an appropriate graph of results, then answer questions on it… include misleading data, i.e. sunflower with no water grown to 2.3m, and ask what this might be (23cm, or mix up with another children sunflower etc.)

Block D – Calculating, measuring and understanding shape

  • Mental and written methods of HTU * TU, estimate and check very important, and can use a calculator for checking, but not estimating!
  • Imperial measurement, conversions to and from metric.
  • Drawing angles accurately. Draw some on board, not to scale, but roughly right shape, give children 2 lengths plus corresponding angle to draw to scale and accurately in their books.
  • Angle sums of triangles, explore with scalene too, angles around the outside. Total of internal and external angles around a point. Look at angles where one line cuts through another (# shape for example), including relationships, parallel lines etc.
  • Rotational symmetry, describing and drawing, start with regular polygons, hexagon etc., and move onto challenging them to draw a pattern with given rotational symmetry.

Block E – Securing number facts, relationships and calculating

  • Seduko! Honestly, I've seen it done for a whole hour with Year 6! Ok, try magic number squares instead. A 3 x 3 square, where each number 1 – 9 can only be used once, and all rows must add up to the same number, what number should they all add up to? Can you start with the 9 in different places? What do the corners add up to? Do the diagonals meet the objective? Can you use different numbers i.e. consecutive multiples of 3 to add to something else? Try all same with 4 x 4 square. Most importantly, children must work logically, predict, present findings and come to a conclusion/find a rule.
  • Fractions frenzy, revise with them whatever you do to the top, you do to the bottom, for finding equivalent fractions, or divide by the denominator and multiply by the numerator for finding fractions of numbers/quantities and give them loads of word problems. Some children, especially girls (I'll reference that one day, I'm not being funny!) like to do pages and pages of systematic work, and see lots of ticks at the end of it!
  • Ditto above with percentages.
  • Simplifying fractions… find lowest denominator, or lowest common denominator, or lowest common multiple of sets of fractions, so that you can put them in order, place fractions along a number line, use a calculator to find e.g. 5/8 as a decimal so you can place it on a number line.
  • Proportion problems: maps to scale, find real distances, give a recipe that make 12 cakes and ask for ingredients working out which makes 16 instead.

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Year 5 Emergency Lesson Plans for Numeracy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 5 Numeracy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

 

Block A – Counting, partitioning and calculating

  • Using a calculator if you can find them/enough. Mental methods of adding 9, 19, 11, 31. Written methods of adding/subtracting decimals (use calculator to check only, or estimate mentally, use calculator, then check using written methods.)
  • Ordering, partitioning and rounding decimals. Find decimals by first dividing numbers on a calculator by non-factors.
  • Story board, one-two-step problems involving measures (Noah's Ark? weights of food needed, distance travelled in a day etc.)
  • Look at 11 x and 12 x table, notice any patterns, past 100 too?
  • Written methods (grid/Napier's bones? Russian?) of HTU x U, U.t x U and/or HUTE / U.

Block B – Securing number facts, understanding shape

  • Addition and subtraction of decimals (use money – they relate well to it usually!)
  • Mental recall of sums/differences/double and halves (of decimals too)
  • Look at common multiples of various factors. Translate to LCM in fractions if able, 1/3 and 1/4 can be converted to 4/12 and 3/12, show physically cake/bar of chocolate cutting on board.
  • Sort a set of data using a Venn Diagram, and/or a Carroll Diagram, be careful not to confuse the two.
  • Using a calculator to check sums you have written on board (write ten on board, using brackets? and get about half wrong!) Children to estimate first.

Block C – Handling data and measures

  • Probability: Children to make up predictions, it will rain tomorrow, England will win the World Cup, a dodo will be found wandering on the beach down the road, and place them on a scale of probability… use language first, never, unlikely, even chance, likely, certain, but then divide numerically, 0% chance – 100% chance.
  • Find the mode: most often! Collect data from classroom, can be words (favourite author, science topic) to start, but then onto figures (month 1-12 in which born, house number etc.) Represent in frequency table, pictogram, bar/line graph and find the mode.
  • Give children a set of data, hidden in story perhaps, or include irrelevant information at least, and ask them to interpret/organise into chart/table form, ready to answer your questions (the difference, the range, total, how many more if, etc.) then ask them to create two questions to ask rest of class.
  • Estimating length of objects around the classroom, or go and collect a few different leaves, and estimate their lengths (place in length order first). Measure in cm.
  • Give set of measurements (relate to children's lives) and ask to convert to another unit of measure, i.e. shoe 18.9cm, to mm, can of Coke 330ml, to l.

Block D – Calculating, measuring and understanding shape

  • 24-hour clock: introduce, show how to convert, then convert meaningful times to the children (waking, start of school, etc.)
  • Give children a number sentence, in which you have included brackets, show how they must calculate the brackets first, set out clearly, and ask them to work through more examples.
  • Parallel and perpendicular: investigate/draw/classify shapes according to these newly learnt terms.
  • Have you got protractors? Estimating, measuring and drawing given angles.
  • Angles on a straight line… cut the line with a perpendicular on, then investigate lines cutting it at different angles (will have 4 angles, 2 pairs.)
  • Coordinates: draw a map (theme park? treasure island? perfect school?) on the board, label the lines, not the spaces, slowly introduce coordinates in the spaces (2.5, 3) or (25, 30).
  • Pattern in translation: cut a square, cut a piece out of it, and place it on the parallel side, translate shape. Children to create their own.
  • Pattern in reflection: mirrors? Use hypothetical line of symmetry, reflect below, can they also reflect their simple shape to left and to right?
  • Areas and/or perimeters of regular/irregular polygons, start with quadrilaterals, move onto two rectangles making an L shape.

Block E – Securing number facts, relationships and calculating

  • Written/mental methods of up to HTU / U and TU.t * U
  • Number machine: firstly give input and operation (6 goes in, machine *2, children to answer 12 is the output) change operation, then give input, and output, children to work through all 4 operations finding possible functions. Explain to children concept of scales on maps, draw simple representation on board, children use function machine idea to generate actual distances on your scaled map.
  • Equivalent fractions, fractions of cake/pizza/egg boxes that are equivalent, look at patterns in equivalent fractions 'number line' and relation to times tables i.e. 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8. This has been done earlier in KS1, so quickly move onto non-unit fractions, 3/4 = 6/8 etc.
  • Percentages: first introduction to percentages maybe, so look at meaning (% is out of 100, recognise division line in symbol %) 100% as whole, 50% as half, 25% and 75%. Look at how to find simple percentages of shapes to begin with, then numbers/quantities if they've got it, esp. % mentioned above, and moving onto 10%, then multiply by 4 to find 40% etc.
  • Investigate connections between fractions and percentages, 1/2 of 360 = 50% of 360, etc. You write fraction question, they write equivalent percentage question etc. Then challenge them to work them out.
  • 1 and 2 step word problems including decimals (use money, they relate well to it!)

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Year 4 Emergency Lesson Plans for Numeracy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 4 Numeracy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

 

Block A – Counting, partitioning and calculating

  • Mentally add/subtract pairs of 2 digit numbers, investigate methods used as a table/class. Teach a written method on adding/subtracting 2 and 3 digit numbers, £.p included. Give word problems to which they can then apply this method.
  • Invite children to call out numbers between 11 and 99/999 (4 digit numbers) and write on the board. Firstly get the children to read them out loud to a partner, then cover them up, you read them, and ask the children to write them in digits/letters, reveal the numbers and ask the children to order them, carry on partitioning them or rounding them, or repeat above activities with different sets of numbers.
  • Go through story of temperature through your day, (in winter!) introducing children to positive and negative numbers on a number line (thermometer), children to calculate rise and fall in temperature and write as number sentence.
  • Give children one and two-step word problems involving measures based on a recipe, you don't want to make one batch of scones, you want to make 1 and a half, or three batches etc., ask children to explain orally, then on paper, how they worked it out. Always estimate and check.
  • Work on multiplication tables to 10 * 10, work on 2-digit doubles and multiplying by 10 and 100. Children to demonstrate their written methods on the board for you, and then use these to answer questions in books. Also do division, discussing remainders in context of the question.

Block B – Securing number facts, understanding shape

  • Using a calculator if you can find them/enough. Sums and differences of multiples of 10, 100, 1000. Emphasis on estimating and checking mentally/on paper, and reading calculator carefully (many children miss the decimal point, give questions to highlight this!)
  • Draw a simple graph on the board, temperature in classroom through 24 hours perhaps, and ask children to solve 1 and 2-step word problems from it. Go through with them carefully how to first select important information, then choose an operation, estimate, work it out, then check it.
  • Properties of shapes: draw polygons on board, give a label: a, b, c, etc., and children must classify according to a set of criteria that they drew up with you (guide them to number of edges, number of lines of symmetry, number of vertices, parallel lines and right angles.)
  • Give children a number investigation, i.e. Gnome has a red, yellow and blue hat, red, yellow and blue jumper, and a red, yellow and blue pair of trousers. How many different combinations of clothes has he got? Can they estimate first?
  • Visualising 3-D shapes: draw a structure on the board using a given number of cubes such as multi-link, and children have to make the shape, and draw it in their books from front, bird's eye, below etc. Draw another shape using more cubes.

Block C – Handling data and measures

  • Comparing scales, draw timeline of school day, their life, and known historical periods. Look at impact of scales, try to add school day times to historical period scale.
  • Gather data using tally chart on number of siblings members of class have/number of hours spent watching TV/doing homework a night etc., and ask children to present not only as tally chart, but as a table/pictogram/bar chart.
  • Give children random facts relating to their current humanities topic (make sure they know they are fictitious and for the purpose of the lesson only) for example, how many legionnaires each centurion (give them names!) sent home with a cold in December 956AD or how many servants Henry VIII took with him on each of his different holidays, or how many climbers have scaled certain mountains) and ask them to organise the facts to present them as a table or graph. Present questions based on data, how many more did, how many in total, how many would there have been if…
  • Got access to the ICT suite? Whole class comfortable with collating data on the one board? Use Excel or equivalent to record data findings (see above.)
  • Sizing up your classroom: table with columns such as object, estimated length, estimated width, actual length, actual width, difference in estimated and actual for more able. Measure in cm and convert to mm.

Block D – Calculating, measuring and understanding shape

  • Addition and subtraction of 2-digit numbers mentally, warm-up, then written methods of 2- and 3-digit numbers, using measures and quantities i.e. £.p
  • Reading numbers from partly numbered scales… draw up on board and ask children to fill in the blanks on the first few, then give pointers for them to record the reading on the rest.
  • 1- and 2-step word problems involving 12-hour clock time intervals, am and pm.
  • Areas and/or perimeters of rectangles: draw them on the board, then do a table, rectangle A, length 20, width 4 etc.
  • Compass points, very kinesthetic lesson! Children to draw compass in their book and label, but not until you have labelled together points in the classroom (is there one painted on the playground?)
  • Learn the terms horizontal and vertical. Relate to real life, horizon, children to lie/stand themselves/their pencils/other object, as their peers instruct. Move onto describing positions on a grid, desert island, where is the shipwreck?
  • Consolidate written method of * or / the children have learnt, TU by U, look at remainders in context of question given.

Block E – Securing number facts, relationships and calculating

  • Equivalent fractions, fractions of cake/pizza/egg boxes that are equivalent, look at patterns in equivalent fractions 'number line' and relation to times tables i.e. 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8.
  • Mixed numbers: adding and subtracting them (with same denominator) after introducing.
  • Fractions of shapes/quantities: flags/stars/rectangles/circles (pizza/cake) or quantities: five children, £10, 1/5 of £10 to see how much they can have each to spend at the cinema. Worded problems.
  • Money problems, 2-step: Given £10 to spend, would like to buy 3 x £2.75 books, what change do you have?
  • Ratio and proportion: Word problems, to be written as organised number sequences etc. by children: if for every blue marble Joe had, Shirley had 2 green ones, how many green ones does Shirley have if Joe has 8 blue ones? Increase numbers, children to find a rule, how to work it out.

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Year 3 Emergency Lesson Plans for Numeracy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 3 Numeracy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

Block A – Counting, partitioning and calculating

  • Throwing dice, adding/subtracting numbers mentally and quickly, extend to throwing 2 dice, using digits to form one number, and throwing a third to form another number (e.g. a 6 and a 2 thrown = 62, then a 4 thrown, so 62 + or – 4 mentally) then writing them down, extend written to 2 and 3 digit numbers.
  • Invite children to call out numbers between 11 and 99/999 (2 or 3 digit depending on ability) and write on the board. Firstly get the children to read them out loud to a partner, then cover them up, you read them, and ask the children to write them in digits/letters, reveal the numbers and ask the children to order them, carry on partitioning them or rounding them, or repeat above activities with different sets of numbers.
  • Number story: tell children a simple story (child goes to the zoo for the day) and include prices and distances. Write 1- and 2-step word problems for children to calculate based on story.
  • Explain orally and written how you know 63 is in the 3 x table, how you know 102 follows on from 99 in the same table. Change table and problems.
  • Jumping to the right/left of a HTU grid: multiplying and dividing numbers by 10 and 100. Jump physically! Take hops on paper.

Block B – Securing number facts, understanding shape

  • Introduce a right angle, and ask children to collect right angles from around the classroom. Record findings in book, draw and label: cupboard door, 4 right angles etc. Then show angles greater/smaller than 90° and repeat as above.
  • Give number problems (division using known multiple facts) and work on estimating first, and then checking. Do same for add/subtraction problems.
  • Number story: tell children a simple story (child goes to the zoo for the day) and include prices and distances. Write 1- and 2-step word problems for children to calculate based on story.
  • Number machine: firstly give input and operation (6 goes in, machine *2, children to answer 12 is the output) change operation, then give input, and output, children to work through all 4 operations finding possible functions.
  • Recognising reflective symmetry, start with letters, numbers, move onto simple shapes, then onto seeing symmetry in classroom objects, faces (not symmetrical!)

Block C – Handling data and measures

  • Telling the time… draw two clock faces on the board, draw hands on for one time, ask children to read it, and then invite one to draw hands 15/25 etc. minutes later. Children to draw simple clocks in own book and either write time by side, or draw another showing set interval.
  • Sorting data into lists, tables, diagrams, frequency and bar charts, data could include colour and size of pencil cases, school bags, favourite pies/authors etc.
  • Give children a question they have to answer by first collecting data, i.e. what is the most popular after-school club in this class? Once children have presented the information appropriately, then ask them to challenge each other with different questions based on the data, i.e. how many more children like wildlife club than choir?
  • Give children 5 (hypothetical if necessary) objects, ask them to record estimates of measurement… they are to choose how they would measure and what units to use, i.e. an apple could be weighed in grams, and measured in cm, a jug of lemonade in ml. Give distances too, your house to school, your desk to the teachers, London to Florida.
  • Decide a given, for example your school to Alton Towers is 26km, and then convert to metres. Their desk to your desk is 130cm, convert to metres/mm.

Block D – Calculating, measuring and understanding shape

  • Look at the times tables that they know, and work out the inverse, division tables, that they didn't know they knew! Give some division questions based on the tables they know.
  • Unit fractions of numbers and quantities… a half, a third, a tenth, depending on ability, of marbles in a bag (6, 10, 12, 16 marbles in total) are which colour? Draw own bags, and set questions for friends.
  • Multiple triangles, a multiple and two factors placed at each angle of a triangle, children to draw them, e.g. 12, 3 and 4, then explore number sentences which can be made from them (hint: there's 3*4 = 12, 4*3 = 12, and then the inverse of each.)
  • Draw simple bar charts on board, give children for example how many cars were red, and they have to fill in label on number of cars axis. Draw simple scales on board, temperature, kitchen scales, with pointers on and ask for reading. Children to draw own scales to questions friends.
  • Direct a friend, blindfold, from one side of the room to another, using vocab discussed (position, direction, movement language.)

Block E – Securing number facts, relationships and calculating

  • Unit fractions of quantities, drinking water bottles on Sports Day, 1l, 500ml, how much did I drink if I drank 1/2, 1/4, how much left if I drank 1/10?
  • Estimate proper fractions of shapes, numbers (pictorial, e.g. egg boxes, bars/pieces of chocolate.) Use squared paper in books to draw bars of chocolate with given number of pieces (6, 10, 12, 15, 16 for example) and shade in given fractions. Give 1/5, before giving 3/5 of same amount.
  • Ask all the children to work out the same simple sum, perhaps 13 * 5, and collate different methods used. Children to explore other questions using methods used by peers.
  • Give children first 3 or 4 numbers in sequences, they have to discover possible rule for sequence, then make up their own. Try +2, +5, -3, *2 +1.
  • Class trip to the zoo story, +, -, * and / by two digit numbers: 120 slices of pizza, how many each (look at remainders in context), 24 tickets to buy at £3.50 each (look at different methods the children come up with), two buses, 53 on one, 37 on the other, how many altogether etc.

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Year 6 Emergency Lesson Plans for Literacy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 6 Literacy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

Autumn Term

Word Level Work

  • Gather a collection of proper nouns and investigate their origins using dictionaries and encyclopaedias.
  • Look at more complex suffixes, prefixes and roots. Find poly-syllabic words and break them down to better understand meaning and origin.

Sentence Level Work

  • Write a set of instructions, a non-chronological report or similar on the board and ask children to investigate ways in which it could be punctuated. Look at use of colons, semi-colons, brackets and dashes.

Spring Term

Word Level Work

  • Build a bank of connectives.
  • Build a bank of alternatives to 'said'. Give a sentence to improve i.e. "Get out of my way," said Kojic

Sentence Level Work

  • Contracting sentences: note making, editing and summary – find out what current humanities topic is, read a passage from a relevant source, ask them to take notes while you read it, then to summarize the passage (could be in bullet point or paragraph form.)

Summer Term

Word Level Work

  • Invent mnemonics for irregular and difficult spellings.

Sentence Level Work

  • Study proverbs and write their meanings.

Text Level Work

Narrative / Plays / Scripts

  • Write a story with two different narrators. More able alone, one paragraph (sub-titled?) for each, able and less able in pairs, think of a story with two characters (parent/teacher and child perhaps? Bully/Victim) and each take a part to write same story, compile as intertwined paragraphs at end.
  • Give the children 1 story title, and ask them to plan five stories using it, using the same characters. Example titles: Lost!; We're On Our Way!; Shipwrecked!; Track Fever; Mysterious Mummies.
  • Read the opening to a story, and ask children to prepare as a script using stage directions etc.
  • Write the blurb for the back cover of a novel they'd like to write/their auto-biography.
  • Write a flashback story, secret door, key, black hole etc.
  • Write an alternative ending to a well-know story (i.e. myth, fairy tale.)
  • Produce a writer's commentary on the opening/first chapter of their current reading book

Non Fiction

  • Give each table a different audience but the same non-fiction title, e.g. Life in the Blitz, compare the style the different texts are written in, language, format etc.
  • Discuss current point of debate (i.e. local toxic waste plant (use local/current affairs knowledge) or imaginary school scenario (Head teacher decides to ban/bring in uniforms for teachers) and write a balanced report.
  • Prepare a CV for their hero, research where available, for job as Prime Minister.
  • Write a report in a journalistic style based on a local/current issue such as dogs fouling the park. Present a balanced and ethical report that includes interviews from different perspectives.
  • Give invitation to Hermione to Wizard's Ball, ask to prepare same for a professor of wizardry, concentrating on differences between formal and informal text used.

Poetry

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Year 5 Emergency Lesson Plans for Literacy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 5 Literacy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

 

Autumn Term

Word Level Work

  • Investigate plurals, find your own rules (much better than being given rules, as long as they're correct!)
  • Investigate meanings and spellings of words with prefixes: auto, bi, tele and circum.

Sentence Level Work

  • Give sentences in direct/reported speech, to convert to reported/direct speech (she said, "I am eating!" to she said (that) she was eating)
  • Give a list, and ask to place a colon, make their own lists (top ten authors/pop stars etc.) and place colons as necessary.
  • Look at the conventions for writing dialogue in narrative using current reading books, separate lines and commas etc.

Spring Term

Word Level Work

  • Collect onomatopoeic words and present them to class
  • See how many different ways the sound for example 'a' as in May, can be written

Sentence Level Work

  • Write a formal invitation on the board, and ask the children to change it to an informal one… and decorate!
  • Explore ambiguities e.g. Heavy Plant Crossing, they are cooking apples, police shot man with knife, Baby Changing Room, and Danger Swimmers Keep Out

Summer Term

Word Level Work

  • Spell unstressed vowels in polysyllabic words, e.g. company, portable, interest, description, carpet, freedom, extra
  • Investigate and create rule (better than being given one) for modifying words ending in e, when adding ing/ful/ly
  • Compile class dictionary for own slang words and give own definitions, e.g. mate, (it) wrecks, nectar.

Sentence Level Work

  • Use connectives other than and, then, but, to link clauses in sentences. Find in own previous work (collect lots of connectives before they start) and re-write sentence on today's page.

Text Level Work

Narrative / Plays / Scripts

  • Add a new character/scene to a Roald Dahl/Lucy Daniels/Jeremy Strong book, using the style of the author (i.e. a talking animal in a Roald Dahl book)
  • Write a short story (pref. myth/fable) on the board, and ask them to review and edit it (include misspellings, poor language selection etc. Make sure you clearly show that these are the parts to rework.)
  • Write a well-known story from someone else's point of view, i.e. The Wolf in Three Little Pigs/Little Red Riding Hood
  • Discuss known proverbs in class, a bird in the hand, too many cooks etc., and choose one to write as a story in fable/myth/legend style, to demonstrate it's meaning.

Non Fiction

  • Write an incident letter to the police from two different people's points of view, i.e. victim and eye-witness.
  • Write to the local MP regarding e.g. poor lighting outside school, placing poop scoop bins at edge of park etc.
  • Write instructional texts, i.e. How to Use a Computer: Ideal Text for Teachers!

Poetry

  • Read a poem with a definite theme (i.e. football) and ask them to change the theme by substituting words (i.e. to horse riding)
  • Read a poem with a definite structure, explore structure and ask them to add a verse.
  • Convey feelings/moods in a poem, structure given by teacher. Shaped into a frown/smile?
  • Choral and performance poems, relate Christmas carols, Albert and the Lion, rap, pop music, nursery rhymes. Children to perform in small groups at end of lesson.

Return to Emergency Lesson Plans Index

Year 4 Emergency Lesson Plans for Literacy

Lesson plans for supply teachersThese emergency lesson plans for Year 4 Literacy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

Word Level Work

  • Game split 2-syllable words containing double consonants in the middle, kettle, bubble, common, rabbit. Randomly write the two halves somewhere on the board, and the children have to draw a line to match the pairs, write them on their whiteboards, or tell a friend.
  • Write to/too/two or they're/their/there in sentences correctly.
  • Practice handwriting!
  • Vocabulary extension: give sentences with common vocab. in, e.g. good, got, nice, then, and ask children to improve them.
  • Practice range of presentation skills, design a poster with capitals for header, print for labels and cartoon captions and different fonts for emphasis. Poster to advertise new club in school?

Sentence Level Work

  • Create a class/group list of words to use instead of walk/went e.g. crawled, hobbled etc.
  • Look through current reading books to identify possessive apostrophes, and write without apostrophe i.e. Jake's hat was red. > Jake owned a hat which was red.
  • Look at use of apostrophe for contraction. Give examples on board and ask children to find others in reading material.
  • Make a list of punctuation used in your reading book/non-fiction book from bookcase. Make a glossary on how and when to use.
  • Present verbally an argument between two friends, using connectives to structure it, i.e. if you… then…, on the other hand, when you… finally, so that means…

Narrative / Plays / Scripts

  • Write a setting on board while children watch. Describe a fantastical or horrific place. Ask children to write their own. Deny them the use of certain common words associated with that place, but investigate more figurative language and adjectives. Explore the five senses in the setting.
  • Look at three different ways of planning a story… storyboard (page cut into 4/6), brainstorming, linear sequence like a film strip or pathway (one setting to next, what happens along the way i.e. earth to planet Zog)
  • Re-write the ending of a well-known story, change the reader's opinion of the main character, e.g. the bad guy was actually trying to do good, offers apology, 'good' guy doesn't accept and is bitter.
  • Write two character opposite descriptions, emotionally provocative, i.e. Dracula and victim, evil/good twin
  • Write a play script using well-known story, i.e. fairy tale, Aesop's fable, myth/legend (Hare and The Tortoise could be a good one!)
  • Write a story based in a castle, featuring knights and princesses.
  • Write a character description of an alien, and describe his home planet.

Non Fiction

  • Write a review of the latest gadget/game for a magazine.
  • Write to the Head Teacher to persuade them to get 10 of the latest PS2/IPOD/fav. gadget of the class into school.
  • Give bulleted points on board to children regarding their current humanities topic. They then write out in two paragraphs and find information to flesh it out from other sources.
  • Design an advert/jingle for a new product, summer fruits drink? Healthy new sweets? Space travel holidays?
  • Write a newspaper front cover, include headline story and an advertisement. Headline story to be something the children are familiar with or can identify with, include one interview (tiger escapes from zoo and terrorizes school, 3 little pigs survive wolf torture.)

Poetry

  • Write limericks, explore structure, rhyming patterns and humour first.
  • Teacher to write a poem on board, children refine and polish it, use thesaurus, reorganise structure.
  • Write a poem to describe an atmosphere/setting, 3 adverbs per line.

Return to Emergency Lesson Plans Index or visit the supply teacher downloads page.