You Will Need
Poems
(All in resources)
What do you want to be? by Wilf Merttens
Hold Fast to Dreams by Langston Hughes
Mother to Son by Langston Hughes
-
English Blocks or English Plans?
Which to use: Hamilton’s new flexible English blocks or our adaptable weekly plans?
-
Free English Resources on Hamilton
Find out which Hamilton English planning resources you can access for free.
-
Hamilton Group Readers
Hamilton have produced books in printed and digital formats specially for children to read in small groups.
Poetry
English Year 5 Summer Poems on a Theme
Aspirations and Dreams
Using inspirational poetry, look at aspirations and dreams. Start with a performance of 'What do you want to be?'. Explore modal verbs/adverbs and relative clauses.
We recommend that you start with the core unit, the heart of this English block of study. This introduces key textual material and sets the tone for any further units you wish to teach. These can be selected on the basis of the needs of your class – look at the green icons to identify the unit’s particular focus: SPAG, Composition or Comprehension. Whichever units you choose, we suggest teaching them in order, as there is a built-in progression indicated by the numbering.
‘UNIT PLAN’ gives you a text version of all parts of the unit to use in your school planning documentation. ‘DOWNLOAD ALL FILES’ gives you that unit plan plus all of the associated documents.
Unit 1 Core: Introducing Poems on a Theme; use metaphors
(suggested as 4 days)
Objectives
Spoken Language
-- Listen and respond appropriately to adults and peers.
-- Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions.
-- Give well-structured descriptions (and) explanations.
-- Participate actively in collaborative conversations.
-- Participate in discussions.
Word Reading
None for this unit
Comprehension
-- Continue to read and discuss a range of poetry.
-- Identify /discuss themes and conventions in and across a wide range of writing.
-- Discuss their understanding and explore the meaning of words in context.
-- Provide reasoned justifications for their views.
Transcription
-- Decide whether or not to join specific letters.
Composition
-- Identify the audience for and purpose of their writing, selecting appropriate forms and using other similar writing as a model for their own
-- Select appropriate…vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning.
-- Propose changes to vocabulary to enhance effects and clarify meaning.
-- Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on research and reading.
Grammar
None for this unit
Teaching and Group Activities for Understanding
Day 1 Teaching
Watch a performance of What do you want to be? by Wilf Merttens. Read about the author and start to discuss the question that he asks and the answers he suggests.
Activity
Work with a partner to discuss future jobs and ambitions. Discuss a range of surprising jobs and give reasons for which would be chosen.
Day 2 Teaching
Read Hold Fast to Dreams by Langston Hughes. Read about the author and discuss his use of metaphor and choice of verbs.
Activity
Start to note ideas for alternative metaphors and verbs to use in a poem inspired by Langston Hughes. Listen to and discuss another of his poems.
Day 3 Teaching
Model how to extend metaphors and how to write a poem using notes from Day 2.
Activity
Write own poems, share with a partner, make improvements and present a final version. Read this to a partner and to the class.
Day 4 Teaching
Read Mother to Son by Langston Hughes and compare it with the end section of What do you want to be? Talk about how these two different poems have similar themes.
Activity
Work in reading level groups to read and answer questions about three poems on the theme of determination and perseverance. Hear about each of these poems and then choose a quote to inspire for the future.
Unit 2 SPaG: Using Relative Clauses
(suggested as 3 days)
Objectives
Spoken Language
None for this unit
Word Reading
None for this unit
Comprehension
-- Predict what might happen from details stated and implied.
-- Discuss and evaluate how authors use language.
Transcription
-- Choose the writing implement that is best suited for a task.
Composition
-- Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning.
-- Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary.
Grammar
-- Use relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or with an implied (i.e. omitted) relative pronoun.
-- Use commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity in writing.
You Will Need
Poems
Superheroes I could have been by Roger Stevens (see resources)
Presentations
SPaG powerpoint: Relative Clauses
Teaching and Group Activities for Understanding
Day 1 Teaching
Read the first lines of Superheroes I could have been by Roger Stevens. Talk about current superheroes and read two descriptions. Identify relative clauses in these descriptions and use a Powerpoint to teach about relative clauses and relative pronouns.
Activity
Add relative pronouns and write relative clauses into sentences about superheroes.
Day 2 Teaching
Read the next line of Superheroes I could have been and talk about superhero jobs that are not currently taken. Read a description of two invented superheroes and identify relative clauses. Use a Powerpoint to teach about punctuation of relative clauses.
Activity
Invent and write about new superheroes using relative clauses.
Day 3 Teaching
Read and discuss the whole of Superheroes I could have been, exploring the wordplay in the last stanza.
Activity
Convert sentences from Day 2 about new superheroes into short poems. Present and display these. Discuss the effect of the poet’s choice of grammar.
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
Relative Clauses PowerPoint
Understand how to use relative clauses to give more information about a noun. Look at how relative pronouns are used to begin a relative clause. Learn how to correctly punctuate embedded relative clauses.
Unit 3 Comprehension: Reading and writing poems on a theme
(suggested as 4 days)
Objectives
Spoken Language
None for this unit
Word Reading
None for this unit
Comprehension
-- Continue to read and discuss an increasingly wide range of poetry.
-- Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader.
-- Identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning.
-- Prepare poems and plays to read aloud and to perform, showing understanding through intonation, tone and volume so that the meaning is clear to an audience
Transcription
-- Use dictionaries to check the spelling and meaning of some words.
-- Use the first three or four letters of a word to check spelling, meaning or both of these in a dictionary.
Composition
-- Identify the audience for and purpose of their writing, selecting appropriate forms and using other similar writing as a model for their own.
-- Note and develop initial ideas.
Grammar
None for this unit
You Will Need
Poems
(All in resources)
The You Can Be ABC by Roger Stevens
Caged Bird by Maya Angelou
Teaching and Group Activities for Understanding
Day 1 Teaching
Read and discuss The You Can Be ABC by Roger Stevens. Model the use of dictionaries.
Activity
Use a website list to choose a job for each letter of the alphabet. Use dictionaries to find the meanings of these jobs.
Day 2 Teaching
Read The You Can be ABC again. Look in particular at the use of alliterating adjectives and talk about the effect of these.
Activity
Write own versions of the poem, using the jobs found on Day 1. Read about Roger Stevens and visit his poet publishing website.
Day 3 Teaching
Talk about the idea of freedom in Wilf Merttens and Roger Stevens poems. Introduce Caged Bird by Maya Angelou and model using ‘secret strings’ to annotate the poem.
Activity
Work with a partner to explore Caged Bird, annotating the poem and discussing it. Read about Maya Angelou and talk about how her life might have inspired her poem.
Day 4 Teaching
Watch and discuss three performances of Caged Bird. Make plans about a performance of your own.
Activity
Share performances and then spend time comparing the two poems from this unit, how they are different and how they are similar.
Unit 4 SPaG Indicating degrees of possibility
(suggested as 2 days)
Objectives
Spoken Language
-- Use relevant strategies to build their vocabulary.
Word Reading
None for this unit
Comprehension
None for this unit
Transcription
None for this unit
Composition
-- Select the appropriate form and use other similar writing as models for their own.
-- Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning.
-- Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear.
-- Assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing.
Grammar
-- Use modal verbs to indicate degrees of possibility.
-- Use adverbs to indicate degrees of possibility.
You Will Need
Poems
(All in resources)
When I'm Older by Lemn Sissay
What do you want to be? by Wilf Merttens
Presentations
SPaG powerpoint: Degrees of Possibility – Adverbs and Modal Verbs
Teaching and Group Activities for Understanding
Day 1 Teaching
Use the A-Z job lists and What do you want to be? to make lists of jobs. Notice the repeated ‘Maybe you…’ line opening in the poem and use a PowerPoint to teach about adverbs of possibility.
Activity
Write about job ambitions using adverbs of possibility. Order adverbs of possibility and notice their shades of meaning.
Day 2 Teaching
Read an author profile and When I’m Older by Lemn Sissay again. Look at the words: should, ought and must and use a PowerPoint to teach about these modal verbs of obligation.
Activity
Use modal verbs to write a poem titled, While You’re Still Young, telling a child all they have to do. Hear poems read and evaluate them together.
SPaG: Grammar and Punctuation
Degrees of Possibility – Adverbs and Modal Verbs PowerPoint
Look at adverbs of possibility and consider the degree of certainty they imply. Discuss modal verbs and the level of certainty, ability and obligation they each express.
Unit 5 Composition: Writing and performing a poem based on one listened to
(suggested as 4 days)
Objectives
Spoken Language
-- Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas.
-- Participate in performances.
-- Speak audibly and fluently, with an increasing command of Standard English.
-- Gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listeners.
-- Select and use appropriate registers for effective communication.
Word Reading
None for this unit
Comprehension
None for this unit
Comprehension
-- Perform their own compositions, using appropriate intonation, volume, and movement so that meaning is clear.
Transcription
None for this unit
Composition
-- Identify the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own.
-- Note and develop initial ideas, drawing on reading and research where necessary.
-- Select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices can change and enhance meaning.
-- Use a thesaurus.
-- Assess the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing.
-- Propose changes to vocabulary, grammar and punctuation to enhance effects and clarify meaning.
-- Proofread for spelling and punctuation errors.
Grammar
None for this unit
You Will Need
Poems
What do you want to be? by Wilf Merttens (see resources)
Teaching and Group Activities for Understanding
Day 1 Teaching
Watch What do you want to be? by Wilf Merttens. Explore the Performance Planner and model how to record ideas for a new version of the poem.
Activity
Use one of the three Performance Planners and create ideas for a new version of the poem. Talk about the audience for these poems.
Day 2 Teaching
Model turning jottings and notes from Day 1 into finished lines for a poem. Look at sections of the Performance Planner that children found difficult. Model using a thesaurus to find rich and interesting vocabulary.
Activity
Turn notes and jottings into polished lines. Share these with a partner and talk about which they are pleased with and which could be improved.
Day 3 Teaching
Model reading your draft poem aloud and revising and improving lines as you do. Talk about the importance of punctuation to clarify meaning and the delivery of the poem.
Activity
Read poems aloud to refine and edit lines. Work with a partner to make improvements. Start to learn poems by heart.
Day 4 Teaching
Watch and discuss Wilf Mertten’s performance of his poem, his vocal delivery and the actions that he uses.
Activity
Work on performing poems and then perform to a small group, whilst the performance is filmed. Watch others’ performances and evaluate them on a Performance Feedback Sheet. Reflect on the process of performing and decide the possible audience for the poem.