Year 5 English Activities

Day

Task

120 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Use compound sentences

Practice using co-ordinating conjunctions to join two simple sentences together.

Write 10 sentences using co-ordinating conjunctions. You could write sentences linked to Greek Myths if you are struggling for ideas. E.g.:

Perseus approached the Gorgon but he was careful not to cast his gaze towards her.The minotaur roared in pain for Theseus had driven his sword into the terrifying beast.

Hot: Apply compound sentences within an extended write retelling the Orpheus and Eurydice myth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhaepLsP5eg)

Music bonus! Whilst you write, you may be inspired to listen to Hadestown by Anais Mitchell- an album written as a retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. Mr Kenward’s favourite song from the album is ‘If it’s True’ sung by ‘Orpheus’!

2 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Use subordinating conjunctions

Practice using subordinating conjunctions to create complex sentences. Remember to mark the end of the subordinate clause with a comma to show where the main clause begins.

Write 10 sentences using subordinating conjunctions. You could write sentences linked to Greek Myths if you are struggling for ideas. E.g.:

While King Midas liked the idea of his special power, the reality was very different.Since Ariadne had left Crete, King Minos had been miserable and out for revenge.

Hot: Use subordinating conjunctions to create subordinate clauses at the end of sentences.

3 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Use fronted adverbials

Practice using fronted adverbials to create complex sentences. Remember to mark the end of the subordinate clause with a comma to show where the main clause begins.

Write 10 sentences using fronted adverbials. You could write sentences linked to Greek Myths if you are struggling for ideas. E.g.:

Deep inside the labyrinth, Theseus edged cautiously towards the monster’s lair.Clutching the makeshift wing straps in his white knuckles, Icarus stood on the edge of the ruins, facing his fate.

Hot: Like the second example above, use multiple clauses within sentences. You could try embedded clauses (parenthesis) or using a subordinate clause at the end of a sentence in order to do this

4 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Free Write (but try and use the skills from days 1-3!)

Write a newspaper report about Theseus and the Minotaur

or

Write an instruction text for creating a pair of Icarus wings

Hot: Use parenthesis including brackets. Use relative pronouns to create relative clauses.

5 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Use semi-colons

Complete the following on semi-colons (don’t worry about printing this sheet out, just use the sentence openers/endings and write them out).

Now apply semi-colons within a piece of extended writing. Remember that when you use a semi-colon, the second main clause should relate to the first. Semi-colons cannot be used to join two unrelated clauses together. Here is an incorrect example:

Mr. Kenward opened the cupboard to find the chocolate spread; Amelia ran into the garden.

Amelia was not running into the garden because Mr. Kenward was opening the cupboard, so the two main clauses are unrelated. Here is a correct example:

Mr. Kenward opened the chocolate spread; he gorged on the contents using a teaspoon.

You could use this image to inspire some writing today:

Hot: Explain whether or not semi-colons can be used within complex sentences. Try it out, give examples and discuss whether or not you’ve made complex sentences by using a semi-colon.

6 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Reading task: You do not have to print this out but you may find it easier to read and find answers to the questions if you do. As you read the text, remember to pick out any words you do not understand and use a dictionary- hard copy or online- to find a definition (clarify). As you read you can also predict what questions may be asked.

Hot: Summarise your findings about Greece from this text, in your own words. 7 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Non-fiction writing task: Using what you have discovered from the comprehension about Greece, write a comparison piece which focusses on the physical and human Geography of Greece compared to the Alps (using what we learnt about this region in Geography). You could consider things like physical features such as rivers, climate, tourism, farming and much more.

You should present your comparison as a non-chronological report (or information text), rather than a table of similarities and differences.

Hot: Bonus for using semi-colons and comparison vocabulary (e.g. meanwhile, whereas, similarly)!

8 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Reading activity: Non-fiction

9 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Plan and begin writing a Greek Myth using the toolkit created in class.

You could use a story map, drawings, bullet point plan or plot pattern plan- ensure that the story plan involves the themes and features of the Myths learnt in class.

Mythology toolkit (sentence structure and punctuation focus)

Recipe for success Me Peer

Teacher

SPIC

Y

Monster/mythical creatures/objects/weaponsSomething goes wrongHero/heroineGods/goddesses/messengersJourney Simple, compound and complex sentencesCoordinating and subordinating conjunctionsSemi colons and colons

HOT

The myth teaches a moralMultiple subordinate clausesParenthesisHyphens

10 20 minutes reading or 10 minutes Spelling Shed

Continue your Greek Myth using the toolkit to guide you:

Mythology toolkit (sentence structure and punctuation focus)

Recipe for success Me Peer

Teacher

SPIC

Y

Monster/mythical creatures/objects/weaponsSomething goes wrongHero/heroineGods/goddesses/messengersJourney Simple, compound and complex sentencesCoordinating and subordinating conjunctionsSemi colons and colons

HOT

The myth teaches a moralMultiple subordinate clausesParenthesisHyphens

Once complete, read and edit your story.

Hot: Perform your myth to an audience. You could even write a script for your myth

and stage it as a play!