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Topic “Secondary (11-16yrs)”  

Secondary school age (11-16 years)

include relevant details in story retell

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Story Retelling

Short stories

'Who, Where, When, What happened, What happened next, the end', prompt cards.

Pencils

Tell the story yourself first.

Discuss the prompt cards with the children, and explain that it is important they remember to answer all of the questions on the cards when they are telling their stories.

Have one child at a time take a turn to retell the story. Go over the cards to see if they have included all the details.

If it is a familiar story to the child you could just give them time to remember it instead of telling it yourself first.

recall story details and retell them

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Storyteller

Stories the child is unfamiliar with. They can be extracts from reading books or made up.

Photocopy of the story (optional)

1. Explain to the child that they are going to tell a story. You are going to tell it first and then it will be their turn.

2. Tell the story. It should be about 150 - 200 words. Make sure that there is enough detail in the section you have chosen or in the story you have made up.

3. Have the child tell the story back to you, or to another child.

4. Look at the photocopy of the story together and highlight all the details the child remembered (optional).

You can have the child use a puppet when they are telling the story

Quiz

Story, description or explanation the child is unfamiliar with.

Photocopy of this (optional)

If the child is finding it very difficult, make your questions easier, so that the child finishes the activity with success. You can ask easier questions, give the child clues (e.g. multiple choice answers) or read part of the story / description / explanation again.

Messages

Story, description or explanation the child is unfamiliar with.

Photocopy of this (optional)

Pens and paper or whiteboards

If you can, try and put yourselves at different ends of the room so the second child cannot hear the message when you say it!

You could make the activity more interesting by setting the scene and sending the messages in character - e.g. shopping, an adventure story or something related to a literacy or history topic.

Comprehension Activities

Curriculum topic activities

Activities to encourage the use of 'first', 'next' and 'last' when describing a sequence of events.

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Sequencing cards

- sets of 3 picture sequencing cards - you will need to source these.

- First, next, last symbols - click here to print.

1. Choose a set of three cards and mix them up.

2. Ask your child to sort the pictures in the order that they happened. If your child finds this hard, put them in order together. Match them to the symbols.

3. Describe what is happening in the pictures using the words first, next and last - you can point to the symbols as you say the words.

4. Encourage your child to describe what is happening using the words first, next and last.

If the child finds it difficult to remember whether to put the pictures in order from left to right, or right to left, you can draw a large arrow (→) on the sheet. Numbering the boxes 1-3 can also help.

Photo sequencing

 

 

Word Web Template 3

Word Web Template 3

Example for creating a word web from a word using its meanings and what it sounds like.

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Tongue placement for t, d and k, g

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Diagram for tongue placement for t, d and k, g.

make predictions about physical actions

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
What would happen if?

Selection of the following equipment as appropriate:

Candle and matches/ lighter;

Balloon and pin;

Building bricks/ Jenga game;

Jug and cups, access to sink;

Glass, water and instant coffee granules

Using appropriate equipment, ask the child to predict what will happen, then carry out the action to see if they were right:

What will happen if you...

Touch a flame to the candle's wick?

Hold the candle horizontally?

Blow onto the candle's flame?

Blow into the balloon?

Touch the balloon with the blunt end of the pin?

Touch the balloon with the sharp end?

Put a large brick on top of a smaller brick?

Build a tower using all the bricks?

Pull out a brick from lower down the tower?

Start the tower on an uneven surface?

Put lots of water (more than it can hold) into a cup?

Have the cup upside down when you try to fill it?

Put some coffee granules in the glass, then add cold water?

Fill the glass with water, then sprinkle coffee granules on the top?

Science activities

Equipment as appropriate to the science activity.

Empty - symbol

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Symbol for "empty".

Full - symbol

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Picture description: 

A picture symbol representing "full".

Sentence cards idea for "because" sentences

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Picture description: 

Using three cards to make a "because" sentence.

Healthy and unhealthy foods venn diagram

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Picture description: 

Diagram for sorting between healthy and unhealthy foods...and those in between.

Thought bubble

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Picture description: 

Thought bubble.

Letter rainbow with a bit more

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Letter rainbow with a second row partly completed.

Set of four letters

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Picture description: 

Set of four letters.

Partial letter rainbow

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Picture description: 

Partial letter rainbow - containing a few letters.

Letter rainbow

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Picture description: 

Letter rainbow.

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