English

Help using Oak

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Primary

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Secondary

Who we are

Meet the team

Oak's curricula

Get involved

Contact us

About us

AI experiments

Curriculum

Plan a lesson

Blogs

Webinars

Help

Guidance

Art and design

Computing

Cooking and nutrition

Design and technology

Financial education

Geography

History

Maths

Music

Physical education

Religious education

RSHE (PSHE)

Science

French

Spanish

Expressive arts and design

Literacy

Personal, social and emotional development

Understanding the world

EYFS

Citizenship

German

Biology

Chemistry

Citizenship (Core)

Citizenship (GCSE)

Combined science

Computing (Core)

Computer Science (GCSE)

Physical education (Core)

Physical education (GCSE)

Physics

Religious education (GCSE)

Working together: productive discussions and active listening skills

Moving discussions forward by responding and asking questions

Using evidence to elevate discussions

Evaluating and practising discussion skills

In 'The fundamentals of discussion' pupils are encouraged to be confident speakers and active listeners, developing their ideas with evidence and posing questions. In 'Participating in effective debates' these skills are developed through the formal structure of debate.

In 'Talking transitions', pupils learn the basics of speaking with others in formal and informal settings. In 'The fundamentals of effective discussions' pupils develop these skills learning how to articulate and discuss complex ideas.

In this unit, pupils solidify and build thier spoken language skills. They start by learning what an effective discussion is and how they can use listening skills effectively. They then look at how questions and evidence can improve discussions before practising have conversations.

The fundamentals of effective discussion

Writing complete sentences and correcting sentence fragments

Responding to an unseen extract from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'

Using adjectives and semantic fields to plan and write descriptive paragraphs

Using simple, compound and complex sentences in descriptive writing

Using dashes, colons, and commas for effect in descriptive writing

Using adverbs, subordinate clauses and compound sentences in descriptive writing

Using vocabulary choices, similes, and metaphors to plan descriptive writing

Drafting a piece of descriptive writing on 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'

Responding to an unseen extract from Burnett's 'The Secret Garden'

Using precise evidence from Burnett's 'The Secret Garden' to support an idea

Explaining how Burnett presents the garden setting in 'The Secret Garden'

Using sensory language and figurative language to create an atmospheric setting

Considering strategies for refining and editing your descriptive writing

Practising planning and writing a detailed description based on an image

Identifying and emulating Baum's use of pathetic fallacy in 'The Wizard of Oz'

Contrasting the everyday and the unknown settings in Baum's 'The Wizard of Oz'

Analysing and emulating Baum's use of unknown characters in 'The Wizard of Oz'

Analysing Dorothy's return from the unknown in Baum's 'The Wizard of Oz'

Developing your explanation of quotations from 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'

Analysing character in an unseen extract from Bilan's 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'

Explaining and emulating how Bilan uses light in 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'

Meeting a fantastical creature in Bilan's 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'

Writing clear analytical paragraphs about Bilan's 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'

Considering sensory language in Bilan's 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'

Considering sentence structures in Bilan's 'Asha and the Spirit Bird'

Responding to key images in an unseen extract from Akala's 'The Dark Lady'

Explaining how Akala uses patterns of language for effect in 'The Dark Lady'

Revising topic sentences and selecting precise evidence from 'The Dark Lady'

Developing explanations in analytical writing about Akala's 'The Dark Lady'

Contrasting the familiar and the unknown in your descriptive writing

Using ambitious language and colour imagery to improve your descriptive writing

Using figurative language and structure to create an unsettling atmosphere

In 'Step into the Unknown', pupils learn how to use a variety of sentences for deliberate effect. In the 'Dystopian Settings' unit, pupils will continue to use a range of sentence structures, to create atmospheric descriptions.

In 'When the Sky Falls' pupils write narratives inspired by a text. In 'Step Into the Unknown', using extracts from texts from the literary canon, pupils write descriptions of settings.

In this unit, pupils develop their fiction reading and creative writing by reading extracts from famous fiction and then emulating key techniques in their own writing. They start by securing and extending their knowledge of key sentence grammar, before reading and emulating the extracts.

Step into the unknown: fiction reading and creative writing

Comparing the Shakespearean theatre experience with modern theatre

Exploring Shakespearean theatre as a sensory experience

Understanding the plot of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Consolidating our understanding of the plot of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Understanding the characters of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Introducing the role and presentation of Ariel in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Exploring the power dynamics between Prospero and Ariel in 'The Tempest'

Writing about Prospero's treatment of Ariel in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Crafting a monologue in Ariel's voice from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Writing a monologue in Ariel's voice from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Understanding Caliban's role and presentation in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Exploring Prospero and Caliban's relationship in Act 1 Scene 2 of 'The Tempest'

Exploring Prospero's power over Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Planning an essay on Prospero's power over Caliban in 'The Tempest'

Writing an essay on Prospero's treatment of Caliban in 'The Tempest'

Improving an essay on Prospero's power over Caliban in 'The Tempest'

Constructing a debate on the presentation of Caliban in 'The Tempest'

Exploring the treatment of Caliban in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Considering Caliban as an outsider in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Crafting a monologue from the perspective of Caliban from 'The Tempest'

Revising the theme of inequality in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Understanding the portrayal of Miranda in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Exploring Prospero's power over Miranda in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Writing a diary in the voice of Miranda from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Understanding the perspective of an outsider in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Structuring an imaginative monologue in relation to Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Writing the monologue of an outsider in relation to Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'

Considering how to use body language and voice to perform a convincing monologue

In 'The Tempest', pupils explore how Shakespeare presents Caliban as an outcast. In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', pupils analyse the role of Puck as an outsider and how this impacts on his behaviour.

In Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet': Diary and Narrative Writing, pupils are introduced to the characters of William Shakespeare. In 'The Tempest' pupils explore worlds created by Shakespeare.

In this unit, pupils learn about the plot and characters of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', and read sections of the play. They explore how Prospero treats Ariel, Caliban and Miranda, and write monlogues from their perspectives. Finally, they write and perform their own monologues inspired by the play.

'The Tempest'

Considering the nature of home

Exploring memories of home in the poem ‘Childhood Tracks’

Analysing 'Search for My Tongue'

Analysing the poem 'Island Man' by Grace Nichols

Comparing poems about place and home

Exploring regional pride in the poem ‘Anthem of the North’

Analysing ‘This Poem is Taking Place on Stolen Land’

Exploring the link between place and identity

Exploring what home means through the poem ‘Filter’

Planning ideas for a poem about your home

Using punctuation in poetry

Exploring example poems about place and home

Writing our own poetry about home

Performing our poems about place and home

In 'Poetry about Place and Home', pupils create their own poetry to explore their relationship with their home. In 'Single Poet Study: Maya Angelou', pupils analyse the poetry of Angelou, exploring how she uses her work to describe relationships between people and places.

In 'Poetry of Place', pupils explore the language, form and structure of poetry written about place. In 'Poetry of Place and Home', pupils apply these analytical skills to more complex poems and write their own poetry about home.

In this unit, pupils read and respond to poems that explore the links between place and identity. They start by exploring a selection of poems including Grace Nichol's 'Island Man' and Lemn Sissay's 'Anthem of the North'. They then write and perform their own poems about place and home.

Poetry about place and home

Making predictions about Sherlock Holmes

Analysing Helen Stoner’s presentation in ‘The Speckled Band’

Making predictions about ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery

Analysing atmosphere and character in ‘The Speckled Band’

Investigating Julia’s death in ‘The Speckled Band’

Analysing Dr. Roylott in ‘The Speckled Band’

Writing an argument about Dr. Roylott from ‘The Speckled Band’

Creating newspaper headlines and subheadings

Writing the opening of an article on ‘The Speckled Band’ case

‘The Speckled Band’ case: writing a newspaper article body

'The Speckled Band' case: concluding newspaper articles

Using rhetorical devices in newspaper articles

Reading about Stoke Moran and analysing atmosphere in ‘The Speckled Band’

Reading and summarising the conclusion of ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery

Planning a newspaper article about the solved  case of ‘The Speckled Band’

Writing your own newspaper article about Sherlock Holmes

Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

Solving 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

Comparing the victims in ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

Analysing John Turner from ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

Comparing ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’

‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’: a written comparison

in 'Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories', pupils practise using analytical writing sentence structures, to formulate their arguments. In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils develop these skills further, applying them to a range of pre- 20th Century texts. 

in 'When the Sky Falls' pupils read fiction texts for fluency and comprehension. In 'Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories' pupils start to analyse the language choices of an author.

In this unit, pupils read and explore two famous Sherlock Holmes stories. They start by reading and analysing 'The Speckled Band' before using it as inspiration to write a newspaper article. They then read and analyse 'The Boscombe Valley Murder' before writing a comparison of the two stories.

English

Choose a unit (7)