Planning the build-up of ‘Beowulf and the dragon’
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can plan the structure and content of the build-up of 'Beowulf and the dragon'.
Key learning points
- Writing is most successful when it is planned and rehearsed.
- When we plan, we can use our text map as our basis, breaking it down into key scenes.
- For each scene, we make notes about the actions, descriptions, dialogue and emotion we might include (where relevant).
- We also plan to include the rich vocabulary that we have generated in previous lessons.
Keywords
Build-up - the part of a story where problems are introduced and tension rises
Text map - a visual representation of a series of events, where pictures represent events
Rich vocabulary - words chosen intentionally to convey a certain impression to the reader of a place, person or thing
Narrative elements - the content of a narrative, often including action, description, dialogue and emotions
Common misconception
Pupils may believe that they can **only** include the narrative elements in their writing.
There are other things we can write about - for instance, thoughts the characters have - but the narrative elements are a helpful structure we can use to generate ideas. There is no need to limit pupils to just these categories.
Teacher tip
Make sure that the rich vocabulary learned in the previous lesson is readily available to pupils. As they plan, encourage pupils to continually refer back to their text map for ideas. You may want pupils to circle sections of the text map to show the four paragraphs.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the events below is part of the build-up in 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
Q2.Which characters feature in the build-up of 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
Q3.Which word means 'completely burned to nothing'?
Q4.Which word means 'headland'?
Q5.Which word means 'long and flexible'?
Q6.Which adjectives could be added to the following noun phrase to describe the dragon effectively? 'the __________ worm'.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these examples of rich vocabulary could be used to describe the stronghold in 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
Q2.Which of these examples of rich vocabulary could be used to describe parts of the dragon in 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
Q3.Which event below is not part of the build-up to 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
Q4.Which of the following should we include in a plan for our writing?
Q5.Which of the following are narrative elements we can use to help us plan the content of our writing?
Q6.Which narrative element is used here? 'Its sinuous neck was iridescent in the moonlight.'
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Planning the build-up of ‘Beowulf and the dragon’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 English lesson on: Planning the build-up of ‘Beowulf and the dragon’, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the 'Beowulf': narrative writing unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.