Autumn Term

The Whale by Vita Murrow

There is a legend that a Great Spotted Whale lives in the ocean, although a sighting fifty years ago was never corroborated. Now two young whale watchers each set out to find the whale, one armed with sound-recording equipment, the other with a camera. When their boats collide, they pool their resources to capture incontrovertible proof that the mythical whale exists. The eventual sighting is a magical moment, especially when the children discover that it was their own grandparents who first glimpsed the whale fifty years ago. This spectacular wordless adventure is brought to life with stunning graphite drawings that convey the drama and haunting beauty of the ocean and capture the majesty of the awe-inspiring whale.

Our writing outcomes will be a Setting Narrative and a Newspaper Report with wider writing opportunities of Diary, Narrative, Leaflet, Poetry, Balanced Argument, Non-Chronological Report

Grammar Word – Verb inflections (we were instead of we was)
Grammar: Sentence – Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and prepositions
Fronted adverbials
Grammar: Text – Nouns or pronouns to aid cohesion and avoid repetition
Paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
Grammar: Punctuation – Inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech
Use commas after fronted adverbials

 

Other Stories for wider reading:

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond, Whale Boy by Nicola Davies, Whale by Judy Allen, Why the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo, How the Whale Became and other Stories by Ted Hughes
Other Books with Similar Themes: Journey by Aaron Becker, Quest by Aaron Becker, Return by Aaron Becker
Non-fiction: The Big Book of the Blue by Yuval Zoomer, Animalium by Jenny Broom & Katie Scott, The Wonder Garden by Jenny Broom and Kristjana S. Williams, The Whale: In Search of the Giants of the Sea by Philip Hoare

 

 

Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann 

When a polar bear arrives unexpectedly in the woods, the animals fear and avoid him, suspecting him to be dangerous—and his habit of collecting leaves only adds to their distrust. Then one day, they watch as he attempts to fly over the water with wings made of colorful leaves, just trying to go home.

 

Our writing outcomes will be to produce an outsider Narrative and Information Reports.

Grammar Word – Grammatical difference between plural and possessive -s

Grammar: Sentence – Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and preposition phrases
Fronted adverbials
Grammar: Text – Paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
Grammar: Punctuation – Apostrophes for possession (plural nouns)
Use commas after fronted adverbials

 

Other Stories for wider reading:

Other Polar Bear Narratives:
The Last Polar Bears – Harry Horse, The Journey Home – Frann Preston-Gannon, The Last Polar Bear – Jean Craighead George, The Polar Bear Son -Lydia Dabcovich, The Ice Bear – Jackie Morris, Polar Bear Explorers’ Club – Alex Bell

 

Non-fiction:
The Polar Bear- Jenni Desmond, Ice Bear- Nicola Davies, Wild Animals of the North -Dieter Braun, Polar Bears
-Newman – Polar Bears and The Arctic, Natalie Pope Boyce, Polar Bears Facts & Myths -Susan J Crockford, Polar Bear – Ina Felix

 

 

 

                                                                                                      Spring 

                                                                        Arthur & The Golden Rope by Joe Todd-Stanton

 

Welcome to Professor Brownstone’s vault – containing ancient relics from around the world, all collected by his famous ancestors! This fan favourite is coming to shelves in paperback! Follow the epic journey of Brownstone’s earliest ancestor, Arthur, and travel back to the age of the Vikings where this bookish young adventurer must find the courage to save his village and defeat the mighty beast Fenrir…

 

Our writing outcomes will be to explore Myth Narrative & Information texts.

Grammar Word – Grammatical difference between plural and possessive -s

Grammar: Sentence – Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns, prepositions and fronted adverbials.
Grammar: Text – Nouns or pronouns to aid cohesion and avoid repetition. Paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
Grammar: Punctuation – Apostrophes for possession (plural nouns)

 

Other Stories for wider reading:

Other Reference Texts:
Myth Match – Good Wives and Warriors, A Miscellany of Magical Beasts – Simon Holland, The Lost Book of Adventure – Unknown Adventurer, Vikings in 30 Seconds – Mark Cavendish, Viking Gods! From Odin to Thor Left Brain Kids

Non-fiction:
Vicious Vikings – Ellie Dean, Vikings – DK, Vikings – Stephanie Turnbull, Norse Mythology A to Z – Kathleen N. Daly

 

The Lost Happy Endings by Carol Ann Duffy

 

What would happen if we lost the happy endings to stories – imagine the tears at bedtime! A fantastic and magical tale about what happens when, one night, a wicked witch steals the happy endings to bedtime stories. It is up to Jub, the keeper of the happy endings, to save the day and ensure sweet dreams everywhere in this lyrical story about storytelling. In the tradition of classic fairy tales for children, Carol Ann Duffy and Jane Ray have created a truly compelling, surprising and beautiful story for children of all ages.

 

Our writing outcomes will be to explore Twisted Narrative and Persuasive Letters.

Grammar Word – Grammatical difference between plural and possessive -s.

Grammar: Sentence -Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns, prepositions and fronted adverbials
Grammar: Text – Paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
Grammar: Punctuation – Inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech. Apostrophes for possession (plural nouns). Use commas after fronted adverbials

Other Stories for wider reading:

Fiction: Queen Munch and Queen Nibble – Carol Ann Duffy and Lydia Monks, 101 Poems for Children Chosen by Carol Ann Duffy, The Princess’ Blankets -Carol Ann Duffy, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten – Trisha Speed Shaskan and Gerald Claude Guerlais, Snow White in New York – Fiona French, Jim and the Beanstalk- Raymond Briggs

Non-Fiction:

A Seed is Sleepy – Dianna Aston & Sylvia Long, Wangari’s Tree of Peace: A True Story from Africa – Jeanette Winter, Botanicum – Kathy Willis & Katie Scott, The Lost Words – Jackie Morris

 

 

Summer

The Journey by Francesca Senna

 

With haunting echoes of the current refugee crisis this beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. This book will stay with you long after the last page is turned.

 

Our writing outcomes will be to explore from a Refugee Narrative.

Grammar Word – Verb inflections (we were instead of we was).

Grammar: Sentence -Fronted adverbials.
Grammar: Text – Nouns or pronouns to aid cohesion and avoid repetition
Paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme.
Grammar: Punctuation – Inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech. Apostrophes for possession (plural nouns). Use commas after fronted adverbials

 

Other Stories for wider reading:

Non-fiction: 
Who are Refugees and Migrants? What Makes People Leave their Homes? And Other Big Questions – Michael Rosen and Annemarie Young, Dreams of Freedom – Frances Lincoln, I Have the Right to Be a Child – Alain Serres and Aurélia Fronty, We Are All Born Free by Amnesty International – Frances Lincoln

 

Manfish by Jennifer Berne

 

Once upon a time in France, a baby was born under the summer sun. His parents named him Jacques. As he grew, Jacques fell in love with the sea. He dreamed of breathing beneath the waves and swimming as gracefully as a fish. In fact, he longed to become a manfish. Jacques Cousteau grew up to become a champion of the seas and one of the best-known oceanographers in the world. In this lovely biography, now in paperback, poetic text and gorgeous paintings come together to create a portrait of Cousteau that is as magical as it is inspiring.

 

Our writing outcomes will be to explore Invention Narrative and Biographies. 

Grammar Word – Grammatical difference between plural and possessive -s

Grammar: Sentence – Noun phrases expanded by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns, prepositions and fronted adverbials.
Grammar: Text – Nouns or pronouns to aid cohesion and avoid repetition. Paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
Grammar: Punctuation – Apostrophes for possession (plural nouns)

 

Other Stories for wider reading: 

Fiction:
The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps -Jeanette Winter, Queen of the Falls -Chris Van Allsburg, Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries Eugenie Clark -Heather Lang, Shark Lady: The Daring Tale of How Eugenie Clark Dove Into History-Jess Keating, Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different – Ben Brooks and Quinton Winter