• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choose the best concluding sentence; Topic sentences and paragraphs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which sentence sounds most like a CONCLUDING sentence? (Water is wet. / That is why everyone should try to save water. / Taps can drip. / Fish live in water.) → That is why everyone should try to save water.Prompt: Concluding sentences often begin with words like In conclusion, All in all, Overall, So or That is why.
2. Volcanoes form where hot, melted rock pushes up through the Earth's crust. Over time, layers of lava and ash pile up. Some volcanoes grow into huge mountains. Which sentence would make the best ending? (In short, volcanoes are mountains built by the Earth's own heat. / Have you ever eaten lava cake? / Mountains can be snowy. / I visited the beach last summer.) → In short, volcanoes are mountains built by the Earth's own heat.Prompt: A concluding sentence wraps up the whole paragraph.
3. ___ It gives pupils exercise. It teaches teamwork. It also helps them make friends. Which is the best topic sentence? (Teamwork is a word. / Football is played with a ball. / Some pupils prefer reading. / Playing a team sport has many benefits for pupils.) → Playing a team sport has many benefits for pupils.Prompt: What is the paragraph mostly about?

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Read the paragraph. Which sentence does not belong? (1) Robots help people in many ways. (2) Some robots build cars in factories. (3) My brother's bike is blue. (4) Others explore places too dangerous for humans, like deep oceans. (5) Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations.
• Step 1: The paragraph is about: "Robots help people in many ways." One sentence is off the topic.
• Step 2: So the answer is: My brother's bike is blue.
• Answer: My brother's bike is blue.
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Read the paragraph. Which sentence does not belong? (1) Exercise is good for your body and your mind. (2) It makes your heart and muscles stronger. (3) The Moon goes round the Earth. (4) It helps you sleep better at night. (5) It can also make you feel happier and calmer. (It can also make you feel happier and calmer. / It makes your heart and muscles stronger. / The Moon goes round the Earth. / It helps you sleep better at night.) → The Moon goes round the Earth.Prompt: Read the first sentence: it tells you what the paragraph is about.
2. Read the start of the paragraph. Which sentence would fit best as the next sentence? Recycling helps protect the planet. When we recycle paper, fewer trees need to be cut down. Recycling metal cans saves energy. (Recycling plastic keeps it out of rivers and seas. / On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies. / Others explore places too dangerous for humans, like deep oceans. / Colourful toucans fly between the trees.) → Recycling plastic keeps it out of rivers and seas.Prompt: What is the paragraph about? Look at the first sentence.

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Read the start of the paragraph. Which sentence would fit best as the next sentence? Penguins are birds that cannot fly. Instead, their wings work like flippers for swimming. Some penguins can dive more than 500 metres deep. (Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. / Jaguars hunt along the riverbanks. / On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies. / We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans.) → On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies.Prompt: What is the paragraph about? Look at the first sentence.
2. Read the paragraph. Which sentence does not belong? (1) Penguins are birds that cannot fly. (2) Eagles build huge nests on cliffs. (3) Instead, their wings work like flippers for swimming. (4) Some penguins can dive more than 500 metres deep. (5) On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies. (Eagles build huge nests on cliffs. / Instead, their wings work like flippers for swimming. / Some penguins can dive more than 500 metres deep. / Penguins are birds that cannot fly.) → Eagles build huge nests on cliffs.Prompt: Read the first sentence: it tells you what the paragraph is about.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-4.