• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph?; Putting sentences in order). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Read the paragraph. Which sentence does not belong? (1) Robots help people in many ways. (2) My brother's bike is blue. (3) Some robots build cars in factories. (4) Others explore places too dangerous for humans, like deep oceans. (5) Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations. (Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations. / Some robots build cars in factories. / Robots help people in many ways. / My brother's bike is blue.) → My brother's bike is blue.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? The Amazon rainforest is home to amazing wildlife. Jaguars hunt along the riverbanks. Colourful toucans fly between the trees. (Instead, their wings work like flippers for swimming. / Recycling plastic keeps it out of rivers and seas. / It can also make you feel happier and calmer. / Tiny poison dart frogs live on the forest floor.) → Tiny poison dart frogs live on the forest floor.Prompt: What is the paragraph about? Look at the first sentence.
3. Read the paragraph. Which sentence does not belong? (1) Sea otters are clever tool users. (2) They float on their backs and place a flat stone on their chests. (3) Then they smash shellfish against the stone to open them. (4) Giraffes have very long necks. (5) Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. (Giraffes have very long necks. / Sea otters are clever tool users. / They float on their backs and place a flat stone on their chests. / Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm.) → Giraffes have very long necks.Prompt: Read the first sentence: it tells you what the paragraph is about.

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Put the sentences of a paragraph in a logical order. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: These sentences come from one paragraph. Which one should come FIRST, as the topic sentence?
• Step 1: The topic sentence tells you what the whole paragraph is about; the others give the steps or details.
• Step 2: So the answer is: Making a paper boat is easy.
• Answer: Making a paper boat is easy.
• 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. These sentences come from one paragraph. Which one should come FIRST, as the topic sentence? (Finally, open it out and shape it into a boat. / Then fold up the bottom edges on each side. / Making a paper boat is easy. / First, fold a sheet of paper in half.) → Making a paper boat is easy.Prompt: A topic sentence introduces the whole paragraph.

• 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 1 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. These sentences come from one paragraph. Which one should come FIRST, as the topic sentence? (On Friday, we sold every cake by lunchtime. / Our class planned a cake sale for the animal shelter. / Then we spent Thursday evening baking with our families. / In the end, we raised enough money to buy blankets for the dogs.) → Our class planned a cake sale for the animal shelter.Prompt: A topic sentence introduces the whole paragraph.

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