• 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? (Worms live in soil. / Overall, our class garden was a big success. / We planted beans. / Carrots are orange.) → Overall, our class garden was a big success.Prompt: Concluding sentences often begin with words like In conclusion, All in all, Overall, So or That is why.
2. Hedgehogs are helpful visitors to gardens. They eat slugs and beetles that damage plants. They also need gaps in fences to travel between gardens at night. Which sentence would make the best ending? (My cousin has a cat called Pepper. / So, a hedgehog-friendly garden is good for plants and hedgehogs alike. / What is your favourite animal? / Slugs are slimy.) → So, a hedgehog-friendly garden is good for plants and hedgehogs alike.Prompt: A concluding sentence wraps up the whole paragraph.
3. Our class trip to the museum was amazing. We saw a real dinosaur skeleton. My cousin lives in another city. Then we tried on armour in the history room. At the end, we visited the gift shop. Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph? (At the end, we visited the gift shop. / My cousin lives in another city. / We saw a real dinosaur skeleton. / Then we tried on armour in the history room.) → My cousin lives in another city.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) 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) Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. (5) Giraffes have very long necks. (Sea otters are clever tool users. / Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. / They float on their backs and place a flat stone on their chests. / Giraffes have very long necks.) → Giraffes have very long necks.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? Robots help people in many ways. Some robots build cars in factories. Others explore places too dangerous for humans, like deep oceans. (Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations. / The sunflowers are taller than our teacher. / Then they smash shellfish against the stone to open them. / On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies.) → Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations.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 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) Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. (5) Giraffes have very long necks. (Giraffes have very long necks. / Sea otters are clever tool users. / Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. / They float on their backs and place a flat stone on their chests.) → Giraffes have very long necks.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? Robots help people in many ways. Some robots build cars in factories. Others explore places too dangerous for humans, like deep oceans. (Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations. / We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. / It can also make you feel happier and calmer. / First, pack your pyjamas and toothbrush.) → Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations.Prompt: What is the paragraph about? Look at the first sentence.

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