• 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. / Fish live in water. / Taps can drip.) → 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. Recycling helps our planet. It means fewer trees are cut down to make paper. It also keeps plastic out of rivers and oceans. Which sentence would make the best ending? (If everyone recycles, we can all help protect the Earth. / Oceans are salty. / I have a red bin at home. / Paper is thin.) → If everyone recycles, we can all help protect the Earth.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? (My cousin lives in another city. / Then we tried on armour in the history room. / At the end, we visited the gift shop. / We saw a real dinosaur skeleton.) → 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) Our class garden has grown so much this term. (2) The tomatoes are bright red and ready to pick. (3) My cousin is learning to play the trumpet. (4) The sunflowers are taller than our teacher. (5) We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. (The sunflowers are taller than our teacher. / My cousin is learning to play the trumpet. / We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. / Our class garden has grown so much this term.) → My cousin is learning to play the trumpet.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. / We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. / First, pack your pyjamas and toothbrush. / Then they smash shellfish against the stone to open them.) → 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 8 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) Recycling helps protect the planet. (2) When we recycle paper, fewer trees need to be cut down. (3) Pizza is my favourite food. (4) Recycling metal cans saves energy. (5) Recycling plastic keeps it out of rivers and seas. (Recycling helps protect the planet. / Pizza is my favourite food. / Recycling plastic keeps it out of rivers and seas. / Recycling metal cans saves energy.) → Pizza is my favourite food.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? Sea otters are clever tool users. They float on their backs and place a flat stone on their chests. Then they smash shellfish against the stone to open them. (Recycling plastic keeps it out of rivers and seas. / Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm. / Instead, their wings work like flippers for swimming. / The tomatoes are bright red and ready to pick.) → Some otters keep a favourite stone in a pouch of skin under their arm.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.