• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choosing the best topic sentence; Citing textual evidence). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. ___ Volunteers collected 300 kilograms of rubbish, planted wildflowers and built two benches from recycled plastic. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph? (Benches can be made of wood. / Rubbish is bad. / Last weekend's clean-up transformed the riverside park. / Wildflowers are colourful.) → Last weekend's clean-up transformed the riverside park.Prompt: Read the supporting sentences first. What do they ALL have in common?
2. Topic sentence: "Sleep is essential for learning." Which sentence does NOT belong in this paragraph? (Teenagers need around eight to ten hours a night. / Some beds are more expensive than others. / During sleep, the brain stores what we learned that day. / Tired students find it harder to concentrate.) → Some beds are more expensive than others.Prompt: Reread the topic sentence. What is the paragraph promising to discuss?
3. ___ They give us oxygen, provide homes for wildlife and cool cities on hot days. Some even help prevent floods by soaking up rainwater. Which topic sentence best opens this paragraph? (Trees do far more for us than most people realise. / Floods can be dangerous. / Some trees are very tall. / My favourite tree is in the park.) → Trees do far more for us than most people realise.Prompt: Read the supporting sentences first. What do they ALL have in common?

• Show two openings to the same piece of writing and ask which makes them want to read on.
• Share the objective: Choosing the detail that best supports a point. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Point: "Our school canteen should offer more plant-based meals." Which detail best supports this point?
• Step 1: The best support is relevant (about the point) and specific (facts, figures, examples).
• Step 2: Survey evidence directly shows demand for the change.
• Step 3: So the answer is: In a canteen survey, 64% of students said they would choose a vegetarian option at least once a week.
• Answer: In a canteen survey, 64% of students said they would choose a vegetarian option at least once a week.
• 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. Point: "Dogs can be trained to help people with medical conditions." Which detail best supports this point? (My neighbour's dog barks at the postman. / Some trained dogs can alert their owners to a dangerous drop in blood sugar before symptoms start. / Dogs come in hundreds of breeds. / Dogs were domesticated thousands of years ago.) → Some trained dogs can alert their owners to a dangerous drop in blood sugar before symptoms start.Prompt: Which detail is directly about the point, not just the same topic?
2. Read the question and choose. Point: "Teenagers need more sleep than adults." Which detail is MOST relevant? • Health experts recommend 8–10 hours a night for teenagers but 7–9 for adults. • Some teenagers have bunk beds. • Sleep is important for everyone. • Many adults drink coffee. (Health experts recommend 8–10 hours a night for teenagers but 7–9 for adults. / Some teenagers have bunk beds. / Sleep is important for everyone. / Many adults drink coffee.) → Health experts recommend 8–10 hours a night for teenagers but 7–9 for adults.Prompt: Does the detail prove or illustrate the point, or is it just on the same topic?

• 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 question and choose. Point: "The park needs more bins." Which detail is MOST relevant? • Many people walk their dogs there. • The park opened in 1901. • The park has a duck pond. • Volunteers collected 30 bags of litter there last month. (Many people walk their dogs there. / The park opened in 1901. / The park has a duck pond. / Volunteers collected 30 bags of litter there last month.) → Volunteers collected 30 bags of litter there last month.Prompt: Does the detail prove or illustrate the point, or is it just on the same topic?
2. Point: "Wildflower verges help bees." Which detail best supports this point? (Some wildflowers are purple. / Bees can sting. / Mowing verges is noisy. / Counts along one road found three times as many bees after the verges were left to flower.) → Counts along one road found three times as many bees after the verges were left to flower.Prompt: Which detail is directly about the point, not just the same topic?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-7.