• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Linking words to add and explain: in addition, for instance, as a result; Topic sentences and paragraphs). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Choose the linking phrase that fits best. The river flooded the fields. ___, the farmers could not plant their crops. (In other words / As a result / In addition / For instance) → As a resultPrompt: Read both sentences. What does the second one do?
2. Some birds migrate. For instance, swallows fly to Africa for the winter. What job does "For instance" do? (adds another point / gives an example / shows a result / explains in other words) → gives an examplePrompt: Read what comes straight after the linking phrase.
3. ___ It gives pupils exercise. It teaches teamwork. It also helps them make friends. Which is the best topic sentence? (Some pupils prefer reading. / Football is played with a ball. / Teamwork is a word. / 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: Hook your reader: choose the strongest opening. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Which is the strongest opening for a story about a lost dog?
• Step 1: A strong opening hooks the reader with action, a question, a surprising fact or a vivid detail.
• Step 2: So the answer is: Somewhere in the storm, a small dog was howling my name.
• Answer: Somewhere in the storm, a small dog was howling my name.
• 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. Which is the strongest opening for a report on why we should save bees? (Without bees, your breakfast might look very different. / This report is about bees. / Bees are insects. / I will now write about bees.) → Without bees, your breakfast might look very different.Prompt: Which one makes you want to keep reading?
2. What kind of hook is this opening? What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a question / a surprising fact / dialogue (speech) / action or vivid description) → a questionPrompt: Look at the punctuation: a question mark? Speech marks?

• 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. Which is the strongest opening for a story about a lost dog? (This is a story about a dog. / Once there was a dog and it got lost. / Somewhere in the storm, a small dog was howling my name. / I am going to tell you about my dog.) → Somewhere in the storm, a small dog was howling my name.Prompt: Which one makes you want to keep reading?
2. What kind of hook is this opening? A single honeybee visits hundreds of flowers in one day. (a question / a surprising fact / dialogue (speech) / action or vivid description) → a surprising factPrompt: Look at the punctuation: a question mark? Speech marks?

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-5.