• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Choose the best summary of a short text; Finding and retrieving information). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Wind turbines turn moving air into electricity. The wind spins the blades, which turn a generator inside the tower. Wind power does not burn fuel, so it does not release smoke, but turbines only work when the wind blows. Which is the best summary? (Wind turbines are the best invention ever. / Wind turbines use spinning blades to make clean electricity, but only when it is windy. / Turbines have blades. / There is a generator in the tower.) → Wind turbines use spinning blades to make clean electricity, but only when it is windy.Prompt: A summary is short and covers the WHOLE text, not just one part.
2. The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived. It can grow longer than two buses and eats tiny shrimp-like animals called krill. What do blue whales eat? (sharks / krill / seaweed / fish) → krillPrompt: Find the part of the text that talks about this.
3. In 2021, a small town opened a 'repair café'. Once a month, volunteers fix broken toasters, toys and bikes for free. In its first year, the café saved over two tonnes of items from being thrown away. Which is the best summary? (Repair cafés are better than shops. / The café opened in Wales. / Volunteers fix toasters. / A town's monthly repair café fixes broken items for free and has kept tonnes of things out of the rubbish.) → A town's monthly repair café fixes broken items for free and has kept tonnes of things out of the rubbish.Prompt: A summary is short and covers the WHOLE text, not just one part.

• Read the first lines of a short text aloud and ask what students predict will happen and why.
• Share the objective: Which sentence from the text best supports the answer?. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Mira's robot kept bumping into walls. She rewrote the code three times, tested it every evening and asked her brother for ideas. On Friday, it rolled smoothly round the whole room. Which sentence best shows that Mira does not give up?
• Step 1: The best evidence directly proves the point. Other sentences may be true but do not support the claim as well.
• Step 2: So the answer is: She rewrote the code three times, tested it every evening and asked her brother for ideas.
• Answer: She rewrote the code three times, tested it every evening and asked her brother for ideas.
• 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. Mira's robot kept bumping into walls. She rewrote the code three times, tested it every evening and asked her brother for ideas. On Friday, it rolled smoothly round the whole room. Which sentence best shows that Mira does not give up? (On Friday, it rolled smoothly round the whole room. / Mira has a brother. / Mira's robot kept bumping into walls. / She rewrote the code three times, tested it every evening and asked her brother for ideas.) → She rewrote the code three times, tested it every evening and asked her brother for ideas.Prompt: Read the claim in the question first.
2. Honey can last for a very long time. Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that had still not gone bad. Bees make honey from flower nectar. Which sentence best supports the idea that honey does not spoil easily? (Bees live in hives. / Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that had still not gone bad. / Honey is sweet and sticky. / Bees make honey from flower nectar.) → Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that had still not gone bad.Prompt: Read the claim in the question first.

• 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. Zara checked the weather app twice. She packed a raincoat, rain boots and a spare pair of socks. "You never know," she said, glancing at the grey sky. Which sentence best shows that Zara is well prepared? (She packed a raincoat, rain boots and a spare pair of socks. / "You never know," she said. / Zara checked the weather app twice. / Zara likes the rain.) → She packed a raincoat, rain boots and a spare pair of socks.Prompt: Read the claim in the question first.
2. The town council asked people what to do with the empty car park. Most people voted for a skate park. Others wanted a community garden. In the end, the council built both, side by side. Which sentence best shows that the council listened to more than one group? (The car park was empty. / The council asked people what to do. / In the end, the council built both, side by side. / Most people voted for a skate park.) → In the end, the council built both, side by side.Prompt: Read the claim in the question first.

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