• 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? (Fish live in water. / That is why everyone should try to save water. / Water is wet. / 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. 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? (So, a hedgehog-friendly garden is good for plants and hedgehogs alike. / Slugs are slimy. / What is your favourite animal? / My cousin has a cat called Pepper.) → So, a hedgehog-friendly garden is good for plants and hedgehogs alike.Prompt: A concluding sentence wraps up the whole paragraph.
3. ___ It gives pupils exercise. It teaches teamwork. It also helps them make friends. Which is the best topic sentence? (Teamwork is a word. / Some pupils prefer reading. / Playing a team sport has many benefits for pupils. / Football is played with a ball.) → 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: 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) The sunflowers are taller than our teacher. (4) My cousin is learning to play the trumpet. (5) We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. (My cousin is learning to play the trumpet. / We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. / The tomatoes are bright red and ready to pick. / The sunflowers are taller than our teacher.) → 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? Penguins are birds that cannot fly. Instead, their wings work like flippers for swimming. Some penguins can dive more than 500 metres deep. (When we recycle paper, fewer trees need to be cut down. / On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies. / First, pack your pyjamas and toothbrush. / Jaguars hunt along the riverbanks.) → On land, they waddle or slide on their bellies.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 start of the paragraph. Which sentence would fit best as the next sentence? Getting ready for a sleepover is fun. First, pack your pyjamas and toothbrush. Next, choose a game or a film to share. (Doctors even use robots to help with delicate operations. / We even found a family of ladybirds on the beans. / Finally, remember your sleeping bag and pillow. / Colourful toucans fly between the trees.) → Finally, remember your sleeping bag and pillow.Prompt: What is the paragraph about? Look at the first sentence.
2. 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. (Some robots build cars in factories. / Others explore places too dangerous for humans, like deep oceans. / My brother's bike is blue. / Robots help people in many ways.) → My brother's bike is blue.Prompt: Read the first sentence: it tells you what the paragraph is about.

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