New
New
Year 6

Writing the first half of the climax and resolution of 'Beowulf and the dragon'

I can write the first half of the climax and resolution of ‘Beowulf and the dragon’, using a range of cohesive devices to connect ideas and using techniques to increase pace and tension.

New
New
Year 6

Writing the first half of the climax and resolution of 'Beowulf and the dragon'

I can write the first half of the climax and resolution of ‘Beowulf and the dragon’, using a range of cohesive devices to connect ideas and using techniques to increase pace and tension.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Writing is most successful when structure, content and vocabulary are planned.
  2. We aim to use a range of narrative elements in our writing and to set an appropriate mood with them.
  3. We use a range of cohesive devices to connect ideas, including a variety of fronted adverbials.
  4. Short sentences, rhetorical questions and 'quick' fronted adverbials of time can add pace to a piece of writing.
  5. Dashes can add dramatic effect, often by restating the noun phrase that is being described in a different way.

Common misconception

Pupils may be tempted to over-use short sentences in their writing.

Show in your shared writing that short sentences are impactful **because** they contrast with the longer or more complex sentences we tend to use in formal narrative writing.

Keywords

  • Cohesive devices - language structures that develop text cohesion

  • Fronted adverbial - a sentence starter followed by a comma

  • Dashes - a punctuation mark to add extra information in a clause often for dramatic effect

  • Oral rehearsal - practising saying ideas for sentences out loud before you write them

You may wish to begin the lesson by giving pupils another opportunity to story-tell with their text maps. Some pupils may simply re-tell their text map using simple language as their writing task. A slide is left lined for you to complete shared writing with your class.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the climax and resolution paragraphs of our narrative about 'Beowulf and the dragon' in the correct order.
1 - Beowulf’s first attack fails & the dragon attacks
2 - the Geats flee & Wiglaf comes to help
3 - Beowulf attacks again & the dragon bites
4 - Wiglaf & Beowulf defeat the dragon
Q2.
Which paragraphs make up the climax?
Correct answer: Beowulf’s first attack fails & the dragon attacks
Correct answer: the Geats flee & Wiglaf comes to help
Correct answer: Beowulf attacks again & the dragon bites
Wiglaf & Beowulf defeat the dragon
Q3.
Match each of the narrative elements to the questions they link to.
Correct Answer:action,What are characters doing?

What are characters doing?

Correct Answer:emotion,What are characters feeling?

What are characters feeling?

Correct Answer:description,What do things look like?

What do things look like?

Correct Answer:dialogue,What are people saying?

What are people saying?

Q4.
Which narrative element has been used in this note from Alex's plan? 'scales were as hard as diamond; an impenetrable shield'
action
Correct answer: description
emotion
dialogue
Q5.
Select the narrative elements that have been used in this note from Alex's plan: 'yelled in anger “Come here!”; swung sword'
Correct answer: action
Correct answer: dialogue
description
Correct answer: emotion
Q6.
Which of the following notes uses 'show-not-tell' to indicate shock?
bellowed in rage, leapt at dragon
Correct answer: jaw dropped, staggered backwards
writhing in pain, eyes squeezed shut
shook his fist & scowled

6 Questions

Q1.
What is the atmosphere we are aiming to create in the climax of 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
calm
Correct answer: tense
slow-moving
Correct answer: pacey
Q2.
Which narrative elements are featured here? 'Beowulf watched as a dragon - a vast, spiny-backed dragon - emerged from a hole in the headland.'
Correct answer: description
Correct answer: action
emotion
dialogue
Q3.
In which sentence are the dashes for dramatic effect in the correct positions?
He swung his blade - his sharp-tipped, deadly blade towards the dragon.
He swung - his blade his sharp-tipped, deadly blade - towards the dragon.
Correct answer: He swung his blade - his sharp-tipped, deadly blade - towards the dragon.
Q4.
Which technique has been used here to increase pace? ' He would defeat this beast. He had to. His people depended on it.'
rhetorical questions
Correct answer: short sentences
dashes for dramatic effect
fronted adverbials of manner
Q5.
Which of these are fronted adverbials of manner?
Correct answer: Full of fear,
Correct answer: Enraged,
Just then,
Correct answer: Slowly,
In the distance,
Q6.
Which of the descriptions below could fill in the gap in the following sentence for dramatic effect? 'It breathed out fire - __________ - that was as hot as the midday sun.'
Correct answer: molten, boiling fire
that was as hot as the midday sun
that was like a comet's tail
Correct answer: a hurricane of scalding fire