icon-background-square
New
New
Year 6

Deciding between pen or pencil

I can decide which tool is best suited for the purpose.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 6

Deciding between pen or pencil

I can decide which tool is best suited for the purpose.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Pen and pencil are the most common tools used to write or draw with.
  2. Making a choice between pen and pencil depends on the task and the desired outcome.
  3. Using a pencil allows for mistakes to be corrected easily with an eraser, which is ideal for sketching and drafting.
  4. Using a pen is ideal for final drafts as pen is permanent and looks neat and professional.
  5. Over time you will develop a personal preference for using pen or pencil.

Keywords

  • Pen - a writing tool used to apply ink to a surface

  • Pencil - a writing or drawing tool typically consisting of a thin cylindrical stick of graphite

  • Mistake - an error in accuracy or correctness

  • Presentation - the structured way to communicate information

Common misconception

Some children can become concerned that there are rules about when to use a pen and when to use a pencil. This can slow them down and take the focus from the task.

Remind the children of the questions in this lesson. What are the attributes of the tools and which is best suited for the task? Remind them that there are no set rules and sometimes it can come down to personal preference.

Throughout other lessons, encourage children to think back to this lesson. What do they need to consider for the given task? Should they use pen or pencil?
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
copyright

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).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Which letters do not join to the next letter in a letter string?
lower case letters
Correct answer: break letters
ascender letters
Correct answer: upper case letters
Q2.
True or false? The 'dot' for the letter i is only added once the letter string is complete.
Correct Answer: true, True
Q3.
Select the true statements relating to this letter string.
An image in a quiz
The letter spacing is even and correct.
Correct answer: The letter spacing is not even or correct.
Correct answer: The letter 'l' is missing a lead in.
The letter g has an ascender.
Q4.
Match the join with the correct description.
Correct Answer:first join,from the baseline to the x-height line
tick

from the baseline to the x-height line

Correct Answer:second join,from the baseline to the ascender line
tick

from the baseline to the ascender line

Correct Answer:third join,from the x-height line to the x-height line
tick

from the x-height line to the x-height line

Correct Answer:fourth join,from the x-height line to the ascender line
tick

from the x-height line to the ascender line

Q5.
Which cursive letter joins are being used in this sentence?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: first join
Correct answer: second join
Correct answer: third join
fourth join
Q6.
Which of these words would use the fourth join in their cursive formation?
dad
box
Correct answer: wool
duck