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Year 3

Writing the opening of 'The BFG' (part two)

I can write the second part of a narrative opening based on ‘The BFG’.

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New
New
Year 3

Writing the opening of 'The BFG' (part two)

I can write the second part of a narrative opening based on ‘The BFG’.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The purpose of a narrative opening is to introduce the characters and to describe the setting to the reader.
  2. Saying sentences aloud before they are written helps to check for sense.
  3. Using the full range of sentence types (simple, compound and complex) improves text flow for the reader.
  4. Fronted adverbials of time, place and manner add extra detail to the main clause.
  5. 'Show-not-tell' language shows a character’s feelings by describing their actions, body language and facial expressions.

Common misconception

Pupils might find it challenging when writing in the irregular past tense.

Refer to the Year 3 unit 'Tense forms: simple, progressive and perfect' for opportunities for further discrete grammar teaching around tense.

Keywords

  • Text flow - how a text is written to keep the reader engaged

  • Fronted adverbial - a sentence starter followed by a comma

  • Past tense - shows that the action happened before now

  • Complex sentence - a sentence formed of at least one main clause and a subordinate clause

Pupils should be given lots of opportunities to say sentences aloud or to write sentences on whiteboards, using the notes from their plan ahead of writing.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need access to the 1989 film version of 'The BFG' for this lesson.

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).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the key moments of the second part of the opening in the correct order.
1 - Sophie walked towards the window and Mrs Clonkers shouted.
2 - Sophie looked out of the window.
3 - Sophie saw the mysterious figure.
Q2.
Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
bravely, she tiptoed towards the window.
Bravely, she tiptoed towards the window
bravely, she tiptoed towards the window
Correct answer: Bravely, she tiptoed towards the window.
Q3.
Which of these nouns must start with a capital letter?
Correct answer: mrs clonkers
window
curtains
Correct answer: sophie
silhouette
Q4.
Which of these sentences is punctuated correctly?
Slowly, the brave girl, opened the dusty curtains.
Correct answer: Slowly, the brave girl opened the dusty curtains.
Slowly the brave girl opened the dusty curtains.
Slowly the brave girl opened, the dusty curtains.
Q5.
Match the word class to its example.
Correct Answer:noun,floorboards

floorboards

Correct Answer:adjective,silent

silent

Correct Answer:verb,bellowed

bellowed

Correct Answer:adverb,furiously

furiously

Q6.
Before writing sentences down, it is helpful to them aloud first.
Correct Answer: say, Say, practise, rehearse

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the purpose of the opening?
to build up excitement and tension
Correct answer: to introduce the characters and setting
to solve a problem
Correct answer: to engage the reader
Q2.
When we write, we ...
Correct answer: showcase the sentence types we know.
include only one type of sentence.
do not check back for spelling and punctuation errors.
Correct answer: say our sentences aloud first.
Q3.
Which of these is an example of a compound sentence?
Correct answer: She continued towards the window and she hesitantly opened the dusty curtains.
She continued towards the window.
She looked out the window as she hesitantly opened the dusty curtains.
She looked out of the window and curtains.
Q4.
Match these sentence types to their examples.
Correct Answer:simple,Sophie froze in fear.

Sophie froze in fear.

Correct Answer:compound,Sophie’s jaw dropped and she shrieked in horror.

Sophie’s jaw dropped and she shrieked in horror.

Correct Answer:complex,As she edged across the floorboards, Mrs Clonkers bellowed furiously.

As she edged across the floorboards, Mrs Clonkers bellowed furiously.

Q5.
Which sentence is written in the past tense?
She continues towards the window and she hesitantly opens the dusty curtains.
She will continue towards the window and she will open the dusty curtains.
Correct answer: She continued towards the window and she hesitantly opened the dusty curtains.
Q6.
Complete the following complex sentence with an appropriate subordinate adverbial clause: 'Sophie froze in fear __________.'
, but she carried on.
Correct answer: when she heard Mrs Clonkers bellowing from the hallway.
and her legs began to tremble.
as she started laughing.