Dragon Land - Questions

Key Skills
National Curriculum: Key Stage 1
En2 Reading
1i) understand how word order affects meaning
1j) decipher new words and confirm or check meaning
En3 Writing
3a) how punctuation helps a reader understand what is written
3b) the connections between punctuation and sentence structure, intonation and emphasis
3c) use capital letters, full stops and question marks

Coverage National Curriculum: Key Stage 1
Reading: Grammatical awareness level 1, Writing Punctuation level 1

Scotland: English Language 5-14:
Reading for enjoyment level A; Writing Punctuation level A

Northern Ireland:
Reading Expected Outcomes c;
Writing Expected outcomes c

Wales:
Reading Range 3 ICT; Skills 2 Grammatical knowledge
Writing Skills 7 Punctuation

• Introduce the activity by writing a statement and a question on the blackboard. Ask the children 'Which is the question?' 'How do you know?' ask the children to think of a question and a sentence (statement). Write these on the board and again ask a child to explain how you can recognise a question.
• Make sure that children understand that, not only is there a question mark, a question is a sentence that needs an answer.
• Select the Dragon Land Activity and read the instructions together. Read the three sentences together and decide which is the question.
• Show the children how to use the mouse to select the question.
• Work through the next screen together in the same way.
• Let children work at their own speed, but encourage them to read all three sentences, not simply click on the question mark.
• As the children work, ask individuals to read the sentences to you. Note any strategies used to decode new words.
• Ask individuals to read the question and note use of appropriate expression.

• Introduce the activity as above. Read the first three sentences together. Ask a child to identify the question. If everyone agrees, ask the child to select the question. If correct, the new screen automatically appears.
• Work through several screens. Involve as many children as possible in reading sentences and selecting the question.
• Each time ask a child to explain how s/he recognised a question, apart from the question mark. Notice that some questions are formed by changing word order, e.g.'Can we…' instead of 'We can…'

• Introduce the activity as above. Work through the screens together.
• Ask a different child each time to read the sentences to the group. Decide together which one is the question.
• Talk about the way a question can be changed into a sentence by changing the order of the words.
• If children need support, work through each screen together. Ask individuals to read the three sentences and choose the question.
• Allow confident children to work at their own pace. Ask individuals to read sentences aloud to you.
• Assess the children's ability to read with appropriate expression and their ability to decode new words.
• Praise children for working out new words independently.

Extension
Ask the children to work through the screens and make a list of words that begin questions. Include ''Is…' 'Can…' and other verbs as well as usual question words such as 'Where', 'When' etc.

Use to plan offline lessons
You can print each screen with the illustration and the three sentences. Go to File - Print or printer icon or press control P. There are twelve different screens, so you could print a variety of sheets for individual use. Instead of selecting a question the child can be asked to copy the question beneath the picture.

Objectives NLS Year 1 Term
S4 to recognize full stops and capital letters when reading and understand how they affect the way a passage is read. T2 to use phonological, contextual, grammatical and graphic knowledge to work out, predict and check the meanings of unfamiliar words and to make sense of what they read.

Resources required
Online activity for Dragon Land. Paper and pencils for extension activity.
Any big book that has questions in the text.

• Select 'Dragon Land' Activity from the menu. Read the instructions together.
• Select 'Dragon Land' Activity from the menu. Read the instructions together.
• If any words are new, use phonics and spelling patterns to work them out. Ask a child to point to the question. Ask 'How did you know?'
• Ask the child to click on the question. If s/he is correct, the next screen appears.
• Read all the sentences together again. Ask a child to click on the question.
• Repeat with the next screen. Always ask the children to read all the sentences, not just the one with the question mark. Praise children for reading questions with the appropriate expression.
• There are twelve screens in all. Work through as many as you feel is appropriate.
• Use any unfamiliar words as an opportunity to use the context, the grammar of the sentence and phonic knowledge to work them out.

• Work through the first screen together. Ask different children to read a sentence each. Praise them for reading with appropriate expression. Select the question and go to the next screen.
• Ask the children to work at their own speed, but to read all the sentences before selecting the question.
• As the children work, ask them to read the sentences on the screen to you. Praise them for working out new words and for identifying the question correctly.
• Assess children's strategies for reading new words and check that they can identify questions correctly.
• Allow children to work through as many of the twelve screens as time allows.

Plenary
Play a question and answer game. Ask a child to think of a question and ask someone to answer. You could use the questions written as an extension activity. That person answers and thinks of the next question for someone else.

Suggested Homework:
Ask children to find a question in any book, magazine or advertisement they have at home, or make up a question. Write it down and bring the question to school. Display all the questions.

When to use this worksheet:
The worksheet is aimed at Year 1 children. They need to recognise some high frequency words and the names of the characters. The activity is intended to help children to form questions using common question words.

• Ask the class some simple questions, such as 'What day is it today?' 'Where do you live?' 'Who is our head teacher?' then ask 'Which were the question words in those questions?
• Make a list of these and other question words on the board. Ask children to suggest a question for each of the words. Write the questions, reminding them about question marks.
• Use a copy of the worksheet enlarged to A3. Read Chips' first answer together. Read the question word and ask a child to form a question to match Chip's answer.
• If everyone agrees that it is correct, ask the child to write it in the speech bubble. Praise the child for correct spelling and for using a question mark.
• Repeat with the next sentence. If you feel that the children can continue independently, give out the worksheets and ask them to use words in the list to fill the gaps. Remind them that they may use each word only once.
• If you feel that the group/class needs more support, work through all the sentences together before giving each child a worksheet to complete.

• Introduce the activity as above, listing question words and framing questions.
• Explain that Wilma is asking a question and Chip is answering it. The first word of Wilma's question has been written for you. Think of a question to match Chip's first answer.
• Ask the children to write the question in Wilma's first speech bubble. Point out that the words you need to write are in Chip's answer, so they can copy the spelling. Remind the children to use a question mark.
• Ask the children to write the other questions, and to think of a question and answer for the last speech bubbles.
• Assess children's ability to frame appropriate questions. Praise them for spelling correctly and for using question marks. Are they working independently or relying on help from others?
• When children have finished, ask them to check their spelling and punctuation.

Extension:
Ask children to write a question on the back of the sheet that they would like to have answered, e.g. How far away is Australia? Use reference books and the internet to find answers to children's questions. Display questions and answers.

Objectives NLS Year 1 Term 1
S4 to recognize full stops and capital letters when reading and understand how they affect the way a passage is read.
T2 to use phonological, contextual, grammatical and graphic knowledge to work out, predict and check the meanings of unfamiliar words and to make sense of what they read

Resources required
Online activity for Dragon land.
3-4 questions written on cards without question marks.
3-4 cards with sentences that are statements.
4-5 question marks on cards with blu-tack on the back.
Printouts of 3 or 4 screens from the activity, enlarged to A3.
A copy of the Dragon Land worksheet for each child.

Teaching activities
Introduction: Read a sentence card together. Is it a question? How can you tell? If you all agree that it is a question, ask a child to attach a question mark to the end. Work through 6-8 cards, deciding each time if a question mark is needed.

• Read the three sentences from one of the prints of the activity screen without showing the children. Ask them to put up their hands when they hear a question. Ask a child to explain how s/he recognised a question.
• Repeat with another set of sentences from the activity. Show children the page and read all the sentences again to check. Use phonics and spelling patterns to decode any new words.
• As children begin to find it easy to spot the question, practise phrasing questions by using a sentence. e.g. 'This must be the Land of Mud' becomes 'Is this the Land of Mud?'
• Ask children to think of questions to ask an adult about their memories of school, e.g. What did you like best at school? Make a list of the children's questions on a board. Use for homework (see below).

• Use the A3 copies of the activity screens. Read the sentences together. Ask a child to tell you which one is the question. How did you know?
• Use the picture to make up another question together. Ask a different child each time to tell you how to spell the words. Write the question on the sheet.
• Repeat with more screen prints from the activity.
• Assess each child's ability to recognise and to frame questions.

Extension: Write a question beginning with 'When' and one beginning with 'Why'.

Plenary
Ask different children to read a completed question from the worksheet. Ask if anyone has a different question. Check all the questions in this way. Did everyone remember question marks? Praise children for correct work and for reading clearly.

Suggested Homework:
Copy one of the questions to ask an adult and take it home. Ask an adult at home to answer the question. Write down the answer, or ask the adult to do so, and bring it back to school. Display the questions and answers.