Once a week there will be a new Guided Reading text and tasks provided by Miss Kendall or Mr Earl for you to complete. 

Read the text out loud to yourself or to an adult and try to use expression in your voice.

Adults: Alongside each text are tasks focusing on one of the key reading skills (see below).

Key Reading Skills

- Understanding the words that they have read (vocabulary);

- Inferring meaning from what they have read and to explain and justify using evidence;

- Summarising effectively including retelling and understanding the text in the correct sequence;

- Retrieving information from the text;

- Predicting what will happen later in the story;

- Explanation of themes and patterns across the text and understanding that the author has made choices for effect;

- Commenting on their own opinion and where they notice similarities and differences between texts.

As we do in school, complete one task a day and remember to re-read the text before you start your activity! 

Beowulf

This week, we begin our look at the epic Old English poem Beowulf. The influence and importance of this story is huge: it is fair to say that without Beowulf, we would not have The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings,The Chronicles of Narnia or the hundreds of fantasy stories that they've inspired in turn. Over this half-term, we'll follow the hero Beowulf on his adventures in Denmark and Geatland.

Rather than read the whole story in one go, I have broken the story up into bite-sized chunks. Each day, you can read along with me as we push the story forward and complete a task based on what we've just read.

There are two levels of this text. I think that most of you will be able to complete the Level 2 tasks, especially as I am reading the Level 2 text for you. If you struggle to find the information that you need in the text, however, I have edited down the text and given some extra support for Level 1.

There are four videos this week. One for the introduction and three in which I read a chapter of the story and explain the day's task.

Monday 22nd February 2021

Today, we are looking at the introduction to Beowulf and discussing where the story came from. There is no written task today, but I'd like you to predict what you think that the story will be about and talk about what you think of Old English.

Tuesday 23rd February 2021

Good afternoon, Year 4.

Today, we start the story of Beowulf with Chapter 1, in which our hero learns of a monster in a far off land...

Wednesday 24th February 2021

Good afternoon, Year 4.

Today, we delve into Beowulf with Chapter 2, in which our hero meets the King of the Danes, Hrothgar.

I'm pleased that you thought about how the characters' actions showed what they were really feeling.

Unferth was definitely jealous of Beowulf, Hrothgar was reminiscing about his glory days and Beowulf was bragging and boasting - perhaps too much?

Thursday 25th February 2021

Good afternoon, Year 4.

Today, we sink our teeth into Beowulf Chapter 3, in which our hero faces off against the vicious monster, Grendel.