TheLiteracyShed© 2017
MarshmallowsResource1a
StarterSentences
Themoonlightreflectedontheripplesofthelake.Therewasafireintheforest.Therewerethicktreesbytheedgeofthewater.Inthedistance,thereweremountains.Aroundthefire,therewerestones.Therewereinsectschirpinginthewoods.Nexttothefire,therewasalog.Therewasroughbarkonthetreetrunks.Thegrasswasshort.Therewasasmalltentnearthefire.Infrontofthetent,therewasasleepingbagandpillow.
SentenceStretchingHowcanweextendoursentences?• Saywherethingsare• Useadjectivesbeforeanoun• Useadjectivesafteranoun• Addinextradetail(youmightneedtousea
conjunction)• Useasimile
TheLiteracyShed© 2017
Itwasaclear,warmnight.Cricketschirpedinthedistance,
andintermittentlyanowlhooted.Asolitaryboatbobbed
onthelakeandfromtime-to-timethewaterslapped
againstit.Moonlighthittheripplesonthelake,reflecting
littlesparksoflightlikediamondsonthewater.Faroffin
thedistance,behindthelake,greatmountainsloomed.
Theylookedlikegiantpurplesleepingbeasts.Talltrees
withthicktrunksedgedthewaterandbirdsroostedin
theirtangledbranches.Ashortleaf-litteredpathwayledto
acampingarea.Inthemiddleofthecamp,afirecrackled
withredembersandashrisingupwardsintothenightsky.
Bythefire,afallenlogwasusedasamakeshiftbench,and
totherearofthecampwasasmallcanvastent.
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TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Adjectives Verbs PrepositionPhrases
clearwarm
chirpedhooted
Inthedistanceonthelake
MarshmallowsResource2c
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Nightwascreepingin.Thewateronthelakewasbarelymovingandtheskywasabrilliantblue-violetcolour.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary PhrasesReflectingRipplingLappingGlisteningToweringEntwinedSubstantialSilhouettesDarkShadowyEmbersCracklingCanvasTemporarySituated
beyondthetreelinebeneaththedarkeningskyNext tothefireTowardtheforestAcrossthewaterBytheedgeofthe…Intheshadowofthe…UndertheshadowybranchesWithinseveralfeetof…BythesideofthetentAlongthepathwayBythefiresideInviewofthe…
MarshmallowsResource2d
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Skin
Ears
Tail
Movements
Sounds
Likes/Dislikes
Body
TheCreature
Eyes
Mouth
MarshmallowsResource3a
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Thedonriphant isalargelandmammal;adultmalesoftenweighupto3500kg.Itsthick,wrinkledskinhelpstotrapmoistureandkeepstheanimalcoolforlonger(somethingwhichisimportantintheAfricanheat).Typically,thedonriphant walksinanuprightstanceandusesthelargepadsonthesolesofitsfeetforstability,thoughitcanrunforshortburstsonfourlegs.Ithasashortgreen-tippedtail,whichiscoveredincoarse,wiryhairs,andisusedforbalance.Twoarm-likelimbshelpittoclimbtrees,anditshandsarecapableofgrippingandutilisingtools.Itslongneckisusefulwhengatheringvegetation,andstrong,flexiblemusclesallowthecreaturetoextenditsneckbyafurther8-10inches,whenneeded.Thedonriphant hastwolongearswhichprimarilyfunctionascoolingdevices.Astemperaturesclimb,thedonriphant rotatesitsearsinacircularmotiontocooltheheadandtrunk.Thedonriphant hasacutehearing.Manyanimalshavefairlylimitedvisionandsodonriphants relyupontheirkeensenseofhearingtoprotectthemselvesfrompredators.Althoughthetrunkfunctionsmainlyforbreathing,itisalsousedforgrasping,feeding,smelling,drinking,makingsoundsandforprotection.Itgrowsaninchforeveryyearofthecreature’slifeuntiltheyreachmaturity.
MarshmallowsResource3b
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Thedonriphant isfoundonlyinAfrica,thoughfossilsofamammalsimilartothedonriphant havebeenfoundinSouthAmerica.Mainlyfoundlivinginherds,thedonriphant iswelladaptedtoliveinahot,dryclimateand,likeacamel,itcanstorefattokeepitnourishedonlongjourneys.Theanimal’sbodyisdesignedtoreachtheleavesandbranchesfromthetopoftrees.Typically,anadultmalewilleataround30-35kgofleavesaday.Leavesprovidethedonriphant withsomeofitswaterandtherestisconsumedatthewateringholes,ofteninlargegroups.
Duetoitslargesize,thedonriphant hasveryfewpredators.Hyenaswilloftenworkinpackstoseparateyoung,orweak,animalsfromtherestoftheherd.Insomecircumstances,lionswilltargetalonedonriphant,thoughareunlikelytopursueaherd.Adultdeathsaremorelikelytobecausedbycrocodiles,whichstrikeintheriversandwateringholes.
MarshmallowsResource4a
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Openers
The _________________isfound…Someanimals…Typicallythe______________...Afurtherimportantfeature,isthe…Duetoits_____________,the_____________...Insomecircumstances,…Today,there are…Onaverage,…Anadult_____________is…Althoughtheyappearto….Anotherobvioustraitis…Theirdietconsistsmainlyof…Itiswidelybelievedthat…__________usetheirsenseof___________to,…Ingeneral,…Unsurprisingly,…Onthewhole,…Aspredators,the________________,Lifeexpectationis…Theirhabitatisusually…
MarshmallowsResource5a
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
habitat physical appearance diet
omnivore herbivore carnivorous nocturnal
prey predator species endangered
inhabits exhibits vertebrate invertebrate
colouration prominent marine aquatic
acute ambush scavenger territory
forage hunt population diverse
environment feature function limbs
migration juvenile adult communicate
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TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
IntroductionWriteashortintroductiontoyourcreature.Thisonlyneedstobealineortwo.Explainbrieflywhatitisandgiveafactortwoaboutit.E.g.Thedonriphant isalargemammalandamemberoftheelephantfamily.ItisnativetoAfricaandlivesinlargeherds.
Main paragraphsWritetwo(ormoreifyouhavetime)paragraphsaboutyourcreature.Keepyourparagraphsbasedaroundatheme.Thingstothinkabout:• Thirdperson• Presenttense• Soundlikeanexpert• Varyyoursentenceopeners• Usetechnicalvocabulary• Sentencesshouldflow• Extendyoursentences• Remainformalformostofthepiece• Useheadingsandsub-headingstopresentyourinformation• Additionalinformationcouldbeaddedasbullet-pointsora‘did
youknow?’box• Attempttointerestthereader• Usenounsandpronounstoavoidrepetition(saythecreature,the
animals,theyetc.ratherthanrepeatingthename
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TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
MarshmallowsResource6a
There are ripples on the water and the creatures eyes and ears appear.
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Time Whathappens
SequenceOne
11s Firstseethe creatureappearbehindtheboy
16s Boyhearssomething ashe’stoastingmarshmallows
20s Theviewinganglealterssothattheaudience looksuptothecreature’sface- seehisteeth
22s Boystandsupandholds upthestickwiththemarshmallowonit
SequenceTwo
1m17s Creatureshowshisteeth, eyeschangeandhegrowls-viewinganglefromthefloormakesthecreatureseem
verylarge
1m22s Theboyattempts torunawaythroughthelongrustlinggrass
1m23s Theboyfalls
1m25s Theboylooksup andthecreatureisapproaching
1m28s Theboyspots thepillow
1m29s Thecreaturehashismouthopenwideasiftobite
1m33s Theboy hidesbehindthepillow
MarshmallowsResource7a
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Witheyesglaringandteethsnarling,thecreaturerose
upwardstoastandingpositionbehindthechildsatby
thefire.Atwigsnapped.Withouthesitation,theyoung
boy-scoutwhippedhisheadaroundandleaptfromhis
seat,legsshaking.Themarshmallowhehadbeen
toastingsatpoisedontheendofastickandhethrustit
towardsthecreature.
Canyoufind….
Anynoun-verbpairs
Ashortsnappysentence
Aprepositionalphraseoftime
Aprepositionalphraseofplace
Verbswhichimplyspeed
MarshmallowsResource7b
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Itwasawarmnight.Anowlhootedandcricketschirped.A
solitaryboatbobbedonthelakeandfromtime-to-timethe
waterslappedagainstit.A pairofbrightyelloweyesandthe
tipsoftwopointedearsappearedfromthedepthsofthelake
andmoonlightreflectedonthewater.
Ashortpathwayledfromthelakesidetoacampingarea,and
inthemiddleofthecamp,afirecrackledwithembersand
ashrisingupwardsintothesky.Alogwasusedasabenchby
ayoungboy.Theboywatchedthefireashetoasted
marshmallows,oblivioustothecreaturewhichwasslowly
makingitswayupthepathtothecamp. Thecreaturerose
behindthechildsatbythefire.Atwigsnapped.Theyoung
boy-scoutwhippedhisheadaroundandleaptfromhisseat.
Themarshmallowsatontheendofastickandhethrustit
towardsthecreaturetoscareitoff.
MarshmallowsResource8a
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
Itwasaclear,warmnight.Cricketschirpedinthedistance,and
intermittentlyanowlhooted.Asolitaryboatbobbedonthe
lakeandfromtime-to-timethewaterslappedagainstit.
Moonlightreflectedlikediamondsonthewaterandslowly,
fromthedepthsofthelake,apairofbrightyelloweyesandthe
tipsoftwopointedearsmomentarilyappeared.
Ashort,leaf-litteredpathwayledfromthelakesidetoa
campingarea,andinthemiddleofthecamp,afirecrackled
withredembersandashrisingupwardsintothenightsky.By
thefire,afallenlogwasusedasamakeshiftbenchbyayoung
boy.Theboywatchedthefireashetoastedmarshmallows,
oblivioustothecreaturewhichwasslowlymakingitswayup
thepathtothecamp.Witheyesglaringandteethsnarling,the
creatureroseupwardstoastandingpositionbehindthechild
satbythefire.Atwigsnapped.Withouthesitation,theyoung
boy-scoutwhippedhisheadaroundandleaptfromhisseat,
legsshaking.Themarshmallowhehadbeentoastingsatpoised
ontheendofastickandhethrustittowardsthecreatureto
scareitoff.
MarshmallowsResource8b
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
1. TonguehangsoutAlongpinktonguelolledfromhismouthdowntohischin.
2. Startspanting
3. Tailstartswagging
4. Pupilschange- becomeround
5. Friendlyface- eyebrowsup
6. Stopsbaringteeth
7. Whimpersforfood
8. Smilesattheboy
9. Tiltshead
MarshmallowsResource9a
TheLiteracyShed(c)2017
SURPRISESEditingMethod- Year3/4
Sayinhead
Rehearseinheadtolistentowhatimmediatelystandsout,whichsentencesareyouhappywith?Unhappywith?Markanythingyouthinkneedstochange.
Underbreath- mumble
Inamutteredvoice,begintoFEELhowthepiecefitstogether- areyoursentencesvariedenough?Areyoursentencelengthsvariedenough?
Readaloud
Haveyouaccidentallyrepeatedanything?Areyourtensescorrect?Doesitneedanythingaddingin?
Punctuationpower
Lookatyouruseofpunctuation- isitcorrect?Isitvariedenough?Haveyouusedcommasafterfrontedadverbials?
Readtheopeners
Isthereenoughvarietyinyouropeners?Haveyouusedfrontedadverbials?
Improveworrisomewords
Improvevocabularybycheckingyourwordchoicesparticularlyverbs,adjectivesandadverbs.
Sayinheadoraloud
Readitthroughtolistentohowitisnowsounding?Haveyoudoneenough?Hasitimproved?Whatmoreneedstobedone?Couldyoure-ordersomesentences
toimprovetheoveralleffect?
Extendingsentences
Lookatyoursentencechoices. Haveyouexpandedyournounphrases?Canyouaddinformationintoyoursentence?
Sharewithafriend
Togethercanyouimproveyourworkinanyotherways?Doesitfeelfinished?
MarshmallowsResource10a