- This topic has 97 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated September 4, 2023 by
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Summary for Lesson 1
In today’s class we began our 11+ writing course, thinking today about the importance of harnessing genre in exam writing. We started with a free-writing exercise based on a one-minute story before delving into the concept of genre and the students’ favourite genres to write in. We completed a wheel spin game where the class had to combine genre with literary techniques and then thought in depth about sci-fi and how it is constructed. We then looked at some 11+ sci-fi prompts which the class used a step-by-step planning process to plan. Finally they shared their amazing ideas and we discussed some final tips i.e., remember to give your piece a title and show not tell. Really outstanding and enthusiastic work today class, it was an absolute joy to hear all your incredible ideas. I thought your writing was beautifully done, particularly with the literary techniques. I am very impressed- well done and see you next week 🙂
Sci-fi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrusqQ5JftA
Wheel spinner that you can put genres and techniques into: https://wheelofnames.com/
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Here is my homework, sorry for the delay. Thank you for the wonderful lesson. See you soon!
Chloe Yu
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Dear Beth,
Sorry for the late homework. It is in the attachments box. I hope you like it. I did “Earth suffers planet wide energy surge, and all technology is lost forever”. Thanks for the great lesson!
Claire
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Homework below (sry for late post)
Can you believe it? Our teacher set us homework for the summer holidays. “Just make a collage about what you have done this summer. Be sure to add photos!” she said.
Yeah. Just make a collage. She doesn’t seem to realise that we’ve moved on from the age of cameras and collages. But, luckily, me and John found a camera upstairs, and we began taking pictures almost immediately. We were doing pretty well until the camera shutter stopped working. We sat on the sofa, wondering what to do, but my mother made up our minds for us.
“Walk Candy for an hour or so. Count it as your daily exercise.” So, of course having to obey our parents, as children never get the right to speak, we walked Candy down our street and up our street and down our street until John found a camera.
“It’s a Polaroid! Perfect!” he cried excitedly. Then we brought Candy back to the house, and began taking photos. John did a headstand in front of our holiday house, and we checked it out. Weirdly, it showed the picture of a car.
“Why does it show a picture of a car?” I moaned, upset that our discovery turned out to be worthless. So we went back to the hotel and sulked.
Precisely 5 minutes later, a car was parked in front of our house, and my dad came home. He went to the sitting room, and ruffled my hair. “What’s up, Matthew? You look like someone’s dog just died.” he boomed. We could do nothing but stare at my dad, then at the car, then back. Then, a phone rang, and that jerked us out of our daze. “Come on!” I said, jumping up and simultaneously pulling John out of the door. “Let’s see whether this camera actually tells the future!”
So, we went into the lobby and took a picture of me posing with the hotel mascot (a bright orange tiger). And for some reason, this picture showed an unpainted wall. “Where’s the tiger?” John asked me, but I was obviously as blank as him. We went back to our room, and my mother was there, looking at us like she was sorry.
“Kids, the hotel just announced in their app that they were taking the tiger down. I think the crew is arriving in 5 minutes. Want to go have one last picture with him?”
“No need,” I said, grinning madly. “We just did.”
Then I told my mother about our camera, and proved it by showing her the blank wall and the car. When we were done, she was nearly grinning as madly as me.
So, of course, she had to send that to everyone she had as a contact, like, just about 288,890,180. It’s a wild guess, but I, like any kid, have never been personally troubled to check all my mother’s contacts.
Anyway, of course they sent it to the news company, and that night we barely slept at all, due to the fact we drove a 3-hour long drive to a film studio, and then we were posing for the cameras, and me, John and my mother didn’t even make it to the hotel without sleeping. Don’t ask me how, but I was asleep for 2 days.
But that, as I soon figured out, was only a small problem of owning a future-predicting camera. -
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Summary for Lesson 2
In today’s class we considered the key 11+ question of writing from a picture prompt. We began with some metaphor work designed to help the class engage on a deeper level with literary techniques before moving on to discussing important descriptive techniques. The class then thought about how to write from a picture prompt, considering the senses, strong imagery, and interpretation. They planned some exhilarating pieces using a choice of three images, thinking about how to create a twist of the unexpected in their stories and how to focus on one main plot event in order to keep the story arc tight and compelling. We also planned some quick-fire picture prompt storylines thinking of some fun and creative stories for three characters on the board. Incredible work today everyone; you were all super passionate and vibrant today- keep up the imaginative work. See you next week 🙂
Plot twist video to watch the rest of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SPcBeLZmiQ
Homework
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Dear Beth,
My homework is attached. Thanks for the great lesson. See you soon. 🙂
Kind regards,
Chloe Yu
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Jingyan’s english writing 2
Liam was enjoying the early morning sunshine in his garden and went to get a cup of water. As he was going up the glistening marble stairs he found a small mossy wooden door. He immediately teleported inside not knowing what was in there. He looked around with a disappointed frown on his face. Liam thought it was just a normal dingy little attic but in reality it was a magical room.
The small room was quite creepy. There was a rocking chair sitting in the lifeless room creeking from side to side with the a single square of light shining on it from the slanted ceiling of the attic. There were prehistoric paintings in the corner of room. Liam went back to the door to try and open it but it just won’t budge. He was trapped. He started running around the room and accidentally pushed a key hidden in the painting and gears started to move. Lights flashed endlessly but then something came out of…
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Dear Beth,
Here is my homework. sorry if it’s a bit late. I did the picture on the left. I hope you like it. See you next week! (I did a comedy story.)
Kind regards,
Claire
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Summary for Lesson 3
In today’s class we focused on 11+ prompts which asked the students to describe a place. We first began with some metaphor work before moving on to thinking about different ways to think about setting. We discussed how setting can shape theme and should show the narrator’s worldview, emotions, and how they perceive the setting. The class brainstormed some ideas based on a prompt and thought about how their personal setting influences their emotions and ideas about the world. We then thought about treating setting as a character, wrote some descriptive writing based on vivid and attention-grabbing imagery and the class completed some amazing group work thinking about how setting influences plot, and character and can have its own history. Wonderful work everyone, you all came up with fantastic writing that was very emotive and beautifully written. Keep up the fab work 🙂
Setting website (read the rest if you can): https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/make-your-setting-a-character-in-its-own-right/
Setting video: https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-setting
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Here is my homework. Sorry if it’s late. There was a problem with my internet. Hopefully, it’s better now.
Thanks,
Claire
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Dear Beth,
I have written my homework underneath. Sorry that its late i have been doing a lot of traveling.
Thank you,
Jingyan English writing 3
I was sitting nervously in the front seat of a rollercoaster with my shaking hands on the bar in front of me then all of a sudden whoosh! The rollercoaster rocketed forward like a plane taking off the ground. All the people behind me were swaying there arms that looked like they would just break off when I was holding onto the bar as tightly as I could. Everyone else were also screaming and shouting until the rickety seats came to a halt. I felt like i had been sucked up into a washing machine and so nauseous i could hardly stand up. I never wanted to go on it again even though I like them now.
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Summary for Lesson 4
In today’s class we looked at writing based on emotion, thinking about the types of 11+ prompts that ask something like ‘Write about a time you felt nervous’. We spoke about how to communicate emotion through word choice (particularly verbs and nouns) and read an extract from Captain Scott’s diary where he demonstrates multiple different emotions through the power of his writing. We learned about the connection between metaphor and emotion, which the class then practiced beautifully, before finally planning answers based on two emotive writing prompts from past 11+ papers. Well done everyone for your excellent description and contributions today- you all worked fantastically hard and came up with brilliant ideas. See you next week 🙂
Homework
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Hello Beth, here are my week 2 and week 3 texts uploaded together. I hope that this allows you to be able to have a better look at them. Thanks, Max.
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Haodi’s Mock Test
The Frightening Telephone
As I strolled through the grassy hills, the sun shone brightly overhead, casting a warm glow on the landscape. The wind blew gently through the fields, causing the tall blades of grass to sway back and forth like waves on the ocean.
As I walked, I noticed a telephone stand alone in the distance. It seemed out of place in the middle of the tranquil countryside, but I couldn’t help but feel drawn to it. I made my way over to the old phone booth, wondering who might have used it in the past.
As I looked inside, I saw the remnants of a forgotten time. The phone was old and dusty, the numbers faded from years of use. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over me as I imagined the conversations that might have taken place in this very spot.
I sat down on the dusty floor of the phone booth, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. I closed my eyes and let the gentle breeze wash over me, taking in the peacefulness of the moment. It was a moment I would never forget, one that reminded me of the simple beauty that can be found in the most unexpected of places.
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Summary for Lesson 5
In today’s class we completed our mock exam which the class did beautifully- they all were really focused and hard-working throughout. Well done everyone for all your passionate, creative and wonderful work over the past five weeks- it has been a joy to work with you all! Keep up the amazing imaginative ideas and I will see you in future lessons 🙂
Homework
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Dear Beth,
Here is my mini mock. Thank you for the wonderful teaching you have given in this course. Hope to see you soon!
Thanks again,
Claire
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Dear Beth,
Please have a look at my mock writing, thank you for your lesson, I really enjoyed it. See you soon.
Max
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This is Bingyao’s mock
He watched the broken box of red metal. What a waste. It swayed in the lightest of breezes, falling halfway into the waterlogged land. The glass was shattered. Maybe it was worth a look? Carefully, he lifted his leg slowly, and plummeted face first into the mud. The sea of grass covering the mud, which was like quicksand, enveloped his clothes, slathering them in mud. He groaned. His parents would be furious. The stormy grey clouds gazed down at him, stern and disapproving.
Up ahead, was a grey lake that was never blue, even in the sun. Bits of brown earth lay between dregs of water. The grass there was yellow, but it was right next to water. Hills were fighting against the tide, desperately avoiding erosion. The dirt was slowly swallowed up by the powerful current. Bit by bit, the hills would disappear.
The graphite sky was filled with huge grey clouds. It was going to rain. There was not even a trace of the clear aqua sky or wisps of light silver that had appeared yesterday. The weather could change so quickly. With a sigh, he realised he was going to have to walk home, or be drenched by the barrage of rain.
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