Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Music can improve our mood and comfort us when times are hard; this is equally true for children. Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety and make us happier. Empowering songs with a positive message can make a big impression on kids, but there are millions of songs to choose from.

Do you remember songs from your childhood? These can live in our memories forever and take us back to a particular place and time. So many people make solid emotional connections with the music they listen to, which can also be used to focus the mind while studying.

Upbeat and up-tempo tunes can motivate us when working out or doing chores. Elementary teachers can use songs to encourage a growth mindset in their students.

Here are our favorite inspirational songs that are suitable for preschool age.

Try Everything – Shakira
The lyrics from the movie Zootopia’s soundtrack talk about trying new things and never giving up.

1. Get Back Up Again – Anna Kendrick
2. Don’t Hide Your Magic – Emily Arrow
3. Count On Me – Bruno Mars
4. Don’t Stop Believin’ – the cast of Glee
5. The Climb – Miley Cyrus
6. Courage to Change – Sia
7. Brave – Sarah Bareilles
8. Rise – Andra Day
9. How Far I’ll Go – Auli’i Cravalho
10. Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
11. This Is Me – Keala Settle and The Greatest Showman Ensemble
12. Roar – Katy Perry
13. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
14. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
15. I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
16. Fight Song – Rachel Platten
17. Stronger – Kelly Clarkson
18. Good Job – Alicia Keys
19. Show Yourself – Idina Menzel and Evan Rachel Wood
20. Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
21. Everything is Awesome – Tegan and Sara feat. The Lonely Island

I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

What are Lesson Objectives?

The teacher wants the children to have learned or achieved a lesson objective (or a teaching objective or a learning objective) by the end of a lesson. It’s also known as a WALT (We Are Learning To). Learning objectives are often differentiated depending on students’ ability levels, and they should be such that children can see what they need to do to progress.

Ideally, a learning objective should be something that children didn’t know before the start of the lesson. That way, teachers can avoid any repetition in their classes. They should also look to continue from work done in the previous study and end where the next one is due to begin. Because of this, some teachers like to use planning overviews to help them organize their learning objectives.

But what are lesson objectives? Here are some examples of teaching objectives that you could use, depending on the subject that is being taught:

• After a lesson about bullying, students should be able to explain the difference between a friend and a bully by writing a short paragraph. This should include a thesis statement as well as a call to action.
• Students will be able to describe their scientific observations after a week-long terrarium unit accurately.
• After a lesson on storylines and narrative, students should be able to identify the rising action, climax, and falling action on a plot diagram.
• Once students have finished an independent reading activity, they should be able to recommend the book that they read to other students and create a single-paragraph book review.
• Students can summarise their day’s events in a personal journal once they have learned reflective writing.

How to write Lesson Objectives

So they’re aware of what is expected of them during the lesson, children need to know the lesson objective. Because of this, teachers will often have the lesson objective written on the board before their class starts. As well as this, teachers usually write the lesson objective on their lesson plan to keep track of what they’re teaching their children.

Looking for guidance on how to write lesson objectives? Different schools, subjects, and teachers may all have slightly varying approaches. So if you’re new to teaching or need a refresher, we’ve got some general guidance for creating a practical lesson objective.

When planning a lesson, you need to establish a clear objective. This objective must be clear to all the pupils. They’ll need to know the following:

WHAT they are learning.

WHY they are learning it.

HOW it links to their more expansive learning.

Ideally, lesson objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relative, and Timely. Only at the end of the lesson, or series of studies, will you know for sure if your lesson objective was specific enough to be measured through some form of assessment.

Lesson objectives should also be specific statements of what learners can do by the end of the lesson. They are not the activities or outcomes of the study but the learning gained from those activities and products.

To know how to write a lesson objective, you need to be clear about what you want pupils to be able to do or know by the end of the lesson. You also need to know their prior learning. This will help you to design a learning sequence in your planning that takes them from what they already know (or can do) to the next level.

Once you know your learning needs, you can formulate your lesson objective. It’s also a good idea to keep the primary national curriculum handy to ensure your lesson objective corresponds with the aims set for your year group and the subject you’re teaching.

As we’ve already mentioned, a great way to frame your lesson objective is to use the initialism WALT or ‘We are learning to….”. The key to writing reasonable goals is to keep them clear and challenging enough for all learners.

Step 1: Identify the noun or noun phrase for what you what the children to learn.

e.g., adjectives

Step 2: Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to decide on the level of learning.

e.g., comprehension

Step 3: Identify a measurable verb from Bloom’s Taxonomy.

e.g., describe

Step 4: Add additional information to add context to the learning.

e.g., We are learning to express a cave using adjectives and explain our ideas.

Here’s a handy table of sample verbs to help you with choosing a measurable verb:

Knowledge	Comprehension	Application	Analysis	Synthesis	Evaluation
define identify label list match name recall recognize record relate repeat select state	classify compile conclude discuss describe explain express give examples identify interpret recognize summarize translate	apply calculate demonstrate develop interpret locate operate perform practice predict present report use	analyze calculate categorize classify compare contrast determine differentiate distinguish examine outline test	arrange assemble compose construct design develop diagnose manage organize plan propose relate summarize	assess compare critique decide determine establish evaluate judge measure rate recommend select

Why is cohesion necessary?

Cohesion means that writing is well structured with linked ideas that follow a logical pattern. Sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly and are written in the same tense, meaning the piece is fluid and makes sense.

Children need to learn about cohesion, which builds literacy and creative writing skills.

Cohesion is essential as:

• It teaches children how to order and structure sentences and paragraphs
• It means related ideas are kept together and flow logically from one to another
• It helps children express their ideas in a way that the reader will clearly understand

How can cohesion be achieved?

To achieve cohesion, children must be able to select appropriate nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs for a sentence to make sense.

They must then write appropriate sentences which organize their ideas and follow a logical sequence.

There are four main types of sentences that children can choose from:

Statements – convey information

Questions – ask something and usually end with a question mark

Commands – give instructions or tell you to do something

Exclamations – typically begin with ‘What’ or ‘How,’ includes a verb, and can end with an exclamation mark

What are cohesive devices?

Cohesive devices are techniques that can be used to help create cohesion. Some examples of these are:

Adverbials

Expressing place, time, or manner, adverbials can help create cohesion in or across paragraphs. Take a look at this example:

Without adverbials:

“Tim left home. He realized he had forgotten his homework.”

With adverbials:

“Tim left home early in the morning. Later that day, he realized he had forgotten his homework.”

The adverbial of time keeps the sentences in a logical order and makes it easier for the reader to follow the text.

Ellipsis

Ellipsis is another cohesive device that can improve the flow of a sentence. Ellipsis refers to removing superfluous words, as the meaning can be inferred from the preceding clause. For example:

Without ellipsis:

“If James listens to music, he will have to dance to the music.”

With ellipsis:

“If James listens to music, he will have to dance.”

In this case, the sentence with an ellipsis avoids repeating words but still makes sense.

Repetition

Repetition can also be a cohesive device to highlight or emphasize important information. For example:

“Peter was running late. He had promised not to be late this time. If only he could get to places on time!”

In this example, the repetition of the adjective/adverb ‘late’ helps create a sense of urgency across the sentences.

Pronouns

Using pronouns in a sentence allows you to refer back to a noun without repeating it. For example:

Without pronoun:

“Billy listened to music while sitting in Billy’s car.”

With pronoun:

“Billy listened to music while sitting in his car.”

In this example, using a pronoun helps the sentence flow smoothly while still making sense.

This is also known as an anaphoric reference. A cataphoric connection is the opposite of this, referring to something later in a text. For example:

“Jess couldn’t wait to see him, but Jack would not be back until next week.”

In this case, the pronoun ‘him’ refers to Jack.

Bone and Skeleton Facts

Where is the most prominent bone in the body?

The femur, or the thigh-bone, is the longest and largest bone in the human body. It is usually around 19.9 inches long.

Where is it in the body?

It can be found in the leg, measuring from the hip down to the knee area.

The second-biggest bone is a bit further below that. The subsequent most prominent bone is the tibia or the shin-bone. This is typically about 16.9 inches long. Then there’s the fibula, which is about an inch shorter at 15.9 inches. The fibula is found in the lower leg.

The most significant bone in the arm is the humerus or the upper arm bone. This bone is generally about 14.4 inches long.

Kids vs. adults

Babies have more bones than adults, though they are, of course, much, much smaller. Babies have around 300 bones, but adults have about 206. Some of these baby bones are made of a firm tissue called cartilage, which is softer than bone. As kids grow, some of this cartilage hardens and turns to bone. Some of this bone then fuses to form larger bones.

Children’s bones continue to grow as they get older. They are also more flexible. Their bones won’t stop growing until their late teens or early twenties. Adult bones are more brittle and are more likely to break, whereas children’s bones can sometimes bend. Children heal faster than adults, and their bones can be reshaped.

Children have these things called ‘growth plates’ at the end of long bones in their arms and legs. If they stay open, then you can still grow.

Bones gain in density until adults turn 30 years old. After this, the thickness can decline if you don’t get enough vitamins (A, K, and D) and calcium. Exercise can also help with bone density.

How can I protect my bones?

• Wear a helmet when riding a bike or playing sports where you can hit your head. If you’re riding a scooter, roller skates, or even skateboarding, it’s essential to wear a helmet and consider wearing elbow and knee pads too. Wearing them absorbs some of the shocks when you fall and can mean you hurt yourself less.
• Staying active can strengthen your bones too. Walking, running, dancing… whatever ways of moving you enjoy the most!
• Many dairy products, like milk and cheese, are chock-full of calcium. You can also take multivitamins with calcium and other vitamins to help your bones grow and stay strong. Soy milk, almonds, and many leafy green veggies like kale and broccoli also have calcium.

What are bones made up of, and how do broken bones heal?

Adult bones are made up of four things:

• The top layer is called the periosteum. This is a membranous tissue that covers your bones’ surface. It’s essential for repairing and growing bones.
• Then there’s compact (or complex) bone. This layer is heavy and very dense. It gives the bone strength. This is the part you see when you look at a skeleton.
• There’s also cancellous (or spongy) bone. There are lots of layers of this spongy bone. The spaces in the cancellous bone are full of blood vessels and bone marrow. Red blood cells, some white blood cells, and platelets are made. Bone marrow is thick and jelly-like, and its job is to make blood cells.

Bones are made out of a protein called collagen. A mineral called calcium phosphate makes the framework of the bones hard and strong. Bones store calcium and release some into your blood if other body parts need it.

If you break a bone, blood vessels form in the area as quickly as possible to help the healing process to start. Within three weeks, collagen forms to hold the broken bits of bone in place. The damaged surfaces bind together to create new bone. Sometimes this new bone can be even more potent than the original bone!

Collagen is constantly replenishing itself. This means that you have a completely new skeleton roughly every seven years!

Where are the most bones in the body?

There are 54 bones in an adult hand! In addition, in your fingers, wrists, and hand, many smaller bones move together to make it possible for you to write, play instruments, and even use controllers to play video games!Top of Form

Are teeth bones?

While teeth contain calcium and minerals like bones, they don’t have collagen. This means that they do not count as bones. They are, however, still a part of your skeleton.

Is the funny bone natural?

You don’t have a bone called the funny bone, no. Instead, it’s something called the ulnar nerve inside your elbow. If you hit it, it makes you feel a strange tingly, prickly pain.

Other minor parts of the body

We now know the answer to the question ‘Where is the smallest bone in the body?’ but what about other most minor body parts?

The little organ in the human body is the pineal gland. It can be found near the middle of your brain. It’s the human body’s most minor endocrine gland. The pineal gland’s job is to produce melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that affects how we sleep. It also reacts to seasonal changes too. It’s called the pineal gland because it’s shaped like a little pinecone.

The smallest blood vessels in the body are capillaries. They also have the thinnest walls. Capillaries connect veins and arteries. They can be as small as 5-10 micrometers wide. Each adult human being contains about 10 billion capillaries. If these were laid next to each other in a line, they would stretch to about 25,000 miles!

The tiniest muscle in the human body is the stapedius. This muscle is connected to the stapes bone and contracts to pull back the stapes and protect your inner ear from thunderous noises. The stapedius is only about 1 millimeter in size. This muscle also stops your voice from sounding too loud in your head.

What is a Newspaper?

A newspaper is printed on paper and disseminated, typically once daily or weekly. It gives information and opinions written by journalists about current events and news. Newspapers usually report on various topics, including current events, politics, celebrity news, crimes, sports, and popular opinions.

What is a Newspaper Report?

A newspaper report is a news story that’s found in a newspaper. Its purpose is to inform the readers about what’s happening worldwide. A single newspaper report will usually focus on a specific event that has just happened.

Most newspaper reports aim to be objective and present the information without bias. This means they shouldn’t take sides and should give the information to the reader, leaving them to decide their own opinion about it. However, this is not always the case.

Newspaper reports also follow a specific structure and have key features. For example, they will always have a headline, a short introduction, and the article’s main body. They sometimes use images and visuals too.

Types of Newspaper Reports

Now that we know the answer to ‘what is a newspaper report?’, we can look at different types of newspaper reports.

There are several types of newspapers, which are divided between the newspaper articles they publish.

Editorial columns and opinion articles

These are pieces by opinionated writers, often celebrities and experts in other specialist fields, and they are often written to inform and entertain. Columnists develop a style of their own through vocabulary choices and rhetorical devices.

Tabloid newspaper articles

Tabloids tend to have shorter sentences and paragraphs and use more basic vocabulary. This style’s reports are sensationalized, use emotive language, and may focus more on celebrities and gossip.

Five Fun Facts about Newspapers

1. Julius Caesar commissioned the very first record of a newspaper in 59BC. It was a daily list of announcements carved into metal or stone and publicly displayed.
2. Across the globe, more than 24 billion newspapers are published every year. That’s a lot of ink!
3. On July 1, 1822, the first Gujarati newspaper, the Bombay Samachar, was published in Bombay. This is now the longest-running and oldest print newspaper today!
4. Newspapers often include puzzles and games. The first crossword in a British newspaper was published in the Sunday Express on November 2, 1924.
5. Newspapers are a trendy read! Nearly 105 million people read the newspaper in print or online daily in the UK alone, and more than 110 million adults read the Sunday newspaper.

Top Tips for Newspaper Articles

1. Write an eye-catching headline.

Make your headline short and snappy with a critical observation about the news story. Make sure this title matches the article’s tone and is informative to the topic you’re writing about. Lots of newspaper headlines use puns to make them more memorable, too.

2. Be direct.

Newspaper articles are an example of non-fiction writing, as they report actual events that have happened recently or in the past. You must keep your writing direct and concise, including factually correct information. Lots of people skim-read newspapers to find out the events that happened, so it’s essential to keep your writing direct and easy to read at a glance.

3. Write in the third person.

Writing in the third person is from the third-person point of view, or outsider looking in and using pronouns like he, she, it, or they. Writing in the third person also helps to make the newspaper report more objective and less personal. For example, if you use the first person, you naturally use the pronouns ‘I,’ ‘me,’ or ‘my.’ This invites the writer to share their opinion, which newspaper reports shouldn’t do.

4. Use reported speech.

Many journalists (writers of newspaper reports) will gather quotes from the people involved in the event they’re writing about. This helps to make their newspaper report appear more credible to the reader and often provides new insight. If you use quotes to make your report more interesting, don’t forget to use reported speech by using speech marks!

5. Think about the 5 W’s when writing.

The 5 W’s are who, what, why, where, and when. Who is involved in the story? What happened? Why did it happen? Where did it happen? When did it happen? These five questions will help you plan and structure your newspaper article and ensure that you tell the whole story.

What is an autobiography?

An autobiography is a non-fiction literary format that is a self-written account of a person’s life. After all, the word ‘autobiography’ means self (auto), life (bio), and writing (graph). Some significant figures and celebrities have written autobiographies that we can see on the shelves of bookshops. However, anyone can write their life story as an autobiography.

Well-known or well-renowned people most commonly write this writing style. Autobiographies are registered as an opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences.

What is a biography?

A biography is a similar form of writing, as it also tells the story of an individual’s life. Again, a memoir is commonly written as a non-fiction recount of a famous person’s life. They include factual details as well as personal stories. Biography texts can also focus on an event in history.

What are the similarities between biography and autobiography?

Read the similarities between a biography and an autobiography below.

• Non-fiction: Both biographies and autobiographies are non-fiction texts. The definition of non-fiction is any writing created to relay the truth or information of actual events to the audience – it’s the opposite of fiction. It’s often misidentified as the statement of facts, but non-fiction can still form a narrative.
• Timeline: Both forms of writing are most commonly written in chronological order. This means that they write events from birth to death or the present day.
• Purpose: Although different people write biographies and autobiographies, they are written for the same purpose. These narratives aim to inform the reader about the facts, events, and experiences from someone’s life.
• Focus/ subject: Both are also commonly written for this purpose about a significant or notable person. For example, many actors, scientists, politicians, celebrities, and historical figures have biographies and autobiographies.

What is the difference between biography and autobiography writing?

Although both forms of writing are non-fiction recounts of an individual’s life, there are several differences between these two forms of writing. These include:

• Authors: The most significant difference between biography and autobiography writing is the author. Autobiographies are written by the individual that is featured in the text. On the other hand, biographies can be written about anyone and by anyone. This could suggest that biographies present less accurate representations of a person’s personal experiences.
• Permissions: Anyone can write an autobiography about themselves. However, things become trickier when a writer writes a biography about another person. Biographies can be registered with or without permission, and autobiographies require zero approval! That said, those created with permission may be more accurate or factual.
• Narrative voice: Another difference between biography and autobiography texts is the narrative voice. Autobiography texts are written in first-person narratives (using I and me). Meanwhile, biographies are written in third-person narratives. This third-person narrative is much less personal.

What is Autumn?

Autumn is the third of four seasons on Earth, defined as the transition from summer to winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, Autumn occurs between September and November, while in the Southern Hemisphere, Autumn takes place between March and June. During this time, temperatures will start to drop, daylight times will become shorter to prepare for the Winter Solstice, and trees will begin to shed their leaves.

What happens in the Autumn Months?

The autumn months in the Northern Hemisphere are typically September, October, and November. In the Southern Hemisphere, autumn occurs in March, April, and June. If you live near the equator, you won’t experience much autumn. This is because of the Earth’s position relative to the sun.

In the Northern Hemisphere, autumn is the period between the autumnal equinox (September 22-23) and the winter solstice (December 21-22). The autumnal equinox is one of two points in the year when the night and day are the same lengths (the other is the vernal equinox, which happens in spring). After this point, the days get shorter until the Winter Solstice, the year’s shortest day.

Traditionally in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn months are the time of the Harvest season (otherwise known as Harvest Festival), meaning crops are ready to be harvested with the end of the warmer weather. This includes apples, tomatoes, carrots, beetroot, and pumpkins. Historically, Autumn was a crucial point of the year, as the volume and quality of crops produced would feed whole communities.

The autumn months have always been seen as a transition period and have been celebrated with rituals and festivals since ancient times. The Celtic festival of Samhain, initially celebrated in recognition of the shortening days and coming of the colder months, was honored at the halfway point between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice. In the 9th century, the Catholic Church moved the festival of All Saints’ Day to the same time, November 1st. Over time, these two celebrations combined into the most well-known and popular modern autumn tradition: Halloween!

Today, we recognize Autumn through its essential qualities, such as the change in weather, the browning of leaves on trees, and seasonal celebrations such as Halloween and American Thanksgiving.

Autumn Trees

Some types of trees lose their leaves in autumn. Usually, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about autumn is the red-brown leaves falling from the trees and piling up on the pavements.

Trees lose their leaves in autumn because the amount of natural light they can get from the sun is reduced, and this causes the leaves on the trees to lose chlorophyll, a pigment present in all plants that is crucial for photosynthesis.

This causes the leaves on the trees to turn orange, yellow, or brown, resulting in a vibrant color change from the green leaves seen in the spring and summer. Leaves will also begin to fall from trees as they eventually die, and the tree will become dormant for the winter and wait for the increased heat and light of spring before the leaves begin to grow again.

What kind of trees loses their leaves in Autumn?

There are specific types of trees that lose their leaves in autumn, called deciduous trees. Most of the world’s deciduous trees will lose their leaves in autumn and grow them again in spring to reduce the energy they use in the winter when there isn’t much heat or light.

Examples of deciduous trees include oak, beech, and maple trees. Some trees do not lose their leaves during the autumn or winter. These are called coniferous trees. Examples of coniferous trees include pine, cedar, and spruce trees.

Which trees lose their leaves first in Autumn?

Many species of autumn trees lose their leaves at various points throughout the season, and some wait until winter to lose their leaves. Ash trees usually lose their leaves first, sycamore trees don’t drop their leaves until winter, and some oak trees will not drop their leaves until late winter when spring is not far off.

What are the critical features of Autumn?

1. Reduced natural daylight time means that the days are shorter than the nights. In other words, we will experience more hours of darkness than we will daylight. This happens as a result of the approach of the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of natural daylight in the year.
2. Leaves on the trees will turn yellow, orange, red, and brown during autumn. As Winter approaches, you’ll notice that the leaves on trees begin to fall.
3. Autumn is the season of crops and harvest. For farmers, this is one of the most critical times of the year.
4. Throughout this unique season, Autumn hosts significant celebrations. This includes Halloween, All Hallows’ Day, Bonfire Night (for the UK), Thanksgiving (for America), Michaelmas (usually celebrated in Ireland), and more.
5. In Autumn, we will also see the migration of birds. This means that birds who wouldn’t survive living in cooler climates migrate to a warmer location for the Winter months. Birds usually choose Autumn to migrate, so you can expect large bird flocks, such as ducks or geese, flying in the sky.
6. Autumn is also crucial for some animals, as this is the beginning of the hibernation season. During this time, animals such as hedgehogs and squirrels will gather food and make nests to keep them safe and fed during the cooler climates.

How to describe the weather in autumn

• Autumn is the season after summer and before winter. We describe autumn as beginning with the autumn equinox. The autumn equinox is when the sun passes directly over the equator causing the lengths of day and night to be equal. After this happens, the days are shorter, and the nights are longer.
• Autumn is described as ending when the winter solstice takes place. This is the shortest day of the year, and the longest day of the year takes place in June. Solstice is also when the sun is at the highest point in the sky and is seen from the North or South Pole.
• Describing the weather in autumn: the weather in autumn gets colder and usually windy. The hours of daylight and the hours of the night are the same, and then gradually, the nights are longer and the days shorter. The weather is characterized as being disruptive and frequently changing. For example, it could be warm and sunny in some places, but there is also the possibility of rain and snow in others.
• We also describe the weather in autumn as having lower temperatures and shorter days as we head into winter. Another prominent feature that people often describe is the shedding of leaves from trees! Autumn is also associated with Halloween, on the 31st of October!

Words or phrases that you might think of to describe autumn or describe the weather in autumn:

• Acorns are usually seen during autumn because many animals, such as squirrels, will fatten themselves up by eating lots of acorns. Some animals will do this before they hibernate for the winter.
• Falling leaves – autumn is characterized by the changing colors of leaves and trees shedding their leaves.
• Bale of hay or haystack – you may have heard of haystack rides at a harvest festival.
• Harvest – this is the time of year when food is harvested, and there may be harvest festivals.
• Chilly – it starts to get colder during autumn.
• Corn – corn, and wheat, among other crops, are harvested this time of year
• Pine cones – like acorns, pine cones are often seen this time of year
• Pumpkins – as autumn includes Halloween, pumpkins are often seen
• Halloween – Halloween is on the 31st of October and takes place during autumn.
• Scarecrows – scarecrows are another object often associated with autumn.

Fun Facts about Autumn

• It’s believed that the word ‘Autumn’ comes from the Etruscan word ‘autu’, which means ‘a change in season’.
• In the Irish (Gaeilge) language, September is known as ‘Meán Fómhair’, which can be translated to mean ‘middle of Autumn’ in English.
• In China, the Autumn Equinox is a celebrated moon festival.
• During Autumn, trees produce fresh conkers, used for centuries for games and competitions.
• The Irish invented the tradition of carving pumpkins for Halloween but used potatoes or turnips instead. It wasn’t until the 19th Century, when mass numbers of Irish communities moved to America pumpkins were used instead.
• During Autumn, the weather is more likely to include wind and rain as the temperature decreases.
• Red and purple leaves are actually caused by the presence of sugar being trapped inside the leaves, resulting in a vibrant color being produced.
• Those who live close to the equator will never experience Autumn, as the sunlight in these areas remains consistent.

What is a prefix?

A prefix is a small group or string of letters that can be attached to the start of a root word (or stem word). Prefixes are often thought of in conjunction with suffixes, which are small groups of letters that can be attached to the end of root words. For instance, the suffix ‘-able’ can be found in words like ‘comfortable’, ‘believable’, and ‘forgettable’.

What is the dis prefix?

While every prefix usually has its own impact on a root word, the dis prefix usually adds it turns the root word into the negative. For example, adding the dis prefix adds ‘not’ or ‘incorrectly’ to the root word. So, where does the dis prefix come from? The prefix ‘dis-‘comes from Latin, where it has the literal meaning ‘apart’ and is now commonly used to mean ‘opposite of’, ‘not’, ‘remove’ and ‘reverse’.

When applied to various parts of speech, meaning ‘ill’, ‘mistaken’, ‘wrong,’ ‘wrongly,’ ‘incorrectly,’ or simply negating. For example, mistrial, misprint, and mistrust.

Examples of the dis prefix in a sentence

Here are some examples of how you can include the dis prefix.

1. Appear vs Disappear

The sun appears over the sea in the morning and disappears behind the mountains in the evening.

2. Obey vs Disobey

The children disobey their teacher; they never do what he says. It’s only when they get older that they learn to obey.

3. Advantage vs Disadvantage

Not being able to speak English can be a disadvantage. To get a good job, English is an advantage.

4. Connected vs Disconnected

Sarah’s computer was connected to the internet, but then the signal was down, and she got disconnected.

Try out the dis prefix for yourself – Fill in the prefix gap!

Now that we know a little more about the dis prefix, try asking your students to fill in the gaps in these sentences with a dis prefix word.

• Where did Sam ___ to? He was here a moment ago!
• It’s usual for a kitten to ___ its owner. Be patient
• Don’t___ your students; it will demotivate them.
• Stealing is ___. Now be honest with me, did you take the CD?
• The children ___ their teacher; they never do what he says. It’s only when they get older that they learn to obey.

What words have the dis prefix??

So, now we have seen some examples of sentences with the dis prefix; what words have the dis prefix? Use these words and see what sentences your students can write for themselves

• Dislike – ‘Matt disliked strawberry ice cream; he preferred chocolate.’
• Disappear – ‘Click the box again, and it will disappear.’
• Disagree – ‘They often disagree on what to do that day.’

A kind of relative clause, a non-defining relative clause, tells us about the subject of a sentence, but the knowledge doesn’t help to define what we’re talking about.

The information included in the clause is extra: it’s not essential for understanding the sentence. For this reason, a non-defining relative clause might also be called a non-essential relative clause.

Take a look at this example:

• The garden, which was full of blossoming flowers, overlooked the hill.

In this sentence, the clause ‘which was full of blossoming flowers’ is a non-defining relative clause. It’s not essential for understanding the rest of the sentence, but it helps to paint a clearer picture. It doesn’t define the garden either – it just gives us something extra. If we removed the non-defining relative clause from the sentence, like so:

• The garden overlooked the hill.

It still makes complete grammatical sense.

How do you write a Non-Defining Relative Clause?

Non-defining relative clauses contain a few main things: a relative pronoun, a verb, and other optional elements, such as the verb’s subject. It would help if you used commas, hyphens, or brackets to split the non-defining relative clause from the rest of the sentence.

The clause most commonly appears in the middle or end of a sentence.

Which relative pronouns can you use in a Non-Defining Relative Clause?

It would be best if you used the following pronouns: who, whose, whom, which, and where.

How is a Non-Defining Clause different from a Defining Relative Clause?

As we’ve already established, the information in a non-defining relative clause is non-essential. So, that means the information in a defining relative clause is essential. Here are some other key differences between the two:

• In a defining relative clause, the relative pronouns who, whom, and which are often replaced with ‘that’ in spoken English. You can’t do this with a non-defining relative clause.
• In a non-defining relative clause, the pronoun must always be included. However, it can sometimes be removed from a defining relative clause.
• Defining relative clauses use no punctuation, whereas non-defining ones need to be separated from the other clause(s) using commas, hyphens, or brackets.

Here is an example to compare.

Non-defining	Defining	Explanation
She gave me a cupcake, which was red velvet flavored.	She gave me a cupcake that was red velvet flavored.	The first example gives extra information about a single cupcake. The relative pronoun ‘which’ is used, as well as a comma. The second example specifies which cupcake was given – implying that there are multiple cupcakes. The relative pronoun ‘that’ is used, and there’s no punctuation with the relative clause.

Non-Defining Clause Introductory Expressions

Sometimes, a non-defining relative clause can be introduced by an expression followed by a relative pronoun (whom or which). These are some of the phrases that you can use:

• all of;
• any of;
• some of;
• a few of them;
• much of;
• each of;
• both of;
• either of;
• half of;
• many of;
• much of;
• one of;
• two of;
• none of.

Here’s how you can use them in a sentence:

• I collect stamps, many of which are vintage.
• I have lots of cousins, some of whom live abroad.

As we all know, dance is a performing art form consisting of movement sequences.

These sequences can be pre-planned or improvised.

The importance of dance is that it can have both aesthetic and symbolic merit to the audience.

How to teach a dance routine

Here are some tactics to help you teach a dance routine to children as successfully as possible:

• Make sure everyone has warmed-up before you start teaching the dance routine to avoid any injuries.
• Break the routine into practicable chunks so the children can take one part at a time.
• Ensure all the kids understand that learning a dance routine takes practice and will require lots of repetition.
• Using visual cues, videos of the choreography, or someone dancing with the children will help them understand how you hope their dance looks.
• Make it exciting! Use a theme for the dance or link the choreography to a well-know story to help engage the children and keep their interest through the more difficult parts.
• Encourage them to assess both themselves and each other. If they can suggest where others can improve, they will begin to understand the choreography better themselves.

The history of dance

Continue to read this teaching wiki to discover a brief dance history you can tell your children to get them excited for their dance lessons!

It’s believed that the oldest proof of the existence of dance is from paintings found in caves in India, created 9000 years ago. These paintings depict communal drinking, religious rites, hunting, childbirth, burials, and dancing.

By looking at the tomb paintings that survived Egyptian times, it was believed that priests used musical instruments and dancers to show important events, stories of gods, and cosmic patterns of moving stars and the sun.

In Ancient Greece, the public often enjoyed dance, most notably just before the Olympic Games, as early as the 8th century B.C!

The dance developed further over the following centuries, becoming an activity for everyone, not just to signal a ritual or event. A painting discovered in 1400 B.C.showed people dancing to entertain each other, supported by musicians.

This kind of entertainment continued to be refined, and at the beginning of the Renaissance, ballet became a popular form of dance for the wealthy to enjoy. During this time, new music forms were created, changing fashion and dance styles. The tendency to jump and skip in dance became popular after the French Revolution when the famous waltz was created.

The waltz inspired the creation of many complicated two-person ‘ballroom dances’ that children will recognize today. These paved the way for more modern dances in the 20th century, such as the foxtrot, tango, and swing.

Types of dance genres

As you’ve read, dance has changed a lot since the time we understand it to have been created (9000 years ago!) As a result, there are many different types of dance genres in today’s society, with more being developed all the time. However, new dance styles always draw upon features of dance genres that have come before – whether they use a particular kind of music or beat, have strict choreography, or are open to interpretation.

Here are some of the most popular types of dance genres that children will see performed today:

• Ballet – Ballet was developed during the Italian Renaissance and is a choreographed dance set to classical music. Ask your class if they’ve heard of Swan Lake!
• Contemporary – Contemporary dance was created in the mid-twentieth century. It draws on classical, modern, and jazz dance styles and is the most popular form of dance studied today.
• Tap Dance – Tap dancing is often performed as part of musical theatre and focuses on timing, with dancers often performing in unison.
• Ballroom – Ballroom dance is a partner dance like the waltz, tango, and foxtrot. It is a popular form of competitive dance, with competitions held worldwide.
• Hip Hop – Hip Hop or Street dance dates back to the late 1970s and draws upon the fashion and music of America at the time. Street dance can be competitive, with groups challenging each other to a dance battle.
• Jazz – Jazz dancing is known for its spontaneous and dramatic body movements. The Lindy Hop and the Charleston dance are popular types of jazz dance.
• Folk Dance – Folk dancing is used worldwide to convey emotion and traditional stories or legends.
• Irish Dance – Irish dancing requires precision and excellent timing as all dancers perform intricate footwork together – often in a line.

What is creative dance?

Creative Dance is a contemporary form of dance that combines movement and artistic expression without needing specific training. Typically, creative dance focuses on developing motor skills and emotional expression, as opposed to the aesthetics-based focus of dance in more traditional structured settings.

This is why creative dance is explored with children when they are young – it allows people of all abilities to participate and succeed.

Creative dance combines all different dance styles, and children can create their dance personalities and choreography.

Why is creative dance important?

Creative dance is essential for children to learn because it has positively affected social and cognitive functioning. This helps improve children’s confidence and academic performance.

Another benefit of creative dance for children is that it helps them become more spacially aware. They’ll improve their gross motor skills and find they can move with control and balance more quickly.

Children will find that they can express themselves through creative dance, which will be particularly beneficial to those who struggle to communicate clearly or confidently.

What elements are covered in creative dance?

Within creative dance, performers will consider the following:

• Space
• Time
• Force
• Body

They can then develop these elements into different speeds, shapes, rhythms, and directions.

At school, while your children may learn about the different types of dance, their PE lessons may focus more on designing their movements and controlling their bodies. Rather than learning specific ballroom or contemporary dances – they may begin to understand how emotion is portrayed through dance and learn to perform a routine they have created with their peers. In addition, children interested in specific types of dance genres often have lessons outside school time.

Celebrate all the different types of dance genres with one of our fantastic teacher-created display packs. They contain everything you need to create an eye-catching display and draw your class’s attention to the critical vocabulary and forms of movement they will be learning throughout their lessons.