Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Composite Number Definition

Composite numbers are whole numbers that have more than two factors. In other words, a composite number is divisible by the number itself, the number 1, and at least one different number.

The first few composite numbers are 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10.

• For example, the factors of number 4 include 1, 2, and 4. As 4 can be divided by all three of those numbers, it is a composite number.
• 6 has four factors: 1, 2, 3, and 6. (1×6 = 6, 2×3 = 6).
• Factors of 8 are 1, 2, 4, and 8. (1×8 = 8, 2×4 = 8).
• Factors of 9 are 1, 3, and 9. (1×9 = 9 and 3×3 = 9)

What are all the composite numbers up to 100?

Here is a grid with the numbers from 1-100. Highlighted in yellow are all the composite numbers to help children remember them easily. You could print this out and stick it in children’s books or present this page to your child to act as a great visual aid:

Did you know?

• 1 isn’t a composite, but it’s also not a prime number either!
• All even numbers are composite; despite 2, that’s an exception.
• The smallest composite is the number 4!

How do you explain composite numbers to children?

Begin by taking it a step at a time. Usually, children will be introduced to composite numbers at around 7 or 8 years of age during their maths lessons. At this stage, they will just be getting to grips with a simple composite number definition.

You could begin by using visual aids like this table shown above, or provide children with a basic multiplication table like this 100 Number Square, and ask children to highlight all the numbers they think are composite.

Explain that every number higher than one is either a composite or a prime number.

Prime & Composite Numbers

Prime and composite numbers are often grouped in discussions because of their similarities. Here are some quick definitions to get us started:

Prime number definition: A prime number is a whole number with exactly two integral divisors. These are 1 and the number itself.

Many people think 1 is a prime number, but it is not. 1 cannot be a prime number because it only has one divisor.

Composite number definition: A composite number is a whole number with more than 2 integral divisors. Except for 0 and 1, all whole numbers are prime or composite numbers.

Let’s have a look at some examples to put this into practice:

Example 1:

5 is a prime number because its only divisors are 1 and 5.

6 is a composite number because it has multiple divisors. Its divisors are 1, 2, 3, and 6.

How to Tell If a Number is Prime

To tell if a number is prime, you must be able to know if it is not prime. Here are some ways that you can tell if a number is not a prime number:

• As a standard rule, any number more than 2, which is a multiple of 2, is not a prime number. It is because it has at least 3 divisors: 1, 2, and itself. So, because of this rule, we know that 2 is the only even prime number.
• If the number is greater than 3 and is a multiple of 3, it is not a prime number. It is because it has at least three divisors, 1, 3, and itself.
• Any number that is a multiple of 4 is a multiple of 2, so it can be ruled out as not being a prime number.
• Any number greater than 5 and a multiple of 5 is not a prime number. Therefore, the only prime number ending with a 0 or 5 is 5.
• If a number is a multiple of 6, it is also automatically a multiple of both 2 and 3, so it can be immediately ruled out as not a prime number.

To tell if a number is prime, you must look at its divisibility.

Composite or Prime

Let’s have a look at some examples to put our prime and composite number knowledge into practice:

Example 1: Is 17 a prime or composite number?

• The first step is to look at whether it is divisible by 2. Then, without even doing a sum, we know that it is not because 17 is an odd number.
• So, the next step is to see if 17 is divisible by 3. Again, a simple sum will show us that it is not.
• Moreover, because 17 does not end in either 0 or 5, we know that it is not divisible by 5.
• Now we have to see if 17 is divisible by 7. Again, a simple sum will tell us that 17 is not divisible by 7.
• It seems like 17 can’t be divided by numbers except 1 and itself.
• It means that 17 is a prime number.

Example 2: Is 237 a prime or composite number?

• The first step is to check whether 237 is divisible by 2. Without even doing a sum, we can tell that 237 is not divisible by 2 because it is an odd number.
• Next, we must test and see if 237 is divisible by 3. A simple sum will tell us that 237 divided by 3 gives 79.
• It means that 237 is not a prime number because it has multiple divisors.

As it is not a prime number, 237 is a composite number.

Example 3: Is 299 a prime or composite number?

• First, we must check whether or not 299 is divisible by 2. As we have seen before, because 299 is an odd number, we know that it is not divisible by 2.
• So, the next step is to see if 299 is divisible by 3. A simple sum will tell us that 299 is not divisible by 3.
• The following stage requires us to check if 299 is divisible by 5. Because it does not end in a 5 or a 0, we know that 299 is not divisible by 5.
• Now, we have to see if 299 is divisible by 7. A simple sum will tell us that 299 is not divisible by 7.
• It is a trickier example, as 299 is a large number, but you must continue checking whether 299 can be divided by another more significant number. Great opportunity to practice your division skills!
• If you continue to divide 299 by other numbers, you will find that it can be divided by 13 and 23.

It means that 299 is a composite number.Top of Form

What is a chloroplast?

A chloroplast is a tiny structure that is found in plant cells. Some types of algae, which are protists, also have chloroplasts. However, animal cells do not have chloroplasts.

Chloroplasts are so small that they are called organelles. It means they are smaller than a cell – so tiny that they can only be seen through a microscope.

 

Chloroplasts are mostly oval-shaped blobs but can also come in shapes like stars and ribbons. A chloroplast is protected by a smooth outer membrane that holds its material. In addition, they contain chlorophyll, which is the pigment that gives plants their green color.

Chloroplasts are essential to plant growth because they turn sunlight into energy for the plant. It is a process called photosynthesis.

Chloroplasts are multi-talented. They also store energy for the plant cell and fight off diseases. They are an essential part of the cell’s immune system, which helps it to stay healthy. But, just like humans, plants can also catch diseases. So the chloroplasts need to protect the plant from any nasty illnesses it might get.

Parts of a chloroplast

The chloroplast is a very clever part of the plant cell. It is made up of even tinier parts, all with different roles to play. Here are the parts of a chloroplast, explained to kids:

• Outer membrane– this is the skin around the chloroplast that helps protect it. The outer membrane is permeable, which means that small molecules can pass through it from the plant cell into the chloroplast. To understand permeability, imagine a sieve. You wouldn’t be able to get a tennis ball through a sieve! The holes are too small. But if you poured a cup of sand into a sieve, it would be able to pass through the holes. That is how tiny, microscopic molecules can enter the chloroplast through the outer membrane.
• Inner membrane– this adds another layer of protection to the chloroplast.
• Stroma– this is the fluid that all of the parts of a chloroplast float inside.
• Thylakoids– these are tiny disk-shaped sacks that contain chlorophyll.
• Lamella– these are bridge-like spacers within the chloroplast that help keep the thylakoids spaced out. Think of them as the social distance enforcers of the chloroplast. Staying spread out helps the chlorophyll inside the thylakoids to absorb as much light energy as possible.

Other parts of plant cells

Plant cells contain a lot of different parts that work together. It includes chloroplasts, cytoplasm, and a nucleus. The cytoplasm is the liquid that fills up the inside of a cell. The nucleus is in charge of what the plant cell does. The nucleus works a little bit like the brain of an animal because it tells everything else in the cell what to do.

What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to turn sunlight into food. Chloroplasts are essential for the operation of photosynthesis. The chlorophyll inside the chloroplast captures energy from the sunlight and stores it. Then it is combined with carbon dioxide and water to make sugar that the plant can use for energy. After photosynthesis, the plant gives off oxygen to the surrounding air.

Why is photosynthesis important?

Photosynthesis is essential because plants are the basis of all life on Earth. The oxygen plants produce during photosynthesis is the same oxygen in the air that keeps us alive.

Green plants and trees use photosynthesis to make their food from sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. Not only does photosynthesis create oxygen, but it also creates food for animals and humans who eat plants, vegetables, fruits, and more. The whole world depends on photosynthesis so that it can exist and thrive.

Facts about the chloroplast for kids

We’ve covered a lot of information, so it’s time for some facts about chloroplast for kids!

• The “chloro” part of the words chloroplast and chlorophyll comes from the Greek word “chloros.” “Chloros” means green in Greek.
• Scientists estimate that there could be around half a million chloroplasts in one single square millimeter of a leaf. That means billions of chloroplasts in a whole plant.
• Chloroplasts can move within the plant cell to find the best place to absorb sunlight. That’s like humans going to the beach to enjoy the sunshine.
• Chloroplasts are sometimes called the “kitchen of the cell.” It is because they create and store food for the plant.Top of Form

An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning of another word. For example, an antonym for ‘good’ is ‘bad,’ and an antonym for ‘hot’ is ‘cold.’ Antonyms are helpful in descriptive writing, as they allow us to express things in powerful, impactful ways.Top of Form

What is an antonym?

An antonym is a word that has the exact opposite meaning to another. Common antonyms are often adjectives and adverbs with a word they directly oppose.

There are lots of common antonyms that we use on a day-to-day basis. For instance, a couple of good antonym examples are ‘good,’ which is an antonym for ‘bad,’ and ‘long,’ which is an antonym for ‘short.’

What are some antonym examples?

To help us to understand antonyms a bit better, let’s explore a few more antonym examples. In this handy table, you’ll see some example words in the left-hand column and some of their common antonyms on the right:

Example word:	Antonym:
Hot	Cold
Dark	Light
Small	Big
Short	Tall
Good	Bad
Happy	Sad
Day	Night
Dry	Wet
Early	Late

What’s the difference between antonyms and synonyms?

Now that we’ve seen a few antonym examples and common antonyms let’s explore how they differ from synonyms.

You’re likely to have encountered the term ‘synonym’ before you heard of antonyms. A synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning to another word. The easiest way to remember the difference between synonyms and antonyms is to remember that antonyms are opposites, while synonyms are words that are alike. For example, the word ‘synonym’ is an antonym of the word ‘antonym’!

Why do we use antonyms?

Now that we’ve learned about antonyms and read an antonym example, you might wonder why we use them first. Antonyms are valuable words that we can use to produce more impactful writing.

Sometimes, we might know a specific word, but it’s the opposite of what we want to incorporate into our writing. It is where common antonyms can come in useful. Once we know several common antonyms which have an opposite meaning to a single word, we’ll have a more extensive range of vocabulary to use in our writing.

Antonyms are also fantastic for descriptive writing. They can be used to show the extremes of the thing they describe. For instance, if we were writing about a spooky mansion, we’d be less likely to use the word ‘inviting’ and more likely to use the antonym ‘forbidding.’ It means they can help us create writing that strongly impacts the person reading it.

For all of these great reasons and more, antonyms can also be very beneficial for your pupils. For example, introducing popular and common antonyms to children will make them more aware of their word choices when writing and will help them think about the words they’re producing.

It will also allow them to develop themes and motifs in their writing. For example, one prevalent theme in literature is that light and light colors represent good, while darkness represents evil.

Where do antonyms fit into the national curriculum?

Learning about antonyms is one of the statutory requirements for pupils in key stage 2. According to the national curriculum in England, pupils in year six will learn how words can be ‘related by meaning as synonyms and antonyms.

Pupils will become familiar with the term ‘antonym’ and encounter several common antonyms and antonym examples.

How can I introduce pupils to antonyms?

So, how can we introduce learners to antonyms? Well, as strange as it may sound, an excellent way to introduce antonyms might not be to teach them at all!

Children will already use antonyms but most likely understand them as ‘opposites.’ It provides a great starting point for their learning!

You might want to start with just a few words on your whiteboard and ask your learners to tell you the opposite of each. You could then introduce the term ‘antonym’ and use a range of fun games and activities to get pupils working together to expand their vocabularies and knowledge of common antonyms.

When would I need to write a formal letter?

It’s tempting to think that, in this technological age, there isn’t much call for letter-writing skills. However, being able to write, format, and send formal letters is still an essential skill. There are several situations when writing a long-form letter is the most appropriate method of communication. Children must learn the necessary skills early so that, when the moment comes, they can react and write effectively.

Though communicating via email, social media, or instant messaging is quick and convenient; it’s often a good idea to write a formal letter for official communication. It can make the recipient take you more seriously. It also shows you’ve put time and thought into communicating: that you genuinely care about the person you’re writing to and believe in what you’re saying.

Examples of formal letters:

• letters of complaint;
• travel reservations;
• job applications – you may need to enclose your curriculum vitae;
• inquiries about work experience.

You’ll need to write a formal letter if you’re writing to one of the following people:

• employers;
• landlords;
• government officials;
• banks;
• insurance companies;
• committees or boards at organizations.

What are the features of a formal letter?

Formal letters have a prescribed layout. It’s best if you adhere to the conventions of this layout; it’ll make it easier for the recipient to find information and, therefore, to reply. It’ll also show them that you understand formal letter-writing conventions and know when to use them appropriately.

How do I write dates and postal addresses when writing postal addresses?

When writing formal letters, you need to make sure you have your address and the address of the person you’re writing to in the right places. Your address should go in the top-right corner of the page. Leave a line, and then, underneath your address, write the date.

Once you’ve written the date, go over to the left side of the page. Write the recipient’s address on the line underneath the date, on the opposite side of the page.

You need to write the addresses and the dates in the right places on the page because, when writing formal letters, people often use envelopes with plastic windows. These windows need to show the address of the person you’re writing to, not your address. If the wrong address is visible, you’ll pay for your letter to be posted straight back to you.

How do you address people when beginning formal letters?

When writing everyday correspondence, particularly online, it’s common practice to start a message with ‘Hello,’ ‘Hi,’ or ‘Hey.’ However, in formal letter-writing, it’s better to be more traditional.

Most formal letters start with ‘Dear,’ followed by the recipient’s name. Sometimes, this might be their title, followed by their surname (e.g., Dear Miss Brown), but it could also be their full name (e.g., Dear Anne Brown).

Sometimes, when you begin a formal letter, you don’t know the name of the individual who will read it. On these occasions, you can write ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear Madam.’ The phrase ‘To whom it may concern can also be helpful if you don’t know anything about the person at all.

It’s also common practice to add a comma at the end of the person’s name. So you’d write ‘Dear Miss Brown’ at the beginning, then launch into the first sentence of your letter below.

The way you begin a letter affects the way you sign off. If you know the name of the person you’re writing to, you should end the letter by saying ‘Yours sincerely’ and then adding your name to the line below. If you don’t know the person’s name, you should say ‘Yours faithfully’ instead. A handy way to remember is that ‘Sir/Madam’ never goes with ‘sincerely’ – you should never have the two ‘s’ words – ‘sir’ and ‘sincerely’ – together. Instead, ‘Sir/Madam’ goes with ‘faithfully.’ The name of the recipient goes with ‘sincerely.’

How can I start writing the main body of a formal letter?

When writing anything, it can be tricky to get going. However, like most types of writing, it’s often best to get to the point. The first line of a formal letter should tell the recipient exactly why you are writing to them. For example, if you’re writing to someone because you’d like to apply for a job, let them know! A good starting sentence might be, ‘I would like to apply for the role of…’ If you’re writing a letter of complaint, you could start by saying, ‘I’d like to disclose my dissatisfaction with the level of service I received…’ Sentences like this make it clear what the purpose of the letter is and gives the reader a clue as to how they should respond.

What sort of tone or style should I use when writing my letter?

Your letters should be clear and to the point, but you don’t want them to be brusque or rude. It can sometimes help to imagine you’re talking to a real person, someone you admire but perhaps don’t know particularly well. How would you explain the contents of your letter to them?

When you write a formal letter, you often intend to further an argument, persuade someone to do something, or bring the reader to your point of view. As a result, formal letters can contain a great deal of information. If your argument is going to be compelling, you need to make sure the reader understands it. It’s also crucial that you clarify which point leads to which and that your writing flows. Connectives like ‘because,’ ‘also,’ and ‘therefore,’ can keep writing coherent and make it ‘flow.’ A good rule of thumb is to start a new paragraph when introducing a new topic or point of view.

What should I include in a formal letter?

When you write a formal letter, you often communicate with an individual or company for the first time. It might be that your letter is first read by a gatekeeper – a personal assistant or secretary – before it’s passed on to the intended recipient. Therefore, ensuring the letter contains every detail you think is initially relevant is a good idea. It might be down to a gatekeeper to decide what to do with your letter. They will need a complete overview of the situation to make the best decision.

For example, if you’re writing a letter of complaint, it’s a good idea to detail the situation with which you are dissatisfied. State exactly what happened and why you found it so upsetting. You might also like to suggest ways the individual or company could improve their service in the future and your contact details, should they want to get in touch.

If you’re applying for a job, your formal letter will probably be one of many read by the recipient. Therefore, you need to make your whole argument within the letter.

Features of an argument:

• a proposal sentence – ‘I think I would be an excellent candidate for this role.’
• several reasons – ‘I have a great deal of experience working in this sector.’
• examples/evidence – ‘I spent several years working at…. and as a result of my work on… was prompted to…’
• a compelling conclusion: ‘ Therefore, I think I would fit right into your company’s culture and would be an excellent employee.’

Example of a formal letter:

Are you now an expert on formal-letter writing? Then, look at the example below and see if you can spot some of the features listed above.

Homonym

Homonyms are two words that can have the exact spelling or pronunciation but very different meanings. Some good homonyms examples include ‘bear,’ which is both the name of an animal and a word meaning ‘tolerating something. Again, understanding context is the key to knowing which words are used.

To understand which word is said, you have to understand context clues rather than just relying on the pronunciation or spelling of the word itself. So, for example, if someone is talking about cricket or baseball and says ‘bat,’ they’re talking about the object, not the animal!

What’s the difference between homonyms, homographs, and homophones?

By now, we’ve answered the question, ‘what is a homonym?’. But before we go on to look at some homonym examples, we need to know that homonyms can be separated into two groups: homographs and homophones. So let’s examine the difference between these two similar-sounding terms, so we’re less likely to get them mixed up.

Homographs

While homonyms can have different spellings, homographs are words with the exact spelling but not the same pronunciation. The term ‘graph’ in homograph means written, which means these kinds of words are written similarly. For example, the homographs ‘bow’, ‘tear,’ ‘record,’ and ‘bark’ all have at least two different meanings. However, the words are all still spelled the same, regardless of the meaning and how you pronounce them.

Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same or share the name pronunciation, regardless of their spelling. For example, the word ‘phone’ in homophone means sound. Examples of homophones include the words ‘write’ and ‘right,’ ‘knight’ and ‘night,’ and ‘see’ and ‘sea.’

Even though they’re spelled differently, you tell them in the same way when you say them out loud. Children often mix up homophones because they usually use sounds to determine the spelling of words, but that’s not possible with these words. So when writing down, it would help if you used the context surrounding the word to determine its correct spelling.

Both a homograph and a homophone

There are also homonyms, which are both homographs and homophones. These words are both spelled the same and have the same pronunciation. The only difference between these words is their meaning, and the only way we can understand which one is meant is by reading the rest of the text or listening more to gain some context clues.

What are some homonyms examples?

The English language contains several homonyms. Here’s a helpful list containing some of the most common homonym words. You’ll also be able to see whether these homonym examples are homographs, homophones, or both!

Homonyms examples

Homonym	Homograph or Homophone	Meanings
current	both	A flow of water / Up to date
kind	both	A type of something / Caring
ring	both	To call someone on the phone / A band on a finger
right	both	Correct / Opposite of left
rose	both	To have got up / A type of flower
spring	both	A season / Coiled metal
bright	both	Smart or intelligent / Filled with light
match	both	A game of sports / Small wooden stick used for lighting fires
well	both	It went positively / A structure made to access water underground
fly	both	An insect / To hover and move above the ground
pray/prey	homophone	To worship / An animal hunted by a predator
hi/high	homophone	A greeting / At a great height
idle/idol	homophone	Lazy / Someone you admire
know/no	homophone	To have knowledge / Opposite of yes
lessen/lesson	homophone	To reduce / A period of learning
waste/waist	homophone	Use excessively / Part of the human body
stare/stair	homophone	To look at something / Structure designed to go up a level
meet/meat	homophone	Greet someone for the first time / Flesh from an animal
weak/week	homophone	Not strong / The duration of Monday – Sunday
pair/pear	homophone	Two of something / A type of fruit
bow	homograph	A polite gesture of bending the waist (b-ow) / A hair accessory (boh)
close	homograph	To make shut (klohz) / To be nearby (klohs)
wind	homograph	Movement of air (wind) / To wrap around something (wine d)
wound	homograph	An injury (woo und) / Past tense of ‘wind’ (wownd)
bass	homograph	A species of fish (bas) / A type of guitar (base)
dove	homograph	A white bird (duv) / Past tense of ‘dive’ (dohve)
record	homograph	A piece of evidence about the past (rec ord) / To film something with a camera (re cord)
tear	homograph	A rip in something (tare) / Droplets that fall when you cry (teer)
does	homograph	Female deer (dohs) / To do something (duhz)
sow	homograph	Female pig (sow) / To plant a seed (sohw)

List of words that sound the same

Now that we’ve seen a few homonyms examples, here are just a couple of other words in English that sound the same:

• bare and bear

Bare (adjective): If something is described as bare, it is essential or uncovered.

Bear (noun): A large mammal.

• cell and sell

Cell (noun): A cell is a small room usually found in prison. Another meaning of cell is the smallest unit that can live on its own and that makes up all living organisms and the body’s tissues.

To sell (verb): ‘To sell’ is a verb meaning to exchange either a product or service for money.

• dew, do, and due

Dew (noun): The tiny water droplets that gather on plants and other objects outside at night.

To do (verb): To do is a verb to indicate an action.

Due (adjective): This word is often used when discussing deadlines or when something is scheduled to happen.

Homophone

Homophones are two or more words that share the same pronunciation but have different spellings or meanings. For example, the words ‘hear’ and ‘here’ are homophones because they mean entirely other things, even though they sound similar. In some cases, homophones have the exact spelling.

Homophone Definition: What is a Homophone?

Before we start, we must define what we mean by ‘homophone.’ Unfortunately, this word sometimes gets confused with similar-sounding terminology, so let’s begin by looking at a simple homophone definition.

A homophone is a word that is pronounced like another but has a different meaning and, in some cases, a different spelling. For example, the word ‘bear’ can mean the animal, but it can also mean ‘tolerating something. Homophones can also differ quite a bit in spelling, such as carat and carrot, or there, their, and they’re. However, when homophones share the exact spelling, we call them homonyms.

As you’re using the term homonyms, be careful, as they can easily be confused for other word classes. For example, if words are spelled the same but sound different, these are homographs instead.

What are some homophone examples?

Now that we have a homophone definition to help us let’s look at a few examples.

In the English language, there are lots of words with two homophones and almost 90 words that have three homophones. Some words have more – one word has seven! That would be rays, raise, rase, raze, rehs, reis, and res.

In this list, we’ve included ten examples of common homophones. So if your pupils ever ask, ‘what is a homophone?’, you’ll have some handy examples ready to help them:

1. There vs. Their vs. They’re
2. To vs. Too vs. Two
3. Bough vs. Bow
4. Lead vs. Led
5. Sell vs. Cell
6. Hear vs. Here
7. Sea vs. See
8. Bear vs. Bare
9. Flower vs. Flour
10. Ate vs. Eight

What are the different types of a homophone?

While we’ve gained a helpful homophone definition and we’ve looked at some examples, you might not know that there are different kinds of homophones. Let’s take a closer look at what these different types are:

What is a pseudo-homophone?

A pseudo-homophone is a homophone that is phonetically identical. However, in almost all cases, pseudo-homophones aren’t real words. For example, the word ‘blue’ and the non-word ‘bloo’ could be considered pseudo-homophones.

Likewise, the word ‘groan’ and its obsolete spelling ‘grone’ are pseudo-homophones.

What is a near homophone?

A near homophone is a word that is pronounced almost the same as another but has a different meaning and a slightly different spelling. Unlike full homophones, which, as we know, share the same pronunciation, near homophones may have one sound or letter, which causes them to be sounded out differently.

Now that we have a near homophone definition check out these examples of near homophones:

• Except and Accept
• Proceed and Precede
• Worn and Warn

Homophones explained: Weather and whether homophones

To help us to understand homophones better and why they can be a source of confusion for kids and adults alike, let’s examine the words ‘weather’ and ‘whether.’ These are some of the most commonly confused homophones, and while they sound the same, they also have completely different meanings.

1. Weather

‘Weather’ is a noun that refers to the current atmospheric conditions, such as if it’s windy, rainy, or sunny. Here are some examples of ‘weather’ in a sentence:

The weather is awful today.

I’ll check the weather to see if I need to wear a coat.

The weather is going to be hot and sunny tomorrow.

‘Weather’ is also a verb to withstand or survive something. It can also describe an object that’s been exposed to the elements. Here are some examples:

We weathered a night in the cold when our power went out.

He can weather the storm.

If it keeps raining hard, the fences will start to weather.

‘Weather’ is more commonly used as a noun than a verb.

2. Whether

‘Whether’ is neither a noun nor a verb – it’s a conjunction. It joins two words or phrases together in a sentence. It’s used similarly to the word ‘if.’ Here are a few examples of how to use ‘whether’ in a sentence:

I will follow my dreams, whether you like them or not.

No matter whether it’s night or day, my cat is asleep.

I don’t know whether to go to the park or the cinema.

When will children learn about homophones?

Children must learn a homophones list as the UK National Curriculum directs. They’ll start with the more commonly used homophones and understand the spelling and meaning. Here are some examples of homophones they’ll learn in each year of English:

Year 2	Night	Knight
Here	Hear
Sea	See
Years 3 & 4	Break	Brake
Fair	Fare
Groan	Grown
Years 5 & 6	License	License
Practice	Practise
Father	Farther

What is Alliteration?

Alliteration is when two or more words that start with the same sound are used repeatedly in a phrase or a sentence. The repeated sound creates alliteration, not the same letter.

For example, ‘tasty tacos’ is considered an alliteration, but ‘thirty typists’ is not because ‘th’ and ‘ty’ don’t sound the same. Alliteration is a type of repetition – a repetition of sounds.

Words that begin with the same sound don’t have to be necessarily near each other to be considered alliteration. There’s no rule saying how many words apart they can be, but the best way to figure out if alliteration is used in a text is by reading it aloud. The sound will tickle your ears!

An example of alliteration is: ‘The bird sang sweetly.’

Alliteration can also be called head rhyme or initial rhyme.

What Are 5 Examples of Alliteration?

Why Do We Use Alliteration?

Alliteration can make your words more engaging and entertaining. When your writing engages your audience, they’re more likely to pay attention and remember what you say.

Alliteration gives musicality and rhythm to your words. That’s why poets decided to use it long ago and continue to do so. It can help keep the poem moving, giving it a pace that encourages you to keep reading.

In time, alliteration has been included more and more in everyday activities.

For example, advertisers and musicians often use alliteration in their works. That’s because sentences and phrases sound more playful and are easier to memorize when they include alliteration. That’s one of the reasons why sometimes a commercial line or a song lyric can get stuck in your head!

Also, alliteration can be used to express a particular emotion to the reader or the listener. For example, you’ll typically feel calm or at peace when you listen to a song that uses soft, smooth sounds. But you’ll feel that agitation when the sounds are harsh or loud.

Many powerful speeches in history have used alliteration to underline the importance of the subject. For example, one of Martin Luther King’s famous speeches used this feature to make people understand that racism should be stopped and people should be treated equally, no matter what:

I dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

The ‘c’ sound is repeated throughout the speech.

How Do You Write Alliteration?

Alliteration can be used anywhere. However, in writing, it’s often found in sayings and poetry.

Alliteration can be an excellent tool for children to try in their creative writing activities to create masterpieces and spark their reader’s attention and interest. They might also fall in love with writing when they see how playful their pieces have become. In addition, this feature can be an excellent opportunity to accentuate ideas and names and make them memorable.

We can use alliteration in different ways, depending on where the repeated sound is.

• Make a mountain out of a molehill.
• Matthew met Michael at the Moor.

In these examples, the repeated sound (‘m’) is in the first letter of the words.

However, alliteration can also be achieved with the first syllable.

• Busy buzzing, the bee behaved beautifully.

This example includes two examples of alliteration. First, while they all begin with the letter ‘b,’ there are two repeated sounds: ‘bu’ and be.’

Alliteration in Everyday Sayings

Some phrases that we use in everyday life contain alliteration. Here are some examples.

• Cream of the crop;
• french fry;
• hit the hay;
• pecan pie;
• super-Size;
• tough talk;
• trick or treat;
• rocky road;
• no-nonsense;
• tough talk;
• quick question;
• picture perfect;
• high heaven;
• busy as a bee;
• dead as a doornail;
• home sweet home;
• living life;
• out of order;
• right as rain.

How to identify Alliteration

The best way to spot alliteration is to read the sentence and listen for the words with identical consonant sounds. This will become more noticeable if read out loud.

How Can Alliteration Be Improved?

Teaching children about alliteration can be tricky. So we thought of some simple ways to teach kids about this topic. Here’s what you can try:

Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down Game:

Ask your pupils to give a thumbs up if the phrase you say includes alliteration and thumbs down if it doesn’t. Contrast the phrases to make the game exciting and to keep them entertained. Emphasize the sounds as much as possible to help them and tell them to repeat the words to underline the alliteration when it is the case.

Movement Game:

If you know, your class likes to move around, dance, or run, take advantage of it. Come up with lines that include alliteration and lines that don’t, and ask them to dance, jump, wiggle or tap their feet for each case. For example, they can jump when you use alliteration and tap their feet when you don’t.

Childish Names Game:

Pick a day of the week and transform it into an alliteration day. Ask your children to call one another using alliterative phrases, such as Creative Caroline or Magical Matt. You can go further and rename all the names of the classes from that day together. They’ll love this day, and maybe they’ll also love alliteration!

I Spy:

Transform this popular game to suit your needs when talking about alliteration. Point to different objects around you and ask children to create a phrase using alliteration based on that object. How many phrases can they think of?

Curriculum-related Alliteration Games:

Include alliteration in any other lesson you’re teaching. For example, are you learning about animals in science? Pick an animal and ask the children to create alliterations starting with this word. You’re in reading class, and you’re focusing on a story? Why not ask them to underline some alliteration in it? The more naturally you include this topic in your day, the better they’ll understand it.

2D (two-dimensional) shapes are flat, while 3D (three-dimensional) shapes are solid objects with length, breadth, and depth. Read on to learn about 2D shapes.

What are 2D shapes? Definition

2D stands for 2-dimensional. 2-dimensional shapes are flat and only have two dimensions: length and width. They include squares, rectangles, circles, triangles, and more.

Read on to learn about 2D shapes and the differences between 2D and 3D shapes.

What are 2D shapes?

If a shape has two dimensions, it means there are 2 ways it can be measured in space.

All 2D shapes can be measured by their length and width or length and height. But remember, 2D shapes are entirely flat.

For example, the square below is a shape in 2D because it’s flat and has straight sides.

Plane shapes and examples

Plane shapes refer to 2D shapes: a closed two-dimensional or flat plane shape.

Although most children are familiar with the most common shapes before starting school, they may not have been able to verbalize what distinguishes a square, for example, from a rectangle or a circle from a triangle. When they start school, they will begin analyzing and comparing 2D and 3D shapes using informal language to describe their similarities, differences, and attributes (e.g., number of sides and vertices).

Differences between 2D and 3D shapes

You (or the children in your class) might wonder about the differences between 2D and 3D shapes. Unfortunately, it can be unclear to understand what dimensions are and what they mean.

If an object has three dimensions, there are 3 ways it can be measured in space. First, you can measure the length, breadth, and height of 3D objects.

So, unlike 2D shapes, 3D shapes aren’t flat – they have depth. You can read more about these shapes on our 3D Shapes Teaching Wiki page. It’s a great place to learn more about 3D shapes, which helps understand the differences between 2D and 3D shapes.

But the most important thing for children to remember is that the main difference between shapes in 2D and 3D is their dimensions. 2D shapes have two dimensions, and 3D shapes – yes, you guessed it, they have 3 dimensions.

Examples of 2D shapes

Talking about 2D shapes

We can use the terms sides and angles to discuss 2D shapes. The angle of a 2D shape can be called a ‘vertex’ – or ‘vertices’ if we are talking about more than one. Angles are measured in degrees. An example is 45˚.

The term quadrilateral refers to a four-sided shape.

A rhombus, a kite, a square, and a rectangle are all examples of quadrilaterals.

Here are some 2D shapes and their properties:

2D Shape	Properties	3D Shape Equivalent
Circle	A shape made up of a curved line. Each point of the curved line is an equal distance from its center. Circles are entirely round.	Sphere
Triangle	A shape with three sides. There are different kinds of triangles. An example is an equilateral triangle, which has three equal sides and three equal angles.	Pyramid or prism (tetrahedron)
Square	A shape with four sides of equal length and four 90˚ angles.	Cube
Pentagon	A shape with five sides and five equal angles.	Dodecahedron
Kite	A quadrilateral with two pairs of sides of the same length.	–
Rhombus	A quadrilateral with both pairs of opposite sides parallel and all sides of the same length. Unlike a square, however, its angles are not all 90˚.	Rhombohedron
Octagon	A shape with 8 equal sides.	–
Oval	A closed curve that is similar to a circle but appears to have been ‘stretched.’	Ovoid

Regular and irregular 2D shapes

2D shapes can be regular or irregular.

Regular shapes are 2D shapes with equal-length sides and interior angles that are all the same.

Irregular shapes are 2D shapes with sides and interior angles that aren’t all the same.

By comparing regular and irregular 2D shapes next to each other, children will be able to understand the concept better.

When do children learn about 2D shapes?

2D, and 3D, shapes are specific strand units in maths, which come under the central strand of Shape and Space, although they’re also mentioned in other sections of the maths curriculum. These strand units will be taught from the junior infants class onwards, building on their knowledge each year.

The information below is taken from the NCCA curriculum, which schools use as guidance instead of a definitive schedule. So here are the new things kids might learn each year, according to the NCCA curriculum:

Junior infants

• Learn to sort and name simple 2D shapes like squares, circles, triangles, and rectangles.

Senior infants

• Learn to describe simple 2D shapes.
• Combine and divide them between making larger or smaller shapes.
• Construct or draw some 2D shapes.
• Begin to learn about where these shapes are found in our surroundings.

1st class

• Identify halves of 2D shapes.
• Identify and discuss the use of 2D shapes around us.
• Learn the names of new 2D shapes, like semicircle and oval.

2nd class

• Identify quarters of shapes.
• Learn to spot right angles on 2D shapes.

3rd class

• Explore, describe and compare the properties of 2D shapes.
• Make patterns with these shapes.
• Solve problems involving these shapes.
• Learn to identify the use of 2D shapes in things like buildings, road signs, and other everyday objects.

4th class

• Learn new terms and shapes, like equilateral, isosceles, parallelogram, rhombus, pentagon, and octagon.
• Understand, estimate and determine the perimeter of regular 2D shapes.

5th class

• Make informal deductions about 2D shapes and their properties.
• Classify and describe triangles and quadrilaterals in terms of their size, number of angles, number of sides, etc.
• Identify the properties of a circle and construct a circle of a given radius or diameter.
• Classify 2D shapes according to their lines of symmetry.

6th class

• Construct triangles from given sides or angles.
• Plot simple coordinates and apply them where appropriate.

Learn what equivalent fractions are and how they’re taught at school. You’ll find examples of fractions equivalent to 8/12, 1/3, 5/6, and more.

What are equivalent fractions?

Some fractions can be turned into simpler ones. This is because it makes it easier to understand and read the fraction. These are known as equivalent fractions. You can always convert an equivalent fraction back to the original by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the identical number.

You wonder how’s that possible? Let’s look at the example below. The fractions 1/4 and 2/8 have different numerators and denominators. But, if you look at the bars, the same amount has been shaded overall – one-quarter of an amount.

This means that 1/4 and 2/8 are equivalent fractions as they show the exact amount

A fraction can have multiple equivalent ones. For example, 2/3 is a fraction equivalent to 8/12, 6/9, 4/6, and so on.

What you’ll find on this page

Now that we’ve established what equivalent fractions are let’s dive deeper and see what else children will learn. Read on to find out:

• examples of equivalent fractions;
• how to find equivalent fractions of a given fraction;
• how to order fractions with different denominators;
• a guide to what your child will learn about equivalent fractions each year throughout KS2;
• supporting resources to help you teach in the classroom or at home;
• some example problems which children can try solving.

When it comes to this page, you’ll find a mixture of questions being answered. Questions such as what equivalent fractions are, how to do an equivalent fraction, or how to find equivalent fractions can all be answered within this teaching wiki.

You’ll also be able to find resources that help with any classroom or living room being full of fractions being displayed. Fun activities such as challenge cards can bring exciting and engaging content to your teaching world, and worksheets can be distributed across three difficulty levels – lower, middle, and higher.

You’ll find a great example of teacher-made resources available for the ordinary classroom or living room on this page. In addition, you’ll be able to dive deep into what teachers across the country feel about equivalent fractions’ meaning and needs in any learning environment. This is why this teaching resource/wiki is so essential.

Examples of Equivalent Fractions

Children will often come across some commonly used fractions while solving maths problems. This is because the curriculum requires them to be able to write the equivalent fractions of 1/2, 1/4, and 3/4, for example. But these are not all.

Let’s have a look at examples of some equivalent fractions.

Fractions equivalent to 1/2: 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 1/3: 2/6, 3/9, 4/12, 5/15 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 2/3: 4/6, 6/9, 8/12, 10/15 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 1/4: 2/8, 3/12, 4/16, 5/20 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 2/4: 4/8, 6/12, 8/16, 10/20 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 3/4: 6/8, 9/12, 12/16, 15/20 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 1/5: 2/10, 3/15, 4/20, 5/25 and so on …

Fractions equivalent to 2/5: 4/10, 6/15, 8/20, 10/25 and so on …

Of course, learning these by heart would be incredibly tricky and pointless. Equivalent fractions calculators also exist, but pupils won’t use them as part of the learning process.

Instead, it’s better to learn the method of finding equivalent fractions. By doing this, children can find the equal values of any given fractions. Let’s have a look.

How to Find Equivalent Fractions of a Given Fraction

When given a fraction, the easiest way of finding its equivalent values is by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the same number.

For example, let’s find three equivalent fractions to 2/3.

First, try multiplying the numerator and denominator by the number two – see the equations below. We can say that 4/6 is an equivalent fraction to 2/3.

Now, let’s try multiplying the numerator and denominator of 2/3 by the number three this time. Again, we can say that 6/9 is an equivalent fraction to 2/3

Finally, let’s multiply the fraction’s numerator and denominator by four. You’ll find that 2/3 is one of the fractions equivalent to 8/12.

After looking at these examples, there are a few essential things to remember:

• When finding the equivalent fractions, it’s essential to multiply the numerator and denominator by the same number. Multiplying only one of them won’t give you the correct answer.
• Fractions have multiple numbers of equivalent fractions. As long as you multiply the numerator and denominator by a whole number, you’d continue to get more and more equivalent fractions
• We’ve found three equivalent fractions equivalent to 2/3. But you can say that 2/3, 4/6, and 6/9 are also fractions equivalent to 8/12. So, the equivalence goes both ways.

How to Order Fractions with Different Denominators

In primary school, pupils will learn to order fractions with different denominators. And how does this link to equivalent fractions?

To order fractions with different denominators, you need to change them to be the same. And to do this, you must multiply the numerator and the denominator by the same number. Sounds familiar? Exactly, children do this when finding equivalent fractions.

So, pupils will use their knowledge of equivalent fractions to order fractions with different denominators. Let’s look at an example and the step-by-step guide of how that’s done.

Example: Let’s put in order the fractions below.

1. The first thing you need to do is change all the denominators to be the same. This means you need to find a common denominator. In this case, 24 is the lowest common denominator.
2. Then, you need to multiply all fractions so that their denominator is 24. For 8/12, you need to multiply the numerator and denominator by two, for 2/6 – by four, 1/2 – by 12, and 3/4 by six. 4/24 stays the same, as its denominator is already 24. 
3. All fractions have the same denominator, so that you can put them in order from the smallest to the largest. Remember, you need to write the original fractions in your answer. See below.

When will my child learn about equivalent fractions?

Children will initially start learning about the concept of equivalence in year 3. They’ll first use diagrams to recognize and show equivalent fractions with small denominators.

Using pictorial representations such as the ones below is an excellent way of introducing young learners to the concept and showing them that equivalent fractions represent the same amount.

In year 4, pupils will start learning about decimals. This means they’ll know, for example, that 0.5 is equivalent to 1/2. By the end of year 4, the maths curriculum requires children to be able to:

• Recognize and write decimal equivalents of any number of tenths or hundredths.
• Recognize and write decimal equivalents to 1/2, 3/4, and 1/4.
• Use diagrams to recognize and show families of common equivalent fractions.

Using diagrams in LKS2 will help children visualize and learn about equivalent fractions more practically. So they can understand the why and how rather than just learning the theory.

When pupils get to year 5, they already have the essential knowledge, so that’s when they’ll learn to find equivalent fractions without using diagrams. Throughout the year, children will practice the following:

• Solving problems involves knowing decimal and percentage equivalents of 1/2, 1/4, 1/5, 2/5, and 4/5.
• Solving problems involving fractions with a denominator of a multiple of 10 or 25 and relating these fractions to their decimal equivalents.

In year 6, pupils will expand their knowledge of equivalent fractions further. That’s when they’ll learn to simplify fractions – reducing the numerator and denominator as much as possible. They’ll know that’s a way of finding equivalent fractions.

By the end of KS2, they’ll also use the concept of equivalent fractions to add and subtract fractions with different denominators and mixed numbers. That’s because pupils would already know how to convert the fractions, so they all have the same denominator.

Why is it vital to have a good understanding of equivalent fractions?

The knowledge of equivalent fractions is applied when completing various maths calculations. Here are just a few instances in which children will find a practical application of their equivalent fractions knowledge.

As mentioned above, children will need to understand the concept of equivalence to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. That’s important because they’ll be tested to complete these calculations at school.

Another reason why having a good understanding of equivalent fractions is vital is because pupils will often need to simplify fractions before writing the final answer to problems. If children don’t understand equivalence, they’ll struggle to understand how and why fractions are simplified.

Knowing how to find equivalent fractions is also needed when comparing and ordering fractions. That’s because they’ll often be asked to compare fractions with different denominators. To solve the problem, they’ll need to ensure the denominators are the same, and understanding equivalent fractions is the key to that.

Word Family

A word family is a group of words that may share a common root word with different prefixes and suffixes in morphology. They’re used for teaching spelling.

What is a Word Family?

A word family is a group of words that may share a common root word with different Prefixes and Suffixes in morphology. They are used for teaching spelling.

The ‘Help’ Word Family

Examples of Word Families

These words all belong to the same word family:

• writer;
• written;
• writing;
• writes;
• rewrite.

What do they have in common?

These words all come from the root word ‘write.’ This means they’re part of the ‘write’ word family.

These words also belong to the same family:

• triangle;
• tricycle;
• tripod.

They come from the Latin prefix ‘tri,’ meaning ‘three.’

When do children learn about Word Families?

Children should learn about word families in year 3 English as part of the English national curriculum. At this stage, children are shown that common words are associated in form and meaning.

Key Stage 2 pupils should be able to understand prefixes, suffixes, and root words in preparation for the SATs grammar, punctuation, and spelling exam at the end of year 6.

Year 6 pupils could be tested on the following SPaG rules to do with word families in their SATs:

• Look at related words from a word family and define the meaning of the root word.
• Matching prefixes with their root words (i.e., unhappy and happy).
• Adding suffixes to nouns to make adjectives (i.e., noise and noisy).

The national curriculum states that children should be able to match prefixes with correct root words, give several words within the same family in list form, and add suffixes to nouns (which turns that suffix into an adjective).

For example, the root word happy might have a prefix added (unhappy) or a suffix added (happiness). The terms happy, unhappy, and happiness all belong to the same word family

Many root words come from Latin. For example, ped – the Latin word for foot – is the root of pedicure, pedestrian, pedal, and expedition.

Why learn about Word Families?

Seeing the patterns in language that link words to each other is helpful in reading, writing, and spelling.

This is distinct from studying sound families, where different letters make the same sounds, although the learning benefits are similar. In some places, you might hear them called related words instead.

Knowledge of word families makes spelling and identifying words easier, as identifying the root word will help children to be able to spell other words in the same word family.

This enables pupils to consolidate their understanding of related words, e.g., ‘happy,’ ‘unhappy,’ ‘happily,’ ‘unhappiness,’ and ‘unhappily.’ To apply this knowledge, you need to know the meaning of common prefixes and suffixes.

There are many combinations of word families; these are 37 of the most common:

Ack, ake, all, ale, an, ame, ain, ank, ap, ash, at, ate, aw, ay, eat, ell, est, ice, ick, ight, ill, ide, ill, in, ine, ing, ip, ink, it, ock, op, oke, ore, ot, uck, ug, unk, and ump.

These help children to understand how to read and build vocabulary through repetition and nursery rhymes. They also allow children to recognize familiar phonetical sounds. Phonics is the foundation that children build on for their spelling techniques.

How can I teach children about word families?

Begin with short vowels that start with an ‘a’ to ease children into understanding the different connectives between words. Often these follow a CVC/CVCC (consonant, vowel, consonant) pattern that children are typically familiar with.

For children to retain the information on word families, it’s best to introduce them one at a time. This means they’ll remain on that particular set of words and be able to remember the patterns and sequences associated with each word family.

Use these in conjunction with tricky phonics words to help discern nonsense words from correct ones. Expanding vocabulary through reading and spelling lists will help understand the structure of words and their connections.

As a simple outline of how to teach your kids about word families and root words, try this technique:

1. Start with one-syllable words.
2. Create a word family anchor chart for your classroom or home.
3. Make new words with the pattern.
4. Engage your children with hands-on learning fun.

What are the benefits of teaching word family lists?

The upsides of teaching word family lists

Word family lists are groups or words following similar patterns. They significantly increase the number of words your child is exposed to and can master. Your child can learn eight to twenty-five words in spelling patterns instead of just one or two. In addition, your child’s word recall is improved as similar expressions are stored together in their brains. This is the positive thing about teaching word family lists.

The downside of teaching word family lists

The issue comes when you stop! And only teach word lists that are grouped in word families because your teaching efforts may feel like a failure. Why so? Think about it, when you incorrectly use word families, learners can end up following the pattern of that lesson. They will blindly zip through the spellings without learning them. They will follow a way that you intended to be educational and insightful, which ends up becoming counterproductive. The child can’t then spell the words outside the organized lists.

A second downside to word family lists is that your child may put their focus on the ends of the words. We want the student’s eye at the beginning and to follow it to the end of the word. Not the other way around, as this reinforces incorrect eye movement. Keep the emphasis on moving the eyes from left to right. For example, you might like to teach the word ‘pan,’ followed by the words ‘van’ and ‘ran’… so that the learners know that they can find other spellings with the same ending.