These transition units have been produced in response to requests from
LEAs with middle schools where the children move from their first schools
at the end of Year 4. However, it would seem very sensible to use this in
any school with Key Stage Two as the planning is detailed and it will aid
transition into a new class.
The work is based on narrative reading and writing in both years. A
connecting feature of the units is the use of a reading journal to deepen
children’s understanding of their reading. The reading journals will move
with the children and give the Year 5 teachers an additional insight into
the children’s level of attainment. The title of the Year 4 unit is
Issues and dilemmas and it is in two parts. The title of the Year 5
unit is Narrative structure. These units are part of a medium term
plan in which each term’s objectives are clustered into themes (see page
4). The objectives for the Year 4 and Year 5 units with a speaking and
listening emphases are listed within the planning.
There are plans for each unit and detailed lesson notes
and resources to support the teacher.
Year 4 unit
The Year 4 unit is in two parts: Issues and dilemmas 1
and 2. Each part is a fortnight’s work. The unit is built
around the following texts:
Part 1
• Short story: The Balaclava Story from The Fib
and Other Stories by George Layton
• Poem: I Did a Bad Thing Once in Please Mrs Butler by Allan
Ahlberg
Part 2
• Novel: Woof! by Alan Ahlberg~
• Short story: The Balaclava Story from The Fib and Other
Stories by George Layton
It is essential that the novel is read to the children
during the fortnight before the start of Part 2.
It is not necessary for each child to have a copy of these
texts. You will need to enlarge the poem and some pages of the novel and
short story for shared reading. All other resources are provided.
Year 5 unit
This unit is a fortnight’s work and is built around the
following texts:
• Short story: The Fib from The Fib and Other
Stories by George Layton
• Short story: The Mouth-organ Boys from A Thief in the Village
by James Berry
• Novel: The Lottie Project by Jacqueline Wilson
It is not necessary for each child to have a copy of these
texts. You will need to enlarge some pages of the novel and the short
stories for shared reading. All other resources are provided.
