Please encourage your children to highlight or tick off when they have used some of these
supportive ideas for writing at home.
ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR READING JOURNAL
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Write a review of your book. Tell us about the good and bad points about the story.
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Design a book cover.
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Write a new ‘blurb’ for the back of your book.
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Cartoon strip of main events.
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A newspaper report linked to events.
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List the words and phrases used to create an atmosphere, such as ‘scary’ or ‘spookiness’,
‘tension’, ‘relaxed.’
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Using 5 interesting words from the book, write sentences of your own including the words.
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Write about a memory or experience of your own that is similar to something you’ve read
in your book.
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Write a letter to someone telling them about the book and your opinion of the book.
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Write an interview or conversation between you and the main character of your book. Be
sure you write detailed responses for the character.
REASONS TO WRITE! – You can write about ANYTHING that you like!! Here
are some ideas to get you started.
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A diary entry for an exciting day out.
A newspaper article for a local, national, international or fictional event.
An information booklet or page with facts about your favourite animal.
A play script for part of a story or a traditional tale.
A letter to the Queen to ask her to change something about your local
area.
An advertisement for a new product. – Radio / slogan and reasons to
buy.
A description of a character and an opposite character.
A day in the life of…. (Astronaut/ nurse/ fire fighter.)
Instructions for how to play a game.
Describe an everyday object to an alien.
A report about a sporting event.
To write a poem or song with verses.
Please encourage your children to highlight or tick off when they have used some of these
supportive ideas for writing at home.
Inspiring story ideas and starters
1.
It was a wild, dark, stormy night …
2.
Jimmy woke up with a start. Something was coming out of his wardrobe…
3.
The old cottage looked deserted so Mary pushed the front door …
4.
One day a UFO landed in my back garden. A little green man climbed out. “Can you
help me?” he said. “I think I’m lost.”
5.
Jazz’s auntie Rhee is a witch. She’s not wicked – just wicked fun. She takes Jazz for
flights on her broomstick and she’s teaching Jazz how to do spells. But she won’t let Jazz try
to cast a spell unless she’s with her. Then one day, Jazz decided to make a spell of her own.
6.
It was a bright sunny day. Harry was strolling along the lane when suddenly his
shadow slipped away from his feet and ran off. “Hey, come back here!” yelled Harry. The
shadow paused and looked back. Then it beckoned for Harry to follow and raced off again.
Harry set off in hot pursuit.
7.
Adie opened the suitcase he found in his gran’s attic. It contained a mirror, a
compass, a map and a note saying “Please come and save us before it’s too late …”
8.
“Can’t you drive a bit faster please, Mum?” said Emma. “I’m going to be late for the
talent show audition at this rate.”
“Not on these country lanes, young lady”, replied her mum sternly.
Then, to Emma’s horror, the car’s engine coughed, stuttered and died. “Oh no,” said Emma.
“We’re stranded miles from the town and the talent show audition starts in an hour. Mum,
what are we going to do?”
9.
Chet was excited. He had a ticket for the big match and he was in the
crowd hurrying towards the stadium. Chet thrust his hand in his
pocket to check that his ticket was safe. His heart missed a beat – his
ticket was gone!
10.
Sal was walking along the beach when she saw a beautiful green glass bottle that
had been washed up on the shore. She bent down and picked it up. There was something
inside it. Sal pulled out the cork to see what it was …
Please do not hesitate to use your own ideas or ask your child’s class teacher regarding
ANY queries you may have.