This week in Year 5, we have continued exploring the dramatic world of Beowulf, focusing on crafting detailed setting descriptions. To begin, we looked closely at prepositions and expanded noun phrases to describe an image of a mead hall, which was the grand hall where Beowulf was welcomed back after his victories over Grendel and the sea hag and enjoyed a sumptuous feast. We worked on creating vivid descriptions, focusing on what we could see and hear, rather than simply re-telling the story.
On Tuesday, our classroom was transformed into a mead-hall, complete with a roaring fire at the centre. Using whatever costumes the Year 6 cupboard could provide, we experienced the hall, listening to the crackling fire and noting the atmosphere around us. We worked with our peers to improve each other’s phrases, practising the use of prepositions and sensory details. Some of the fantastic sentences we created included:
- The crackling, intense fire glimmered around the table.
- As the wind flew by, the candles flickered and lit up the room.
- As the people talked throughout the room, the smells of the honey-roasted pig drifted through the air.
- The cold, killing wind filled the mead-hall.
- As the men chatted, the smell of burning pork fat filled the jolly, cheerful atmosphere.
- As Beowulf stood to speak, you could hear the crackling fire over the deafening silence.
- The luminous, glowing fire made scary shadows round the room
Later, we role-played as Beowulf, recounting his heroic deeds. Some brave storytellers shared their tales in front of the class, which erupted with cheers, helping everyone to understand the excitement and atmosphere of the hall.
On Wednesday, we used these experiences to develop our writing further. We recapped single- and multi-clause sentences, exploring what makes a sentence complete (a subject and a verb) and practised combining clauses with our partners. We then examined a model setting description and created one together as a class before writing our own independently. Our work has been impressive, particularly in ours use of personification and sensory detail!
What did you enjoy most about bringing the mead-hall to life, and what new skills did you learn this week in your writing?
I enjoyed doing the role play of the mead hall as it was really fun and felt like we weee really in one! One skill I have learnt in my writing this week is knowing how to make short but descriptive sentences instead of ones that go on and on forever!
This was the best English lesson I have ever had!
I enjoyed pretending to be Beowulf and giving his speech. When I wrote my writing I felt so much more confident !
I loved all the props and it made it feel real I wish I had a bedroom that big! Thank you for the opportunity Miss Forster Adams.
I really enjoyed bringing the mead hall to life and I hope we will be able to do it again. Getting weapons and getting to dress up was really fun and really made the story come to life and it was really fun getting to hear Beowolf tell his story. One new skill that I learn to write sentences that are very descriptive but not too long.
Thank you for giving us this opportunity Mrs Forster Addams!
It was completely fun and creative like yay the best thing ever. So fun! , I wish I could do something exactly like that especial with the weapons that was the best part.