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Times Tables Rock Stars – Times Tables Rock Stars

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Use knowledge of part-part-whole structure to solve additive problems KS2 | Y6 Maths Lesson Resources | Oak National Academy

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Free lessons and teaching resources about use knowledge of part-part-whole structure to solve additive problems

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Use equivalence and compensation to simplify and solve addition calculations KS2 | Y6 Maths Lesson Resources | Oak National Academy

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Free lessons and teaching resources about use equivalence and compensation to simplify and solve addition calculations

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Hit the Button is an interactive maths game with quick fire questions on number bonds, times tables, doubling and halving, multiples, division facts and square numbers. The games, which are against the clock, challenge and develop mental maths skills. An untimed, practise mode is available in our Hit the Button app along with lots more extra features.

The activities can be matched to appropriate mathematical ability. Regular use of Hit the Button can help students to sharpen their recall of vital number facts in a fun way and learning multiplication tables need not be boring.

AGE

6-11 Years

SUBJECTS

Maths Times Tables Division Number Bonds Doubles Halves Square Numbers

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Hit the Button - Quick fire maths practise for 6-11 year olds

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Quick fire questions on number bonds, doubles, halves, times tables, division facts and square numbers against the clock. Superb!

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There are lots of different types (or 'genres') of fiction writing, such as science fiction, fairy stories, scary stories (often called horror stories) and mysteries.

Each has a different style and set of rules but all the stories are made up by the author.

Watch this short clip to learn about different genres in fiction writing.

Video Transcript Video Transcript

NARRATOR
There are many different types of fiction genres, but they all have one thing in common: that the stories are made up.

If these ducks were in a mystery story, then there might be a crime for a detective to solve and a mystery to work out...

Or if the ducks were in a science-fiction story, it might take place in a futuristic world, where everything is wildly different and fantastic.

Each genre has its own style and set of rules.

So whether it's a fairy story where the prince and princess live happily ever after...

Or a scary story with frights and shocks...

Paying attention to genre is important when reading and understanding a story.

A setting is where and when a story is set. When writing a story, the setting is really important. Thinking about these things will help your writing.

Think about what the setting is like, is it day-time or night-time?

How does the setting impact the characters?

Can you picture the setting clearly? This will help you describe it to the reader.

Video Transcript Video Transcript

When writing a story, setting is really important!

A setting is where and when a story is set.

It could be a beach?

It could be in the jungle?

Think about what the story is about, and where a reader might expect to find the lead character.

Hey Mick! How about on a stage?

But think beyond just the location.

What's it like on the stage?

Is it night time?

Are there spotlights?

Are people cheering?

Or is it daytime, on a building site, in winter?

The setting of a story is where and when it takes place and usually tells the reader how it looks and feels, so they can imagine it in their minds

How the setting is described will depend on the genre of the story.

For example: The setting is a forest.

In a fairy tale this might be an enchanted forest, with fairies flying around, unicorns galloping through the trees and large colourful flowers blooming.

However, if the setting were in a scary story, the forest might be dark and eerie, with no leaves on the trees and monsters hiding behind them!

Watch this video now to learn more about the different techniques writers use in order to choose and describe a setting for their story.

Video Transcript Video Transcript

NARRATOR
How to create a setting.

A setting of a story tells us where and when it is taking place. Let's choose a setting, it can be absolutely anywhere.

Ah, excellent, a boat drifting aimlessly out at sea.

Use your words to paint a picture for your readers. Give lots of detail, along with plenty of adjectives. So, what sort of ship should young Jane here be on? It could be an old ship, and her story could be set in the past. And where is the boat?

The barnacle covered leaky galleon drifted across the shark infested waters, towards a rocky desolate looking island. That sounds like a great setting. She looks a bit nervous, doesn't she? Well, so would you be if you were her! Look at that large storm cloud - no, wait. Look at that towering storm cloud. The season or weather can have a big impact on your setting.

The more descriptive you can be for the reader, the better. You can use metaphors, comparing two things which aren't alike, but are something in common. The storm whips the sea up into great walls of water. You can also you can use similes, comparing things using 'like' and 'as'. The waves throw the ship around like a wild animal toying with its prey. Use all your senses to describe your setting, as this helps bring it to life for your reader. After the storm, the sea was calm. You can see it stretched out towards the horizon, like blue velvet.
[DOLPHIN NOISES] NARRATOR
What can you hear? Seagulls calling on the sea breeze. Maybe you can smell something? The salt crusted sails? And I can almost taste that rotten looking fish stew! Haddock... with a tangy cat vomit aftertaste! Being on a ship means that young Jane is trapped, by this fearsome pirate and can't escape her horrible food!

Good authors choose their setting with care, and select a setting that is perfect for the story they want to tell. Would your story be as exciting if it wasn't on a pirate ship in the middle of the ocean? Would Jane be as scared of the pirate if she was on a fancy cruise ship? No, I don't think so. But that setting could work for an entirely different story.

( shouts) Look out for that iceberg!
[SHIP HORN, CRASH] NARRATOR
Oops...

You can make your writing more descriptive by using the following techniques:

Technique

Example

Sensory details (what you can see, hear, taste, feel or smell)
Jo heard the fog-horn blast and tasted the salt on her tongue. She stumbled over the hard, pointy pebbles.

Start activity

JavaScript is required to view this activity.

Read the following setting description.
Abandoned House on Dark Drive There has been an abandoned house at the bottom of Dark Drive for as long as anyone could remember.Tall, twisted trees surrounded the building keeping it in a cloak of darkness, even on the brightest of days. The gnarled, long branches looked like witches fingers ready to grab any intruder who entered. The overgrown garden was littered with brambles and thorn bushes. The house itself was not in any better shape. Dark green ivy twisted up the house covering the bricks. The windows were filthy and cracked. It was lifeless. Silent. No one dared even go near it, so what lay inside was a mystery.

1. What type of story do you think this is from?

2. On a piece of paper write down a list of eight different words or phrases from the text that help to describe the setting. For example: gloomy, threatening angles.

3. Now choose two sentences from the passage and rewrite them using new adjectives (describing words). Make sure the new words you add fit with the genre of the story.

For example:

Before: Tall, twisted trees surrounded the building keeping it in a cloak of darkness, even on the brightest of days.

After: Towering, gnarled trees surrounded the building keeping it in complete blackness, even on the sunniest of days.

You can check your answers with this answer sheet.

Find out more by working through a topic

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Settings can have a huge affect on your story. Find out why in the Bitesize Primary KS1 English guide.

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Practice your times tables! Focus on the ones you're least confident with.

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Times Tables Rock Stars is an award-winning maths learning platform where children can practise their times tables like a rock star! We take the worry out of learning times tables and has a proven track record of boosting children’s fluency and recall in multiplication and division.

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Practise writing the different sentence types at home!

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Learn about light and where it comes from with this Year 3 Bitesize Science guide.

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Light travels from the light source to the object where it is reflected into our eyes so we can see.

Some objects such as shiny metal objects reflect light better than dark materials which absorb some of the light.

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Learn how our eyes detects light with this Year 6 Bitesize Science guide.

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Learn about reflection with this Year 3 Bitesize Science guide.

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Learn about light and how shadows form in this Year 3 Bitesize Science guide.

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Learn why shadows are made with this Year 6 Bitesize Science guide.

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Stage 5 - Lesson 24 - Challenge Words - Homework Sheet

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Stage 5 - Lesson 25 - Words that are homophones or near homophones - Homework Sheet

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Stage 5 - Lesson 26 - Words that are homophones - Homework Sheet

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Stage 5 - Lesson 27 - Words that are homophones - Homework Sheet

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Stage 5 - Lesson 28 - Words that are homophones or near homophones - Homework Sheet

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Taxco is a small town in central Mexico. Like much of Mexico, it's a lively, colourful, noisy place. However, just outside of the town is much more peaceful.

Ava, a young Mexican girl, shows us around her village. Her tour begins with the church, which she explains is the most important place in the village. She then takes us to her house to meet her family and pets. Like most people in Mexico, Ava and her family all speak Spanish.

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BBC Two - Primary Geography, Mexico, Mexico - Welcome to Mexico, Town and village life in Mexico

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A look at family life and employment in the towns and villages of Mexico.

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Mexico lies between the USA and South America. It's a long strip of land with coast on both sides; the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea in the east.

Much of Mexico is covered by mountains, with the highest peaks being over 5,000 metres in altitude. The north of the country is dominated by deserts that receive so little rain that only a few specially adapted plants and animals can survive. In the centre lies its sprawling capital Mexico City. The south of Mexico is close to the equator, so it has a tropical climate and is covered by vast rainforests with a huge diversity of plants and animals.

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BBC Two - Primary Geography, Mexico, Mexico - Welcome to Mexico, An introduction to Mexico

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An introduction to the geography of Mexico.

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BBC Two - Primary Geography, Mexico, Mexico - Welcome to Mexico, The indigenous people of Mexico

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The contrasts between modern and traditional Mexican lifestyles, cultures and beliefs.

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A reporter explains the different industries found in Mexico - manufacturing, tourism, oil, agriculture and culture. The reporter also visits the silver shops in Taxco and also visits a market selling limes, tomatoes, corn and chillies. She sees tortillas being sold in bulk to local people who eat them with almost every meal.

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BBC Two - Primary Geography, Mexico, Mexico - Welcome to Mexico, The key industries in Mexico

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The key industries in Mexico are manufacturing, tourism, oil, agriculture and culture.

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Read a range of texts all about Mexico and answer the questions.

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Mexico Stage 6 All Resources - Comprehension Pack

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Who was Frida Kahlo? | KS2 | Primary - BBC Bitesize

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Learn about Frida Kahlo and her self-portraits in this BBC Bitesize KS2 Art and Design guide.

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Homophones and tense KS2 | Y6 English Lesson Resources | Oak National Academy

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Free lessons and teaching resources about homophones and tense

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Building fluency with note taking, choice, quotations and emphasis KS2 | Y6 English Lesson Resources | Oak National Academy

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Free lessons and teaching resources about building fluency with note taking, choice, quotations and emphasis

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Purple Mash is an award-winning website for nursery and primary school children. It enables children to explore and enhance their knowledge in a fun and creative way.