Lesson: Conjunctions

Year: 5 | Subject: English | Time Allocation: 100%

Class/Set: ____________ Date/Term: ____________

LO (WALT): To use conjunctions and relative clauses to create cohesion across writing.

Success Criteria (WILF):

1. I can identify subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns (who, which, where, when, whose, that).
2. I can use relative clauses to add detail to a noun within a sentence.
3. I can use conjunctions to link ideas and create flow between paragraphs.

1. Starter (15%)

• Activity: 'The Conjunction Connection' Retrieval.
• Explain: Display five pairs of short, choppy sentences on the board (e.g., "The explorer reached the summit. He was exhausted.").
• Challenge: Students must use a subordinating conjunction (e.g., although, because, while) to combine them into a single multi-clause sentence.
• Review: Share answers on mini-whiteboards, highlighting how the conjunction changes the relationship between the ideas.

2. Main Activity (70%)

Teacher Input:

• Model: Write a 'WAGOLL' sentence on the board: "The ancient temple, which had stood for centuries, remained hidden until the hikers discovered the secret path."
• Define: Identify the relative clause (starting with 'which') and the subordinating conjunction ('until').
• Explain: Demonstrate how relative clauses add "dropped-in" detail about a noun, while conjunctions provide a logical bridge for the action.
• Demonstrate: Model paragraph cohesion. Write the end of one paragraph about a storm and the start of the next. Show how using a conjunction like 'Consequently' or 'Despite the weather' at the start of the new paragraph links the story together.
• Check: Ask students to identify the relative pronoun in the sentence: "The boy, whose map was torn, felt lost in the woods."

Student Task:

• Distribute: 'The Lost City' drafting sheet.
• Task A (Sentence Level): Complete five sentences by adding a relative clause and a subordinating conjunction from the provided word bank.
• Task B (Paragraph Cohesion): Students are given two disconnected paragraphs about a jungle expedition. They must rewrite the opening of the second paragraph using a cohesive conjunction (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'Nevertheless', 'As a result') to link it to the first.
• Task C (Composition): Write a short descriptive passage (4-6 sentences) about a discovery, ensuring at least two relative clauses and one clear link between ideas using a conjunction.
• Support: Provide a 'Cohesion Bookmark' with a list of Year 5 appropriate relative pronouns and subordinating conjunctions.
• Extend: Challenge pupils to use a fronted adverbial followed by a relative clause in the same sentence.

3. Plenary (15%)

• Check: 'The Cohesion Audit'. Students swap books and highlight one relative clause in green and one conjunction used for cohesion in blue.
• Consolidate: Ask: "How does a relative clause help the reader?" (Expected answer: It provides extra information without starting a new, clunky sentence).
• Reflect: Pupils vote with 'thumbs up/down' on their confidence in using conjunctions to link paragraphs.

4. Resources

• Mini-whiteboards and pens.
• 'The Lost City' drafting sheet.
• Word bank (Relative pronouns: who, which, where, when, whose, that; Conjunctions: although, because, since, until, while, nevertheless).
• Highlighters (Green and Blue).

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

💡 Pedagogical Pulse

• Oracy Link: Before Task B, have students orally 'bridge' the two paragraphs with a partner. This helps them hear the flow of the text before committing to paper.
• Misconception Alert: Year 5 students often confuse relative pronouns (who/which) with conjunctions (because/if). Explicitly teach that relative pronouns refer back to a specific noun, whereas conjunctions link whole ideas or clauses.
• Scaffolding: For SEND pupils, provide the 'relative clause' on a pre-cut strip of paper to physically 'drop' into a split sentence.

✅ Answer Key & Solutions

Task A: Sentence Level (Example Answers)

• The jungle, which was thick with vines, felt alive since the sun had set.
• The explorer, who was feeling brave, stepped forward although he was trembling.
• The ruins where the gold was hidden stayed silent until the bells rang.

Task B: Paragraph Cohesion

• Paragraph 1 Focus: The discovery of a golden idol.
• Paragraph 2 Original: They left the cave. They were happy.
• Modelled Solution: "Consequently, they hurried out of the cave, clutching the idol that they had spent years searching for."

Task C: Composition Checklist

• Relative Clause Check: Does it have a comma before and after if it is embedded? (e.g., "The bird, which was bright red, chirped.")
• Conjunction Check: Does the conjunction clearly show time, cause, or contrast?

Marking Mapping (1:1)

• Task A Answer: Accurate use of relative pronoun (1 mark) and subordinating conjunction (1 mark) per sentence.
• Task B Answer: Logical choice of cohesive device that reflects the relationship between Paragraph 1 and 2.
• Task C Answer: Evidence of both target features within a coherent narrative context.