Lesson: Expanded Noun Phrases

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

Class/Set: ____________ Date/Term: ____________

LO (WALT): To use expanded noun phrases to convey complicated information concisely.

Success Criteria (WILF):

1. I can identify the head noun within a sentence.
2. I can expand a noun phrase using adjectives and modifying nouns (e.g. 'the city streets').
3. I can use prepositional phrases to add detail and precision to a description.

1. Starter (15%)

• Recall: Retrieval practice on word classes. Display five simple sentences on the board (e.g. 'The dog barked.').
• Action: Students must identify the noun and the verb in each sentence on their mini-whiteboards.
• Challenge: Ask students to add one 'Tier 2' adjective to each sentence to create a basic noun phrase (e.g. 'The ferocious dog barked.').

2. Main Activity (70%)

Teacher Input:

• Explain: Define an Expanded Noun Phrase (ENP) as a phrase that adds detail to the noun. Emphasise that in Year 5, we move beyond simple 'adjective-noun' pairs to include prepositional phrases.
• Model: Use the 'Expansion Ladder' technique on the board:
  1. The house (Noun).
  2. The derelict, imposing house (Adjectives).
  3. The derelict, imposing stone house (Modifying noun).
  4. The derelict, imposing stone house with the shattered windows (Prepositional phrase).
• Demonstrate: Compare a paragraph of short, choppy sentences with one using ENPs. Show how ENPs make writing more sophisticated and 'concise' (a key Year 5 objective).
• Check: Provide a head noun like 'mountain'. Ask students to 'turn and talk' to create the most descriptive ENP possible using the ladder steps.

Student Task:

• Task 1 (Fluency): Complete the 'Modifier Match' table in exercise books to pair nouns with appropriate adjectives and prepositional phrases.

Head Noun	Adjectives	Prepositional Phrase
Forest	Ancient, dense	...beyond the mist
Knight	...	...with a rusted shield
Ocean	Vast, turquoise	...

• Task 2 (Application): Students are provided with a 'WAGOLL' image of a Victorian street. They must write five sentences describing the setting, ensuring each sentence contains at least one ENP that includes a prepositional phrase.
• Task 3 (Reasoning/Editing): Rewrite a 'boring' paragraph provided on the task sheet. Students must replace simple nouns with ENPs to increase the 'lexical density' and atmosphere of the text.
• Support: Provide a 'Preposition Word Bank' (e.g. beside, beneath, amidst, hovering over) for students working towards expected standards.

3. Plenary (15%)

• Check: 'The Editor’s Choice'. A student reads their best ENP aloud. The rest of the class must identify the head noun and the preposition used.
• Consolidate: Review the Learning Objective. Ask: "Why do authors use expanded noun phrases instead of just writing more sentences?" (Focus on conciseness and flow).

4. Resources

• Mini-whiteboards and pens.
• Image of a Victorian street (WAGOLL stimulus).
• Preposition Word Bank handouts.
• Exercise books and Pritt sticks.

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

• Pedagogical Opportunity: 💡 Focus heavily on the difference between a modifying adjective (describes quality) and a modifying noun (describes type/material). For example, in 'the glass bottle', 'glass' acts as a modifier. This is a higher-level skill for Year 5 GDS (Greater Depth) students.

• Misconception Alert: ⚠ Watch for students who over-describe (e.g. using five adjectives before a noun). Remind them that 'concise' writing means choosing the best words, not the most words.

• Task 1 Answer Key:

  • Forest: Ancient, dense forest beyond the mist.
  • Knight: Valorous, weary knight with a rusted shield.
  • Ocean: Vast, turquoise ocean beneath the scorching sun.

• Task 3 Answer Key (Model Solution):

  • Original: The man sat on the bench. He looked at the trees.
  • Improved: The elderly, frail man sat on the weathered wooden bench. He gazed at the towering willow trees with their drooping, emerald branches.

• Oracy Link: 🗣 Before Task 2, conduct a 'Vocabulary Harvest'. Ask students to shout out Tier 2 adjectives for the Victorian street (e.g. cobbled, soot-stained, bustling, smoggy) and scribe them on the board to scaffold their independent writing.