Starter activity: building a word hoard OHT

Instructions for making a small concertina book

1Hold a piece of plain A4 paper in landscape position in front of you. Fold the left edge to the right edge, crease down the centre line, then open out.

2Fold the left and right edges to the centre, crease along the folds, and open out.

3You now have four vertical panels.

4Fold the top edge to the bottom and crease along the fold.

5Fold the left edge forward along the first crease. Continue folding along the creases in a zigzag.

Build a word hoard around the following nouns

Practise building noun phrases using these words, e.g. noble hero; ferocious beast.

Can you add more words to the hoard that will help you to describe the adventures of Beowulf?

Beowulf and Grendel text

From the misty hills of the lonely moor, Grendel came stalking, striding through the night, into the hall where the warriors slept. In a rage, his eyes like fire, that terrible creature hurried to Hrothgar’s hall, hungry for blood and bones. When he touched the heavy door with his hands, it gave way at once. Quickly the beast moved across the mead hall floor. He saw the warriors sleeping, stretched out snoring, all but one of them. For Beowulf stood in the shadows, ready to strike.

Sequencing prompts to be cut up on cards, one set per group

Long ago / Then
Meanwhile / In the dead of night
When / After
Before / While
Long ago / Then
Meanwhile / In the dead of night
When / After
Before / While

Spelling irregular past tense verbs

Infinitive / Present / Past
to creep / is creeping / creeps / was creeping / crept
to sleep / is sleeping / sleeps / was sleeping /
to fight / is fighting / fights / was fighting /
to think / is thinking / thinks / was thinking /
to stride / is striding / strides / was striding /
to ride / is riding / rides / was riding /
to strike / is striking / strikes / was striking /
to leave
to break
to speed
to shake
to hurt

Main clauses and subordinate clauses

Is this a sentence? Does it have a subject and a verb and make complete sense on its own? Should it start with a capital letter and end with a full stop?

Beowulf left his men

he saw a great stone arch

the Dragon guarded his lair

when the Dragon breathed out flames

which had shed so much blood

while his men hung back

Subordinating conjunctions
when which who while after before as
Wiglaf, who was the bravest of Beowulf’s warriors, went into the Dragon’s cave.
Beowulf’s sword, which had shed so much blood, shattered into pieces.
When the dragon breathed out flames, Wiglaf’s shield was turned to ashes.
Beowulf strode on towards the Dragon’s lair, while his men hung back.
As he approached the cave, he felt the fiery heat of the dragon’s breath.

Sequencing and modelling the ending to Beowulf’s story

Beowulf died.

Wiglaf found gold, jewels, helmets and swords.

Beowulf told Wiglaf to look for the hoard of treasure inside the Dragon’s cave.

Beowulf gave Wiglaf his helmet and his ring.

Beowulf prepared himself for death.

He brought the wonderful treasure back to Beowulf.

while / after / before / as
when / then / meanwhile

While brave Beowulf prepared himself for death, he called Wiglaf, his wise and trusted warrior, to his side. He whispered a final order: Wiglaf must bring him the hoard of treasure which was buried deep inside the deadly dragon’s cave …