Inspired by: Good Knight, Sleep Tight - Week 3

Inspired by the story "Good Knight, Sleep Tight," students are introduced to the concept of comparative adjectives through the use of suffixes –er and –est. The lesson encourages children to think critically about the characters in the story by discussing which knight might be the bravest. By comparing the bravery of different knights from well-known tales, they learn to use comparative language effectively. For instance, they might consider a knight who ventures alone into dark woods as brave, but another who confronts a dragon as braver, ultimately deciding who is the bravest. This activity not only enhances vocabulary but also fosters evaluative thinking as students articulate their reasoning about the characters' bravery.

Another engaging activity involves reciting the poem "In The Dark, Dark Woods," where students explore the use of volume, intonation, and actions to enhance the atmosphere of the performance. They are encouraged to think about what the knight might encounter in the woods and how he feels about it. To add to the suspense, the use of musical instruments is suggested. Building on this theme, students are tasked with writing their own versions of the poem, imagining the knight encountering 'prickly bears' instead of ghosts. They delve into the meaning of 'prickly' and use descriptive language to create a vivid setting for their poems, which they then perform to their peers. The lesson also touches on the use of the suffix –ly to convert adjectives into adverbs, as in the example of the knight needing to act 'quickly' to escape danger. Through this, children learn to distinguish between the functions of adjectives and adverbs and practice transforming words to enrich their descriptive language.