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English Daily Challenges

English Challenge Of The Day

Each day ( Monday to Friday) I will post a picture on here that you can use as part of your English work or challenge. Every day you can use the picture below for a bit of creative writing or simply answer the questions below each picture using your inference and prediction reading skills. Each question or challenge is dated for the week and the newest one is always at the bottom! You only have to pick one of the activities- either writing a story or answering the reading questions. Perhaps you could mix it up a bit and do a different one each day. Sometimes I might mix it up and put a grammar activity or reading comprehension in that you can try out to keep your skills ticking over. Most importantly- Have fun!

Please note that there will be no daily English Challenge until after Half Term The Daily English Challenges will resume on Monday 1st June 2020.

Friday 22. 5. 2020

Creative writing/Drama

Role play the reactions of different people who found the diamond:

Owner of the house in the background
Farmer who owns the field
Local policeman

Can you write down what they thought?

Reading skills

What has happened here?

Where did the diamond come from?

How long has it been here for?

Has anyone seen in it yet? Did anyone see where it came from?

Who might be the first person to discover it?

What do you think they will do?

What would you do if you discovered this?

Previous English Challenges

Thursday 21. 5. 2020

Wednesday 20. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Can you write your own version of the fairy tale story that they are reading?

Reading skills

Whose bedroom is this?

What can you tell about his personality and interests?

How old do you think the boy mouse is? Why?

Which fairy tale do you think they might be reading?

How long do you think they have been reading for?

Do they read every night before bed?

Tuesday 19. 5. 2020

Monday 18. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Imagine that the monster represents a feeling. Which feeling could it be and why? Write a paragraph about this feeling.

Reading skills

What is the boy doing? How is he feeling? How do you know?

Is the monster good or bad?

Does the boy know the monster well?

Is the monster real, or a representation of something?

Why do you think Little Oil left so much white space around the boy and the monster?

Imagine that the monster represents a feeling. Which feeling could it be and why?

What does sadness feel like? What does fear feel like? What does anxiety feel like? Draw a picture of these feelings as if they were characters or monsters. Once you’ve drawn your character, what might you say to it?

Are these feelings good or bad?

What do you do when you’re feeling sad

Friday 15. 5. 2020

Creative writing

What is each key for? Choose a key and tell its story.What is each key for? Choose a key and tell its story.

Reading skills

Who is the person? Are they the ‘keeper of the keys’?

. Have they always been the keeper of the keys? How did they become this?

How does this person feel about being keeper of the keys?

Why is this person wearing one key around their neck?

Why are there keys hanging from this branch? Why is the branch connecting two trees? How?

Why are the keys glowing? What do the white lines on the branches and the ground represent?

Where is this place? Is it special? Do the keys have to be kept here? Why?

Does anyone else come here?

How does the ‘keeper of the keys’ get these keys? Why do the keys need to be ‘kept’?

Thursday 14. 5. 2020

Wednesday 13. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Write a story of what could be happening or could happen to the girl in this picture..

Reading skills

What do you notice about this room? What is familiar to you? What is unexpected or unfamiliar?

What has happened to the wallpaper?

What is the girl doing?

What is she watching? Is she enjoying it?

Why isn’t there any other furniture in the room?

Why is there only a small patch of light?

Does she live here? Who with?

Is she happy?

Tuesday 12. 5. 2020

Monday 11. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Write a setting description about the picture. What can you see?

Reading skills

If you were to use this setting in a story, what type of story would it be? Why?

Why did Pascal Campion choose to only use colour in the window of the building?

Why do you think Pascal Campion gave this image the title ‘Needs’?

What do people need? What do they need the most?

Is there a difference between a ‘need’ and a ‘want’?

Do you have everything you need? Do you have everything you want? How do you feel about this?

Friday 8. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Describe the scene. How does the picture make you feel?

Reading skills

Do you think the boy knows what lurks beneath the surface?

What do you think he can see/hear?

What is the crocodile’s character like?

What will happen next? Continue the story.

If you could jump into the picture, what would you do? Would you help the boy? How?

Thursday 7. 5. 2020

Wednesday 6. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Write a story about the two figures in the picture- who are they and what happens to them?

Reading skills

What can you see? Look closer.

What/who is the figure in the mist?

How did it get there?

What does it do?

Are there more of them?

Who is the person standing on the cliff top?

What are they doing and what is their story?

Tuesday 5. 5. 2020

Monday 4. 5. 2020

Creative writing

Write a story about the who could be eating this item. What time are they eating it in the day and where?

Reading skills

Why is the book shaped like this?
What message do you think the artist wanted this picture to have?
Write a sentence about this picture using a simile or metaphor.
Can you eat books?
Do you have a balanced reading diet?
Which genre is your favourite?
Is it important to read lots of different texts?
How can you encourage yourself – and others – to read a range of fiction and non-fiction?

Friday 1.5. 2020

Creative writing

Write a story about the two birds and what happens to them. Where could they go or what are they talking about?

Reading skills

What is the bird on the left doing? How do you know?

Do you think that the bird’s song is good or bad? Why?

Does that bird often sing?

What is the bird on the right thinking? What might it say when the other bird has finished singing?

Which bird is more confident?

Which bird do you best relate to?

Have you ever been in a situation like this one?

Thursday 30. 4. 2020

Wednesday 29 4. 2020

Creative writing

Write a story about the adventures of the Magic Carpet. Think about where the carpet could take the person too- where could they go?

Reading skills

What is happening here?

Why/how is the carpet floating?

How is the boy feeling? Was he expecting this to happen?

How is the dog feeling? How do you know?

Does this bedroom belong to the boy? What does the setting tell you about his character?

Tuesday 28 4. 2020

Monday 27. 4. 2020

Creative writing

Help! The Jar Wizard’s jars are all missing their labels! Please write labels naming the contents, detailing what it is and what it can be used for. Be sure to include any necessary safety warnings too!

Reading skills

Who do you think this is?

Why is he carrying all of those jars? What’s inside them? Why are they attached to his clothing? Couldn’t he just carry them in a bag?

Why is he wearing this clothing?

Is he going to open the blue jar? Why?

Why is his other fist clenched?What does his body language tell you about his thoughts and feelings?

Did you think that this man was a wizard? Why/why not?

Friday 24. 4. 2020

Creative writing

Write a short story based on what you think will happen next. (in 5 minutes, in an hour, later that day, tomorrow…)

Reading skills

How do you know that this vampire is friendly?

Would you be his friend?

Where is he? Where is he going?

Why is he holding an umbrella?

What is happening to his cloak?

What do you think the bat is thinking/saying?

Thursday 23. 4. 2020

Wednesday 22.4. 2020

Creative writing

Write a short story based on this picture. Consider where you think the picture is and who the person is at the piano.

Reading skills

What is this person doing?

Why is the person glowing?

Where do you think the person is?

How long has he been there for?

Do you know of any other books or films about a piano?

Tuesday 21.4. 2020

Previous English Challenges

Monday 20.4. 2020

Creative writing

Write a short story based on this picture. Consider the atmosphere you want to create and choose your language and structure carefully.

Reading skills

What can you see in this picture? Look for the details you think others may miss.
Why is the hut on chicken legs? Does it move? Who controls it?
Who is the person in the doorway? What are they doing? Do they want to be inside this hut?
Why is there a tiger in the foreground? Does it live here? Is it owned by someone or is it wild?
Imagine you discover this place on a walk in the woods. How would you feel? What would you do?
What kind of story would this setting best fit into?

Friday 17. 4. 2020

Thursday 16. 4. 2020

Creative writing

Write a description of what you think their teacher looks like.

Reading skills

Where do you think this is? How do you know?
How many cats are in this class?
What time of day is it? Why do you think that?
Why is the white cat putting its paw up?
What are the other cats doing/thinking?
How is the black cat feeling? Why?
Which cat is the cleverest? Which cat is the best behaved?
What do you think the other classes in the school are like?
What lessons are taught in cat school?

Wednesday 15. 4. 2020

Tuesday 14. 4. 2020

Creative writing

Tell the ‘before’ of this story. How did it get to this point?

Reading skills

What’s happening here?
Who are the two characters?
Why aren’t they on the train together?
Is the train arriving or departing? How do you know?
Why is the cat on the train?
How do you feel when you look at this picture? Why do you think that is?
What do you think about the use of colour in this image?

Monday 13. 4. 2020

Friday 10.4. 2020

Creative writing

Write this story as a fairytale. How will you make yours stand out?

Reading skills

What can you see? What do you think? What do you wonder? Discuss and/or record your ideas here: See think wonder.
Who – or what – smashed the glass?
Was the frog there before, or did it enter the frame afterwards?
Why are there water droplets inside the frame?
Is the frog a prince?

Thursday 9. 4. 2020

Wednesday 8. 4. 2020

Creative writing

Write and explore the story of Noah’s Ark.

Reading skills

How many animals can you see on the ark? How many animals can you see in the water?
List the animals you can see.
What has happened here?
Why is the boat sinking?
Why were the animals (and the man) on the boat in the first place?
What do you think is going to happen? How could the boat be stopped from sinking?

Tuesday 7.4.2020

Monday 6.4.2020

Creative writing

Write a story about the woman spinning the night sky. Will it have a positive ending or not?

Reading skills

Who is this woman?
What do her clothes tell you about her?
What is she doing?
What are the lights?
Have you ever seen anything like this? Is this real or fantasy?
Why is she doing this? Why at night time?
Is anyone else with her?