Writing the first half of the climax and resolution of 'Beowulf and the dragon' | English

Starter quiz

Put the climax and resolution paragraphs of our narrative about 'Beowulf and the dragon' in the correct order.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  Beowulf’s first attack fails & the dragon attacks
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  the Geats flee & Wiglaf comes to help
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  Beowulf attacks again & the dragon bites
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  Wiglaf & Beowulf defeat the dragon
Which paragraphs make up the climax?
- Beowulf’s first attack fails & the dragon attacks ✓
- the Geats flee & Wiglaf comes to help ✓
- Beowulf attacks again & the dragon bites ✓
- Wiglaf & Beowulf defeat the dragon
Match each of the narrative elements to the questions they link to.
- action
  
  ⇔
  
  What are characters doing? ✓
- emotion
  
  ⇔
  
  What are characters feeling? ✓
- description
  
  ⇔
  
  What do things look like? ✓
- dialogue
  
  ⇔
  
  What are people saying? ✓
Which narrative element has been used in this note from Alex's plan? 'scales were as hard as diamond; an impenetrable shield'
- action
- description ✓
- emotion
- dialogue
Select the narrative elements that have been used in this note from Alex's plan: 'yelled in anger “Come here!”; swung sword'
- action ✓
- dialogue ✓
- description
- emotion ✓
Which of the following notes uses 'show-not-tell' to indicate shock?
- bellowed in rage, leapt at dragon
- jaw dropped, staggered backwards ✓
- writhing in pain, eyes squeezed shut
- shook his fist & scowled

Exit quiz

What is the atmosphere we are aiming to create in the climax of 'Beowulf and the dragon'?
- calm
- tense ✓
- slow-moving
- pacey ✓
Which narrative elements are featured here? 'Beowulf watched as a dragon - a vast, spiny-backed dragon - emerged from a hole in the headland.'
- description ✓
- action ✓
- emotion
- dialogue
In which sentence are the dashes for dramatic effect in the correct positions?
- He swung his blade - his sharp-tipped, deadly blade towards the dragon.
- He swung - his blade his sharp-tipped, deadly blade - towards the dragon.
- He swung his blade - his sharp-tipped, deadly blade - towards the dragon. ✓
Which technique has been used here to increase pace? ' He would defeat this beast. He had to. His people depended on it.'
- rhetorical questions
- short sentences ✓
- dashes for dramatic effect
- fronted adverbials of manner
Which of these are fronted adverbials of manner?
- Full of fear, ✓
- Enraged, ✓
- Just then,
- Slowly, ✓
- In the distance,
Which of the descriptions below could fill in the gap in the following sentence for dramatic effect? 'It breathed out fire - __________ - that was as hot as the midday sun.'
- molten, boiling fire ✓
- that was as hot as the midday sun
- that was like a comet's tail
- a hurricane of scalding fire ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

Writing is most successful when structure, content and vocabulary are planned.
We aim to use a range of narrative elements in our writing and to set an appropriate mood with them.
We use a range of cohesive devices to connect ideas, including a variety of fronted adverbials.
Short sentences, rhetorical questions and 'quick' fronted adverbials of time can add pace to a piece of writing.
Dashes can add dramatic effect, often by restating the noun phrase that is being described in a different way.

Common misconception

Pupils may be tempted to over-use short sentences in their writing.

Show in your shared writing that short sentences are impactful **because** they contrast with the longer or more complex sentences we tend to use in formal narrative writing.

Keywords

Cohesive devices - language structures that develop text cohesion
Fronted adverbial - a sentence starter followed by a comma
Dashes - a punctuation mark to add extra information in a clause often for dramatic effect
Oral rehearsal - practising saying ideas for sentences out loud before you write them