🔎 Part 1: Get Ready to Investigate

WALT

We Are Learning To use a proofreading routine to improve our writing so readers understand our message.

Success criteria

I can:

☐ read for meaning and fix an unclear sentence.

☐ check punctuation, spelling and grammar carefully.

☐ check that paragraphs are organised clearly.

☐ explain how one edit helps my reader.

☐ give and use helpful feedback about writing.

The M-P-S-G-P routine

Read the whole text first. Then check one part at a time. Use a ruler or your finger to track each line, and reread after making an edit.

M — Meaning: Does the message make sense? Is anything unclear, missing or in the wrong order?

P — Punctuation: Check capital letters, full stops, commas, question marks, speech marks and apostrophes.

S — Spelling: Check tricky words, names and words that sound alike. Use a dictionary or word bank if needed.

G — Grammar: Check complete sentences, verb agreement, tense, pronouns and word order.

P — Paragraphing: Group ideas about the same topic. Start a new paragraph when the topic, time or place changes.

Helpful words

proofread: read carefully to find ways to improve writing   edit: make a change   clarity: how easy something is to understand   paragraph: a group of sentences about one main idea

Word bank: picnic, sandwiches, blanket, weather, fruit, friends, excited, because, there, their, they're

✏️ Part 2: Guided and Pair Practice

Guided practice: Class picnic

Read the paragraph aloud with a partner. Find at least four problems.

On friday our class went to the park for a picnic the weather was sunny, but we forgetted the blanket. “Dont worry” said Hana we sat under a tree and shared there sandwiches. It was fun because everyone was laughing.

Pair practice

Take turns reading this paragraph. Use the M-P-S-G-P routine. Find at least five errors and explain your choices to your partner.

After lunch we played a game of cricket. Mia hit the ball and it roll into the bushes, everyone look for it but nobody could finded it. Then Tane shouted “I found it”! The ball was beside they're bags.

Edit 1: ________________________________________________

Edit 2: ________________________________________________

Edit 3: ________________________________________________

Support options

Reduced version: Find only one meaning error, one punctuation error and one spelling or grammar error.

Reading support: Use a ruler, coloured overlay, quiet reading partner, text-to-speech or a recorded reading. You may explain your ideas orally or use speech-to-text.

Sentence frame: “I changed __________________ because ________________________________.”

🕵️ Part 3: Independent Mission

Proofread the message

Read the three paragraphs. Use M-P-S-G-P in order. Make at least one edit in two different categories.

Last saturday our group planned a beach clean up. We bringed gloves and bags, but the wind was very strong. We was not sure where to start.

First, we collected plastic near the rocks. A bottle rolled away because it was empty it landed beside a sign. Maia picked it up and said, “This belongs in the recycling bag”.

After an hour the beach looked cleaner. We felt proud of our work, and we decide to come back next month. It was a great day everyone helped.

My editing record

Record three changes. Include why each change helps the reader.

Error I found: ____________________________________________

My correction: ___________________________________________

Why it helps: ____________________________________________

Error I found: ____________________________________________

My correction: ___________________________________________

Why it helps: ____________________________________________

Error I found: ____________________________________________

My correction: ___________________________________________

Why it helps: ____________________________________________

Peer-check checklist

Swap work with a partner. Check the writing, not the person. The writer makes the final decision.

☐ Meaning is clear.

☐ Sentences have suitable punctuation.

☐ Spelling has been checked.

☐ Grammar and verb choices make sense.

☐ Paragraphs group ideas clearly.

☐ I gave one positive comment: “I liked ______________________________.”

☐ I gave one useful suggestion: “You could ____________________________.”

Extension challenge

Improve this correct sentence in two different ways. Which version is clearest for the intended reader? Explain your choice.

The class cleaned the beach and felt proud of their work.

Optional: Write a three-sentence message for a partner to proofread. Include a meaning error, a punctuation error and a paragraphing issue.

Exit ticket

Answer key

1. Meaning.

2. Answers should explain that proofreading makes writing clearer and easier for readers to understand.

3–4. Guided paragraph: Friday; picnic; forgot; “Don’t worry,” said Hana. We sat under a tree and shared their sandwiches. Accept other accurate explanations and corrections.

5. Pair paragraph: rolled, looked, find, “I found it!” and their bags. Accept accurate punctuation and paragraphing explanations.

6–9. Independent text: Saturday; clean-up; brought; were not sure; “A bottle rolled away because it was empty. It landed beside a sign.” Add the closing quotation mark after bag; decide or decided, depending on the intended tense; add a full stop after day and begin a new sentence. A new paragraph may begin at After an hour, because the time and focus change. Accept other accurate edits that preserve the message.

10. The students were excited because they found a lost bag.

11. Answers will vary. The response should name one routine step and give a sensible reason.