What am I teaching?
SPaG target
Check that my writing makes sense (structurally)
Writing link
· I can use a simple structure in my writing
· I can write more than one sentence about an idea
· I can group sentences based on their specific content
Part One - Format
SPaG objective 1: I can identify the features of a diary entry (paragraphs, 1st person, past tense)
Activity: Frame it! Name it!
Aim: Show pupils two diary entry examples (linked to topic or text). What do you notice? Compare and comment on the similarities. Make a list: paragraphs, 1st person examples (pronoun ‘I’) and past tense verbs. Then it’s time to frame and name using the second example or a third. This involves drawing a frame around one of these features and naming it.
Resources required: Different recount examples
SPaG objective 2: I can identify the features of a newspaper report (paragraphs, 3rd person, past tense)
Activity: Frame it! Name it!
Aim: Show pupils two newspaper article examples (linked to topic or text). What do you notice? Compare and comment on the similarities. Make a list: paragraphs, 3rd person examples, past tense verbs, headlines, captions, images, date etc. Then it’s time to frame and name using the second example or a third. This involves drawing a frame around one of these features and naming it
Resources required: Different newspaper examples
FINAL OBJECTIVE 1: I can use a simple structure in my writing
Activity: See, Say, Sort!
Aim: Show pupils a mix of diary entries and newspaper reports. Do you think you can sort these into two groups? After that can you explain why you made these choices? Remember to comment on the ingredients that add to the structure. Go for it!
Resources required: Different newspaper reports and diary entry examples
FINAL OBJECTIVE 2: I can use a simple structure in my writing
Activity: English Maths
Aim: Yes, you read that right! It’s time to mix English and Maths. Today we are mixing and blending SPaG with a Venn diagram! How? Model how to draw a Venn diagram and fill it with information comparing two things that have some similarities and some differences: questions asked the class, for example. Then model how to compare two recount texts and then complete the Venn diagram. Don’t just add the features: include examples and quotes from the text. Then it’s over to them!
Resources required: A variety of texts: newspaper reports and diary entries
Part Two - Paragraphs
SPaG objective 1: I can write more than once sentence about an idea
Activity: Put your reCAPS on!
Aim: Explain that a recount recounts and recaps an event or experience. We are going to write one together now. It’s going to be about our day yesterday. Because it has happened in the past, we must first remember what we did. Let’s put our reCAPs on! Make a bullet point list for each part of the day with the pupils. Then explain that we have the beginnings of basic paragraphs here. They aren’t sentences, but notes. Now, can we put these thoughts into sentences? Of course we can. But first we must get used to grouping sentences that are alike and themed on specific ideas, events and experiences. Shall we try this with another experience. Here you can use any stimulus: a video, part of your text, an acting experience. The pupils just have to make lists about what happened. When the event changes or moves onto another chapter/change they create a new list.
Resources required: Different newspaper examples
SPaG objective 2: I can write more than once sentence about an idea
Activity: You’ve reCAPped. Now it’s time to WRITE!
Aim: Look at the lists from the previous lessons, then model how to turn them into paragraphs. Use the template and the FANSMELT list plus the conjunction junction to model how sentence openers create cohesion. Focus on the past tense and 1st person (pronoun ‘I’) to support the sentence development.
Resources required: reCAP lists
SPaG objective 3: I can group sentences based on their specific content
Activity: Missing and Mixed Up!
Aim: Show the pupils a newspaper report that has no text. Just pictures. Oh no! All of the sentences are missing from the newspaper report and are now mixed up here: show pot with sentences. Can you help group the sentences based on their content? Model with a highlighter or colours first. Notice how the sentences are numbered 1,2,3,4 for each paragraph x3. The question is: which one goes with 2,3,4 etc.
Resources required: Template newspaper report and pot template
SPaG objective 4: I can group sentences based on their specific content
Activity: Wishy Washy
Aim: Whoops! The text went into the wash. Now all of the paragraphs are mixed up. What do we need to do? Put the text back together. Pupils rewrite or cut out the paragraphs to organise the text. This can be for any form of recount.
Resources required: Wishy Washy template
Part Three - Structure
FINAL OBJECTIVE 1: I can structure a recount correctly and include the key features
Activity: What’s Wrong?
Aim: Show pupils a WABOLL text with all of the taught skills missing or mixed up: no paragraphs, wrong tense, wrong point of view. What do you need to do? Fix it! One step at a time. Model how this process unfolds, first with the tense and point of view, and then by paragraphing.
Resources required: WABOLL text linked to topic or class book
FINAL OBJECTIVE 2: I can structure a recount correctly and include the key features
Activity: The Write Route
Aim: Show pupils the write route map. Walk them down the path and review the lists they made previously for each paragraph (or bullet point lists created by the teacher). Model how to take a list and mix it with the other skills: point of view, tense, FANSMELT, Conjunction Junction to start writing a recount. This works well with a diary entry text.
Resources required: Write Route path
