Writing Structures and Prompts

Different Text Type Structures

General text types structures;

Imaginative Texts

• Plan (who, what, where, when)

• Setting (introduction using the information from the plan)

• Complication (something that goes wrong in the story)

• Series of events (what happens as a result of the complication)

• Resolution (the complication is solved)

• Conclusion

Informative Texts

• Topic of animal, person, place or object

  • Animal - Classification (introduce your topic and tell what the animal is), description (appearance, behaviour, habitat and breeding), conclusion (make a personal comment about the subject of the report)

  • Object - Classification (introduce your topic and tell what the object is), description (size, shape, features, dynamics, where it is used or found, how it could change), conclusion (make a personal comment about the subject of the report)

  • Person - Classification (introduce your topic and tell who the person is), description (characteristics, where he/she lives, what he/she does, achievements), conclusion (make a personal comment about the subject of the report)

  • Place - Classification (what is it and where is it, description (size, facts, features), conclusion (make a personal comment about the subject of the report)

Persuasive Texts

• Introduction of the argument or topic

• One paragraph for each point of view and a justifying statement for each, eg, I believe that children should wear school uniform (opinion) because it provides students with a sense of identify with their school (justification)

• Conclusion

Tips for Writing for Parents (K-2)

• Am I using;

  • Capital letters and full stops

  • Conjunctions (and, but, because, however, so)

  • Adjectives (words that describe)

  • Verbs (words that show actions - swims, runs, laughs etc; words that show senses - loves, wanted to know, thought etc; words that show speaking - shouted, asked, whispered etc; words that relate - had, become, is made up of, included etc)

• Does it make sense?

Tips for Writing for Parents (Years 3 and 4)

• All strategies from the above list

• At least one page

• Use of mind map when planning.

• Publishing work: written, Chromebook

• Evidence of self-editing (checking spelling, grammar, punctuation)

• Use of dictionary or spell check to spell unfamiliar words.

• Use of speech marks

• Do the sentences make sense?

• Neat handwriting, joining letters

• Sequenced and logical ideas

• Plans and organises ideas using headings, graphic organisers, questions and mind maps.

• Use of paragraphs

• Verbs, Adverbials, Nouns and Adjectivals used in writing

Tips for Writing for Parents (Years 5 and 6)

• All strategies from the above lists

• Use of personal experiences, other texts and research to create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts.

• Justify opinions with supporting evidence – OREO: Opinion, Reason, Evidence, Opinion.

• Use of mind map when planning.

• Self-editing strategies

• Use a variety of sentence beginnings, including adverbial and adjectival clauses to create complex sentences.

• Correct punctuation

• Spelling – look right, sound right, prefixes, suffixes?

• Pronouns

• Conjunctions and connectives to link ideas and information.

• Handwriting – neat cursive

Free Writing Activities

Below are a range of topics or ideas to use to prompt students thinking. Get students to think about these questions and write an imaginative story.

If you could build a dream house, what rooms would it have?

• Write a story about going on an adventure with your best friend.

• Who has the best job in the world?

• Where do you get best ideas?

• Imagine that you are stuck inside a TV. What will you do? What shows would you visit?

• What would you do if you won the lottery?

• Would you rather be an animal or a toy?

• If you designed a video game, what would it be called?

• What are some things you could never live without?

• Which type of natural disaster is the scariest?

• Would you rather be really big or really tiny?

• If your pet could talk what would he or she say?

• What would the world be like without the internet?

• Describe yourself without using any physical description.

• Write a story about your future self getting your dream job.

• Would you ever want to travel back in time? Where would you go?

• Imagine living in the jungle. What would it be like?

• If you were a famous chef, what would you cook?

• What do you think more about than anything else?

• What will the world be like in 50 years?

• If you could be any superhero, who would you like to be?

• If you had to eat one kind of food forever, what would you choose?

• Write a story about a kid who lives in a land made of ice cream.

• If bears could dance, what types of dances would they do?

• Do you believe that aliens exist? if so, what are they like?

• How will people travel in the future?

• Write a story about someone who overcomes a fear.

• Write a story about a princess and a magical bicycle.

• If you got trapped at the zoo, what would you do?

• What is the best dessert in the world?

• What is the best lesson you've ever learned outside of school?