KLA: English

Strands: Writing description, poetry and persuasive texts

Term 1, 2016
Stage 3
Year 5/6 Support
Weeks
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Outcomes:
EN3-2A: Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts
EN3-4A: Draws on appropriate strategies to accurately spell familiar and unfamiliar words when composing texts
EN3-5B: Discusses how language is used to achieve a widening range of purposes for a widening range of audiences and contexts
EN3-9E: Recognises, reflects on and assesses their strengths as a learner
Week
3

Introduction to
writing

Lesson Content
True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Students read the story individually and as a class. Students record similarities and
differences in the original Three Little Pigs story and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.
Discuss as a class.

Students rewrite a traditional fairytale from another characters perspective. Remind students
to write in the first person using I and we.

Students begin lesson by drawing a tree. Following that, read the following description of a
tree: Rotten apples surrounded the thin, small trunk and filled the air with the sweet smell of
fruit in the sun. The smooth bark of the tree led to long branches full of lush, green, round
leaves. The leaves rustled in the breeze as a few fell to the ground signaling Autumn was on
the way. Students draw a tree based on the description. How did the language in the
description change their images? What was good about this passage and what could be
improved?
Brainstorm the following question: What should good descriptive writing include (the senses
see, hear, touch, smell, taste, similes, metaphors, personification, adjectives)?

Set up four tables with 4 A3 images of landscapes. In small groups, students contribute
adjectives to describe the landscape. After a short period of time, the landscapes are rotated
so that each member of the class has had the opportunity to contribute to all. Students return
to their original landscape and work collaboratively to write a passage to describe the
landscape. These are shared with the class.

Description
writing

Resources
Class set of
The True
Story of Three
Little Pigs

Template with
tree
description
and space to
draw a picture
4 x A3 images
of landscapes
Textas to
record
adjectives

11

Reg/Ev
! This was a
good
introductory
writing lesson.
Not all
students
finished and
some were
disengaged.
! Great
discussion
amongst
students
though it
became
apparent that
students did
not
understand
the difference
between
nouns and
adjectives.
Clarify this in
next lesson.

Description
Writing

Description
Writing

o
o

Description
Poetry

Read the following description to the students: He had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair
and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with lots of Sellotape because of
all the times his cousin had punched him on the nose. The only thing he liked about his own
appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead which was shaped like a bolt of lightning.
Discuss who it could be about and identify grammatical features such as adjectives, nouns
and proper nouns. Does the description paint a picture for the reader.
Students select the name of a classmate at random and write a detailed description of their
appearance. Students are reminded about the ways in which we describe things, e.g. colour,
shape, size. Students read out their descriptions at the conclusion of the lesson and the class
attempts to guess who the student is describing.
Collect a range of landscape calendar art. Students select a picture that appeals to them,
brainstorms a range of descriptive words and writes a paragraph to describe the image.
Show, dont tell work though the PowerPoint presentation, showing examples of show, dont
tell writing. Model show, dont tell writing, e.g. show that the drink is hot without telling. Allow
students many opportunities to independently write and share with the class.
Have students act out emotions and explain that they should think about how their body
does/feels when they are experiencing that emotion. Students play Guess the emotion and
try to determine the emotion being conveyed by the show, dont tell passage.
Each student chooses an emotion and brainstorms adjectives/feelings to describe the
emotion, e.g. embarrassed could be sweaty palms. Students then draw that feeling and write a
show, dont tell passage to convey it.
See lesson on: http://missradka.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/show-not-tells.html
Paint chip poetry. Discuss how colours can represent emotions and feelings. Brainstorm
words and feelings for common colours, e.g. yellow = lemon/gold, happy proud, playful, bright,
joy. Model the creation of a poem for students to use as an example (see below). Students
then select a paint chip of their choice and use the colour poem template to record words and
feelings associated with that colour. Students create their poem and record on paint chip.
Example of poem:
Red is anger
Red is the smell of pepperoni pizza steaming in the oven
Red is the feeling of anger on a bad day
Red is the sight of a fire truck zooming to save the day

! Great lesson
with a focus
on nouns/adj.
Students
particularly
loved
describing the
calendar art
using the five
seasons,
even those
who seemed
disengaged in
prior lessons.

8
Persuasive
Texts

o
o
o

9
Persuasive
Texts

Pre-Assessment Writing Task All children should walk to school every day.
Introduction - Introduce the stages of an exposition (position and argument) using Jenny
Eathers Writing is Fun as a model. Read expositions with the class and discuss purpose and
audience.
Deconstruction of text structure - Write the headings Title, Statement of Position, Series of
Arguments and Concluding Statement on cards. Revisit some of the examples on Jenny
Eathers Writing is Fun. Cut out each section of an example and glue it under the correct
heading.
Students deconstruct the text Stay Safe in the Sun by colouring:
Title green; Statement of Position purple; Series of arguments blue; Concluding
Statement yellow (can be done as part of literacy groups).
To explain statement of position state an opinion to the class, e.g. Dogs are better than cats.
Ask the children to stand in different position in the room to show if they strongly agree or
disagree.

o Emotive language in persuasion - Review the story of Three Billy Goats Gruff.
Display the letter from the disgruntled goat father and highlight the emotive language.
Remove the emotive language and discuss whether the text has the same effect.
o

Language using verbs - Read Homework should be banned on the Jenny Eather site. Print
students a copy or transfer onto IWB. Remind the class what verbs are. Ask the students to
find words that tell us what the writer thinks or feels. Make a list of other words that could be
used to state what people think or believe. Also point out the present tense form which
makes the argument more permanent and convincing. Find other thinking/feeling verbs in the
sample, such as worrying Brainstorm and list emotive, descriptive, attitudinal high modality
language that can be used to write about a particular issue. Create a display poster. Words
could include must, important, significant, I firmly believe.

Dont let the pigeon stay up late Watch the YouTube clip: Dont let the pigeon stay
up late http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feX2RVJybJY Discuss the problem in the
story and the reasons that the pigeon gave for staying up late. Introduce the topic:
Children should be allowed to choose their own bedtime. Students brainstorm
arguments with a partner and present an argument to the class. Jointly create an
exposition following appropriate structure and understanding of language.

Introduce the writing prompt Is it cruel to keep animals in cages. Create a shared persuasive
text to model text structure to the class. Highlight the importance of having an introduction and
conclusion, supporting arguments and the use of high modality words.

10
Persuasive
Texts

o
11
Persuasive
Texts

Talking activity. Sit students in a circle. Have some non-emotive statements prepared. Ask
the first student to read one aloud, e.g. I believe puppies are cute. The next student adds or
changes the words to increase the modality: I strongly believe puppies are cute. I strongly
believe puppies are very cute etc. When no more variations can be thought of, the game
begins again with a new statement.
Using a template to guide structure, students write a letter to their local supermarket
convincing them to no longer stock their most hated food.
With teacher support, students write a number of expositions independently. See topic
suggestions below.

Discuss areas of concern within the school and brainstorm supportive arguments, i.e.
cleaner toilets, removing the road between school grounds, garden for every grade.
Students may survey school members on the topic and write a letter to school
principal, SRC or council with their concerns.
o Continue exposition writing and have students use a checklist to determine if all
elements are present.
o

Topic Suggestions

Children should be able

to have snacks during
class.
Boys and girls should
be in separate classes.

Why is your favourite

TV show the best show
to watch?
The best season is...

Some toys and games

are educational

It is cruel to keep
animals in cages and
zoos

Are computer games a

good way for children to
spend their time?
Book review convince
others that your book is
a must read
Reading books is better
than watching TV

Public transport is it
Junk food should it be Recycling its not
the way to go?
banned at school?
easy being green
Persuasion Map: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/persuasion_map/

Recess should be
longer.
Toys are a waste of
money

Quality or quantity whats better when

receiving gifts?
It is better to live now
than in the past

All children should have

to play sport

Do cats make better

pets than dogs

Computer games are

they a waste of time?

What is more important

friends or family