Y9 – Writing to Describe

Key words: Heritage, Visualise, Simile, Personification, Alliteration, Repetition

Lesson 1 – Reading

Objectives: R15 – Literary Heritage; W7 – Layers of meaning

Starters
1. Organise the students into pairs. Give each pair two sets of cards: one with
writer’s names and the other with a title of one of their most notable works.
The students have to match the writer with their work. This could be done as
a card sort, by playing snap or by pelmanism. For added difficulty the
students could then try to arrange the cards chronologically, according to
when the writers lived. You could also add ‘Movement’ cards for the students
to place along the timeline e.g. Romanticism, Modernism. Alternatively, this
could be done as a human timeline, or on a worksheet. On a worksheet, some
of the information could already be entered in the correct place to support
the less able. Take feedback and display a completed timeline. Explain the
idea of literary heritage and that in this lesson the students will be looking
at a piece of writing by Dickens.
2. For the more able: Organise the students into groups and allocate each group
a writer from our literary heritage to research. Provide each group with
information on their writer in the form of an extract from an encyclopaedia
or literature guide. Their task is to identify 5 facts about the writer, (which
must include date of birth and most notable works). After 5 minutes one
representative from each group must go to the front of the class. The
representatives must organise themselves into a literary timeline and present
their information to the rest of the class.

Introduction

Shared reading of text.

 Explain to the class that you are going to read them the opening paragraph of

the novel ‘Bleak House’ which describes a place and they are going to listen
(without seeing the text), close their eyes, and try to picture in their mind
the images Dickens creates. Explain that you will read the paragraph a second
time, with pauses, and they must then draw the images they visualise. The
drawing should only be a rough sketch and can include symbols and stick
figures etc.
 Carry out the exercise and then tell the students to share their picture with

the person sitting next to them and describe what they have drawn and why.
(In doing this they will ideally refer back to the text and use quotations they
remember).
 Ask the students to annotate their picture with any quotations they
remember from the text, (text reconstruction). Give them 2mins only.
 Next, ask the students to use a different coloured pen and add to their
picture any adjectives which they feel capture the sense of place described.
 Ask students to share adjectives and create a list on the board.

Reading Development

 Display a copy of the text on the OHT and give the students a copy also.
 Direct the students to read the first paragraph, which they heard, and
annotate it to show how Dickens creates the sense of place they visualised –
what devices does he use?
 Take feedback and annotate the shared text.
 Then, direct the students to read the second paragraph of the text. Ask
them to underline the word ‘fog’ and consider:
 why the word is repeated

 where the fog can be found and what it is doing

 Take feedback and focus on the effects of these and the sense of invasion
that is created.

Plenary

 Students must finish the following incomplete sentences:

Dickens creates an impression of a ___________________ place. He does this

by _________________________________________ .

 Invite students to share their sentences and agree a class response and
write it on the board.

Follow up work

 Read the next two paragraphs of the text and consider how the fog is used
as a metaphor for the Lord High Chancellor. Consider Dickens’ viewpoint on
those in power in Victorian society = R6, R11
 Research more into Dickens and read the openings of some of his other texts
and compare to the opening of ‘Bleak House’. What can be noted about his
style? = R15
Lesson 2 - From Reading to Writing

Objectives: W11 – Descriptive detail

Starter

 As a stimulus for writing, display a picture of a Victorian scene, e.g. street,

workhouse (the History dept. may be able to help find a suitable image).
Alternatively play a short video clip of a Victorian scene.
 Looking at the image, the students must note down adjectives to describe
what they see. You should also do this.
 Share adjectives to create a class list.

Introduction

 Explain to the students that they are going to produce a piece of writing
describing this place in a way that should create a clear image in the reader’s
mind, as Dickens did in ‘Bleak House’.
 Ask the students to brainstorm a list of the devices they think they should
try to include e.g. simile, alliteration. Take feedback and create a class
checklist.
 Demonstrate to the students how you would begin writing a descriptive piece
about the given scene. Then take suggestions from the class for shared
composition of the next part of the writing. Rehearse writing as a reader i.e.
thinking when writing what the effect will be on the reader.

Writing Development

 Tell the students they can continue this writing or start their own. They
must aim to produce two paragraphs of quality description.
 Give them time to draft their work. They should refer to the checklist to
ensure a range of devices is used.

Plenary

Select the work of a few students to share with the class and ask them to
comment on strengths and possible areas for improvement. Ask the students to
self-assess their work using the marking stickers.

Follow-up work

 Redraft work and produce in neat. Illustrate it to show imagery used.

 Produce a critical analysis of their writing commenting on language choices
and intended effects.
 Booster Kit 2002/03 lessons 14 & 15