Year 5/6 Bulletin

Sequence of Writing sessions

Session 1

Learning intention: Learning how to use sentence length and word choice to influence our readers’ feelings, or mood.  

Task: Camp recount

Before writing the children were read the first few lines of a variety of texts.

We discussed mood words and their impact on us as readers and the effectiveness and purpose of sentence lengths.

Modelled Writing (Teacher lead writing, where the teacher models the writing process)

The children were encouraged to share what they observed the teacher doing and give feedback on the piece.

Children were encouraged to identify mood words and sentence length within the piece.

Children then created their own piece about camp.

Session 2 Cont.

As a class, we revisited our pieces with the learning intention in mind and edited our original piece. Emphasis was placed on sentence lengths, word choice and sequencing a series of events. 

Sessions 3-4

Learning Intention: To learn about various punctuation and how it can be used correctly to enhance my writing.

The children were shown a slideshow with different forms of punctuation.

Discussions

Is there any punctuation there that you were not familiar with?

1. What punctuation would you use in a simple sentence?
2. A compound sentence?
3. A complex sentences?
4. What are some different sentences?

Statements, questions, exclamations, command direct speech.

We introduced the Punctuation ladder and Sentence ladder.

These were used to help the children identify what their writing needed or what their next step might be.

Finally, students typed up their completed pieces of work, using the editing checklist as a final check over their writing piece.

Student Work examples: 

Please check your child’s task which is coming home today. Please add feedback to the writing piece. 

Prompting questions to think about when providing feedback:

• How did you feel as the reader?
• “My favourite part was…”
• Were you able to visualise what was happening as you were reading?
• Feedback on the word choice
• Did the varying sentence lengths help create mood for you as the reader?
• What did you enjoy while reading the piece?
• What is something that you would add/take away to strengthen the piece?
• Any further questions you have after reading the writing piece?

What you can do now (to continue the learning at home from this experience):

• Try and get your child to practise quick writes with different creative prompts to engage their creative side.
• Recount events that happen during the week and write them down together with your child in a creative way, experimenting with language and sentence lengths. Experiment with setting different moods through word choice.
• From these events, choose one each and create your own writing piece, taking the time to edit your work, each other's work and offering feedback to one another once completed.