This Year 3 Real Writing unit uses Volcano by published children’s author Joshua Seigal as its model text. Pupils will read a poem written from the perspective of a volcano, exploring the drama and intensity of eruptions.
The unit spans two to three weeks and follows a carefully mapped framework, giving teachers clear, practical guidance to develop pupils’ vocabulary, grammar and creative writing skills.
This unit also links naturally to geography topics, such as earthquakes and volcanoes, allowing pupils to combine literacy and scientific learning.
Curriculum links and objectives
This unit supports key Year 3 writing objectives while revisiting prior learning. Pupils will:
- Explore the etymology and morphology of words, recognising roots, prefixes and suffixes, and grouping words into families.
- Identify structural features of a poem, including rhyme, rhythm, line breaks and figurative language.
- Practise similes, metaphors and personification to convey meaning creatively.
- Use superlative adjectives, expanded noun phrases and commas for lists.
- Extend sentences with conjunctions, adverbials and prepositions, including prepositional phrases.
Vocabulary focus
Pupils will learn and apply a rich mix of vocabulary:
- Tier 2 words: perch, vicious, yearn
- Tier 3 words: ash, crater, dormant, lava, magma, mantle, volcano
- Common exception words: height, pressure, surprise, build
Introduce words through cards, context clues and matching activities. Pupils will then apply them in writing tasks, enhancing both understanding and usage.
Key teaching activities
Begin with a hook activity, asking pupils to act out a volcano erupting. Groups rehearse using body movements, sounds and safe props to explore the build-up, eruption and return to dormancy.
Next, pupils will read the model poem, noting verb tenses, noun phrases, prepositions and figurative language. They'll practise identifying similes and personification, then write individual sentences describing the pressure, explosion, lava flow and ash cloud as first-person similes.
Pupils will then plan their own volcano poem using a margin planner, guided by the “How to write a volcano poem” poster. They'll draft over several sessions, apply the writing skills checklist for proofreading and editing, and finally read their poem aloud, focusing on intonation and expression.
Resources included
- Model text in three versions: plain, illustrated, and annotated (PDF)
- Annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations
- Teacher notes and full lesson plans
- Vocabulary cards and matching activities
- Poem margin planner and “How to write a volcano poem” poster
- Visual aids
Learning outcomes
By the end of the unit, pupils will:
- Write a poem in the style of Volcano, using first-person perspective
- Use figurative language, including similes, metaphors and personification
- Apply etymology and morphology to expand vocabulary
- Write with correct punctuation, grammar and line structure
- Demonstrate effective planning, drafting, editing and reading aloud with expression
This Real Writing unit engages Year 3 pupils in creative poetry, strengthens language skills and connects literacy with scientific understanding of volcanoes.