This Year 3 writing unit from our Real Writing collection uses an original model text by published children’s author Lorretta Schauer. Pupils will explore a non-chronological report about the ‘Moldau’ movement from the ‘Ma Vlast’ symphony by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana.
All texts in this unit are written by experienced authors and follow a carefully mapped framework to support teaching and learning. Each unit includes two to three weeks of detailed lesson planning, complete with teacher notes, slides and activity sheets, ensuring lessons are engaging and practical for classroom use.
Curriculum links
This unit explicitly supports Year 3 writing objectives. Pupils will explore the etymology of words, specifically the use of Italian words in English. They'll also explore the use of figurative language, specifically similes.
This unit also develops children's understanding of subordination, using past and present tense accurately and applying commas for lists.
Pupils will extend their sentences with a wider range of conjunctions, adverbials and prepositions to express time, place and cause. They'll also practise organising paragraphs around themes and including features such as headings and subheadings.
Cross-curricular links include music, with objectives to appreciate and understand a wide range of live and recorded music, and physical geography, particularly rivers and locational knowledge.
Vocabulary
Year 3/4 statutory spelling words: describe, early, popular, different, through, often
Tier 2 words: course, rapids, recurring, spring
Tier 3 words: pitch, pizzicato, melody, rhythm, strings, symphony, tempo, woodwind
Key resources
The unit provides:
- Model text in three formats: plain, illustrated and annotated PDF
- Annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations
- Word cards for vocabulary work
- Writing planners, checklists and a ‘How to write a non-chronological report’ poster
- Activity sheets for grammar and composition
Teaching activities
Begin your lesson by watching a video of an orchestra performance of ‘The Moldau’, followed by a discussion about how the music represents the river’s journey.
Pupils will explore the model text, identifying organisational features and grammar skills. They'll complete vocabulary activities and learn to write similes.
Subsequent tasks include writing a postcard as a river journey observer and composing paragraphs on musical instruments, using topic sentences and descriptive language. Pupils will plan and write their own report section, applying skills in drafting, proofreading and editing.
Pupil outcomes
By the end of this unit, pupils can:
- Write a structured non-chronological report using headings, subheadings and paragraphs
- Incorporate Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary accurately
- Use figurative language such as similes and precise descriptive terms
- Demonstrate secure grammar, punctuation and spelling
- Link English writing to music and geography, deepening cross-curricular understanding