This Year 6 writing unit from our Real Writing collection is built around an original model text, Visit Florida!, by published children’s author Anita Loughrey. This is a persuasive leaflet designed to encourage tourists to visit the state.
Following a carefully mapped framework, this unit provides two to three weeks of detailed lesson planning. Each lesson develops pupils’ reading, writing and critical thinking skills while linking English learning to geography.
Pupils will examine how expanded noun phrases and persuasive devices bring a location to life and how layout features such as headings, subheadings and diagrams guide the reader.
The unit culminates in pupils designing their own Florida tourist attraction and writing a persuasive leaflet to attract visitors.
Curriculum links
This unit supports key Year 6 English objectives, including:
- Using hyphens to avoid ambiguity
- Using expanded noun phrases to convey information concisely
- Revisiting paragraphs, apostrophes, modal verbs and creating noun phrases
- Using a wider range of punctuation, including colons, hyphens and commas
- Applying layout devices for cohesion
Cross-curricular links include geography, where pupils learn about Florida as a region within North America and link language choices to location knowledge. Pupils will also develop persuasive speaking and writing skills relevant to real-world contexts.
Vocabulary
- Year 5/6 statutory spelling words: leisure, queue, temperature, yacht
- Tier 2 words: attraction, destination, distinct, hub, vacation
Tier 3 words: peninsular
Resources
- Model text PDFs (plain, illustrated, annotated)
- Annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations
- Vocabulary cards and persuasive writing poster
- Writing skills checklist
- Planning margins for leaflet drafting
- Design planning sheets and maps of tourist attractions
Activities
Begin the unit by showing pupils a selection of tourist brochures and discussing which destinations appeal to them and why. Explore how persuasive features influence their choices.
Pupils then read the model leaflet together, identifying headings, subheadings, diagrams and persuasive language. Highlight expanded noun phrases, hyphenated compound adjectives and modal verbs used to persuade the reader.
Next, pupils will practise the language of persuasion by preparing short speeches to promote Florida, using emotive vocabulary, rhetorical questions and second-person address.
Design a tourist attraction and plan a leaflet using the margin planner. Students may also create a map to include in their leaflet.
Over several sessions, pupils will write their persuasive leaflet, applying expanded noun phrases, hyphens and persuasive devices.
Outcomes
- Analyse a model persuasive leaflet and identify its structure and language features
- Use expanded noun phrases and hyphenated adjectives accurately
- Apply persuasive devices such as modal verbs, emotive language and rhetorical questions
- Use headings, subheadings, diagrams and layout devices effectively
- Produce a clear, engaging persuasive leaflet promoting a tourist attraction
- Adapt language and presentation for different audiences