This Year 4 Real Writing unit uses a vivid poem by published children’s author Joshua Seigal to build strong writing habits.
Through the unit, teacher-led short, focused tasks will explore pronouns, humour and informal language. A clear framework guides each step so pupils move quickly towards independent writing.
The model text is available as plain, illustrated and annotated PDFs, plus matching PowerPoints for flexible modelling.
The unit sits neatly alongside geography learning on the tropics, rainforests and climate zones. It develops pupils’ understanding of how structure, vocabulary and grammar shape a writer’s voice, then supports them as they create their own poem about the Tropics.
Curriculum links
English
- Apply vowel suffixes -al, -ic and -ity
- Use pronouns for clarity and to avoid repetition
- Organise paragraphs or stanzas around a theme
- Use adverbials
- Discuss texts similar to those they plan to write
- Strengthen use of noun phrases and the present progressive verb form
- Use apostrophes for singular possession and contracted forms
Cross curricular
- Geography: climate zones, rainforest environments, the equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
- Science: habitats, seasonal change and environmental factors
Vocabulary
- Tier 2 words: frolic, luscious, mozzies, replete, swarm
- Tier 3 words: equator, foliage, humidity, season, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, tropics
- Common exception words: earth, uncertainty
Resources included
- Three versions of the model text (plain, illustrated, annotated)
- Annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations
- Step-by-step lesson plans for two to three weeks of teaching
- Vocabulary lists and spelling guidance
- Scaffolded activity sheets
- Planning framework for the final poem
- Printable grammar and vocabulary tasks
- Teacher guidance for modelling and shared writing
Activities and teaching sequence
- Investigate vowel suffixes by exploring root words and building example sentences
- Sort and use pronouns to improve clarity in descriptive writing
- Analyse the author’s use of humour and informal vocabulary
- Explore stanza structure and rehearse ideas orally before writing
- Build rich noun phrases to describe the sights, sounds and sensations of the Tropics
- Create guided drafts that develop imagery, rhythm and tone
- Apply skills from reading and imitation tasks into independent writing
Outcomes
By the end of the unit pupils:
- Apply vowel suffixes accurately in sentences
- Use pronouns confidently to avoid repetition
- Write vivid stanza-based poems using a clear structure
- Draw on expanded vocabulary linked to geography and environmental themes
- Edit writing to improve clarity, flow and precision
- Produce a final poem that mirrors the style and structure of Joshua Seigal’s model text while showcasing their own ideas