Engage your Year 6 pupils with this Real Writing unit based on an original tale by published children’s author Jon Mayhew. The Glittering Collar is set in Ancient Egypt and provides a rich historical backdrop for narrative writing.
Pupils will explore how the author combines expanded noun phrases, historical detail and descriptive language to bring the story to life. They'll then apply these techniques to craft their own finding tale, which could be set in Ancient Egypt or another historical setting.
The unit is designed to run over two to three weeks, with a carefully mapped framework and detailed lesson plans to support teachers in delivering engaging and structured lessons.
Curriculum links and objectives
This unit develops key Year 6 writing objectives while offering strong cross-curricular links to history. Pupils will revisit spelling and vocabulary, distinguish between commonly confused homophones and analyse how authors describe settings to inform their own writing.
They'll practise punctuation, including commas, semi-colons, colons, hyphens and ellipses, while consolidating skills in paragraphing, relative clauses and expanded noun phrases.
Pupils will also explore dialogue to convey character, advance action and describe characters and settings effectively. Historical context links include Ancient Egyptian culture, architecture and social structures, allowing pupils to embed historical detail into their narratives.
Resources
The unit provides a comprehensive set of teaching materials:
- Model text in PDF format (plain, illustrated, annotated)
- Annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations
- Vocabulary cards and matching activities
- Image cards of Ancient Egyptian artefacts, collars and cats
- Finding tale poster and margin planners
- Writing task poster and teacher notes with step-by-step lesson plans
Vocabulary
Year 5/6 statutory spelling words: ancient, mischievous, symbol
Tier 2 words: adorn, architect, bejewelled, cymbal, flank, practice, practise, scoundrel
Tier 3 words: Egyptian, hieroglyphics, incarnation, Pharaoh, staff
Key teaching activities
Begin by showing pupils a decorated collar and images of Ancient Egyptian cats, prompting discussion about cultural significance. Pupils will explore historical context and character by reading the model text, analysing how the author conveys setting, events and emotion through descriptive language and expanded noun phrases.
Pupils will practise homophones, annotate setting descriptions and discuss narrative themes and structure. They'll write diary entries in role, create paragraphs predicting what may happen next, and develop dialogue between characters to advance the story.
Using the finding tale margin planner, pupils will plan and draft their own narratives over multiple sessions, applying punctuation, vocabulary and stylistic techniques.
Outcomes
By the end of this unit, pupils will:
- write a coherent finding tale set in Ancient Egypt or another historical context
- use expanded noun phrases, relative clauses, adverbials and dialogue effectively
- select precise vocabulary and apply a range of punctuation marks
- plan, draft, edit and proofread writing with attention to historical and descriptive detail
- demonstrate understanding of Ancient Egyptian culture and convey it within their narrative
This unit equips pupils with the skills and confidence to produce historically informed, engaging narratives while meeting Year 6 English objectives.