This Year 3 writing unit from our Real Writing collection is centred on an original model text by published children’s author Jo Franklin. Pupils will explore a non-chronological report about Roman army formations, available in PDF (plain, illustrated and annotated) and supported by PowerPoint presentations (annotated and non-annotated).
Each unit follows a carefully mapped framework, providing two to three weeks of detailed lesson planning to support confident teaching and learning.
Curriculum links
This unit links closely to Year 3 writing objectives, with opportunities to revisit and consolidate previous skills. Pupils will identify word families based on common words and organise paragraphs around a topic sentence. They'll also practise subordination, using past and present tense correctly and applying commas for lists.
Children will also:
- extend sentences with a wider range of conjunctions
- use conjunctions, adverbials and prepositions to express time, place and cause
- employ pronouns, conjunctions and adverbs to improve cohesion
Pupils will also enhance noun phrases for detail and include organisational features such as headings and subheadings. Cross-curricular links make this unit ideal for a topic on the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain.
Vocabulary focus
Tier 2 words: advantage, crouch, interlock, protective
Tier 3 words: formation, military, combat, commander, strategy, legion, tactics
Year 3/4 statutory spelling words: century, guard, position, surprise, experienced, continue, famous, though, women
Resources
- Model text PDF (plain, illustrated, annotated)
- PowerPoint presentations (annotated and non-annotated)
- Teacher notes with full teaching sequence
- Activity sheets for vocabulary, grammar and writing
- Report text margin planner
- ‘How to write a non-chronological report’ poster
- Writing skills checklist
Teaching activities
Pupils begin by practising Roman army manoeuvres, forming Tortoise, Wedge and Triple Line formations to explore movement, teamwork and command language.
They'll then read the model text together, discussing tense, structure and organisational features. Pupils will highlight examples of grammatical features such as coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, commas for lists and adverbs.
Activities involve developing word families based on Latin roots and practising organising paragraphs around a topic sentence. Pupils will write concise instructions for Roman formations, using conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions.
They'll plan and draft their own non-chronological reports, drawing on the model text and research. Writing sessions include opportunities to proofread and edit. Pupils can add diagrams, maps or photos to complete their reports.
Outcomes
By the end of the unit, pupils will:
- Read and analyse a non-chronological report with confidence
- Use technical Roman military vocabulary accurately
- Identify and write effective topic sentences and structured paragraphs
- Apply grammar and punctuation rules independently
- Produce a well-organised report incorporating cross-curricular knowledge
- Demonstrate careful editing and enhancement of their writing
This unit provides a rich, practical experience, equipping pupils with the skills to write confidently about historical topics while extending their vocabulary and grammatical knowledge.