Engage your pupils in exploring the sights, sounds and sensations of the seaside with A Day at the Seaside, a Year 1 writing unit from our Real Writing collection. Written by published children’s author Dan Smith, this two-week unit helps pupils develop descriptive writing skills while practising key English objectives.
What’s included?
The unit follows a carefully mapped framework and provides detailed lesson planning, teacher notes, teaching slides, activity sheets and differentiated resources. You’ll find:
- three versions of the model text (plain, illustrated and annotated PDFs)
- annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations
- vocabulary cards for Tier 2, Tier 3 and common exception words
- CEW flashcards, text maps, planning sheets and writing sheets
- teacher guidance for every stage from familiarisation to independent writing
Key curriculum links
The unit links directly to Year 1 English objectives, supporting progression in vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. Pupils will:
1: read and spell compound words
2: use adjectives to describe
3: join words and clauses using and
This unit also links to geography and science, giving pupils opportunities to explore coasts and the senses. They will describe physical features such as cliffs, harbours and the ocean, and incorporate sensory experiences like touch, smell and sound into their writing.
Featured vocabulary
Common exception words: there, is, where, the, are, go, of, my, so, to, one, some, a, me, has, I
Tier 2 words: fairground, jolly, scoop, seagull, seaweed
Tier 3 words: beach, cliff, coast, harbour, ocean
Teachers can use the vocabulary cards and matching activities to introduce and revisit these words during reading and writing sessions.
Teaching sequence and activities
Across three phases, pupils will explore the seaside setting and develop their own writing:
- Phase 1 – Familiarisation: explore sand and water areas, discuss experiences of the beach and play parks and read the model text. Pupils will use senses image cards and worksheets to identify what was seen, heard, smelt, touched and tasted in the story. They'll draw and label items and begin orally composing sentences.
- Phase 2 – Teaching and rehearsing: teach compound words, adjectives and conjunctions through interactive tasks. Pupils will practise joining clauses with and, sequencing ideas and spelling common exception words. They'll plan their own writing using the planning sheet, generating ideas from personal experiences or a class trip to the seaside.
- Phase 3 – Application: pupils will write their own setting description of the seaside, using adjectives, the conjunction and, time adverbials and geographical vocabulary. They'll check their writing by rereading aloud and using a writer’s checklist to self-assess. Support and challenge strategies help all pupils achieve success.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the unit, pupils will:
- understand how to use adjectives and the senses to describe a setting
- join sentences with the conjunction and to create compound sentences
- spell compound words and common exception words accurately
- write in the first person using the pronoun I
- sequence ideas clearly and use punctuation correctly
- produce a descriptive setting text about the seaside
This practical and engaging unit equips teachers with everything needed to guide pupils in creating vivid seaside descriptions while meeting curriculum objectives and building cross-curricular links.