Real Writing Year 2 - Unit 1
Model text: Chicken Licken, by Dan Smith
Curriculum links: Journey stories
Unit overview
This writing unit for Year 2 is built around an original text by Dan Smith - a retelling of a traditional tale, which is a linear journey story. The example text is available as a PDF in three versions (plain, illustrated and annotated); annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations are also included.
In this two-week unit, pupils will will learn the features of a simple linear journey story and will sequence the story using resources provided. Pupils will learn how to use commas when punctuating a list and will also investigate words that use the graphemes ‘ey’ to make the /ee/ sound at the end of words and how these are made plural. They will write their own version of the story, changing the characters on the journey and the message that must be taken. This unit gives pupils the opportunity to write a narrative based on personal experiences or those of others.
Key curriculum skills
Two fully-resourced lessons are included for the following Year 1 English objectives, which can form part of the unit or be taught discretely:
1. Vocabulary: To spell words with the /ee/ sound spelt ey, including the plurals of these words
Pupils will: learn that the graphemes ‘ey’ can be used at the end of some words where the /ee/ sound can be heard and will learn some examples of these. They will also explore the how the plurals of these words are written by adding -s.
2. Punctuation: to use commas to separate items within a list
Pupils will: learn how commas are used to separate items in lists before using commas in their own writing.
Additional teaching points to teach or revisit:
- punctuating sentences with different forms (statement, question and exclamation)
- expanded noun phrases to describe and specify
- write in the past tense
- using the co-ordinating conjunction but
- rereading writing to check that it makes sense
- proofreading to check for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation
- reading aloud what they have written
Year 2 words: featured vocabulary
Common exception words: floor everybody people pass could water
Tier 2 words: exclaim, join, journey, lair, reply, search, valley
Tier 3 words: N/A