This Year 4 writing unit from our Real Writing collection centres on an original model text by Jo Franklin.
Pupils follow a series of emails recounting an around the world trip. The unit includes plain, illustrated and annotated PDFs, alongside PowerPoint presentations with and without annotations.
Over two weeks, pupils investigate spelling patterns for /ai/ (ei, eigh, ey) and explore fronted adverbials to sequence events and show locations.
They finish by writing their own email recount of a real or imagined holiday.
Overview
This unit provides teachers with a fully mapped framework for two to three weeks of lessons. Activities are carefully designed to develop key Year 4 English skills while linking to geography.
Pupils will:
- read and analyse an informal recount in the form of emails
- explore how fronted adverbials organise events and indicate where they happen
- investigate words containing the /ai/ sound spelled ei, eigh and ey
- practise spelling, grammar and punctuation through scaffolded tasks
- plan and write their own email recount based on a real or imagined holiday
Curriculum links
English objectives
- Spelling: Words with ei, eigh, ey
- Grammar: Fronted adverbials, expanded noun phrases, punctuation including apostrophes and commas
- Writing: Organising paragraphs around a theme, punctuating direct speech, using informal and non-Standard English
Cross-curricular links
- Geography: Exploring European countries or other locations around the world, examining physical and human features, climate, vegetation, landmarks and culture
Vocabulary
- Tier 2 words: feature, meditate
- Tier 3 words: climate, country, vegetation
- Common exception words: address, calendar, different, eighth, favourite, February, interest, island
Resources included
- Model text PDFs (plain, illustrated, annotated)
- PowerPoint presentations (annotated and non-annotated)
- Greeting People Around the World poster
- Vocabulary cards and match activities
- Research sheets and informal recount margin planners
- Writing skills checklists
Key teaching activities
- Hook activity: Introduce greetings from around the world and explore pupils’ knowledge of other languages. Create a display of greetings for classroom reference.
- Reading the model text: Analyse features of informal recounts, locate the writer’s destinations on a world map, and discuss travel sequences.
- Vocabulary development: Explore tier 2 and 3 words, statutory spelling words, and infer meanings from context.
- Informal language: Identify contracted words and non-Standard English in the model text. Pupils can orally convert emails into more formal language.
- Planning and research: Pupils choose countries, research key features, and plan their recount using the margin planner, with opportunities for extension activities for confident writers.
- Writing application: Compose an email recount over multiple sessions, using the ‘How to…’ poster and writing skills check for self-assessment and editing. Pupils may produce a series of emails for greater depth.
Outcomes
By the end of the unit, pupils will be able to:
- Spell words containing ei, eigh and ey accurately
- Use fronted adverbials to sequence events and indicate location
- Expand nouns using adjectives and prepositional phrases
- Organise paragraphs logically around themes
- Use informal and non-Standard English appropriately in email recounts
- Proofread, edit and orally present their writing clearly