Real Writing Year 2 - Unit 22
Model text: What Am I? (a mesostic riddle) by Joshua Seigal
Curriculum links: science
Unit overview
This writing unit for Year 2 is built around an original text by Joshua Seigal - an example of a mesostic poem about a minibeast. 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 explore how the poem is organised, identifying the hidden word and how the poet has incorporated it into the poem. Pupils will investigate compound nouns by creating a variety of insect names. Pupils will also learn how adjectives are used to create noun phrases and have the opportunity to write sentences punctuated with question and exclamation marks. In the final writing task, pupils will write their own mesostic poems based on the model text, describing a minibeast and its habitat.
Key curriculum skills
Three 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 form nouns by compounding words
Pupils will: learn how words can be combined to create compound nouns. They will create names for minibeasts by compounding words and they can be encouraged to think about how those words might describe characteristics of the animals.
2. Grammar: to use adjectives to create noun phrases
Pupils will: learn how to create noun phrases by adding adjectives before the noun to add description. Pupils will collect ideas that they could use to describe minibeasts and their habitats before using their ideas in their own writing.
3. Punctuation: to use question marks and exclamation marks to punctuate sentences
Pupils will: write sentences punctuated with question and exclamation marks about minibeasts. They will learn when each punctuation mark should be used in question and exclamation sentences, as well as how the exclamation mark can be used to show strong emotion such as delight, surprise or anger.
Additional teaching points to teach or revisit:
- using subordinating conjunctions
- using an apostrophe to punctuate contracted words
- proof-reading to check for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation
- aloud what they have written
Year 2 words: featured vocabulary
Common exception words: floor behind wild climb cold beautiful fast eye water plant
Tier 2 words: huddling, scuttle
Tier 3 words: antennae, crustacean, environment, habitat, predator, shell