This Year 2 Real Writing unit centres on Been a Bean, an original poem by published children’s author Joshua Seigal. The poem explores the lifecycle of a bean, giving pupils a practical link between writing and science.
Pupils begin this two- to three-week unit by reading and performing the poem, experimenting with voice and movement to demonstrate understanding. They investigate homophones, practise adding the suffix –ly to adjectives to form adverbs and explore compound words.
In the final task, pupils plan, draft and perform their own poems describing a plant or animal lifecycle, linking to science topics studied in class.
Resources included
- PDF and PowerPoint versions of the poem
- Vocabulary and common exception word cards
- Parts of a plant and bean lifecycle posters
- Writing templates and writer’s checklist
- Full teacher notes and lesson plans
Key skills and curriculum links
English objectives
- Spell homophones and near homophones
- Add the suffix –ly to adjectives to form adverbs
- Use noun phrases
- Use apostrophes for contracted words
- Write in the correct tense
- Proofread for spelling, grammar and punctuation
- Read writing aloud
Cross-curricular links
- Science: plant and animal lifecycles
- Speaking and listening: performance poetry
- Vocabulary development
Vocabulary
Common exception words: climb, pretty, beautiful, plant, whole, again
Tier 2 words: absorb, commence, healthy, miniscule, temperature
Tier 3 words: bean, flower, nutrients, plant, roots, seed, shoots, sprout
Activities and teaching sequence
Hook and exploration
- Grow beans or other seeds to observe growth
- Label plant parts with a poster and discuss their function
Reading and performing the poem
- Read aloud, model fluency and expression
- Add gestures to show the bean’s growth
- Rehearse and perform in groups
Vocabulary and understanding
- Introduce Tier 2 and Tier 3 words using cards
- Match words to definitions and images
- Identify vocabulary in context in the poem
Grammar and spelling
- Teach homophones, add –ly to adjectives, explore compound words
- Revisit and apply common exception words
Writing and planning
- Draw and label lifecycle stages
- Collect descriptive words and phrases
- Write poems from a plant or animal perspective
Drafting, editing and performing
- Use a writer’s checklist to edit writing
- Read aloud, rehearse and perform poems to the class
Outcomes
Pupils will:
- Write a poem describing a lifecycle using subject-specific vocabulary
- Apply grammar skills including noun phrases and adverbs ending in –ly
- Spell common exception words and homophones correctly
- Perform their poems fluently, showing understanding through expression