ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
MEDIUM TERM PLAN
YEAR 7 / PEOPLE LIKE US
Duration: 6 weeks
AIMS:
To introduce pupils to a range of different forms of recount and reflective writing.
To revise basic skills such as paragraphing, planning, drafting, setting out letters.
To revise basic spelling rules.
To encourage self-reflection and awareness of others.

KEY TEACHING AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Pupils should be taught to:
WORD LEVEL
  1. Vowel choices
  1. Personal spelling
14. Word meaning in context
SENTENCE LEVEL
  1. Starting paragraphs
13b. Recount
15. Vary formality
TEXT LEVEL – READING
  1. Extract information
17. Independent Reading
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
  1. Drafting Process
19. Reflective Writing
TEXT LEVEL – SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Most students will: Have written and read a variety of short pieces, contributed display work, and developed their paragraphing, planning and spelling skills
Some student will not have progressed so far and will: Have completed some of the written pieces in full with the aid of a writing frame.
Some students will have progressed further and will: Have written extended pieces without the aid of a frame and will have redrafted work thoroughly. These pupils may have undertaken extra reading and research.
POSSIBLE TEACHING SEQUENCE
Week 1 COAT OF ARMS
WORD LEVEL
  1. Vowel choices
  1. Personal spelling
READING
17. Independent reading
RESOURCES
‘Word Level Starters’ by Hodder and Stoughton or Spelling Literacy Progress Unit.
Spelling log for exercise book or folder
Blank coat of arms format
FOCUS
Starter activities to revise spelling rules, including vowel choices.
Begin word wall on classroom wall by writing words on large strips of card.
Spidergram of ideas for coat of arms – surname, horoscope, hobbies, football team etc.
Short explanatory paragraphs should accompany design.
Could produce family tree if appropriate
Visit library to organise/encourage personal reading
OUTCOMES:
Coat of Arms
Begin own spelling log or word wall
Week 2 DIARIES
SENTENCE LEVEL
13b. Recount
15. Vary formality
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
19. Reflective Writing
RESOURCES
Examples of real diaries e.g. Captain Scott, Anne Frank, travel diaries
Extracts from fictional diaries e.g. Adrian Mole, Jacqueline Wilson
Look at examples of diaries being on websites (‘blogging’)
FOCUS
What is a diary? Why do people keep diaries?
Shared reading of diary entry – draw out list of word, sentence, text level features (e.g. past and present tense, first person, informal style, paragraphs, usually chronological order etc.)
What makes a good diary and what makes a boring one?
Give key words/sentence starters/writing frame to weaker writers for their own diary writing.
OUTCOMES
Own diary entries
Fictional diary – could be based on song lyrics e.g. ‘She’s Leaving Home’ by The Beatles
Week 3 LETTER
SENTENCE LEVEL
15. Vary formality
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
  1. Drafting Process
19. Reflective Writing
RESOURCES
Writing frame and key words for letter
FOCUS
What do you think you’ll be doing in 5, 10, 15 year’s time? What advice would you give yourself in the future? What would you like to remind yourself of?
Can travel through time change the future? Design and label a time -travel machine with instructions on how it works. Could watch extract from ‘ Back to the Future’.
Revise how to set out an informal letter.
Revise drafting techniques – especially reading work aloud
OUTCOMES
Design of time travel machine
Letter to my future
Week 4 AUTOBIOGRAPHY
SENTENCE LEVEL
  1. Starting paragraphs
13b. Recount
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
  1. Drafting Process
19. Reflective Writing
RESOURCES
Extracts from autobiographies e.g. ‘Boy’ by Roald Dahl
Blank planning formats e.g. spidergram
Writing frames, key words, sentence starters as appropriate
FOCUS
Shared reading of passage on OHT
Pupils text-mark passage identifying ‘ingredients’ of autobiography (past tense, first person, chronological order, paragraphs etc) and features of the writing which make it effective (connectives, narrative hooks, adjectives, adverbs, variety of sentence length)
Teacher models own planning and how to start paragraphs
Pupils try to adopt techniques in own writing – could be done on computer
OUTCOMES
Own autobiographical extract – based on one key moment or experience. Should not be a chronological account of life so far.
Week 5 BIOGRAPHY
WORD LEVEL
14. Word meaning in context
SENTENCE LEVEL
  1. Starting paragraphs
13b. Recount
TEXT LEVEL – READING
  1. Extract information
RESOURCES
Extracts from biographies e.g. ‘Posh and Becks’ by David Morton
A sheet of questions to answer about the person being researched – in library?
Writing frame, sentence starters and key words for biographical writing.
FOCUS
Shared reading of biographical extracts. Why do people read books like this?
Choose a famous person, research facts about them and find illustrations if possible.
Model for pupils how to divide findings into paragraphs – pupils could write ideas on cards or post-its and move about to plan the order.
OUTCOMES
Short biographical extract written in paragraphs.
Week 6 OBITUARY
SENTENCE LEVEL
  1. Starting paragraphs
15. Vary formality
TEXT LEVEL – READING
2. Extract information
RESOURCES
Examples of obituaries from newspapers
Writing frame
FOCUS
Shared reading of example.
Give pupils the structure (Paragraph 1: Name, dates, when died, what age, what famous for. Paragraph 2: Early life, schooling, first signs of success. Paragraph 3: Early adult life, later adult life. Paragraph 4: Achievements. Paragraph 5: Family left behind.)
Brainstorm own ideas (mostly imaginary if someone young is chosen – to be encouraged!)
Model own ideas for pupils e.g. Prince William
This task could be done in pairs.
OUTCOMES
Obituary of famous person – imagining they have died at a great age