A Writing Root for Sparky

Outcomes:

Descriptive passage, ‘how to’ guide, letter, discussion, non-chronological report

Main Outcome:

Own version narrative about an unusual friendship

Length:

15 sessions, 3 weeks

Overview and Outcomes:

In this three-week Writing Root, children research potential pets that need little care before creating a catalogue page. They explore the concept of irony and subtle characterisation by being ‘Reading Detectives’ to infer and deduce ideas from careful authorial choices. They develop an understanding of multi-clause sentences using commas and brackets. Fronted adverbials and the associated punctuation will be exlplored. Children write a response to the text from their own viewpoint after discussing the concepts of double-meanings, subtle humour and accepting someone for who they really are. The sequence of learning concludes with the children writing an own-version narrative.

Synopsis of Text:

A little girl wants a pet. She's not fussy, any will do. Her mother said no to a bird and bunny and trained seal. Then she agrees to the sloth, Sparky!

Sloths don't know how to fetch. Or roll over. But they sure know how to play dead.

What's an eager pet owner to do?

Links:

Sloths, pets, friendship, caring

Date written: January 2017