Overview and Outcomes:

This is a three-week Writing Root for Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty. In this sequence of lessons, children will have many opportunities to develop a love of different kinds of buildings and learn some of the key connected vocabulary. Children will enjoy using different materials to create their own towers and use a range of adjectives, superlatives (-est suffix) and comparatives (-er suffix) to describe and compare structures. As the sequence of learning progresses, children will describe Iggy’s character and make comparisons with Miss Lila Greer’s character, using conjunctions. Children will use graph paper to draw their dream home, label this using phoneme frames, and write sentences to describe their drawing. Children will go on to create posters using different sentence types to advertise an architectural drawing competition across the school – The Iggy Peck Dream Home Awards. They will consolidate their learning by creating a fact file about different buildings to go around the school to support others with ideas. Finally, children will write out letters or certificates, explaining why they liked the different drawings submitted, and hand them out to those who entered.

Synopsis of Text:

Iggy Peck has been building fabulous creations since he was two. His parents are proud of their son, though sometimes surprised by some of Iggy's more inventive creations (like the tower he built out of used diapers). When a new second grade teacher declares her dislike of architecture, Iggy faces a challenge. He loves building too much to give it up!

Text Rationale:

Through this lyrical text children can get to know Iggy and be inspired by his love of architecture. A vital text, not only to ignite passions about design and technology, but to learn about problem solving and perseverance. It is also a super introduction to the Questioneers, a group of children who are role models in different fields, from science to illustration to engineering. Andrea Beaty is a significant author with a distinctive poetic style and is supported by David Roberts’ wonderful technical illustrations.

Links and themes:

Architecture, buildings, local area, links to STEM subjects, design and technology, positive role models, problem solving, perseverance

Date written: October 2016

Updated: November 2023

This updated version of the Writing Root for Rosie Revere, Engineer was produced in November 2023. If you have used the previous version in the past and would like a copy of the resource, please email us at info@literacytree.com.