KS: R & KS1
Year Group: Year 2
Literary Theme: Creation & Conservation
Author(s): Isabel Otter and Clara Anganuzzi
This is a three-session spelling seed for the book Dear Earth by Isabel Otter and Clara Anganuzzi. Below is the coverage from Appendix 1 of the National Curriculum 2014.
Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning.
There is a Spelling Seed session for every week of the associated Writing Root.
break, behind, Christmas, floor, grass, great, path, plant, pretty, wild
The possessive apostrophe (singular nouns)
The suffixes –ment, –ness, –ful , –less and –ly
Date written: October 2023
A Writing Root is available for Dear Earth.
Future aspirations, a set of instructions, poems, travel blogs/vlogs, persuasive speeches, letters
Informative leaflet
15 sessions, 3 weeks
This is a three-week Writing Root based around the book Dear Earth by Isabel Otter and illustrated by Clara Anganuzzi. The sequence of learning begins with children discovering an explorer’s rucksack in the classroom containing many exploration-related items. The class move on to set up an Explorers’ Club and decide where in the world they’d like to explore and what they’d want to see and do. Children write about these aspirations and pin them to a world map. Children go on to write about what explorers need to do before going on a mini safari and then research and record factual statements about endangered animals. As they read through the book, children will write setting descriptions of landscapes around the world and turn these into poems about exploration. As they continue to read about Tessa’s imagined travels, children write a script for a travel vlog. At the end of the story, children are challenged to think about and discuss the problems and solutions the planet faces and will write a persuasive speech encouraging the public to look after the environment. Children will use all the skills and vocabulary covered to write their own extended informative leaflet about protecting the environment. Children will finish with a letter to the earth, using Tessa’s letter from the text and celebrating their own dreams and aspirations.
When Tessa writes a love letter to the Earth, it's the beginning of a glorious adventure. She blows bubbles with whales, soars with birds and joins in with the noisy rainforest hullabaloo!
Tessa wants everyone to know how special our planet is. She believes that there is a chance to save the Earth if enough of us share the message...
This inspirational picture book charmingly blends fiction with non-fiction as we journey through the varied landscapes and habitats of the world with main character Tessa. The story encourages children to appreciate the wonders of the natural world, including the varied animals, oceans and environments, as well as what can be done to protect it. Beautiful illustrations bring each location to life and will open up discussions about the problems the earth faces and the solutions we can all take responsibility for.
Earth, conservation, pollution, endangered animals, protection, dreams, aspirations, exploration
Date written: October 2023
View Dear Earth Writing Root
