Film Review Focus

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand the purpose and features of a film review.
• Identify key elements of a film (characters, setting, plot).
• Express our views about a film clearly.
• Use simple sentences and descriptive words in writing.

Success Criteria

• I can name the main parts of the film (characters, setting, what happens).
• I can share my favourite part and explain why.
• I can write or speak using simple sentences and describe what I liked or didn’t like.
• I can listen and answer questions about the film.
• I use capital letters, full stops, and finger spaces in writing.

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Curriculum Alignment

This lesson directly aligns with the Queensland Curriculum English for Year 2, specifically:

• AC9E2LY06: Create and edit short imaginative, informative and persuasive written and/or multimodal texts for familiar audiences using topic-specific vocabulary and simple sentences【12:AC9E2LY06.md】.
• Literacy: Developing comprehension and response skills through viewing and discussion.
• Writing: Using punctuation, sentence structure, and vocabulary to express opinions.

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Lesson Duration

40 minutes
Class Size: 1 student (allowing highly personalised differentiation)

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Resources

• Short, age-appropriate film/video clip (5-7 minutes) selected by teacher. Preferably an animated or children’s film clip suitable for Year 2.
• Film Review Worksheet (dyslexia-friendly, clear font, with picture prompts).
• Whiteboard/markers or digital writing tool.
• Visual aids for story elements (characters, setting, plot).
• Sentence starter cards.

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Lesson Plan Outline

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Brief teacher explanation: "Today we are going to watch a short film. After we watch, we will talk about what happens and what you think of the film. We will then practice writing a film review."
• Use visuals to introduce the film review concept:
  • Show pictures of popcorn and a cinema to set the mood.
  • Show pictures representing story elements: Character, Setting, Plot.
• WALT reminder and success criteria shared visually.

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2. Viewing the Film (7 minutes)

• Watch the short film clip together.
• Encourage the student to try to notice the main parts: who is in the film, where it takes place, what happens.
• Dyslexia-friendly tip: Follow the video with clear simple verbal reinforcement of the story.

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3. Guided Discussion (8 minutes)

• Ask explicit guided questions using a supportive and encouraging tone:
  • Who were the characters in the film?
  • Where did the story happen?
  • What did you like about the film?
  • What was your favourite part?
  • Was there anything you did not like?
• Use a graphic organiser on the board or worksheet to write or draw the student’s answers.
• Teacher models correct sentence structures and punctuation as student answers.

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4. Writing the Film Review (15 minutes)

• Teacher provides a simple film review template sentence for the student to complete or copy:
  • "The film was about __________."
  • "The characters were __________."
  • "I liked __________ because __________."
  • "I think other children will __________."
• Use sentence starter cards and vocabulary prompts tailored for Year 2 and dyslexia-friendly fonts.
• Encourage the use of finger spaces, capital letters and full stops.
• Allow the student to draw pictures related to their review if they want.
• Teacher to scaffold spelling and sentence formation.

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5. Sharing and Reflection (3 minutes)

• Student shares their film review orally.
• Teacher provides positive feedback aligned with success criteria:
  • Praises clear ideas.
  • Reinforces use of punctuation and descriptive words.
• Student reflects on what was easy or hard.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:
  • Visual prompts and story maps to support understanding.
  • Use gestures and repetition.
  • Sentence starters and word banks.
  • Multisensory approach: writing + drawing + speaking.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options:
  • Clear, large-font text on worksheet.
  • Use coloured paper or background to reduce glare if helpful.
  • Provide oral reading support.
• For advanced learners:
  • Extend by adding a final sentence giving a rating (e.g., "I give this film 4 stars because...").
  • Encourage writing simple persuasive sentences to recommend to friends.
  • Create a short oral video review to practise multimodal presentation skills.

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Assessment

• Observation of student participation and responses during discussion.
• Review of the written film review for:
  • Inclusion of main story elements.
  • Use of simple and compound sentences.
  • Correct use of capital letters and full stops.
  • Ability to express personal opinion.

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Worksheet: Film Review Template (Example)

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My Film Review

Film title: ___________________________

The film was about:

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Characters in the film:

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I liked:

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My favourite part was:

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I think other children will:

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(Draw your favourite character or scene here)

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This lesson plan is crafted specifically to meet Year 2 English curriculum outcomes from the Queensland Curriculum framework (AC9E2LY06) and supports multimodal literacy development through watching, talking, writing, and reflecting on a film review. It uses clear language, visuals and scaffolding appropriate for young learners, with personalized differentiations to accommodate learning needs and talents. The focus on simple sentences, punctuation, and expressive vocabulary will develop key literacy skills while making the experience fun and engaging.

Please let me know if you want me to provide the worksheet text formatted for printing or further teaching resources!