Writing Works Diagnostic

Overview

Today’s lesson begins a 10-lesson unit focused on close reading and writing craft. Students complete a baseline diagnostic by closely reading a short excerpt from The Handmaid’s Tale, identifying craft, voice, and structure, and then applying one technique in a brief imaginative writing response.

Learning intentions

• Students will identify craft, voice, and structure through close reading of a short excerpt from The Handmaid’s Tale.
• Students will annotate the excerpt to notice language, voice shifts, and structural moves.
• Students will apply one identified technique in a brief imaginative writing response.
• Students will reflect on the techniques they notice and set goals for development.

Success criteria

• I can identify craft techniques, voice, and structure through close reading of a text.
• I can annotate an excerpt by marking language for effect, shifts in voice, and structural pacing.
• I can write a short imaginative response applying one technique observed in the excerpt.
• I can name one craft technique I noticed and explain why I want to practise it next.

Curriculum links

• Creating texts that respond to purpose, audience, and context, using language and structure for effect.
• Using appropriate paragraphing, punctuation, and vocabulary to shape meaning and cohesion.
• Examining how texts are constructed for particular effects, including voice, audience engagement, and organisation.
• Reflecting on writing processes and setting next-step goals based on evidence.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 5 min — Welcome and unit framing Explain that today is a baseline diagnostic using close reading of The Handmaid’s Tale.

2. 10 min — Read & annotate excerpt Teacher provides one short excerpt (250–350 words) from The Handmaid’s Tale around an impactful scene. Students complete three micro-annotation tasks: circle language for effect, underline shifts in voice/attitude, bracket structure/pacing moves.

3. 5 min — Submit annotations and mini-response Students submit their annotated excerpt and write a 2–3 paragraph imaginative mini-response applying one technique.

4. 10 min — Mode focus introduction Teacher introduces the imaginative mode focus for close reading, highlighting key features such as imagery, sensory detail, character perspective, and pacing.

5. 15 min — Guided close reading and triad discussion Teacher models close reading on the excerpt, prompting triads to discuss evidence: "What does the writer make the reader notice or feel? Which technique is that?" Students cite at least one line to support their claims.

6. 8 min — Whole-class share: recurring techniques Students share 3–4 recurring technique categories found in the excerpt. Teacher charts these on the board.

7. 5 min — Exit ticket Students complete: "The technique I can apply next is ___ because ___ (point to a line)."

Resources

• One printed excerpt from The Handmaid’s Tale (250–350 words).
• Annotation guide tailored to the excerpt with prompts for language, voice, and structure.
• Quote-evidence sentence starters to support citing text.
• Exit ticket slips or digital form.
• Highlighters or annotation pens.
• Board or chart paper for class technique categories.
• Timer visible to students.

Assessment

• Close reading annotations assessed for identification of technique, effect, and cited evidence.
• Mini imaginative writing response assessed for application of one observed technique.
• Exit ticket checks student awareness of craft and sets a learner goal aligned to the unit.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for annotation (e.g., “The writer uses ___ to make the reader ___”; “This part shifts because ___”).
• Support: offer a glossary of any archaic or ideological terms in the excerpt.
• Support: provide sentence starters for writing claims and citing evidence.
• Extension: challenge students to identify a specific technique category and predict its effect on the reader.
• EAL/SEN: focus annotation on meaning-making before naming technical terms; provide a word bank of common craft terms.
• Maintain baseline checklist approach for self-assessment and goal setting.