Lesson Plan: Descriptive Writing About a Family Member

Subject: Literacy

Year Group: Years 3-4

Duration: 150 Minutes

Class Size: 28 Students

Key Competencies:

• Using language, symbols, and texts
• Thinking
• Relating to others

Learning Intentions:

Students will be able to:

1. Use descriptive language effectively.
2. Organise their writing with a clear structure.
3. Reflect on and share their family values and connections.

Curriculum Links:

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum's English learning area at Level 2, focusing on the strand of Writing where students are encouraged to develop their ability to create texts and utilise language features for impact (New Zealand Curriculum - English).

Resources Needed:

• Pencils and erasers
• Writing paper or notebooks
• Whiteboard and markers
• Example texts containing descriptive writing
• NZ Curriculum Guidelines

Lesson Breakdown:

Introduction (30 minutes)

1. Warm-Up Activity (10 minutes):

   • Begin with a discussion about different family members and the roles they play in students' lives. Ask each student to think of one special family member they would like to write about.

2. Introduction to Descriptive Writing (20 minutes):

   • Discuss what descriptive writing entails and why it is important.
   • Show examples of descriptive texts and identify descriptive phrases and sentences together.
   • Explain the lesson's objective: to write a descriptive piece about a chosen family member.

Main Activity (90 minutes)

1. Brainstorming Session (20 minutes):

   • Students create a mind map of words and phrases that describe their chosen family member’s appearance, personality, and actions.
   • Discuss the senses and how they can be used to describe someone (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste).

2. Outline Creation (10 minutes):

   • Teach students how to structure their writing—introduction, body (3 paragraphs focusing on different traits or anecdotes), and conclusion.

3. Writing Draft (40 minutes):

   • Students begin writing their descriptive piece using their brainstormed ideas and outline.
   • Encourage them to use metaphors, similes, and strong adjectives.

4. Peer Review (20 minutes):

   • Students pair up to read each other's work and give constructive feedback.

Conclusion (30 minutes)

1. Editing and Finalizing (15 minutes):

   • Students use the feedback to make final adjustments and corrections to their texts.

2. Sharing and Reflection (15 minutes):

   • Volunteers or randomly selected students share their descriptive pieces with the class.
   • Discuss what was learnt about descriptive writing and any interesting discoveries about their family members.

Assessment:

• Formative Assessment: Monitor the students during the brainstorming and writing stages to offer guidance and ensure understanding.
• Summative Assessment: Review the final written pieces to assess the students' use of descriptive language and how well they structured their text.

Reflection (Post-Lesson):

• Reflect on the effectiveness of the peer review process.
• Consider any modifications needed to better support students in using descriptive language or structuring their writing.

This lesson plan is designed to make learning about descriptive writing engaging and relevant by connecting it to students' personal experiences with family, while also aligning with New Zealand's curriculum standards.