Drafting Power Connections

Overview

Today’s lesson builds timed, developing writing skills using Lord of the Flies as a studied written text. You will practise an in-class essay plan and a short timed draft that analyses how the author’s purpose and ideas about a theme (power or civilisation) connect to the wider world, including contemporary social and political issues.

Learning intentions

• WALT analyse how Lord of the Flies communicates an author’s purpose through selected language, ideas, and structures.
• WALT make convincing connections between the text and the wider world (society, politics, historical/present issues).
• WALT draft an organised essay under time constraints, developing and sustaining ideas.
• WALT use specific evidence (short quotations or closely paraphrased details) to support each point.

Success criteria

• I can state a clear claim about the prescribed theme and the author’s purpose.
• I can support each paragraph with relevant text evidence and explain its meaning.
• I can connect ideas in the text to a wider-world issue using reasoned explanation.
• I can structure my response clearly (introduction → body paragraphs → conclusion) within the time limits.

Curriculum links

• AS91098 — Analyse specified aspect(s) of studied written text(s), supported by evidence (focus: author’s purpose and theme connections).
• AS91101 — Produce a selection of crafted and controlled writing (focus: developing, sustaining, and structuring ideas; language features appropriate to purpose).
• Close reading and essay conventions for structured written analysis supported by evidence.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Theme warm-up. Teacher writes the focus theme on the board: power or civilisation and asks: “What does the novel suggest happens when power replaces rules?” Students quick-list 5 bullet ideas and 2 relevant moments from memory.

2. 8–18 min · Mini direct teach: purpose + evidence. Teacher models one paragraph using a single event (e.g., leadership conflict, assemblies, or the descent into violence) showing: claim → evidence → explanation of purpose/effect. Students copy a “paragraph frame” and highlight where the evidence and the purpose link appear.

3. 18–28 min · Planning under constraints. Teacher gives a timed essay prompt and a short evidence bank checklist (e.g., leadership, civilisation symbols, group breakdown, fear/violence, turning points). Students choose 3 body points, write 1 sentence claims for each, and add 1 piece of evidence per point plus a wider-world connection sentence starter (e.g., “This resembles how… when… in today’s world…”).

4. 28–45 min · Timed practice draft (fast first pass). Teacher sets a timer and emphasises “develop, sustain, structure” over perfection. Students write an introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion; each body paragraph must include: evidence + explanation + wider-world connection.

5. 45–55 min · Paragraph improvement sprint. Teacher circulates and uses a quick coaching rubric (purpose link present; evidence specific; explanation develops; connection reasoned). Students do a self-edit for two improvements: (1) strengthen one explanation sentence; (2) sharpen one wider-world connection using clearer cause/effect language.

6. 55–60 min · Submission + exit check. Teacher collects drafts and asks an exit ticket question: “Which sentence in your essay shows the author’s purpose most clearly, and what wider-world issue does it connect to?”

Resources

• Printed excerpt strips from Lord of the Flies (teacher-selected passages matching power/civilisation moments)
• Essay prompt card (power or civilisation version)
• Student paragraph frame template (claim–evidence–explain–connect)
• Timer (phone or projector)
• Highlighters and sticky notes
• Loose evidence bank checklist (symbols, key scenes, turning points)
• Teacher exemplar paragraph (short, not the full essay)

Assessment

• Formative check during planning: teacher reviews chosen claims and whether each point has evidence and a connection sentence.
• Formative check during drafting: teacher monitors paragraph requirements (purpose + evidence + connection).
• Exit ticket: teacher confirms whether the strongest purpose/effect link and wider-world connection are clearly articulated (to guide next lesson).

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters for purpose (“The author suggests… because…”) and connection (“In contemporary society/politics, this mirrors… when…”).
• Support: offer 2–3 starter quotations per student from the excerpt strips; students select at least one.
• Challenge/extension: students must write one paragraph where they contrast two characters/groups to show how power operates differently, then connect that contrast to a wider-world example.
• EAL/SEN: allow synonym banks for key terms (civilisation, governance, authority, order, conformity, coercion) and permit paraphrased evidence if exact quotation is uncertain, as long as the reference is specific.

Timed practice essay prompt (use for today)

Choose one:

1. Power: “Analyse how the novel shows power shifting from rules to violence, and explain the author’s purpose for presenting this theme.”
2. Civilisation: “Analyse how the novel represents civilisation as fragile, and discuss the author’s purpose for warning about it. Link your ideas to a relevant contemporary social or political issue.”

(Students write on the selected theme from earlier steps.)