Father’s Day Wordcraft

Overview

Across three 20-minute sessions, students plan, draft and refine a short Father’s Day poem for a chosen audience. They build knowledge of poetic techniques, select strong words deliberately, and explain how their language choices create an entertaining response in the reader.

Learning intentions

• WALT choose language that suits our purpose and audience.
• WALT use imagery, personification, figurative language, alliteration and idioms to engage a reader.
• WALT organise ideas into a short poem with a clear focus.
• WALT revise word choices to make our writing more vivid and interesting.

Success criteria

• I can include at least three strong language choices in my poem.
• I can use imagery to help my reader picture, hear or feel something.
• I can choose words that show why my father, caregiver or special person matters to me.
• I can explain why I included or changed particular words.

Curriculum links

• English — Writing to entertain: using poetic or interesting language to engage the reader.
• English — Audience, purpose and language choice: making deliberate choices about content included or left out.
• English — Writing processes: making notes and organising key information into categories.
• Key competencies: managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (60 minutes across three days)

Monday — Gather and explore language

1. 0–3 min · Hook. Open with the opening image and question: “What words could make an ordinary person seem extraordinary?” Students silently think of a special person and share one quality with a partner.

2. 3–8 min · Direct teach. Use the poetic language examples to model imagery, personification, simile, metaphor, alliteration and idiom. Explain that Year 6 writers choose techniques because they suit the audience and purpose, not simply to include as many as possible. Briefly clarify that a Father’s Day poem may celebrate a father, caregiver, grandparent, whānau member or another significant person.

3. 8–14 min · Notice and discuss. Display the model line: “Dad’s laugh is a warm blanket on a cold morning.” Students identify the imagery, discuss the feeling it creates, and suggest one alternative. Record strong verbs, precise adjectives and sensory details on the board.

4. 14–18 min · Plan. Distribute the Father’s Day poem planning sheet. Students make notes under three headings: “What this person does”, “What this person is like” and “How this person makes me feel”. They select two details that are specific and meaningful.

5. 18–20 min · Share and assess. Students read one planned detail to a partner and explain why it belongs in the poem. Collect or quickly scan plans to identify students needing vocabulary support on Tuesday.

Tuesday — Draft the poem

1. 0–4 min · Revisit and warm up. Return to the language recap and challenge. Students improve the plain sentence “My special person is kind” in two ways, such as using a simile, metaphor, personification or sensory image. Invite two or three examples.

2. 4–8 min · Model drafting. Use the model poem and structure to demonstrate a concise poem of 8–12 lines. Model a possible structure: opening image, details about the person, a comparison or personification, and a final line expressing appreciation. Think aloud: “I am leaving out a private detail because the poem is intended for a family audience.”

3. 8–17 min · Independent writing. Students draft on the poem drafting page. Encourage them to use their own experiences and knowledge, include carefully chosen details, and experiment with line breaks. They may write for Father’s Day or adapt the poem for another important person.

4. 17–20 min · Partner response. Students read their draft aloud to a partner. The listener identifies one strong word or image and asks, “What did you want me to feel or picture?” Writers note one possible improvement.

Wednesday — Refine and perform

1. 0–4 min · Edit for impact. Show the revision prompts. Model changing a general word (“good”) to a precise word (“patient”, “cheerful” or “fearless”) and adding a sensory detail. Emphasise that strong writing is clear, respectful and suitable for its audience.

2. 4–10 min · Revise and edit. Students reread their poem on the revision and reflection section. They underline one image, circle one figurative or sound device, replace one weak word, and check spelling, punctuation and line breaks. Students may use the Figurative Language Cards as a quick reference while revising.

3. 10–16 min · Explain choices. Students complete two reflection prompts: “I included ______ because it helps my reader…” and “I left out or changed ______ because…” Pair students to give warm, specific feedback focused on audience and effect.

4. 16–19 min · Poetry share. Invite volunteers to perform their poems, or have students read in groups of four. Listeners name a memorable word or image, without judging the personal content.

5. 19–20 min · Exit check. Students respond orally or on the worksheet: “Which technique did you use, and how did it suit your purpose?” Use responses to assess understanding of deliberate language choice.

Resources

• the Father’s Day poetry slide deck
• the Father’s Day poem planning, drafting and revision worksheet
• the Figurative Language Cards
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pencils and coloured pencils
• A quiet timer
• Optional device or recording tool for students who prefer to perform digitally

Assessment

• Monday: listen for students identifying poetic techniques and making specific, audience-appropriate choices in their plans.
• Tuesday: conference briefly with writers; check that drafts contain organised ideas, vivid details and at least two deliberate language techniques.
• Wednesday: use the reflection and performance to assess whether students can explain how their choices engage the reader and why content was included or left out.

Differentiation

• Support students with a word bank of sensory vocabulary, sentence starters such as “Your voice is like…” and oral rehearsal before writing.
• Provide a choice of writing about a father, caregiver, grandparent, whānau member or another trusted person; students need not disclose private family information.
• For EAL learners, rehearse ideas through drawing, home-language discussion or a partner conference, then co-construct one model line before independent writing.
• Extend confident writers by requiring a repeated image, purposeful line breaks, or two contrasting techniques, followed by an explanation of which was most effective.