Drafting the Big Write

Overview

• Year group: 3
• Class size: 9 students
• Duration: 50 minutes
• Unit: Exploring Roman Myths
• Lesson: 12 of 15
• Curriculum links: National Curriculum for England – English – Writing – Composition and vocabulary, grammar & punctuation

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• W3.1: Draft a narrative based on Roman myths, organising ideas into paragraphs around a theme.
• W3.2: Use vocabulary and sentence structures inspired by the unit’s study of Roman myths to describe characters, settings, and events.
• W3.3: Apply knowledge of basic punctuation accurately, including capital letters, full stops, commas in lists, and direct speech.
• R3.1: Refer back to familiar texts and vocabulary studied during the unit to support writing development.
• S3.1: Discuss writing with the teacher and peers to plan and improve their draft.

References:

• Writing – Composition: Years 3–4 – National Curriculum, 2014
• Writing – Vocabulary, Grammar & Punctuation: Years 3–4 – National Curriculum, 2014
• Reading: Word Reading and Comprehension relevant for supporting writing

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Resources

• Whiteboard and markers
• Individual draft booklets or lined exercise books
• Word banks with Roman myth-related vocabulary (e.g., gods, mythological creatures, artefacts, verbs)
• Example model paragraphs from previous lessons or texts inspired by Roman myths
• Planning sheets with graphic organisers (idea webs, paragraph dividers)
• Writing toolkits: punctuation reminder cards (capital letters, full stops, commas, speech marks)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Recap: Briefly revisit key story elements and vocabulary from previous lessons on Roman myths (e.g., gods like Jupiter, myths about Romulus and Remus).
• Purpose: Explain that today they will begin drafting their big writing piece — a story inspired by Roman myths, using what they’ve learned.
• Learning goal: Share the success criteria on the board and discuss what makes a good draft (clear ideas, correct punctuation, interesting vocabulary).
• Model: Teacher demonstrates starting a draft paragraph, thinking aloud about vocabulary choices and sentence structure.

2. Guided Drafting (15 minutes)

• Task: Pupils use their planning sheets and word banks to write the first two paragraphs of their story.
• Focus: Encourage pupils to write in complete sentences using descriptive language they have learned. Remind to use capital letters and full stops correctly.
• Support: Teacher circulates, providing individual feedback, prompting children to use direct speech or commas in lists where appropriate. Use questioning such as “How can you describe the setting better?” or “Can you add a speech for your main character?”
• Peer talk: Pairs briefly share ideas to encourage richer vocabulary choices.

3. Applying Grammar and Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Mini-lesson on direct speech with examples from Roman myths (e.g., a god speaking). Highlight punctuation (inverted commas, capital letters).
• Pupils add a line of direct speech in one of their paragraphs or revise existing sentences with commas in lists.
• Use punctuation reminder cards to support accuracy.

4. Independent Drafting (10 minutes)

• Pupils continue drafting their story independently, focusing on developing paragraphs and writing descriptive sentences.
• Encourage self-checking against the success criteria.

5. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Volunteers share a favourite sentence or paragraph from their draft.
• Teacher provides positive feedback and one next-step tip for improvement.
• Recap the learning objectives and praise the use of vocabulary, punctuation, and story structure.
• Explain that the next lesson will focus on editing and improving the draft.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation during guided drafting and individual writing.
• Check pupils’ use of vocabulary from the unit and application of punctuation taught (capital letters, full stops, commas in lists, direct speech).
• Use questioning and peer talk to assess oral understanding of story structure.
• Collection of draft paragraphs to review progress and inform next lesson’s editing focus.

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Differentiation

• For SEND: Provide sentence starters, visual aids (picture prompts of Roman myths), and additional adult support.
• For higher ability: Challenge to include more complex sentence structures and extended direct speech.
• For EAL learners: Use translated vocabulary sheets and model sentences. Provide extra time for verbal rehearsal.

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Curriculum Alignment Summary

Focus Area	National Curriculum Reference	Lesson Activity Example
Narrative writing and planning	Writing - Composition (Years 3–4)	Drafting paragraphs based on planned ideas
Use of descriptive language	Writing - Vocabulary (Years 3–4)	Using Roman myth vocabulary word banks
Punctuation skills	Writing - Grammar & Punctuation (Years 3–4)	Applying full stops, capital letters, commas, direct speech
Speaking and listening skills	Spoken Language (Years 3–4)	Peer discussions and sharing draft sentences

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This lesson plan balances creativity and curriculum rigor, embedding explicit writing skills within an engaging context of Roman myths. It uses modelling, scaffolded tasks, peer interaction, and formative assessment to support all learners in producing a substantial first draft for their end-of-topic writing.