Emotions in Diaries

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, Year 3 students explore how emotions can be expressed in diary entries. Building on their understanding of diary writing, they'll identify emotions conveyed through text and illustrations. Pupils will then write their own diary entry responding to an imagined scenario, practising how to include feelings effectively. The lesson develops English writing skills focused on emotional expression in line with the National Curriculum for England.

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National Curriculum Links

Reading (Word Reading and Comprehension):

• Year 3 - Reading comprehension
  • Understand and discuss texts, recognising themes and conventions (NC Ref: English PoS Y3)

Writing (Composition):

• Plan, draft and write for different purposes
  • Writing imaginative texts, including diaries, using description and speech (NC Ref: NC Yr3 Writing)
• Use of vocabulary and grammar
  • Use expanded noun phrases and varied sentence structures to convey meaning and emotion (NC Ref: English Writing Yr3)

Spoken Language:

• Participate in discussions, expressing ideas clearly and building on others’ ideas (NC Ref: English Spoken Language Yr3)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

• Identify emotions expressed in diary texts and explain how language conveys feelings (Reading)
• Write a diary entry expressing their own emotions connected to a given scenario (Writing)
• Use descriptive vocabulary and sentence structures to communicate feelings effectively (Writing)
• Participate actively in group discussions, sharing ideas about emotions in writing (Spoken Language)

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Resources

• Example Anglo-Saxon diary extracts (age-appropriate simplified text with illustrations)
• Emotion word bank display (with words like happy, worried, excited, frustrated)
• Scenario cards for diary writing task
• Writing frames and ‘feelings’ sentence starters (e.g. “I felt... because...”)
• Whiteboard or large visual display
• Colourful emojis or emotion flashcards
• Comfortable group seating area for discussion

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Timing & Activities

Starter (10 minutes)

Emotion Brainstorm and Warm-up

• Begin with a quick game: hold up emoji flashcards; pupils shout out or mime a time they’ve felt that emotion.
• Briefly discuss how we can express emotions in writing using words, punctuation, and sometimes drawings.
• Share an example of a simple diary extract from an Anglo-Saxon child’s perspective.
• Ask questions: What feelings do you think the writer had? How do the words show this feeling?

Differentiation:

• Support less confident pupils with simplified diary extracts and one-to-one support during discussion.
• Challenge advanced learners to spot multiple emotions or suggest alternative vocabulary that could show stronger feelings.

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Main Activity (35 minutes)

Exploring Emotions in Diary Writing

1. Group Reading & Discussion (15 mins):

   • In small groups (4-5 pupils), provide different Anglo-Saxon diary snippet cards.
   • Pupils read aloud together, underline words or phrases that show feelings.
   • Each group chooses 2-3 words or sentences to share how these describe the writer’s emotions.
   • Teacher models summarising emotions using sentences such as “The writer feels nervous because…”

2. Guided Writing (20 mins):

   • Give each pupil a unique scenario card (e.g., “You found a strange object on the battlefield”, “You missed your family during a long journey”).
   • Using the emotion word bank and sentence starters, pupils write a short diary entry describing their feelings about the scenario.
   • Encourage use of vivid adjectives, similes, or simple metaphors to describe emotions (e.g. “My heart was as heavy as a stone”).
   • Provide writing frames to support structure and scaffolding for those who need it.
   • Gift advanced learners a ‘challenge sheet’ prompting them to include direct speech or show changing emotions across the entry.

Differentiation:

• Visual cues like emotion colour-coding on word banks help EAL or SEND pupils.
• Scribing or pairing pupils can assist with fine motor difficulties.
• Extension: advanced learners can also illustrate part of their diary entry with emotion-expressive drawings.

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Plenary (15 minutes)

Sharing and Reflecting

• Invite volunteers to read part of their diary entries aloud using expressive tone.
• Conduct a class ‘Emotion Detective’ activity: display 3 anonymous diary extracts; pupils vote or discuss what emotions they detect and which language clues help.
• Reflect as a group: How does writing about feelings help us understand characters better? How might the Anglo-Saxon writer feel after writing their diary?
• Teacher highlights good use of vocabulary and descriptive language seen in pupils’ work.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation during group discussion and reading activities.
• Review of written diary entries focusing on: emotional language use, sentence variety, and clarity of feelings expressed.
• Verbal feedback given individually and to groups highlighting strengths and possible improvements.
• Use peer feedback in plenary with guided questioning to develop critical thinking about emotion in writing.

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Differentiation Summary

Learner Type	Support Strategies	Extension Opportunities
SEND (Speech & Language, Fine Motor)	Simplified texts, writing frames, scribing support, use of visuals/emojis	Explore writing in different genres showing emotion (e.g., letters, speech bubbles)
EAL Pupils	Visual vocabulary banks, paired discussion, word matching activities	Encourage use of more complex descriptive phrases and figurative language
Advanced Learners	Challenge tasks with direct speech, emotional shifts, and creative similes	Create a second diary entry imagining a different emotional response to the same scenario

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Imagery & Imagination Tips

• Use mood music softly in background (e.g., soft drumming to evoke Anglo-Saxon period) while pupils write, helping immerse creativity.
• Invite pupils to close eyes and imagine the scenario before writing to engage senses and deepen emotional understanding.
• Use coloured lighting or corner ‘emotion zones’ to physically represent feelings (red = angry, blue = sad), linking emotion to space.

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This hands-on, visual, discussion-rich lesson engages pupils’ imagination and helps them understand how emotions can be effectively conveyed in diary writing, fully aligned to the National Curriculum Year 3 English objectives.