Key Features Identification

Overview

Unit: Snail's Journey in Words
Lesson: 3 of 5
Duration: 50 minutes
Class: Year 2 (aged 6-7)
Class size: 30 students
Subject: English

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National Curriculum Links

Reading - Word Reading & Comprehension

• CE: Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by listening to and discussing a wide range of texts (Year 2 Programme of Study: Reading - comprehension)
• CE: Draw on what they already know or on background information and vocabulary provided by the teacher (Year 2 Reading)

Writing - Composition and Vocabulary, Grammar & Punctuation

• CE: Write sentences by:
  • saying out loud what they are going to write about
  • composing a sentence orally before writing it
• CE: Concepts of sentence structure (expanded noun phrases to describe and specify)
• CE: Develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing

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Learning Intentions (WALT)

• We Are Learning To identify the key features of a descriptive text.
• We Are Learning To recognise and highlight expanded noun phrases in a setting description.
• We Are Learning To use a success criteria grid to categorise features of description.

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Success Criteria

• I can read a WAGOLL description carefully.
• I can highlight at least five expanded noun phrases correctly.
• I can use the grid to sort features according to the success criteria.
• I can explain why expanded noun phrases make descriptions better.

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Resources

• Printed WAGOLL: A detailed setting description from "Snail's Journey in Words"
• Highlighters, coloured pencils for each student
• Success Criteria grid sheets (with key features listed)
• Guided highlighting worksheet (differentiation aid)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Visual aids: examples of expanded noun phrases
• “Think-Pair-Share” prompt cards

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

Activity: Recall and refresh key terminology

• Begin with a class discussion: “What makes a good description?”
• Show examples of simple vs. expanded noun phrases on the whiteboard (e.g. "the snail" vs. "the tiny, slow snail with a shiny shell").
• Use interactive "Odd One Out" game: Students say which phrase is an expanded noun phrase and why.

Check for Understanding:

• Quick thumbs up/down if they feel confident identifying expanded noun phrases.

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2. Main Activity (30 minutes)

1. Reading and Highlighting (15 minutes)

• Hand out the WAGOLL setting description from the story "Snail’s Journey in Words."
• Model with the class how to highlight expanded noun phrases aloud, demonstrating think-aloud (modelling metacognitive skills).
• Students highlight expanded noun phrases in their copies with coloured pencils/highlighters.
• Guided highlighting sheets provided to students who need additional support (e.g. EAL, SEND).

2. Success Criteria Grid Sorting (15 minutes)

• Distribute the success criteria grid with columns: Expanded Noun Phrases, Other Descriptive Features, General Vocabulary.
• In pairs, students categorise highlighted text snippets into the grid.
• Circulate to provide scaffolded questioning to prompt deeper thinking (e.g. “Why is this phrase more effective since it gives details?”).

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3. Plenary (10 minutes)

Activity: Think-Pair-Share

• Each child thinks about one expanded noun phrase they found interesting and why it worked well.
• Pairs discuss their choices. Select 4-5 pairs to share their ideas with the class, emphasising the effect on the reader.
• Teacher charts vocabulary and phrases on the board for a collective visual.

Mini Assessment:

• Quick exit ticket: each student verbally or in writing states one key feature they learned and highlights one expanded noun phrase from today’s lesson.

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Differentiation

Group	Strategy	Support/Challenge
Lower ability / SEND / EAL	Guided highlighting sheet; paired reading; visual prompts and sentence starters	Scaffold vocabulary; use sentence frames like “The [adjective] [noun]…”
Standard learners	Independent highlighting and sorting	Moderate prompting during pair discussions
Advanced learners	Extension activity; find additional features beyond noun phrases (similes, adjectives, verbs) in the text	Write their own short descriptive sentences using expanded noun phrases; peer review

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Extension Activities (for advanced learners)

• Craft a short descriptive paragraph about a setting, incorporating at least five expanded noun phrases.
• Use a thesaurus to replace adjectives in the WAGOLL with more interesting synonyms and explain why their choices improve the description.
• Identify other descriptive features like similes or precise verbs in the text and explain their effects.

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Teacher Notes

• Emphasise vocabulary building and oral articulation before writing. This scaffolds confident use of expanded noun phrases in later lessons.
• Carefully monitor pair work to ensure understanding and positive collaboration.
• Use questioning to help children understand not just identification but the effect of descriptive language on the reader’s imagination.

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This lesson embraces the English National Curriculum’s focus on speaking and listening, reading comprehension, and foundational grammar skills for Year 2, equipping students with important early writing strategies in a highly engaging and supportive environment.