Overview

This 6-week plan is designed for Year 2 (ages 6-7) learners at First Level (Curriculum for Excellence, CfE) in Scotland. It uses the Talk for Writing approach to scaffold pupils’ writing skills based on the story Lost in the Toy Museum. The plan integrates story composition, grammar, punctuation, and reading with dyslexia-friendly strategies and differentiation.

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Curriculum for Excellence Alignment

Experiences and Outcomes (Es & Os):

• LIT 1-20a: I can show my understanding of what I listen to or watch by responding to questions and beginning to make relevant contributions.
• LIT 1-22a: I can talk about, develop and sequence stories and other texts with interesting and relevant content.
• LIT 1-23a: I can write using imaginative vocabulary and interesting words, as well as accurate spelling and punctuation.
• LIT 1-25a: I can use capital letters, full stops, and question marks accurately in my writing.
• LIT 1-26a: I can use my knowledge of spelling patterns and sounds in my writing.
• ENG 0-12a: I enjoy exploring events and characters in stories or other texts, sharing my thoughts in different ways.

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Week 1: Story Introduction & Story Map

WALT

We Are Learning To understand the story Lost in the Toy Museum and create a story map.

Success Criteria

• I can listen carefully to the story.
• I can sequence the main events using pictures.
• I can create a story map with drawings and simple labels.

Activities

• Oral Storytelling: Teacher tells Lost in the Toy Museum using expressive voice and props.
• Story Map Creation: Children draw the beginning, middle and end of the story on a story map.
• Talk for Writing Talk: Use gestures and actions to retell parts of the story.
• Dyslexia-friendly support: Provide coloured overlays for story text frames; use large font on printed story map sheets.
• Grammar Focus: Introduction to nouns – identify toy names and places from the story.

Differentiation

• Support with key vocabulary prompts.
• Visual prompts and sentence starters for reluctant writers.
• Challenge: Add adjectives to noun labels (e.g., shiny doll, big clock).

Extension

Ask advanced learners to retell the story orally using story map without prompt.

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Week 2: Model Text & Story Mountain

WALT

We Are Learning To analyse a model text and create a story mountain.

Success Criteria

• I can identify the beginning, build-up, problem, resolution, and ending in the story.
• I can create a story mountain using sentences and pictures.

Activities

• Model Text Reading: Read simplified model of Lost in the Toy Museum together.
• Discuss Story Mountain: Using a large chart, identify key parts of the story.
• Group Work: In small groups, pupils plan their own story mountain for a new toy adventure.
• Grammar Focus: Introduce verbs – identify action words in the story.

Differentiation

• Pre-teach verbs with flashcards.
• Sentence starters for less confident writers.
• Challenge: Compose sentences for each story mountain part using varied verbs.

Extension

Higher ability pupils create an expanded story mountain with more detailed resolution.

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Week 3: Writing the Beginning

WALT

We Are Learning To write the beginning of our own Lost in the Toy Museum story.

Success Criteria

• I can write clear sentences introducing the setting and characters.
• I use capital letters and full stops correctly.

Activities

• Recap Story Mountain Beginning: Brainstorm ideas as a class.
• Shared Writing: Teacher models writing a strong beginning using Talk for Writing gestures.
• Independent Writing: Children write their own beginnings with word banks and visual prompts.
• Grammar Focus: Adjectives – describe toys and settings.
• Punctuation Practice: Correct use of capital letters and full stops supported with a punctuation checklist.

Differentiation

• Sentence frames for emerging writers.
• Dyslexia-friendly lined paper for handwriting.
• Challenge: Use at least two adjectives and two verbs in their beginning.

Extension

Write a drawing-caption booklet retelling only the story beginning.

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Week 4: Writing the Build-up and Problem

WALT

We Are Learning To write the middle of the story including a build-up and a problem.

Success Criteria

• I can describe events that build tension in the story.
• I use question marks and exclamation marks correctly.

Activities

• Talk for Writing – Oral Rehearsal: Pupils tell their build-up using gestures.
• Shared Writing Focus: Teacher models adding a problem.
• Independent Writing: Children write their build-up and problem, supported by sentence starters.
• Grammar Focus: Review verbs and introduce different punctuation marks (question and exclamation).
• Punctuation Games: Interactive marking of punctuation in sentences.

Differentiation

• Word mats with verbs and punctuation marks.
• Colour-coded punctuation prompts.
• Challenge: Include at least one question and two exclamations in their writing.

Extension

Write a dialogue between toys with correct punctuation.

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Week 5: Writing the Resolution and Ending

WALT

We Are Learning To write the solution and ending to our story.

Success Criteria

• I can write about how the problem is solved.
• I can write a clear ending sentence.
• I use commas when listing adjectives.

Activities

• Shared Writing: Model writing a satisfying resolution and ending with commas in lists.
• Grammar Focus: Comma use in lists of adjectives (e.g. shiny, old, wooden toy).
• Independent Writing: Pupils write their resolution and ending using their story mountain plan.
• Peer Feedback: In pairs, pupils check each other’s use of commas and punctuation.

Differentiation

• Comma use scaffolds (sentence frames).
• Dyslexia-friendly coloured cards to sequence comma examples.
• Challenge: Include more complex sentences linking ideas with 'because' or 'so'.

Extension

Create an illustrated storybook with their full story in pairs.

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Week 6: Editing, Publishing & Sharing

WALT

We Are Learning To edit and publish our stories, and share them confidently.

Success Criteria

• I can identify and correct errors in my writing.
• I can read my story clearly to the class or a small group.

Activities

• Editing Workshop: Use checklists focused on nouns, verbs, adjectives, capital letters, full stops, punctuation, and commas.
• Peer Editing: Swap stories and give positive feedback using success criteria.
• Publishing: Write final versions on decorated paper or typed.
• Oral Presentation: Volunteers share their story with the class using Talk for Writing gestures.
• Dyslexia-Friendly Support: Provide reading rulers, text in dyslexia-friendly fonts, and short practice sessions.

Differentiation

• Editing checklists with visuals for emerging writers.
• One-to-one adult support for learners needing help.
• Challenge: Add an alternative ending or additional character dialogue.

Extension

Create a classroom display or digital slideshow of the stories.

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Additional Notes

Assessment:

• Formative assessment through observation during oral retellings and group work.
• Use of success criteria and peer-feedback to guide self-assessment.
• Final stories collected for holistic writing assessment.

Resources:

• Story props, toy figures, large story mountain chart.
• Visual word banks and punctuation flashcards.
• Dyslexia-friendly fonts and coloured overlays.

Engagement Tip: Incorporate drama and role-play weeks 2-5 to deepen immersion and motivation.

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This detailed plan offers progressive writing skill development grounded in CfE, with creativity, inclusivity, and differentiation front and centre. It embraces Talk for Writing’s multisensory memorisation techniques and empowers learners to confidently tell their own Toy Museum stories.