Perspectives Through Writing

WALT

• Write from different perspectives, expressing mixed feelings
• Use colons correctly to introduce additional information
• Employ the present perfect tense accurately in diary writing

National Curriculum Links

• English — Writing

  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Punctuate sentences correctly, including using colons to introduce lists or explanations (Yr6 English Appendix 2)
    • Use the subjunctive and present perfect forms for effect and clarity (Yr6 Grammar)
    • Plan, draft, write and evaluate their own narratives and nonfiction texts, such as diaries, considering different viewpoints (Yr6 Writing)
    • Build vocabulary and sentence structure by exploring nuanced language expressing emotions and viewpoints (Yr6 Reading comprehension)

• English — Spoken Language

  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Participate in discussions, offering ideas and listening to others’ viewpoints (Yr6 SL)

---

Resources

• Copies/extracts of The Day the War Came (visual/text prompts)
• Whiteboards and pens (1 per pupil)
• Diary writing scaffold (sentence starters and vocabulary bank)
• Example diary extract (teacher model)
• Display chart: Colon usage rules & Present perfect tense reminders
• Word banks with emotion descriptors and helping verbs (have/has + past participle)

---

Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

1. Starter: How Can We Help? (10 min)

• Prompt pupils to jot down quick ideas in books or on mini whiteboards: How can we help the girl in the story?
• Share responses orally, noting key words on the board to guide empathetic thinking (e.g., offering food, warmth, asking questions).
• This recaps empathy and sets the emotional tone.

Success criteria:

• I can share ideas about helping others thoughtfully.

---

2. Recap and Practice of Colons (10 min)

• Brief recap of colon function from last lesson (display chart).
• Pupils write a sentence with a positive perspective about the girl on their whiteboards (e.g., “She is new to our street: she may need support.”).
• Swap with partner; partners add information after the colon (e.g., “She may need support: she looks cold and tired.”).
• Repeat the process but with a negative perspective (e.g., “She looks suspicious: I don’t know where she’s come from.”).

Success criteria:

• I can write sentences using colons correctly.
• I can add information after a colon to extend meaning.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters on board for support.
• Challenge advanced learners to write complex sentences with multiple colon clauses.

---

3. Teaching Input: Diary Writing from Different Perspectives (10 min)

• Explain diary task:
  Imagine you're someone who lives on the street. Write two paragraphs: one expressing fear or suspicion, the other showing changed feelings and willingness to help.
• Highlight use of present perfect tense to describe recent experiences and feelings (e.g., “I have seen her walking alone...” “I have started to feel sorry for her...”).
• Show teacher model diary extract—point out:
  • Introductory greeting
  • Clear paragraph structure
  • Use of emotional language
  • Present perfect tense highlighted and explained

Success criteria:

• I understand how to structure a diary with two contrasting paragraphs.
• I can use present perfect tense to show recent feelings or events.

Differentiation:

• Provide lined diary frame with paragraph boxes and sentence starters (see below).
• Advanced learners encouraged to add direct speech or deeper reflection.

---

4. Main Task: Diary Writing (20 min)

• Pupils write their diary entries.
• Use scaffold to support pupils who struggle to start or develop ideas.
• Teacher circulate to prompt thinking, e.g.:
  • What worries might this person have had?
  • How has their view changed?
  • What words show feelings?
  • Can you spot verbs in present perfect tense?

Sentence Starters & Prompts:

Paragraph 1: Fear/Anxiety
Dear Diary,
Today, a girl has appeared in our street. I have seen her looking [adjective: lost, ragged, scared]. I have felt [adjective: nervous, uneasy, suspicious] because...

Paragraph 2: Reconsideration/Helping
Now I have started to think differently. I have realised she might need... I have decided to...

---

5. Plenary: Sharing and Reflecting (10 min)

• Volunteers share their diary extracts.
• Discuss how they used colon sentences and present perfect tense.
• Reflect: How did writing from different perspectives help us understand feelings about refugees?

Success criteria:

• I can explain how colon use and present perfect tense improve writing.
• I can express empathy through writing from another’s viewpoint.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Provide vocabulary banks with emotion words and helping verbs for all learners.
• Use paired writing or peer support for pupils with lower confidence.
• Scaffold complex grammar points via mini-charts and examples.
• Advanced pupils encouraged to include varied sentence types (questions, exclamations, reported speech).

---

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Write a third paragraph imagining the future relationship between residents and the girl, using future perfect tense.
• Create a monologue or a dialogue between two characters with conflicting views, practising persuasive language.
• Illustrate the diary entry with a comic-strip style panel for multi-modal literacy.

---

Key Teaching Points to Emphasise

• Colon use is not just for lists; it introduces evidence or explanation—crucial for adding detail and building empathy.
• Present perfect tense connects present feelings with recent events: "I have felt..." shows ongoing emotional impact.
• Empathy is about seeing more than one side; we practise this by writing contrasting paragraphs.
• Reflection and language choice are powerful tools in storytelling and understanding human experiences.

---

This lesson plan scaffolds imaginative thinking while embedding key curriculum literacy elements, creating a rich, inclusive learning environment aligned with the National Curriculum for Year 6 English.