Planning Our Leaflet

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, Year 3 students will engage in planning their persuasive leaflets as part of the unit "Persuasive Leaflet Adventure." Aligned with the National Curriculum for England (English Programme of Study: Writing - composition), they will develop a mind map reflecting on what to include in their leaflet and draft a rough version focusing on structure and persuasive language.

National Curriculum Links

English - Writing (Year 3)

Writing composition:
- Plan their writing by discussing and recording ideas
- Organise paragraphs around a theme
- In narratives, create settings, character and plot
- In non-narrative material, use simple organisational devices [Headings and sub-headings]
Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation:
- Use paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
- Use headings and sub-headings to aid presentation
- Use fronted adverbials for time and place

Learning Objectives

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

Organise their ideas through a visual mind map, deciding on key elements: attractions, reasons to visit, and target audience (NC Writing - plan their writing).
Structure a draft of a persuasive leaflet using paragraphs and basic persuasive techniques such as rhetorical questions and emotive language.
Use visual aids to support ideas and planning to enhance creativity and ensure clarity.

Resources

Large poster paper or A3 sheets for mind maps
Coloured pens / pencils
Leaflet template outline (simple box with title, introduction, attractions, reasons, and conclusion boxes)
Example persuasive leaflet (age-appropriate, displayed visually)
Whiteboard and markers
Sticky notes

Lesson Breakdown

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Engage with Persuasive Language

Recap previous lessons briefly: What is persuasive writing? (2 minutes)
Show an example of a persuasive leaflet aimed at children (visual).
In pairs, students discuss what makes the leaflet persuasive (e.g., catchy phrases, clear reasons, pictures).
Collect ideas and write key persuasive features on the whiteboard (e.g., Make it fun, Use questions, Highlight benefits).
Differentiation: Support learners by having sentence starters displayed: “This leaflet makes me want to... because...”

2. Main Activity Part 1: Mind Mapping (20 minutes)

Create a persuasive leaflet mind map

Hand out A3 paper and coloured pens.
On the board, model creating a mind map for a leaflet about a popular destination or fantasy place (with branches like “Attractions,” “Why Visit?”, “Who is it for?”).
Children create their own mind maps planning their leaflet destination, encouraged to add images and keywords around:
- Attractions (What makes this place special?)
- Reasons to Visit (What will visitors enjoy?)
- Target Audience (Who are you trying to persuade?)
Differentiation: Provide pre-written vocabulary word banks (Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary) for pupils who need extra support.
Extension: Advanced learners can add sub-categories such as “Activities” or “Food and Drink” and identify persuasive devices for each point.

3. Main Activity Part 2: Drafting the Leaflet (20 minutes)

Structure and draft a rough leaflet

Provide a simple leaflet template on paper: Title, Introduction, Attractions, Reasons to Visit, Conclusion.
Explain that this is a rough draft focusing on organising ideas logically, not on neatness.
Encourage pupils to use ideas from their mind map to fill in each section briefly.
Prompt pupils to include persuasive language like: “Don’t miss...”, “You will love...”, questions e.g. “Have you ever dreamed of...?”
Teacher and teaching assistants circulate to support and prompt individual learners.
Differentiation:
- For SEND pupils: use sentence starters in each box to guide writing (e.g., “One attraction is...”).
- For less confident writers, allow bullet points instead of full sentences.
Extension: Challenge advanced learners to include fronted adverbials (e.g. “Every summer, you can...”) and more complex persuasive devices.

4. Plenary (10 minutes)

Peer sharing and feedback

Pupils pair up and share their leaflets drafts, discussing the persuasive elements they have included.
Using sticky notes, peers write one positive comment and one idea for improvement to stick on each other’s work.
Whole class discussion: Invite volunteers to share creative ideas or interesting persuasive phrases they thought of.
Teacher highlights strong use of persuasive language and effective organisation.

Assessment

Formative assessment via observation of pupil participation in mind mapping and drafting phases.
Review of rough drafts to assess pupils’ ability to organise ideas and use persuasive language appropriate for Year 3 expectations.
Peer feedback to reinforce understanding of persuasive writing features.

Differentiation and Inclusion Strategies

Use visual stimuli and concrete examples to support understanding.
Provide word banks and sentence frames for learners needing support.
Allow alternative means of recording ideas (oral scribing, bullet points).
Pre-teach key vocabulary for EAL learners.
Challenge advanced pupils to add more detailed ideas and use grammar features like fronted adverbials and varied punctuation.
Group pupils heterogeneously to leverage peer scaffolding during discussions.

Extension Activities

Design a persuasive leaflet cover using art materials or digital tools.
Write a short, persuasive radio advert script for their destination.
Create a quiz on the attractions of their destination using persuasive language to entice listeners.

Teacher’s Reflection Notes (Post-Lesson)

How effectively did pupils transfer mind map ideas into structured drafts?
Which persuasive techniques did pupils use with confidence?
Were there any common misconceptions around leaflet structure or language?
What scaffolding strategies were most effective?
Plan additional support or enrichment based on observed pupil needs for Lesson 4.

This hands-on, visually supported lesson plan aims to spark imagination while firmly following the expectations of the National Curriculum for writing composition in Year 3. The combination of creative planning and structured drafting prepares pupils well to compose a full persuasive leaflet in the next lesson.

Teaching Instructions