Overview

This 45-minute session is lesson 10 of 15 in the "Teddy Bear Picnic Adventures" unit. The focus is on revisiting and improving students’ written invitations and instructions by applying peer feedback, with an emphasis on clear vocabulary, correct sentence structure, and handwriting. The lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England Year 1 English, particularly focusing on writing composition and transcription.

National Curriculum Links

• Year 1 English – Writing
  • Composition: Pupils should be taught to compose sentences orally before writing them down. (NC Ref: English Appendix 2)
  • Transcription: Spell common exception words, name letters of the alphabet, and begin to form sentences correctly. (NC Ref: English Programme of Study – Writing)
  • Vocabulary, Grammar, and Punctuation: Use capital letters and full stops correctly. (NC Ref: KS1 English Programme of Study)
  • Handwriting: Form lowercase letters in the correct direction, start and finish letters correctly.

Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT:
  • Review and improve our own writing using feedback.
  • Use clear vocabulary when writing invitations and instructions.
  • Check that sentences start with capital letters and end with full stops.
  • Present our writing neatly with correctly formed letters.

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Success Criteria

• I can listen carefully to my partner’s feedback and decide how to improve my writing.
• I can use full stops and capital letters in my sentences.
• I can choose clear and interesting words for my invitations and instructions.
• I can write neatly so others can read my work easily.

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Resources

• Children’s draft invitations and instruction sheets from previous lessons.
• Peer feedback prompt cards (visual sentence starters and correction tips).
• Whiteboards and markers for practice.
• Lined handwriting books or sheets (dyslexia-friendly fonts, e.g., Sassoon Primary).
• Vocabulary word mats related to picnic and instruction words (e.g., “please,” “come,” “open,” “sit,” “bring”).

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Lesson Outline

1. Starter Activity (5 mins)

• Interactive WALT discussion: Use a visual “WALT” poster with simple icons representing writing, vocabulary, and feedback. Recap what we have learned about invitations and instructions.
• Quick quiz game: Show two sentences on the board—one with capital letters and full stops correctly used, one without. Ask students which is better and why. This primes them for focusing on punctuation.

2. Peer Feedback Activity (10 mins)

• Pupils pair up (partner with similar ability for confidence).
• Each pupil reads their invitation or instruction aloud to their partner.
• Using peer feedback prompt cards, partners tell one thing they liked and one thing that could be improved (e.g., “Start your sentence with a capital letter,” “Add the word ‘please’ to be polite,” “Use neat handwriting”).
• Teacher models feedback on a sample invitation on the board live.

3. Self Revision and Improvement (15 mins)

• Pupils revise their own writing using their peer’s feedback.
• Focus on:
  • Starting sentences with a capital letter.
  • Adding full stops correctly.
  • Using clearer vocabulary from word mats.
  • Checking letter formation and spacing to aid readability.
• Circulate and support, providing dyslexia-friendly reading prompts and encouraging children to say their sentences aloud before writing to reinforce oral rehearsal.

4. Sharing Improvements (10 mins)

• Volunteers read their improved invitation or instruction aloud to the class.
• Positive reinforcement focusing on clarity and correctness.
• Teacher highlights examples of improved vocabulary and punctuation.

5. Plenary: Reflect & Extend (5 mins)

• Discuss how revisions made their writing better.
• Extension for advanced learners: Challenge these pupils to add a polite question at the end of their invitation (e.g., “Will you come?”) and to underline tricky words they learned to spell.
• Give dyslexic learners the option to use a coloured overlay on their book during reflection or extend the time for reading aloud.

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Differentiation Strategies

Group	Strategy
Struggling/EAL/Dyslexic	Use peer feedback prompt cards and vocabulary mats; support oral rehearsal; offer dyslexia-friendly font resources; scaffold sentence structure with visuals.
On Track	Guided writing support from teacher; encouraged to use word mats independently; practise handwriting formation.
Advanced Learners	Encourage adding polite question sentences; self-assessment checklist; write an additional instruction for the picnic.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe peer feedback interactions for understanding of clear sentence construction.
• Review students’ revised writing for accuracy and clarity of punctuation and capitalisation.
• Listen during sharing for confident oral reading reflecting on their improvements.

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Teacher’s Tips to Wow Your Year 1 Class

• Use puppets or teddy bears as “editors” to make revisions feel like a game. For example, “Mr Teddy suggests a full stop here!”
• Include a tactile element by letting children stamp “correction stickers” (happy faces or ticks) on revised sentences.
• Record a mini video of the class reading their improved work for parents—celebration encourages pride and motivation.

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This detailed, structured approach ensures pupils confidently understand and apply fundamental writing skills rooted in the National Curriculum, wrapped in an engaging, hands-on learning experience appropriate to Year 1.