Overview

This 55-minute lesson engages Year 4 students in writing a formal letter, inspired by the historical context of "Roman Invasion" by Jim Eldridge. It aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s expectations for writing, particularly developing formal correspondence skills, and integrates Kearsley West Primary School’s approach to contextualised creative writing.

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Learning Objectives

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

• Compose a formal letter using appropriate structure and language (National Curriculum, English: Writing - Years 3 and 4)
• Use features of formal letters accurately: greeting, introduction, body paragraphs, closing, and signature (Kearsley West writing progression)
• Use suitable sentence structures, punctuation, and vocabulary for formal writing (National Curriculum: Writing - vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation)
• Demonstrate understanding of historical context by referring to the Roman invasion in their letter’s content (cross-curricular link with history)

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National Curriculum Links

• English - Writing (Year 4):

  • Plan, draft and write by organising paragraphs around a theme
  • Use appropriate pronouns and possessive apostrophes
  • Use fronted adverbials with commas
  • Use varied sentence structures, including complex sentences
  • Use formal tone and vocabulary suited to purpose and audience

• Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation (Year 4):

  • Use commas after fronted adverbials
  • Correct use of full stops, capital letters, question marks, and exclamation marks
  • Understand and use paragraphs to organise ideas clearly

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Resources

• Copies of "Roman Invasion" by Jim Eldridge (selected excerpts focusing on the invasion’s impact)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Letter writing template handouts (structure outline)
• Vocabulary bank for formal letter language (e.g. "Dear Sir/Madam," "I am writing to inform you," "Yours sincerely")
• Example formal letter based on the Roman invasion
• Word banks with contextual and formal vocabulary

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

Hook & Activate Prior Knowledge

• Display an image of a Roman soldier invading Britain. Ask:
  • What do we know about the Roman invasion?
  • Who might want to write a letter about this event? (e.g., local Briton to a tribal leader, soldier reporting to a commander)
• Briefly model reading a short excerpt from Roman Invasion that describes a significant moment.
• Introduce the purpose: writing a formal letter as if you were living in that time describing or reacting to the invasion.

2. Teach (15 minutes)

Explicit Instruction on Formal Letters

• Display and discuss the formal letter structure:
  • Heading (date and address)
  • Greeting (“Dear Sir or Madam,” or named recipient)
  • Introduction (purpose of writing)
  • Body paragraphs (details and explanations)
  • Formal closing (e.g., “Yours faithfully,” / “Yours sincerely,”)
• Highlight formal tone vs. informal (no contractions like "can't," no slang)
• Use a shared writing approach to compose a brief example letter on the board, related to the Roman invasion (e.g., a Briton writing to their tribe leader expressing concerns about the approaching Romans)
• Emphasise punctuation and sentence starters, especially fronted adverbials (e.g., “At dawn,” “Following the arrival,”)

3. Activity (20 minutes)

Guided Writing Task

• Hand out letter templates and vocabulary banks.
• Pupils write their own formal letter about the Roman invasion, choosing an appropriate recipient (teacher to give options: a tribe leader, a family member abroad, a Roman commander).
• Encourage use of fronted adverbials, formal vocabulary, and correct letter structure.
• Teacher circulates to provide scaffolding and support.
• Optional: Partner sharing after 15 minutes to discuss letter content and language use.

4. Plenary (10 minutes)

Peer Review & Reflection

• Invite a few volunteers to read their letters aloud.
• As a class, discuss what made the letters formal and effective. Use success criteria linked to formal language, structure, and historical context.
• Reflect on why formal letters were important historically and how this skill helps express ideas clearly today.
• Self-assessment checklist:
  • Did I use a formal greeting and closing?
  • Did I write in paragraphs?
  • Did I use formal vocabulary and sentence starters?
  • Did I refer to the Roman invasion clearly?

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Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment via observation during guided writing: ability to use letter conventions and formal language
• Review written letters for correct letter format, formal tone, logical organisation, and historical detail
• Use self and peer assessments to promote ownership and understanding of the writing conventions

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters and a partially completed writing frame
• Challenge: Encourage use of complex sentences with subordinate conjunctions and a wider range of formal vocabulary
• EAL/Additional Needs: Visual prompts and paired work to support understanding of formal language

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Cross-Curricular Links

• History: Reinforces understanding of Roman invasion impacts through writing
• PSHE: Developing empathy by writing from perspectives of historical people

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Teacher Notes

• Consider pre-reading the book or selected excerpts with the class in previous sessions to build context.
• Incorporate visual stimulus such as maps or Roman artefacts for immersive learning.
• To extend, set homework to research Roman Britain and add a paragraph from that perspective in a future lesson.

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This lesson plan creates an immersive, curriculum-aligned writing experience that not only meets National Curriculum standards but also situates Year 4 pupils meaningfully within a fascinating historical narrative.