Simple Sentence Writing

Overview

This lesson (Lesson 4 of 15 in unit “Teddy Bear Picnic Adventures”) focuses on helping Year 1 students write simple sentences describing their teddy bears. The children will practise using capital letters and full stops accurately while describing colour, size, and personality traits. The lesson is designed to be hands-on, engaging, and vocabulary-rich to consolidate prior learning about sentence structure and punctuation, aligned to the National Curriculum for England.

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National Curriculum Links

Writing - Year 1 Programme of Study

• Transcription: Pupils spell words containing each of the 40+ phonemes taught
• Composition: Write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others
• Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation:
  • Separation of words with spaces
  • Capital letters for the start of sentences and for names
  • Full stops to demarcate sentences

Reading - Year 1 Programme of Study

• Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT write simple sentences to describe our teddy bears.
• WALT use capital letters correctly at the beginning of sentences.
• WALT use full stops to end sentences.
• WALT use descriptive vocabulary about colour, size and personality.

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Success Criteria

• I can write a sentence about my teddy bear that starts with a capital letter.
• I can end my sentence with a full stop.
• I can describe my teddy bear using words for colour, size or personality.
• I can read my sentence aloud clearly.

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Resources

• Teddy bears or pictures of teddy bears (one per child)
• Whiteboards and markers or lined exercise books
• Flashcards with vocabulary words (colour, size, personality adjectives)
• Sentence pattern prompts (e.g. “My teddy is ___.” or “He/She is ___.”)
• Dyslexia-friendly printed word mats with large font and clear spacing
• “Sentence builders” worksheet with blanks and word banks
• Colour pencils or crayons
• Pocket-sized visual reminder cards for capital letters and full stops

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Lesson Structure (45 minutes)

1. Starter (10 minutes) – Vocabulary Revival and Discussion

• Gather children in a circle with their teddy bears or pictures.
• Recap on previous lessons about describing teddy bears.
• Use flashcards to introduce/review descriptive vocabulary: colours (brown, white, black), sizes (big, small), and personality adjectives (soft, cuddly, funny).
• Conduct a short whole-class discussion: “What colour is your bear? Is it big or small? What kind of teddy bear is it?”
• Write a sample sentence on the board: “My teddy bear is small and brown.” Highlight capital letter and full stop.

Teacher’s Note: Encourage full sentences verbally to recap sentence formation from previous lessons.

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2. Main Activity (25 minutes) – Writing Simple Sentences

• Children write 3 simple sentences about their teddy bear. Provide sentence starters for scaffolding (e.g., “My teddy is ___.”, “He/She is ___.”).
• Emphasise capital letters to start and full stops to end sentences.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly worksheets with word banks and sentence frames.
• Circulate and support children, prompting vocabulary use and punctuation.
• For those needing extra support, offer scribing—children say their sentence first and you write it down while they copy or trace.
• Encourage children to read their sentences aloud in pairs afterwards.

Differentiation:

• Lower ability: Use sentence frames and scribe as needed. Focus on writing 1-2 sentences.
• Average ability: Write 3 simple sentences independently using word banks.
• Higher ability: Write 3 sentences including an extra adjective (e.g., “My teddy is big, brown and soft.”) and draw a picture with labels.

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3. Plenary (10 minutes) – Sharing and Review

• Invite volunteers to read one of their sentences aloud to the class.
• Highlight and praise correct use of capital letters and full stops.
• Recap key points: start sentences with capitals, end with full stops, use describing words.

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Extension Activities

• Advanced students write a simple story using 5 sentences about an adventure their teddy bear goes on, including descriptive language and punctuation.
• Challenge: Swap teddy bears with a friend and write sentences describing the friend’s teddy bear, practising new vocabulary.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Strategies

• Provide printed word mats and sentence frames with clear font (e.g., Dyslexie, Comic Sans) and spacing.
• Use multi-sensory learning: children say sentences aloud, use visuals, and write with colourful pens.
• Support with verbal prompts and scribing where needed.
• Pair reading aloud with writing to reinforce phoneme-grapheme correspondence.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative throughout: teacher observes sentence writing, use of capitals and full stops.
• Note children who need extra support or challenge for follow-up in next sessions.
• Verbal praise and a “Well done” sticker for correct punctuation and vocabulary use.

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Reflection for Teacher

• Did the vocabulary recap support learners in sentence formation?
• Was the pacing suitable to allow everyone to write independently or with support?
• How effectively did children apply punctuation rules?
• Adapt sentence frames or challenge levels for future lessons based on observed needs.

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This lesson encourages confidence in early writing skills through meaningful context and fun teddy bear descriptions, embedding fundamental literacy skills per the National Curriculum. The use of multisensory and visual supports ensures accessibility and engagement to meet diverse learners’ needs.