Writing Fact Files

Overview

In this 60-minute session (Lesson 6 of 7), Year 3 students will begin writing their Anglo-Saxon fact files. They will use their prior research and templates to produce clear, concise texts packed with interesting facts. This lesson emphasises precision in language, factual accuracy, and engaging content. The activity supports the National Curriculum requirements for English, focusing on composition, grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.

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National Curriculum Links (English - Year 3)

Writing: Composition

• Plan writing by discussing and recording ideas.
• Draft and write by organising paragraphs around a theme.
• Use headings and subheadings to aid presentation.
• Evaluate and edit by proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary.

Writing: Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation

• Use expanded noun phrases to add detail and specification.
• Use paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme.
• Use the present and past tense correctly and consistently.
• Use capital letters, full stops, question marks, and exclamation marks correctly.

Spoken Language

• Articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions.
• Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising, imagining and exploring ideas.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Write a clear and concise fact file about the Anglo-Saxons using research notes and templates.
• WALT: Use precise vocabulary and expanded noun phrases to add detail.
• WALT: Organise writing into paragraphs with headings and subheadings.
• WALT: Apply correct punctuation and tense to ensure clarity and accuracy.

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Success Criteria

• I can write sentences that include interesting and accurate Anglo-Saxon facts.
• I can use expanded noun phrases to make my writing more descriptive.
• I can organise my fact file into paragraphs with clear headings.
• I use capital letters, full stops, and question marks correctly.
• My writing is clear and easy to understand for my readers.

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Resources

• Anglo-Saxon fact file templates (prepared in advance).
• Research notes from previous lessons.
• Word mats with key vocabulary and sentence starters.
• Whiteboard and pens.
• Lined paper or exercise books.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

• Activity: Quick recap

  • Teacher leads a short oral quiz reviewing key Anglo-Saxon facts collected in previous lessons.
  • Discuss the purpose of a fact file: informative, clear, and interesting.
  • Show an exemplar Anglo-Saxon fact file, highlighting headings, expanded noun phrases, and punctuation.

• Focus: Reinforce vocabulary and engage students’ enthusiasm before writing.

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2. Main Activity (40 minutes)

Part A: Planning (10 minutes)

• Students review their research notes and fact file templates.
• Teacher models writing 2-3 sentences using clear language, expanded noun phrases, and correct punctuation.
• Students plan the paragraphs for their fact files using the template headings (e.g., Anglo-Saxon homes, daily life, famous people).

Part B: Writing (30 minutes)

• Students write their fact files independently, referring to their notes and templates.
• Teacher circulates, providing individual support and posing questions to check understanding.
• Emphasise clarity, avoiding overly long sentences.

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3. Plenary/Assessment (10 minutes)

• Students pair up and read each other’s fact files aloud.
• They give positive feedback and suggest one improvement for clarity or detail.
• Teacher collects a sample of fact files for formative assessment focusing on criteria met.

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Differentiation

Group	Strategies
SEN / Additional Support	Sentence starters provided; writing frames with key phrases; paired writing opportunities; verbal scaffolding.
EAL Learners	Glossary of key Anglo-Saxon terms and simple definitions; extra modelled sentences; visual aids to support understanding.
Higher Attaining	Challenge to include complex sentences using conjunctions (e.g., because, although); add a glossary or fun facts section.

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Extension Activities

• Create a labelled diagram or illustration to accompany their fact file.
• Write a short diary entry from the perspective of an Anglo-Saxon child using historical facts.
• Use a digital tool to type and format their fact file, experimenting with fonts and headings for presentation impact.

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Additional Notes for Teachers

• Encourage students to think critically about which facts will interest their readers most.
• Use questioning during plenary to deepen understanding of how expanded noun phrases improve detail.
• Consider recording students reading their fact files to build confidence and fluency in spoken English tied to their writing.

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This detailed and curriculum-aligned lesson plan ensures Year 3 students develop key writing skills while engaging deeply with the Anglo-Saxon topic in a meaningful, scaffolded way.