Writing the Middle

Overview

This 45-minute lesson continues the unit Diary Writing Adventures, focusing on writing the middle section of a diary entry. Year 2 pupils will be supported to use adverbs and past tense verbs within their writing, building on their plan from earlier lessons.

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National Curriculum Links

English – Writing (Year 2):

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Write narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional) [EN2/3]
  • Use the present and past tense correctly and consistently including the progressive form [EN2/5]
  • Use varied and rich vocabulary to add detail (including adverbs) [EN2/6]
  • Plan, draft and write by discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write and composing sentences orally [EN2/7]

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

WALT: Write the middle section of a diary entry using past tense verbs and adverbs, guided by our planning.

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Success Criteria

• I can write clear sentences about what happened in the middle of the day.
• I use past tense verbs correctly throughout my writing.
• I include adverbs to explain how or when something happened.
• I refer back to my plan to help me write my sentences.
• I use capital letters and full stops correctly.

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Resources Needed

• Pupil’s diary plan (created in lesson 3)
• Whiteboard with key vocabulary (past tense verbs and adverbs)
• Sample diary middle section on the board
• Writing books or lined paper
• Coloured pencils for editing
• Word mats with key verbs and adverbs
• Timer (for writing bursts)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter: Recap and Engage (5 minutes)

• Begin by revisiting the diary plans pupils made in the previous lesson.
• Discuss what a diary entry looks like – focus on the personal and past tense nature of it.
• Introduce the learning objective (WALT) and success criteria displayed visually.
• Quick oral game: Teacher says a verb (“jump”) and pupils say the past tense (“jumped”). Then add an adverb (“quickly”) to make a sentence ("I jumped quickly.").

2. Input: Modelling and Vocabulary Focus (10 minutes)

• Display a model diary middle section on the board (simple, age-appropriate text).
• Together as a class, highlight all past tense verbs and adverbs.
• Discuss why these are important and how they add excitement and clarity to the diary entry.
• Show a word mat with additional past tense verbs and adverbs for pupils to refer to.

3. Main Activity: Guided Independent Writing (20 minutes)

• Pupils write the middle section of their diary entry, using their plan as a guide.
• Encourage pupils to:
  • Write in past tense.
  • Include at least two adverbs.
  • Write full sentences with correct punctuation.
• Teacher and teaching assistant circulate to support individual needs.
• Use a timer to create two focused writing blocks with a 1-minute mini-break in between to help maintain concentration.

4. Peer Review and Self-Assessment (5 minutes)

• Pupils swap books with a partner to check if they have used past tense verbs and adverbs.
• Use a simple checklist focused on success criteria (verb tense, adverbs, punctuation).
• Pupils highlight or underline examples in their partner’s work.

5. Plenary: Reflect and Share (5 minutes)

• Invite a few pupils to read their middle section aloud, focusing on the use of adverbs and past tense verbs.
• Quick discussion: How did using adverbs change your writing?
• Recap the success criteria and praise pupils for their efforts.

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Differentiation Strategies

Group	Approach
Lower ability	Provide sentence starters or writing frames; use high-frequency verbs/adverbs for support
EAL learners	Provide visual aids and word banks; model sentences orally frequently
Advanced learners	Encourage use of more adventurous adverbs; add conjunctions to create more complex sentences

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Extension Activities

• Creative adverb challenge: Ask advanced pupils to add three extra adverbs to their writing to make their sentences more vivid.
• Past tense verb hunt: Pupils find and list all past tense verbs from their paragraph, then write alternative verbs with the same past tense.
• Diary illustration and caption: Draw a picture to match the middle section and write a one-sentence caption using adverbs and past tense verbs.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Teacher observes pupils during writing for correct verb tense and adverb use.
• Peer review checklists provide immediate feedback on criteria met.
• Collect writing books at the end of the lesson to assess individual pupil application of past tense and adverbs for next lesson planning.

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Keep language simple and model clear examples to reinforce concepts.
• Use positive reinforcement to build confidence, especially for reluctant writers.
• Incorporate physical movement in the starter game to maintain focus and engagement.
• Ensure all pupils’ diary plans from lesson 3 are at hand to facilitate writing support.

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This structured and engaging lesson ensures year 2 pupils meet national expectations for writing in past tense, use adverbs effectively, and continue practising their narrative skills by writing the diary’s middle section confidently.