Writing with Conjunctions

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📚 Curriculum Context and Overview

Subject: English
School Year: Year 3 (Key Stage 2)
Unit: Cinderella: A New Perspective (Lesson 7 of 12)
Lesson Title: SPaG Application – Writing with Conjunctions
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 30 students

National Curriculum Alignment:

• Writing – Composition: Pupils should be taught to draft and write by composing and rehearsing sentences orally, progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an increasing range of sentence structures [English Appendix 2].
• Grammar and Punctuation (SPaG): Pupils should be taught to extend the range of sentences with more than one clause by using a wider range of conjunctions, including when, if, because, although.
• Spoken Language: Pupils should participate in discussions, presentations, and performances.

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🎯 Objectives for Learning and Instruction (OLI)

To apply conjunctions in narrative writing.

✅ Success Criteria (SC)

• I can write sentences that include conjunctions.
• I can enhance my Cinderella narrative with complex sentences.
• I can share my writing with a partner and offer feedback.

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🧠 Prior Knowledge

Pupils should already:

• Understand simple and compound sentence structures.
• Be familiar with the original Cinderella story.
• Have explored elements of narrative writing including characters and settings.
• Have been introduced to conjunctions in previous SPaG lessons.

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🗂 Vocabulary

• Conjunction
• Clause
• Complex sentence
• Subordinate clause
• Narrative
• Character perspective

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🛠️ Resources Needed

• Whiteboard & markers
• Pre-prepared ‘Conjunction Toolkit’ table on class display and printed for each student
• Mini-whiteboards and pens for each student
• Writing books or printed ‘New Cinderella Planner’ templates
• Highlighters (yellow and green)
• Peer-feedback cards with sentence starters
• A ‘Conjunction Jar’ with challenge prompts

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⏱️ Lesson Structure (60 Minutes)

🔹 Starter (10 mins) – The Curious Clause Game

Objective: Oral rehearsal of conjunctions in context

1. Begin with a 'Conjunction Forecast' slide on the board – include words: because, although, if, when, since, while, unless.
2. Quick-fire game: "Match That Clause!" – teacher reads a main clause aloud, and pupils take 30 seconds to write a sentence on mini-whiteboards by adding a clause using a conjunction from the forecast.
   • Example: Main clause: “Cinderella left the ball early…”
     • Child response: “…because she feared the spell would break.”
3. Share 3–4 examples as a class, highlight effective pairing of clauses.

🌟 Challenge Extension: Use a less common conjunction from the jar for a bonus cheer!

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🔹 Input & Modelling (10 mins) – Creating Complex Sentences

Objective: Generate improved narrative sentences using conjunctions

1. Refer to the class text: “Cinderella: A New Perspective” – a feminist retelling the class has been building.
2. Display a simple sentence from Cinderella’s perspective:
   • “She wanted to go to the ball.”
3. Ask: How can we make this sentence more interesting using a conjunction?
   • Together: “She wanted to go to the ball because she had never left the tower.”
4. Teacher models ‘Sentence Surgery’ – dissect the sentence into main and subordinate clauses using highlighters.

Conjunction Toolkit Tip: Class displays examples of when to use ‘although’, ‘if’, ‘since’, etc.

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🔹 Guided Practice (15 mins) – Sentence Surgery Pairs

Objective: Practise building and improving narrative sentences

1. Pupils work in mixed-ability pairs.
2. Each pair receives a ‘Basic Sentence Strip’ linked to a key Cinderella moment (e.g., “The stepsisters laughed.”)
3. Pupils use the conjunction cards to turn the strip into a complex sentence (e.g., “The stepsisters laughed although they didn’t understand what was funny.”)
4. Circulate to support, pulling groups for quick feedback.

✨ Possible Extension: Pupils write an additional sentence from the prince’s or fairy godmother’s perspective.

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🔹 Independent Application (15 mins) – Narrative Writing with Purpose

Objective: Embed conjunctions into own narrative writing

1. Pupils write a short paragraph (4–6 sentences) continuing their retelling of Cinderella but from a new perspective (e.g., the cat, the fairy godmother, a village child).
2. Remind them to include:
   • At least 3 different conjunctions
   • One sentence that starts with a conjunction for effect
3. Use writing books or the provided ‘New Cinderella Planner’ with space for ‘Time’, ‘Emotion’ and ‘Conjunctions Used’.

🌈 Support: Sentence and conjunction starter prompt frames available
🌈 Challenge: Pupils use two conjunctions in one sentence (e.g., “Although she had no shoes, she danced because time was running out.”)

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🔹 Peer Feedback & Performance (7 mins)

Objective: Share writing and respond respectfully

1. Pairs share one sentence aloud.
2. Partners give feedback using sentence starters:
   • “I liked how you…”
   • “Next time, could you try…”
3. Class quick-round: Pupils volunteer their favourite sentence – explain which conjunction was used and why it was effective.

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🔹 Plenary (3 mins) – Conjunction Conquerors

Objective: Reflect on learning

1. Whole-class lightning review:
   • “Which conjunction can show a reason?”
   • “Who used ‘although’ today?”
2. Show ‘Conjunction Crown’ slide – three pupils nominated by you for exceptional application of conjunctions (including effort and improvement).

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📝 Assessment for Learning

• Formative: Observation during sentence surgery and writing time, use of conjunctions in spoken and written work.
• Peer Assessment: Pupils use sentence starters for feedback.
• Summative for this lesson: At least 3 complex sentences using different conjunctions in their narrative paragraph.

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🌟 Differentiation

Support:

• Visual ‘Conjunctions Ladder’ scaffold on desk mat
• Optional scaffolded sentence frames
• Teacher-led guided group during writing time

Challenge:

• Use 2+ conjunctions in one sentence
• Incorporate internal or external conflict into the narrative through conjunctions
• Apply varied sentence openers (time, place, cause)

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🎭 Cross-Curricular & Creativity Boost

Link to Drama: Pupils can act out a still image of a sentence they've written, with characters frozen mid-action. Others guess which conjunction might describe the scene (e.g., "Although she was scared, she took a step forward.")

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🧩 Next Steps

Into Lesson 8: Exploring setting through figurative language – how adjectives, similes and metaphors add layers to the world Cinderella lives in.

Homework Suggestion: Pupils create a Conjunction Creature! They draw a creature that embodies a certain conjunction (e.g., “Because the Banshee” always gives reasons for people’s actions). Write a short description using 3 conjunctions.

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📌 Teacher Reflection Questions

• Did the pupils independently apply more ambitious conjunctions today?
• Were any pupils particularly responsive to the drama element or storytelling structure?
• Whose confidence in sharing their writing grew during this lesson?

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🧠 Remember: Imaginative writing shines brightest when the SPaG is seamlessly embedded. Conjunctions aren't just functional – they are the golden threads between a character’s thoughts and a reader’s heart.