Holiday Senses Recount Writing
Year 5 English 45-minute lesson Writing vivid holiday memories
What is a Recount?
A text that tells us about something that happened in the past Written in first person (I, we, my) Uses past tense verbs Events are told in the order they happened Often includes personal feelings and experiences
Close Your Eyes and Remember
Think about your favorite holiday What could you see around you? What sounds did you hear? What smells do you remember? What did you taste or touch?
The Five Senses in Writing
SIGHT: Colors, shapes, movements, people SOUND: Music, voices, nature sounds, machinery SMELL: Food cooking, flowers, sea air, campfires TASTE: Sweet treats, local foods, drinks TOUCH: Textures, temperatures, surfaces
Example Sensory Sentence
The salty, foaming waves crashed against the golden sand while seagulls cried overhead and the sweet scent of ice cream drifted from the nearby café.
Literary Techniques for Better Writing
Expanded Noun Phrases: Add adjectives to describe nouns better Example: 'the car' becomes 'the shiny, red sports car' Alliteration: Words starting with the same sound Example: 'Sandy shores shimmered in the sunlight' Fronted Adverbials: Time and place words at the start Example: 'Early in the morning, we packed our bags'
Sensory Word Bank
{"left":"SIGHT WORDS: sparkling, gleaming, colorful, shadowy, bright, glittering, vast, tiny\nSOUND WORDS: echoing, whispering, thundering, melodic, crackling, splashing, humming\nSMELL WORDS: fragrant, musty, fresh, smoky, sweet, salty, spicy","right":"TASTE WORDS: tangy, bitter, creamy, zesty, rich, mild, refreshing\nTOUCH WORDS: smooth, rough, warm, cool, soft, prickly, silky"}
Plan Your Holiday Recount
Choose your holiday memory Pick 3 senses you want to include Think of one literary technique for each sense Write your opening sentence Remember: first person, past tense!
Success Criteria Checklist
✓ I can identify key features of a recount text ✓ I can describe using at least three senses ✓ I can use expanded noun phrases ✓ I can include fronted adverbials ✓ I can plan my recount before writing ✓ I use first person and past tense correctly
Next Steps and Homework
Finish writing your complete holiday recount at home Include sensory details from all five senses if possible Use at least two different literary techniques Check your work: first person, past tense, clear paragraphs Be ready to share your favorite sentence next lesson!