Breaking Down Prompts

Lesson Overview

Subject: English (ELA)
Year Group: Year 5
Unit: Mastering Informational Writing (Lesson 2 of 5)
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Curriculum Link:

• National Curriculum for England: Writing – Composition
• Specific Focus:
  • "Identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own."
  • "Using organisational and presentational devices to structure text and guide the reader."

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify the key components of a writing prompt using the T.A.K.E.S. strategy (Topic, Audience, Key ideas, Evidence, and Style).
2. Analyse how each part of a prompt influences their response.
3. Apply their understanding by breaking down a given prompt into its essential parts.

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Lesson Structure

Starter – The Mystery Prompt Challenge (10 minutes)

1. Warm-Up Question: Display a cryptic statement on the board (e.g., "Write about cats.").
2. Ask: “What’s missing from this instruction?” Discuss why clarity is important in writing prompts.
3. Introduce students to the T.A.K.E.S. strategy—write it on the board:
   • Topic: What is the subject?
   • Audience: Who is the reader?
   • Key Ideas: What details need to be included?
   • Evidence: Where will the facts/examples come from?
   • Style: What tone and structure should be used?

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Main Activity – Breaking Down the Prompt (35 minutes)

Step 1: Teacher Modelling (10 minutes)

• Display a sample prompt:
  “Write a formal letter to your local council explaining why your school should have more playground equipment.”
• Walk through each part of T.A.K.E.S., breaking it down.
  • T: Writing about improving playground equipment.
  • A: Addressed to the local council (formal audience).
  • K: Must include reasons, benefits to pupils, possible suggestions.
  • E: Can use personal experiences, school survey results, or research.
  • S: Formal tone, structured introduction, main points, and conclusion.

Step 2: Guided Group Practice (10 minutes)

• Split students into table groups of six (eight groups in total).
• Each group receives a different writing prompt (age-appropriate topics such as: “Should homework be banned?” or “Describe a historical figure’s impact.”).
• Groups discuss and annotate the prompt using T.A.K.E.S..

Step 3: Peer Teaching (10 minutes)

• Each group presents their breakdown of the prompt to another group.
• Listening groups offer one compliment and one suggestion for improvement.

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Plenary – Exit Ticket (10 minutes)

1. Distribute post-it notes and ask students to answer:
   “Which part of T.A.K.E.S. do you find the easiest? Which part do you find the hardest?”
2. Share a few responses aloud and briefly address challenges.
3. Conclude with: “How will understanding writing prompts help us become better writers?”
4. Collect responses to inform planning for Lesson 3.

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Differentiation & Support

• Support for Lower Ability:

  • Provide a sentence scaffold for each element of T.A.K.E.S.
  • Work with a teaching assistant or in a mixed-ability group.

• Challenge for Higher Ability:

  • Ask students to modify an unclear prompt using T.A.K.E.S.
  • Encourage them to write their own creative but precise prompts.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard & markers
• Printed writing prompts for group activity
• Post-it notes for plenary
• Timer (for structured group discussions)

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative:

  • Observe group discussions and note student contributions.
  • Collect post-it notes to assess individual understanding.

• Summative:

  • In the next lesson, students will independently break down a new prompt, using T.A.K.E.S. as a checklist.

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Teacher Reflection

• Did students actively engage with T.A.K.E.S.?
• Were they able to confidently break down a prompt?
• What misconceptions needed addressing?
• How will this inform the next lesson on planning an informational text?

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This lesson plan is designed to build essential skills in decoding writing prompts, ensuring Year 5 students are confident in approaching informational writing with clarity and precision.