Revising and Polishing

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Lesson Overview

Subject: English (ELA)
Year Group: Year 5
Unit: Mastering Informational Writing
Lesson Number: 5 of 5
Lesson Length: 60 minutes
Lesson Focus: Revising and editing an informational writing piece for final submission

Curriculum Area:
This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for England - English Writing:

• Writing: Composition
  • Plan, draft, evaluate, edit and proofread writing
  • Assess the effectiveness of their writing and suggest improvements
  • Ensure the consistent and correct use of tense, varied sentence structures and appropriate vocabulary
• Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS)
  • Use correct punctuation, spelling, and sentence structure effectively

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Use a structured editing process to refine their informational writing.
2. Self-assess their drafts against a formal writing rubric to identify areas for improvement.
3. Make necessary revisions focusing on clarity, structure, and accuracy.
4. Produce a polished final version of their work, ready for submission.

Success Criteria

✔ I can identify and correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
✔ I can revise my writing to improve clarity, organisation, and detail.
✔ I can use peer and teacher feedback to enhance my work.
✔ I can ensure my final writing follows the conventions of informational texts.

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Lesson Structure (60 minutes)

1. Starter Activity – Editing Mission (10 minutes)

Purpose: To introduce the importance of revising and editing in a fun, engaging way.

• Display a short, poorly written paragraph on the board (with spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors).
• Challenge students to work in pairs and find as many errors or improvements as possible in 3 minutes.
• As a class, compile their suggested edits and discuss why these changes improve the writing.

💡 Teacher's Tip: Use a humorous or exaggerated example to make editing feel less intimidating!

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2. Understanding the Revision Process (10 minutes)

Purpose: To break down the steps of revising versus editing clearly.

• Display and explain the four-step revision process:

  1. Big Picture Edits – Checking structure, clarity, and logical flow
  2. Sentence-Level Revisions – Improving sentence variety and word choice
  3. Grammar and Punctuation Fixes – Ensuring accuracy in mechanics
  4. Final Read-Through – Checking for any remaining issues

• Introduce the Mississippi Department of Education Writing Rubric (adapted to fit UK writing expectations) and explain how students will use it as a tool for assessment.

💡 Teacher’s Tip: Link back to previous lessons – remind students that revising is about improving, not just fixing mistakes.

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3. Self-Assessment & Revising (20 minutes)

Purpose: To give students structured time to refine their drafts using a checklist.

• Hand out self-editing checklists based on the writing rubric.
• Students independently read their draft out loud to themselves, listening for areas that sound awkward or unclear.
• Using a different coloured pen/pencil, they make at least three improvements in each area:
  ✅ Organisation and structure
  ✅ Sentence fluency
  ✅ Word choice and clarity
  ✅ Spelling, punctuation, grammar

💡 Teacher’s Tip: Encourage students to read backwards (sentence by sentence) when checking for spelling errors – this helps them focus on individual words rather than meaning.

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4. Peer Review – Constructive Critique (10 minutes)

Purpose: To develop peer feedback skills in a structured way.

• Pair students and swap papers.
• Each peer completes a ‘Glow and Grow’ comment:
  • Glow – One strength they noticed
  • Grow – One area for improvement
• Students provide specific suggestions, avoiding vague feedback like “It’s good” or “Make it better.”

💡 Teacher’s Tip: Model a good and bad example of feedback to show students how to be constructive!

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5. Final Edits and Submission (10 minutes)

Purpose: To allow students to make final improvements before submitting their work.

• Students spend the last 5–7 minutes making final changes based on peer feedback.
• Collect final drafts for assessment.
• As a celebratory moment, give each student a "Master Editor" badge to recognise their hard work.

💡 Teacher’s Tip: Play calming instrumental music while they complete final edits to create a focused, professional writing atmosphere.

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Plenary – Reflection & Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

• Ask students to complete a quick reflection on a sticky note:
  1. One revision strategy they found most helpful.
  2. One challenge they faced and how they overcame it.
• Stick responses on the class "Writing Wall" as a visual reminder of their progress.

💡 Teacher’s Tip: Read a few anonymous notes aloud to reinforce key takeaways from the lesson.

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Assessment & Differentiation

Assessment Opportunities

• Informal teacher observation during self-editing and peer review.
• Written feedback on final submitted drafts based on the rubric.
• Student reflections on the revision process provide insight into their learning.

Differentiation Strategies

• For lower-ability students: Provide sentence starters for feedback and a simplified checklist with fewer steps.
• For higher-ability students: Challenge them to improve sentence variety and add stronger domain-specific vocabulary.
• Offer peer editing ‘buddy groups’ where stronger writers mentor struggling peers.

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Resources & Materials

✔ Example paragraph with errors for Starter Activity
✔ Writing rubric (simplified for student use)
✔ Self-editing checklists
✔ Printed peer review sheets (Glow & Grow method)
✔ Coloured pens/pencils for editing
✔ Sticky notes for reflection activity

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Teacher Reflection

After the lesson, consider:
✅ Did students engage with the revision process meaningfully?
✅ Were they able to assess and improve their writing independently?
✅ What areas of revision did they struggle with most?

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🎉 Congratulations! This marks the final lesson in our "Mastering Informational Writing" unit. Your students are now equipped with crucial revision and editing skills that will benefit them across all subjects. 🎉