Lesson video

Hi everyone.

My name is Ms. Voyle and welcome to today's lesson where we are going to be analysing the features of a diary entry.

This unit is based on the story "Into the Forest." You will need a copy of the 2022 Walker Books limited edition of "Into the Forest" by Anthony Browne.

Pause the video and get your a copy of the book now.

Great.

Now I know you have the book with you.

During this lesson, you'll need to be listening and looking carefully and there'll be tasks where you need somebody to talk to.

We will also be analysing a model diary entry that you will need to refer to throughout the lesson, and this can be found in the additional materials section of this lesson.

I hope you're feeling excited and ready to learn.

Let's get started.

The learning outcome for today's lesson is, I can identify and analyse the layout and linguistic features of a diary entry.

Here are the key words for today's lesson.

Let's practise saying them.

My turn, your turn.

Purpose.

Recount.

Layout.

Linguistic feature.

Great job, well done.

Let's take a look at their definitions.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

A recount is a piece of writing that recalls an event or experience.

The layout refers to the way a text is structured.

And a linguistic feature is a structure of language that uses words.

There are two parts to today's lesson.

In the first part, we will be looking at the purpose and layout of a diary entry.

And in the second part, we will be looking at linguistic features of a diary entry.

So let's begin with purpose and layout of a diary entry.

What is a diary entry? Pause the video now and discuss with your partner.

A diary is a personal book that an individual writes in.

Each time a person writes in their diary, it is called a diary entry.

The purpose of a diary entry is to recount important experiences and express feelings.

A diary is just for the person writing it to read.

It is personal and private to them.

Let's check your understanding.

What is the purpose of a diary? A, to tell a fictional story.

B, to recount important experiences and express feelings.

Or C, to tell other people about your life.

Pause the video and select the correct answer.

The answer is B.

Well done.

The purpose of a diary is to recount important experiences and express feelings.

You are going to be writing a diary entry from the perspective of the boy in "Into the Forest." Your diary entry will provide a recount of events and express the boy's emotions and thoughts.

It'll follow this structure.

In the opening, you will write about how you woke up to a dreadful noise, discovered dad was gone, got ready for the journey to grandma's house and ignored mom and went through the forest.

In paragraph one, you will write about how you went through the forest and encountered strange characters and you will describe how you felt unsettled and then afraid.

And in paragraph two, you will write about feeling relieved to find grandma and dad inside the house, how you shared and overcame your scary experience and how you were reunited with mum.

Let's now take a look at a model of this diary entry together.

Listen carefully, I will read it to you.

Friday the 10th of May, 2024.

Dear diary, today has been the wildest rollercoaster of emotions.

This morning, a frightful noise jolted me awake.

When I got downstairs, I discovered the most upsetting news.

My dad was gone.

Mom wanted to distract me from missing dad, so she told me to take some cake to my grandma.

Mom made the biggest deal about me taking the long route to avoid the forest.

Foolishly I didn't listen.

As I entered the forest, I had no idea I was about to have the strangest encounters of my life.

The forest was enveloped by an eerie darkness and the looming trees towered over me.

Before long, I came across a confusing boy who wanted to swap his cow for my cake.

I was startled by his suggestion and I walked on in disbelief.

Next, a girl with long golden plats and a fierce look in her eyes began demanding the cake.

She unnerved me greatly, so I kept walking as quickly as I could.

Then I encountered a pair of abandoned hungry children who stared at me with a pleading gaze.

By this point, I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed.

I wondered were these people even real? I just wanted to escape, so I furiously sprinted onwards.

As I got closer to grandma's, I became more and more scared.

It felt like I was being followed everywhere I went.

When I finally arrived, it didn't even sound like her inside.

The fear took over me and my heart pounded in my chest.

I just wanted everyone to be safe.

To my relief, I found grandma and my dad inside.

As I told them all about my terrifying journey, they hugged me tightly.

Honestly, today was the scariest day of my life, but I am so proud of myself for how brave I was.

I am back home with mum now and I feel so grateful.

I should probably get some rest because I am exhausted.

Until next time.

Diary entries follow a specific structure and layout.

Structure and layout refer to the way the writing is organised on the page.

We are going to examine the layout features of the boys' diary entry.

Let's check your understanding.

What does the structure and layout of a text refer to? A, the type of language used.

B, the genre of writing it belongs to.

Or C, the way the writing is organised on the page.

Pause the video and select the correct answer.

The answer is C.

Well done.

The structure and layout of a text refers to the way the writing is organised on the page.

Let's take a look at the model of the boy's diary entry.

Right at the top, you'll first see the date.

A feature of a diary entry is a date written at the top on the left hand side.

This records when the entry was written.

Next, you will notice a greeting, dear diary.

A feature of a diary entry is a greeting which is always dear diary with a comma after.

You will then notice that the recount of the diary entry is written in paragraphs.

A feature of a diary entry is the use of paragraphs to organise recounts in chronological order.

And then you will notice that the diary entry finishes with a sign off, until next time.

A feature of a diary entry is a sign off to end the entry.

These are personal and they can vary.

Let's check your understanding.

True or false.

Diary entries follow a specific structure and layout.

Pause the video and select your answer.

That is true.

Well done.

Now it's time to justify your answer.

A, they include a title and a summary.

Or B, they begin with the date and a greeting.

Then they provide a recount and sign off.

Pause the video and select the correct justification.

The answer is B.

Well done.

Diary entries, begin with the date and a greeting, and then they provide a recount and sign off.

It's time for your first task and it is a talk task.

Answer the following questions to demonstrate your understanding of a diary entry and its layout features.

One, what is the purpose of a diary entry? And two, number the following to show the order in which they appear in a diary entry.

Paragraphs to organise recount.

Greeting dear diary.

Sign off, and date.

Pause the video and do the task now.

Welcome back.

Well done for discussing these questions.

Let's take a look at the answers together.

For one, what is the purpose of a diary entry? The purpose of a diary entry is to recount experiences and express feelings.

And for two, number the following to show the order in which they appear in a diary entry.

First we write the date.

Second, we write a greeting, dear diary.

Third, we write paragraphs to organise the recount.

And fourth and last, we write a sign off.

Well done for demonstrating your understanding of the purpose and layout of a diary entry.

We've now come to the second part of our lesson where we are going to be looking at the linguistic features of a diary entry.

Diary entries have distinctive linguistic features in order to achieve their purpose.

They are written in first person and using informal language.

This is because it is a personal piece of writing about oneself and their own life.

They are written in past tense to recount experiences and events.

This is because a recount is about something that has already happened.

There are lots of fronted adverbials of time in a diary entry.

This is because these clearly sequence the events in a recount chronologically.

And there is present tense used to express current feelings.

Diaries express current emotions based on past events too.

Let's take a look at how first person and informal language appear in this model.

We can see the pronoun I.

A diary entry is written in the first person using the pronoun I.

The biggest deal is an example of informal language.

This is an informal phrase.

And also the biggest being written in capital letters is an informal way of writing.

The language is informal because the writing is personal and private.

Nobody else is going to read it.

Let's check your understanding.

Which of the following are key linguistic features of a diary entry? A, first person.

B, formal language.

C, informal language.

D, third person.

Pause the video and select the correct answers now.

The answers are A and C.

Well done.

First person and informal language are key linguistic features of a diary entry.

Let's take a look at how the past tense has been used to recount experiences and events in this model.

A diary entry includes the use of simple past and progressive past tenses.

Let's take a look at examples of how this appear.

I walked.

This is an example of simple past tense.

I was feeling.

This is an example of progressive past tense.

Let's check your understanding.

True or false.

The use of the past tense is a key feature in a diary entry.

Pause the video and select your answer.

That is true.

Well done.

Now it's time to justify your answer.

A, simple past and progressive past tenses are used to recount events.

Or B, past tense is used to show how the writer is currently feeling.

Pause the video and select the correct justification.

The answer is A, well done.

Simple past and progressive past tenses are used to recount events in a diary entry.

Let's take a look at how fronted adverbials of time appear in this model.

We have "before long," "next," "then," and, "by this point." A diary entry includes fronted adverbials of time to sequence events chronologically.

Let's check your understanding.

Why are fronted adverbials of time a key feature of diary entries? A, they make them more interesting to read.

B, they help sequence a recount of events chronologically.

Or C, they let us know how the writer is feeling.

Pause the video and select the correct answer.

The answer is B.

Well done.

Fronted adverbials of time are a key feature of diary entries because they help sequence a recount of events chronologically.

Let's take a look at the use of present tense to express current feelings in this model.

A diary entry commonly involves a shift from past to present tense towards the end when the writer expresses how they are feeling now.

I found, I told, they hugged, today was.

These are all examples of past tense.

But then there is a shift.

I am so proud, I feel so grateful.

I am exhausted.

These are all examples of present tense that express current emotion.

Let's check your understanding.

True or false.

The writing in a diary entry is all in the past tense.

Pause the video and select your answer.

That is false.

Well done.

Now it's time to justify your answer.

A, it is all in the present tense.

Or B, it shifts into present tense when the writer expresses how they are currently feeling.

Pause the video and select the correct justification.

The answer is B.

Well done.

The writing in a diary entry shifts into present tense when the writer expresses how they are currently feeling.

It's now time for your final task.

Read the diary entry in the additional materials and then answer the following questions.

One, find and copy one example of informal language.

Two, give three examples of first person and past tense used during the recount.

Three, give three examples of fronted adverbials of time used.

And four, find and copy one example of the present tense used to express current feelings.

Pause the video and do the task now.

Welcome back.

Well done for searching for the linguistic features in the model diary entry.

Let's take a look at the answers together.

For one, find and copy one example of informal language.

You may have picked out the wildest rollercoaster, or the biggest deal, or foolishly I didn't listen.

For two, give three examples of first person and past tense used during the recount.

Some examples you may have picked out are, as I entered, I had no idea, I was feeling, I furiously sprinted.

Question three.

Give three examples of fronted adverbials of time used.

Some examples you may have chosen are.

Before long, next, then, by this point.

And four, find and copy one example of the present tense used to express current feelings.

Maybe you picked out I am so proud of myself or I am back home, or I feel so grateful.

Well done for demonstrating your understanding of the linguistic features of a diary entry.

We've now come to the end of our lessons, so let's go over a summary together.

The purpose of a diary entry is to recount important experiences and express feelings.

A diary entry has a specific layout, it is written in the first person and it uses informal language.

Simple past and progressive past tenses recount what the writer experienced and felt.

Fronted adverbials of times support in sequencing events in a recount chronologically.

And the present tense is used towards the end of a diary entry to show how the writer is feeling now.

Well done again for your hard work analysing the features of a diary entry.

I have really enjoyed teaching you this lesson.