Lesson video

Hi everyone, and welcome to our lesson today.

Today we're going to be planning a setting description based on "How To Train Your Dragon." In today's lesson, you will be able to plan a setting description based on "How To Train Your Dragon." Here are some key words we're going to use.

Purpose, setting description, linguistic features, adverbial detail, adverbial complex sentence.

Well done.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

A setting description is a description of the setting or environment in which a story is taking place.

Linguistic features are structures of language that use words.

Adverbial detail tells the reader when, where, or how something happened.

An adverbial complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause, and an adverbial subordinate clause.

Today, we are going to be planning a setting description based on "How To Train Your Dragon." We're going to begin by learning about the purpose and the linguistic features, and then we're going to move on to planning a setting description.

What is the purpose of a setting description? Take a moment to have a little think.

Well done if you thought about how the purpose of a setting description is to engage the reader, make the reader want to read on, and help the reader visualise the setting.

We also want to create atmosphere for the reader.

This really helps us to hook the reader in, and give the reader an indication of what type of story is going to take place.

To meet its purpose, a setting description has a range of linguistic features, ambitious vocabulary, adverbial detail, a range of sentence types.

Using these linguistic features or devices will support the reader to visualise the setting so they can picture it in their mind's eye, understand the atmosphere of the text, and want to read on.

Let's begin by learning a little bit more about some ambitious vocabulary choices we can make.

Using ambitious vocabulary can help to hook in the reader, and enable them to visualise the setting more clearly.

It's also very important to use precise, appropriate language choices that reflect the setting properly.

When considering appropriate ambitious language choices, we should consider our use of adjectives, nouns, verbs, and adverbs.

Match the word types to their definitions, and pause the video while you do that.

An adjective is a word that describes a noun, a noun is a person, place, or thing, a verb is a doing, being, or having word, and an adverb is a word that describes a verb.

To meet its purpose, a setting description has a range of linguistic features, ambitious vocabulary, adverbial detail, and a range of sentence types.

Now let's learn about adverbial detail.

Fronted adverbials are sentence starters followed by a comma.

They can be used to explain when, where, or how something happened.

We might call these adverbials of time, place, or manner.

Fronted adverbials are useful linguistic devices as they enhance the text's flow or cohesion, and they help the reader understand what is happening in great detail by giving those details of when, where, and how something took place.

Here are some examples of different fronted adverbials.

Let's say these fronted adverbials of time together.

Afterwards, at midnight.

Some examples of fronted adverbials of place are outside, along the horizon.

And finally, fronted adverbials of manner include rapidly, with a wild shriek.

Our fronted adverbials can be one word, or they can be phrases which are groups of words that do not contain a verb.

Match the fronted adverbials types to their definitions.

Pause the video while you do that.

A fronted adverbial of time explains when something happened, a fronted adverbial of place is where something happened, and a fronted adverbial of manner explains how something happened.

To meet its purpose, a setting description has a range of linguistic features.

We've already talked about ambitious vocabulary and adverbial detail.

Now let's learn about a range of sentence types.

These could be simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences.

A simple sentence is formed of one main clause.

We call it main, and it has this visual.

A main clause is a group of words that contains a verb, so a doing, being, or having word, and it makes complete sense on its own.

Here's an example of a simple sentence.

Let's read it together.

"The stars illuminated the night sky," In this sentence, the verb is illuminated.

Which of these are main clauses that could be a complete sentence all on their own? Pause the video while you decide.

Great work if you spotted that A, all was quiet and still, if it's punctuated with a capital letter and full stop could be a simple sentence.

Also, sheep grazed peacefully on the hillside.

Sheep grazed peacefully on the hillside, full stop.

This also makes sense on its own.

Which crashed against the cliffs would not make sense as a sentence all alone.

As silvery mist ruled across the ocean's surface would also not make sense all on its own.

So the two main clauses that could be written as simple sentences are A and C.

A compound sentence is formed of two main clauses joined by a co-coordinating conjunction.

These are and, but, and or.

When we write these coordinating conjunctions, we do not use a comma for and, but we do use a comma when using but and or.

Here is a representation of a compound sentence.

We have got one main, then one coordinating conjunction either and, but, or or, and then our second main.

So we have two main clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.

Let's read this example of a compound sentence together.

The moon illuminated the night sky, and the stars twinkled playfully.

Here we've got two main clauses.

They both have verbs, so main clause one's verb is illuminated, main clause two verb is twinkled, and the word and is the coordinating conjunction that joins the two main clauses together.

Which is the best coordinating conjunction to place in each gap in these compound sentences? Where do commas need to be placed? Pause the video while you consider which coordinating conjunctions are appropriate for each sentence.

Well done if you spotted that all was quiet, but a great danger was approaching.

Tiny huts huddled together on the hillside and light from their windows flickered in the darkness.

The night was a peaceful one, or so the islanders thought.

A complex sentence is formed of a main clause and a subordinate clause.

A main clause contains a verb and makes complete sense on its own.

A subordinate clause also contains a verb, but it does not make sense on its own.

Let's read this sentence together.

The moon illuminated the night sky as the stars twinkled.

Here in this complex sentence, we have got a main clause, the moon illuminated the night sky, and a subordinate clause, as the stars twinkled.

Both of them have got verbs in, illuminated and twinkled, and the subordinate clause here begins with a subordinating conjunction as.

Here are some other subordinating conjunctions we would find in adverbial complex sentences.

As.

When.

After.

Before.

Because.

Well done.

A sentence that contains an adverbial subordinate clause connected to a main clause is called an adverbial complex sentence.

Here's an example of an adverbial complex sentence.

"Sheep grazed peacefully as danger approached." Here we've got the main clause and the subordinate clause after.

We could also switch the order of the clauses around.

"As danger approached, sheep grazed peacefully." In this example, we start with the subordinate clause, and the main clause goes afterwards.

The adverbial clause can come before or after the main clause.

We can use these subordinating conjunctions at the front of our adverbial clauses to form complex sentences.

As, when, after, before, and because.

"True or false, the following sentence is an adverbial complex sentence.

After the sun had set, the wind began to howl ominously." Pause the video while you decide.

Great work if you spotted that this is true.

Now choose how to justify your answer.

Well done if you spotted that it contains an adverbial clause starting with a subordinating conjunction that is connected to a main clause.

To meet its purpose, a setting description has a range of linguistic features, ambitious vocabulary, adverbial detail, and a range of sentence types.

We have talked about all three of these linguistic features.

Now it's time to read the model setting description, and find one example of each of the following features.

Let's begin by reading our model together.

"Silently, a blanket of icy, silvery mist drifted heavily across the ink-black water.

In the distance, looming watchtowers guarded a tranquil settlement as the villagers slept peacefully in their beds.

The vast ocean, which raced towards the jagged shoreline, pounded the Isle of Berk violently.

On the island's hillside, the community of huts that were huddled together were dotted with flickering, amber lanterns.

Along the towering cliffs, the only sign of life was a small herd of sheep grazing calmly on the emerald-green grass.

Unbeknown to the naive animals, a grave danger haunted the village that would bring chaos and destruction to the vulnerable dwellers beneath." Pause the video now while you complete your task.

Great work, everyone.

So there were lots of examples of ambitious precise vocabulary.

Remember, you only needed to find one example, but here are some that I thought you might include.

A blanket of icy silvery mist, ink-black water, looming watchtowers guarded a tranquil settlement, the vast ocean, jagged shoreline, the flickering amber lanterns, the towering cliffs, the emerald-green grass, the naive animals.

All of these words and phrases help create a clear visual in the reader's mind so they can really picture the setting.

Fronted adverbials of place included in the distance, on the island's hillside, and along the towering cliffs.

Well done if you spotted one of those.

There was only one fronted adverbial of manner, and that was the word silently.

An adverbial complex sentence was, "In the distance, looming watchtowers guarded a tranquil settlement as the villagers slept peacefully in their beds." In this example, the adverbial subordinate clause came second after the main clause.

Well done, everyone.

What a fantastic start.

Now we're going to move on to planning a setting description.

When we plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise and capture vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help the writer to organise information easily for future use.

We use bullet points when note taking, and they look like this.

Here is the planning format we will use to describe the setting.

So in our plans, we will refer to the ocean, the crashing waves, the watchtowers, and the Isle of Berk.

Each section of the plan also has additional prompts for ideas of things you could describe.

We will use this structure in our setting description.

We'll begin by describing the ocean and the sky.

Then we'll move on to describing the crashing waves, then the watch towers which guard the island, and finally, the Isle of Berk.

Writing in note form, record ideas to describe the ocean and the sky.

Include adverbial detail and other relevant linguistic devices where appropriate.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Well done, everyone.

Here are my examples.

They will be a bit different to yours, but remember, we want lots of variation in our vocabulary choices.

I went for a fronted adverbial of place.

Below the starry night sky.

I then also wanted to include some really highly ambitious vocabulary so my reader could picture in their head what was happening.

Ghostly mist snaked across the treacherous waters, the velvety black ocean reflected the moon's silver light.

Take a moment to reread what you've got in this section of your plan.

You can magpie some of my ideas if you would like to.

Now, writing in note form, record ideas to describe the waves.

Include adverbial detail and other relevant linguistic devices where appropriate, and pause the video while you do that.

Great work, everyone.

Here I really wanted to pay attention to the sound of the waves, as well as the actions.

So I described them as thrashing waves that battered the cliffs, used some strong verbs like crashed, pounded, and I've also got some adverbials here like mercilessly and furiously to make it sound as if the waves are actually having angry feelings themselves.

Writing in note form, record ideas to describe the watchtowers.

Include adverbial detail and other relevant linguistic devices where appropriate.

When describing the watchtowers, you might want to think about the lanterns or the buildings themselves.

Pause the video now while you complete your task.

Well done, everyone.

I decided to describe the lanterns as flickering in the darkness.

Also, I want to describe the towers as ghostly, or lonely, or silent.

I've put those three words down.

I probably won't use all of them in my writing, but I like all three and I can choose which ones I want to use when I come to write.

What were they doing? They protected or they guarded the village.

Again, I'm almost personifying those watchtowers to make them seem as if they're living beings.

Describing them again as silent protectors.

And finally, writing in note form, record ideas to describe the Isle of Berk.

Include adverbial detail and other relevant linguistic devices where appropriate.

When describing the Isle of Berk, you might want to describe the huts, the sheep, and what the village looked like itself.

Pause the video while you complete your task.

Well done.

In my example, I decided to describe the village as sheep-filled, and it lit up the surrounding area.

The towering chimneys released plumes of smoke.

I quite like that visual of the smoke rising up into the air, and the small huts huddled against the wind as if they're huddling together to try and stay warm, or keep protected against the battering wind.

Take a moment now to reread your whole plan and make sure you're happy with it.

You can also add extra ideas now.

Great work, everyone.

That now brings us to the end of our lesson where today we've been planning a setting description based on "How To Train Your Dragon." When planning, we record our ideas in note form and use bullet points.

We can engage the reader in our writing by using a range of linguistic devices.

Including adverbial detail helps the reader understand when, where, or how something happened.

Using a range of sentence types enhances text flow and keeps the reader engaged.

I'm really impressed with all of your fabulous ideas in our learning so far today, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how we apply this planning to our writing in our next lesson.

Great work, everyone.