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Year 4

Generating vocabulary for a diary entry based on 'Into the Forest'

I can generate precise vocabulary for a diary entry based on ‘Into the Forest’.

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Year 4

Generating vocabulary for a diary entry based on 'Into the Forest'

I can generate precise vocabulary for a diary entry based on ‘Into the Forest’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A diary entry recounts experiences chronologically and expresses emotions, thoughts and feelings.
  2. Exaggeration is often used to convey emotions in a diary entry.
  3. Superlatives are used to compare one noun to an entire group of nouns, placing it at a higher degree.
  4. Hyperbole is the use of exaggerated statements or claims.
  5. A plan for a diary entry should include precise and ambitious vocabulary, including exaggeration.

Keywords

  • Recount - a piece of writing that recalls an event or experience

  • Emotions - strong feelings that result from a person’s circumstances, mood, or relationship with others

  • Exaggeration - overstating for dramatic effect

  • Superlative - the form of an adjective that compares one noun to an entire group of nouns, placing it at a higher degree

  • Hyperbole - the use of exaggerated statements or claims

Common misconception

Children may find it difficult to determine which suffix or word to use to turn an adjective into its superlative form.

Encourage the children to practise saying the superlative form of an adjective out loud to check it sounds right. Model and demonstrate the rules for how to turn adjectives into their superlative form.


To help you plan your year 4 english lesson on: Generating vocabulary for a diary entry based on 'Into the Forest', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Explore the distinction between hyperbole and metaphors. Explain that hyperbole always uses exaggeration and doesn't need to be metaphorical. E.g. 'Today was the scariest day of my life'. Metaphors can involve exaggeration but do not need to. E.g. 'I was hit by a wave of sadness'.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2022 Puffin Books edition of ‘Into the Forest’ by Anthony Browne for this lesson.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the events from the beginning of 'Into the Forest' in the correct order.
1 - The boy awoke to a dreadful noise.
2 - The boy discovered his dad was gone.
3 - The boy's mum gave him cake to take to his poorly grandma.
4 - The boy's mum told him to take the long route to avoid the forest.
5 - The boy didn't listen to his mum and went through the forest.
Q2.
Put the events from the rest of 'Into the Forest' in the correct order.
1 - The boy had encounters with fairy tale characters, who unsettled him.
2 - The boy had a sense he was being followed and he felt scared.
3 - The boy ran to his grandma's house, but was terrified when he arrived.
4 - It didn't sound like his grandma inside, but to his relief, it was.
5 - The boy discovered his dad was there too and he was reunited with him.
6 - The boy and his dad returned home to his mum.
Q3.
How can we infer the boy felt when he was woken up by a dreadful noise?
excited
Correct answer: shocked
happy
Correct answer: scared
Q4.
How can we infer the boy felt when he discovered his dad was gone?
Correct answer: confused
Correct answer: sad
playful
happy
Q5.
Why did the boy ignore his mum and take the short route through the forest to his grandma's house?
so he could explore the nature on the forest
Correct answer: so he could get home as quickly as possible in case his dad came back
because he wanted to disobey his mum
Q6.
How do the illustrations in the story convey the boy's fear of the forest?
The illustrations show scary creatures.
Correct answer: The illustrations show the boy in colour and the forest in black and white.
The illustrations are colourful.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the following in order to show how you will structure your diary opening.
1 - a general statement summarising the day
2 - awoke to a frightful noise
3 - discovered dad was gone
4 - got ready to take cake to grandma
5 - ignored mum and took the quick route through the forest
Q2.
Which of the following are key features of a diary entry?
Correct answer: conveying emotions
writing in formal language
Correct answer: exaggeration
rhyme
Q3.
What is exaggeration?
Correct answer: overstating for dramatic effect
providing an accurate recount of events
writing in chronological order
Q4.
What is a superlative?
an alternative word that means the same thing as another word
Correct answer: the form of an adjective that compares one noun to an entire group of nouns
a past tense verb
Q5.
Match the adjective to the suffix or word used to turn it into its superlative form.
Correct Answer:scary,iest
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iest

Correct Answer:strange,est
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est

Correct Answer:distressing,most
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most

Q6.
Match each emotion to the appropriate hyperbole.
Correct Answer:I felt scared.,I had never felt so frightened in my life.
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I had never felt so frightened in my life.

Correct Answer:I felt happy.,I was over the moon with joy.
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I was over the moon with joy.

Correct Answer:I was surprised.,I was shocked to my absolute core.
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I was shocked to my absolute core.