New
New
Year 3

Planning the first diary entry based on 'The Firework Maker's Daughter'

I can write a plan for my first diary entry from the perspective of Lila.

New
New
Year 3

Planning the first diary entry based on 'The Firework Maker's Daughter'

I can write a plan for my first diary entry from the perspective of Lila.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Oral rehearsal of a recount ensures we have a clear understanding of the chronology of events.
  2. When rehearsing and planning for a diary entry, we do so in the first person from the character's perspective.
  3. An effective plan for a diary entry contains key events in chronological order and thoughts/feelings.
  4. A plan is written in note format using bullet points to capture the most important information.
  5. Lila's first diary entry will recount her day making fireworks and discovering her father's views on her future.

Common misconception

Children may find it difficult to identify which key information should be included in the notes.

Re-read the corresponding section from the text to highlight which part we are using for our diary entry. Model making notes and identifying which events, thoughts and feelings are most important.

Keywords

  • Oral recount - speaking aloud to retell events that have already happened

  • First person perspective - the point of view where the speaker or writer is the "I" character providing a personal account of events or experiences

  • Plan - a framework that writers create before they write a section or whole text

Provide children with the corresponding extract from 'The Firework-Maker's Daughter' (pages 4 and 5) to support them in identifying key information for their plan. They may wish to include some precise details, e.g. the name of the firework that Lila created.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the 2018 Penguin Random House UK edition of ‘The Firework Maker's Daughter' by Philip Pullman for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What will Lila's diary entries include?
Correct answer: a recount of her experiences
Correct answer: her thoughts and feelings
facts about the world
Q2.
Which of the following are key linguistic features in a diary entry?
Correct answer: first person
third person
Correct answer: past tense
Q3.
Order the following to show the layout of a diary entry:
1 - Date
2 - Greeting - 'Dear Diary,'
3 - Paragraphs to organise recount
4 - Sign-off
Q4.
What is a plan?
a final piece of written work
Correct answer: a framework that writers create before they write
a writer's first ideas about their writing
Q5.
True or false? Lila's diary entry should be written in a formal tone.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q6.
Order the following events from the beginning of the story.
1 - Lila was learning how to make fireworks in her father’s workshop.
2 - Lila experimented with ingredients.
3 - Lila invented her own unique firework.
4 - Lila's father told her there were many things she didn’t know about fireworks.
5 - Lila told him that it was her dream to be a firework-maker.
6 - Lila's father told her she should focus on finding a husband instead.

6 Questions

Q1.
What is an oral recount?
writing down notes about an event
Correct answer: speaking aloud to retell events that have already happened
speaking aloud to make a prediction
Q2.
What is first person perspective?
Correct answer: the point of view where the speaker or writer is the "I" character
the first person who speaks in a story
an objective perspective
Q3.
Order the following to show how they will appear in Lila's diary entry.
1 - Date
2 - Dear Diary
3 - Recount of making fireworks in the morning
4 - Recount of conversation with father
5 - Sign-off
Q4.
Which of the following emotions did Lila feel while she was making fireworks in the morning?
Correct answer: inspired
angry
Correct answer: proud
upset
Correct answer: excited
Q5.
Which of the following emotions did Lila feel during/after her conversation with her father?
Correct answer: sad
Correct answer: deflated
happy
hopeful
Correct answer: lonely
Q6.
How should your notes for a diary entry be organised?
in full sentences
Correct answer: in bullet points in chronological order
in order of importance