New
New
Year 3

Writing the first paragraph of a diary entry based on 'The Journey'

I can write the first paragraph of a diary entry.

New
New
Year 3

Writing the first paragraph of a diary entry based on 'The Journey'

I can write the first paragraph of a diary entry.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Diary entries use informal language that reflect the character who is writing.
  2. Writers switch between the present tense and past tense in diary entries.
  3. First person perspective is the point of view where the writer is the ‘I’ character.
  4. Fronted adverbials of time recount the chronology of events.
  5. Notes from a plan are used to help form full sentences.

Keywords

  • Tense - tells the reader when something happens

  • First person - the ‘I/we’ perspective

  • Informal language - language and vocabulary that is used for more casual and relaxed purposes

  • 'show-not-tell' - a writing technique for showing a character’s feelings with description of their actions, body language and facial expressions

Common misconception

Pupils may shift into writing from the third person perspective.

Pause at regular intervals during the writing process and have pupils read back and check for consistent use of the first person.

Give pupils the chance to practise using the notes from their plans to say full sentences aloud before writing them down.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the 2016 Flying Eye Books edition of ‘The Journey’ by Francesa Sanna for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

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).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
we ran as fast as we could.
we ran as fast as we could
Correct answer: We ran as fast as we could.
We ran as fast as we could
Q2.
Match the word class to its example.
Correct Answer:noun,country

country

Correct Answer:adjective,lonely

lonely

Correct Answer:verb,travelled

travelled

Correct Answer:adverb,quickly

quickly

Q3.
When writing our dairy entry, we can use our to help us.
Correct Answer: plan, Plan
Q4.
What are the different sentence types you can use in your writing?
Correct answer: simple
paragraph
greeting
Correct answer: compound
Correct answer: complex
Q5.
Which sentence is correctly punctuated?
Two, weeks ago, we packed up all of our belongings.
Correct answer: Two weeks ago, we packed up all of our belongings.
Two weeks ago we packed up all of our belongings.
Two weeks ago we packed up, all of our belongings.
Q6.
Which sentence is written in the first person?
This is exhausting.
You were exhausted.
It was exhausting.
Correct answer: I was exhausted.

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is an example of a greeting?
See you soon,
Best wishes,
How are you?
Correct answer: Dear Diary,
Q2.
What is the simple past tense?
one main verb used to refer to an action happening in the present
Correct answer: one main verb used to refer to an action that happened in the past
one main verb used to refer to an action that is yet to happen
Q3.
Which of the following are examples of the progressive past tense?
Correct answer: We were walking for days.
We had walked for days.
We walked for days.
We will be walking for days.
Q4.
Language in a diary entry is formal.
True
Correct answer: False
Q5.
Which sentence uses show-not-tell language?
I was exhausted.
Correct answer: Sweat dripped down my face.
We ran quickly.
We sprinted through the forest and I felt terrified.
Q6.
Which sentence uses an apostrophe for contraction accurately?
Correct answer: I'm writing this from a train.
We could'nt believe how far we had travelled.
I am so happy to be sat down.
My sister's eyes filled with tears.