Descriptive Writing Unit – Lesson 2: The Hero’s Journey

Engage your students in the art of storytelling with Lesson 2: The Hero’s Journey, part of a 12-lesson unit on Descriptive Writing. This lesson introduces students to the process of peer assessment and emphasizes improving their creative writing skills by providing and acting on constructive feedback.

Designed for Key Stage 3 learners, the lesson focuses on the following goals:

• Low: Understanding the concept of peer assessment and its benefits.
• Medium: Identifying examples of effective and ineffective feedback.
• High: Applying peer feedback to enhance their writing with specific examples.

The lesson includes:

• Starter Activity: Brainstorm ways to improve writing skills through a “Think, Pair, Share” task.
• Interactive Task: Watch “Austin’s Butterfly” to explore how constructive feedback leads to improvement.
• Main Activity: Use a peer feedback sheet to provide detailed, actionable feedback on a partner’s story, focusing on elements like vocabulary, SPaG, structure, and storytelling.
• Exit Task: Reflect on the process by identifying good and bad feedback examples or explaining how peer assessment improves their writing.

This engaging and practical lesson equips students with the tools to refine their storytelling while developing critical thinking and collaboration skills. A must-have for educators aiming to foster creativity and peer-led learning in their classrooms.

Download this lesson now as part of the comprehensive Descriptive Writing Unit and inspire your students to craft vivid and compelling narratives!