Setting the Scene - A Model Year 5/6 War Themed Text and Accompanying Resources

For anyone who is looking for a gripping, high-level text with a focus on setting the scene that will grip their children’s imaginations. This text (which is themed around WW1 and the memories of those that took part in it) is aimed at Year 5/6 teachers looking to improve the writing of their class. The text is packed full of all the writing features that the children need to use in their own writing to really describe the setting and make their stories interesting. The text is short enough so that the children could learn it (if that is the teaching style used in your school), or they can pull the text apart to identify the writing features used, with a focus on describing the setting. Many children struggle with remembering to use all of the different scene-setting writing features, whilst maintaining an exciting and fluent story. This text models how to do this, saving teachers valuable time when trying to find/create exemplar texts that focus on develop a particular aspect of writing.

As well as a copy of the text, there is also a colour-coded version which highlights examples of all the different writing features that have been used throughout it (with a emphasis on setting the scene). This acts as a support to those children that find it difficult to identify and therefore use writing features in their own writing. The children can easily pick out, discuss and then decide which writing feature has been used, allowing for discussion as to why it has been used. This provides a great differentiation opportunity, where lower ability pupils can be supported with their learning, becoming more independent with identifying and discussing writing features that are used to set the scene. Additionally, there is a completed grid (for the teacher) to show examples of all the writing features used to set the scene and why they have been used.

Also attached is a more advanced version of the text that includes speech and extra detail for those children that need to have the correct use of speech modelled to them, or as an extra challenge for those higher ability children.