Writing to describe

Expedition to the South Pole

Synopsis

This lesson provides an exciting context for students to develop descriptive writing skills in preparation for the assessment on the 'inform/explain/describe' writing triplet. The context for this lesson is set in Antarctica. Students will read thrilling first hand accounts from Lt (Lieutenant) Polly Hatchard RN (Royal Navy) who accomplished her mission to become the first female from the British Armed Forces to reach the South Pole. Her challenge also aimed to raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer and consequently provides a very inspiring context for writing. After completing various exercises to appreciate the sensory reality of the expedition, students will write a descriptive diary entry that conveys Polly's physical and emotional states and responses to the environment.

MOD Topic

Expedition to the South Pole

Curriculum Checklist

3.3: 1, 2.

Curriculum Links

• English
• Drama
• Geography
• PE

Prior Knowledge

Descriptive writing strategies: Sensory detail; use of real or imagined names; selective delivery of information (considering when it's appropriate to hold information back for effect); detail on weather, time of day, season, etc; variety of sentence lengths and complexities; use of sentence fragments to build tension or to give 'lists' of details; use of imagery, rhetorical questions; personal reactions; use of modifiers (adjectives and adverbs); effective verb and noun choices; description of colour and light.

Learning Outcomes

Lower ability students will:

• Be able to identify descriptive language features in text with assistance and discuss the impact on its reader.
• Revise some prior knowledge to write a descriptive diary entry that effectively conveys the reality of an arctic expedition.
• Provide positive and negative points about their peers' work to help improve their written piece.
• Have some awareness of past and present Royal Navy explorations.

Average ability students will:

• Be able to identify some descriptive language features in text and discuss the impact on its reader.
• Apply some prior knowledge of descriptive techniques to write a descriptive diary entry that effectively conveys the reality of an arctic expedition.
• Assess their peers' work to reinforce understanding and to help improve their written piece.
• Be aware of past and present Royal Navy explorations and the benefit these have for the wider world.

Higher ability students will:

• Be able to identify descriptive language features in text and understand the impact on its reader.
• Apply prior knowledge of descriptive techniques to write a descriptive diary entry that effectively conveys the reality of an arctic expedition.
• Constructively and accurately assess their peers' work to reinforce understanding to help improve their written piece.
• Have a good awareness of past and present Royal Navy explorations and the benefit these have for the wider world.

Lesson code

EN14