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Year 4 - English

Planning the opening of 'The Happy Prince'

'The Happy Prince': narrative writing and reading

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils write a full narrative based on a rewritten version of the classic 'The Happy Prince'. Pupils write an opening, build-up, climax and resolution, focusing on all parts of the narrative arc in turn and building a full understanding of how each narrative section builds on another.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to plan the opening of 'The Happy Prince'.

Key Notes

  • The purpose of the opening is to engage the reader and introduce the setting and characters.
  • When we plan, we log precise and ambitious vocabulary to help paint vivid pictures for our reader.
  • Fronted adverbials of time, place and manner are included in a plan to add extra detail about the action.
  • Dialogue is the written conversation between two characters or more within a narrative and it moves the story forward.
  • Figurative language is used in narrative writing to create vivid pictures for the reader.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • plan: a framework that writers create before they write a section or whole text
  • notes: written out of full sentences
  • ambitious vocabulary: high-level language in writing that meets the text purpose
  • figurative language: the use of metaphor, simile and personification to paint vivid pictures for the reader
  • dialogue: the written conversation between two characters or more within a narrative

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Planning needs to be detailed and include full sentences.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The purpose of the opening is to engage the reader and introduce the setting and characters. When we plan, we log precise and ambitious vocabulary to help paint vivid pictures for our reader.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'plan'

a framework that writers create before they write a section or whole text.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Planning needs to be detailed and include full sentences. Correction: Planning should only log key vocabulary and it should be written in note-form using bullet points.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 4 English guide library.