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Year 4 - English

Planning the opening of a narrative based on 'Jabberwocky'

'Jabberwocky': narrative writing

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils write a full narrative based on the nonsense poem 'Jabberwocky' from 'Through the Looking-Glass' by Lewis Carroll. Pupils write an opening, build-up, climax and resolution, focusing on writing all parts of the narrative arc and devoting time to editing their writing.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to plan the opening of a narrative based on 'Jabberwocky'.

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 or more characters within a narrative and it moves the story forward.
  • Show-not-tell language is a writing technique for showing a character's feelings to a 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's purpose
  • show-not-tell language: a writing technique for showing a character's feelings by describing their body language and facial expressions
  • dialogue: the written conversation between two characters or more within a narrative

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Notes in a plan can be written in any order.

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: Notes in a plan can be written in any order. Correction: The key moments in the opening are written in chronological order. Notes in the plan should be concise and follow this chronological order.

More Lessons In This Unit

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