Year 6 - English
Planning a setting description in 'Sherlock Holmes'
'Sherlock Holmes': descriptive and letter writing
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about conventions of detective fiction via one of the English canon's most famous series 'Sherlock Holmes'. They use knowledge of the central character to write a setting description and a persuasive letter from a member of the public in need of his services.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to plan the structure and content of a setting description in 'Sherlock Holmes'.
Key Notes
- Writing is most successful when it is planned.
- Setting descriptions can start from a bird's eye view and zoom in to a city's streets.
- We use adjectives and rich vocabulary and we explore the five senses to set a particular mood when describing a setting.
- Fronted adverbials of place and preposition phrases place items in a setting.
- We can write a setting description in the third person and the present tense.
Vocabulary To Learn
- present tense: shows action happening now
- adjective: describes a noun
- third person: a perspective where we describe things happening without saying they are happening to us personally
- senses: the physical abilities of sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste
- mood: the feeling a piece of writing gives the reader or the ideas that it makes them think about
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may feel tempted to write in complete sentences in their plan.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Writing is most successful when it is planned. Setting descriptions can start from a bird's eye view and zoom in to a city's streets.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'present tense'
shows action happening now.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may feel tempted to write in complete sentences in their plan. Correction: Model and encourage note-taking; this gives pupils more flexibility when they come to write and it allows them to jot down more ideas - some of which they can reject later.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Analysing the main character in 'Sherlock Holmes' Study Guide
- Building knowledge of the historical context of 'Sherlock Holmes' Study Guide
- Exploring a fictional mystery in the Victorian era Study Guide
- Exploring conventions of detective fiction Study Guide
- Exploring vocabulary for a setting description in 'Sherlock Holmes' Study Guide
- Generating persuasive techniques for a letter to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
- Identifying features of a persuasive letter written to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
- Peer editing a persuasive letter to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
- Understanding 'The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle' Study Guide
- Writing the conclusion of a persuasive letter to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
- Writing the first half of a setting description in 'Sherlock Holmes' Study Guide
- Writing the first paragraph of a persuasive letter to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
- Writing the introduction to a persuasive letter to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
- Writing the second half of a setting description in 'Sherlock Holmes' Study Guide
- Writing the second paragraph of a persuasive letter to Sherlock Holmes Study Guide
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