Year 6 - English
Planning the diary entries of an imagined Windrush passenger
The Empire Windrush: diary 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 use research around the Empire Windrush and an account of a fictional passenger to write a diary entry from a Windrush passenger's perspective. They use a conversational tone and informal devices, including exclamatives and verbless sentences, to meet the writing purpose.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to plan the structure and content of an imagined Windrush passenger's diary entries before and after arriving in London.
Key Notes
- Writing is most successful when it is planned. We can plan to describe events and feelings for a diary entry.
- A diary entry is most often written retrospectively with no other intended reader than the writer themselves.
- A Windrush passenger's diary could contain entries from on the ship and after arriving in the UK.
- First person is used to write a diary entry and entries can use both past and present tense.
- We can plan to include a range of vocabulary to describe emotions.
Vocabulary To Learn
- past tense: tells the reader that action happened before now
- present tense: tells the reader that action is happening now
- events: things that happen to a person or character
- feelings: emotional reactions or ideas in response to events
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may believe a diary entry can only use the past tense.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Writing is most successful when it is planned. We can plan to describe events and feelings for a diary entry. A diary entry is most often written retrospectively with no other intended reader than the writer themselves.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'past tense'
tells the reader that action happened before now.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may believe a diary entry can only use the past tense. Correction: The diarist will also explain what they are doing and feeling in the present moment.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Exploring the Empire Windrush and the experiences of its passengers Study Guide
- Generating ideas for the diary entries of a Windrush passenger Study Guide
- Retelling a Windrush story Study Guide
- Writing the diary entry of a Windrush passenger after their arrival in the UK Study Guide
- Writing the diary entry of a Windrush passenger before their arrival in the UK Study Guide
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