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Year 7 - English

'The Twisted Tree': writing an effective article about the draugr

'The Twisted Tree': fiction reading

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read, explore and respond to the modern fairytale novel 'The Twisted Tree'. They start by reading the novel before practising writing analytically about the novel's key characters and themes. They finally respond creatively to the novel by writing an article and short script.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to annotate a model article and write your own about the killing of the draugr.

Key Notes

  • A newspaper article should be written in the third person.
  • A newspaper article should have a formal tone without using slang.
  • You can use language devices in a newspaper article to intrigue the reader.
  • You need to punctuate quotes correctly using speech marks in a newspaper article.
  • You can use a noun appositive in an article to give more information about a noun.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • formal tone: a way of writing or speaking that is respectful, serious, and follows traditional rules of language
  • third-person: a point of view in writing where the writer is removed and uses pronouns like 'he', 'she', 'it' or 'they'
  • noun appositive: a phrase that explains or identifies a noun further e.g. 'My friend, a skilled musician, plays the piano'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils might think that the use of a formal tone and third person point of view is only necessary for professional journalism and not applicable to other forms of writing.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

A newspaper article should be written in the third person. A newspaper article should have a formal tone without using slang.

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

a way of writing or speaking that is respectful, serious, and follows traditional rules of language.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils might think that the use of a formal tone and third person point of view is only necessary for professional journalism and not applicable to other forms of writing. Correction: Explain that while formal tone and third person are essential in professional journalism, they are also important in many other types of writing, including more localised articles like this.

More Lessons In This Unit

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