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Year 2

Identifying the features of a diary entry

I can identify the different features of a diary entry.

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New
New
Year 2

Identifying the features of a diary entry

I can identify the different features of a diary entry.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A diary is a personal book where you write about your thoughts, feelings and experiences.
  2. Features are distinctive qualities or characteristics of something.
  3. The features of a diary entry include writing in the first person and past tense.
  4. Diary entries usually include feelings and emotions.

Common misconception

Children may just think that writing a diary is just another task they have to do, rather than a personal and creative outlet.

Teach the children the benefits of keeping a diary. Link this to their mental health and how this will help them to maintain positive mental health.

Keywords

  • Diary - a personal book where you write about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences

  • Features - distinctive qualities or characteristics of something

  • Recount - to tell again or describe something that happened in the past

Find some examples of diary entries in texts that the pupils may be familiar with. Children could work in pairs to pull out the features from different diary entries.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? A non-fiction text presents factual information on real-life things.
Correct Answer: true, True
Q2.
Which of these is a non-fiction text?
a poem
a fairytale
Correct answer: a report
Q3.
Which of these things would you find in a non-fiction text?
Correct answer: real information
made-up settings
made-up characters
Correct answer: facts
Q4.
A non-fiction text may contain questions to ...
... the writer.
Correct answer: ... the reader.
... the illustrator.
Q5.
A question to the reader should always end with what piece of punctuation?
full stop
comma
Correct answer: question mark
Q6.
What should a writer do before writing a sentence?
Correct answer: say it out loud
write it on a piece of scrap paper first
say it in their head

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? A recount is a way of telling others what has happened to you.
Correct Answer: true, True
Q2.
A diary entry is a form of ...
Correct answer: recount.
poem.
fiction story.
Q3.
Writing in the 'first person' means ...
you write about things that have already happened.
Correct answer: you write from the perspective of the person involved.
you write about yourself but call yourself by name.
Q4.
Which of these words might a writer use when writing in the first person?
you
Correct answer: our
they
Correct answer: I
Q5.
A diary greeting always starts with which word?
Hi
Hello
Correct answer: Dear
To
Q6.
What usually comes at the very beginning of a diary entry?
Correct answer: the date
the weather
the location the writer is in