Writing a setting description based on 'A Christmas Carol'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can write a narrative setting description based on 'A Christmas Carol'.
Key learning points
- The purpose of a setting description is to provide rich detail that creates an atmosphere for the reader.
- Precise vocabulary, sensory details and personification support in creating a desired atmosphere.
- Prepositions help to describe the setting in a precise way by telling the reader where a noun is.
- Using a range of sentence types (simple, compound and complex) improves text flow for the reader.
Keywords
Atmosphere - the tone or mood created in a narrative
Sensory details - descriptions that include touch, sight, taste, sound and smell
Personification - a way of describing a non-living thing as if it acts or feels like a human
Preposition - a word or words that tell the reader where a noun is
Text flow - how a text is written to keep the reader engaged
Common misconception
Children may find it difficult to identify or develop appropriate prepositions to precisely describe details about nouns within the setting.
After revealing the prepositions 'beneath' and 'towards', brainstorm a range of helpful prepositions as a class and create a shared bank that the children can use.
Teacher tip
Ensure children have their plan and the images of the setting with them to support them in their writing.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How do you use a plan to support you when writing?
Q2.Put the following descriptive details in the correct order to show the 'top down' structure you should follow for a setting description.
Q3.What is a simple sentence?
Q4.What is a compound sentence?
Q5.What is a complex sentence?
Q6.Match the sentence types to their examples.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a preposition?
Q2.Which of the following are prepositions?
Q3.What is text flow?
Q4.Match the sentence types to their definitions.
Q5.Which of the following are subordinating conjunctions you would use to form an adverbial complex sentence?
Q6.Which piece of punctuation is used to separate adjectives in an expanded noun phrase?
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Writing a setting description based on 'A Christmas Carol', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 English lesson on: Writing a setting description based on 'A Christmas Carol', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the 'A Christmas Carol': narrative writing and reading unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.