'The Day the Crayons Quit': reading and writing persuasive letters
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Threads
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of some non-fiction writing skills in the Year 3 unit 'Mummification: explanation text'. However, this is pupils' first experience of writing persusasively, learning specific persuasive techniques to apply to a formal letter. Pupils learn to use flattery and rhetorical questions successfully to persuade a letter's recipient, as well as how to apply conventions in formal letter writing. This unit prepares pupils for exploring more persuasive writing techniques in the Year 4 unit 'Healthy eating adverts: persuasive writing'.
Prior knowledge requirements
- First person is used when writing from a fictional character's perspective.
- A letter is a form of non-fictional written communication. These are usually written to facilitate communication between two individuals.
- A complex sentence is a sentence formed of a simple sentence joined with subordination.
- Questions are punctuated with a question mark.
- A compound sentence is formed of two simple sentences and the joining word 'and', 'but' or 'or'.
Threads
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of some non-fiction writing skills in the Year 3 unit 'Mummification: explanation text'. However, this is pupils' first experience of writing persusasively, learning specific persuasive techniques to apply to a formal letter. Pupils learn to use flattery and rhetorical questions successfully to persuade a letter's recipient, as well as how to apply conventions in formal letter writing. This unit prepares pupils for exploring more persuasive writing techniques in the Year 4 unit 'Healthy eating adverts: persuasive writing'.
Prior knowledge requirements
- First person is used when writing from a fictional character's perspective.
- A letter is a form of non-fictional written communication. These are usually written to facilitate communication between two individuals.
- A complex sentence is a sentence formed of a simple sentence joined with subordination.
- Questions are punctuated with a question mark.
- A compound sentence is formed of two simple sentences and the joining word 'and', 'but' or 'or'.
Reading, writing & oracy
'The Day the Crayons Quit': reading and writing persuasive letters
In this unit, pupils write a persuasive letter, using the picture book 'The Day the Crayons Quit' by Drew Daywalt as their starting point. They learn about persuasive writing devices, including flattery and rhetorical questions. Pupils learn and apply a variety of conventions of letter writing.
8 lessons in unit
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