1. Planning a unit of work

2. Planning a unit of work Principles:
Each unit should develop Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing leading to a meaningful outcome;
Challenging pace and high expectations;
Follows the teaching sequence: Reading – Analysis – Writing;
Integrates ICT, AFL and cross-curricular links;
Enjoyable, engaging and personalised;
Flexible timing.
REFER TO PLANNING ACROSS THE LITERACY STRANDS
Each unit does not cover all the objectives in each strands
Timing should be long enough to achieve the meaningful outcome and cover the objectives thoroughly and enjoyably.

3. Process of planning
Identify the main theme of the unit and associated objectives;
Decide upon the form of the unit outcome;
Decide upon the learning outcome/s (‘child speak’) for each phase;
Using your chosen planning format, map the key objectives against the three main teaching phases.
Unit outcome is a speaking and listening activity or an ICT outcome or a piece of writing presented for an audience.
Learning outcomes are what the children have learned/can do at the end of each phase.
Refer the teachers to the remaining points on the handout
REFER TO PLANNING ACROSS THE LITERACY STRANDS PAGE 4.

4. Process of Planning continued
Add initial thoughts on content for each phase
Consider a range of teaching strategies and approaches
Assessment opportunities
Incorporate use of speaking, listening, drama, ICT and cross-curricular links
Range of teaching strategies and approaches includes speaking, listening, group discussion, drama, reading, writing, pairings. Groupings, range of interactive strategies
Key aspects of learning could be considered in planning
Assessment opportunities include – prior learning, day to day assessment, AFL, responding to pupil needs as the units progress considering key skills

5. Mixed age planning Select the text form from one of the year groups
Use the strand objectives from across the year groups to meet the needs of the pupils (particularly the sentence strand 11)
Refer to the progression documents in the library on the Website/DVD – see example
Continue to use current planning and support with the suggested teaching sequences where appropriate

6. Planning Circles Application Analysis Immersion Phase 1 Phase 2
Reading
Shared reading:
Decoding
Understanding
Text analysis
Phase 1
Gathering ideas and content:
Visual literacy, drama, speaking and listening
Short writing opportunities
Application Analysis Immersion
Phase 2
Writing
Shared writing
Planning,
Independent and guided writing:
Creative outcomes
Re – emphasise the sequence
Refer to handout of phases of the planning model – give chance to look over
Phase 3

7. An example of short term planning
Year 4
Non-fiction
Explanations
Unit 3
Refer to unit plan from the website – teaching sequences and objectives and our planning
This is an example of a unit plan which is to exemplify the planning process. Consider this as a Subject Leader – could be used in school to support/train staff in the process. This plan is very detailed and is not necessarily representative of what may be produced by staff. It has been produced to exemplify the process and the teaching sequence.
Overview page
This is copied and pasted from the website/DVD.
Give 2/3 minutes to look over – look at objectives, outcomes and phases.
Grey boxes – five session spelling – advocated approach for Y2-6 using Spelling Bank
Objectives are referenced for each session – advisable to have a clear focus on 1 or 2 per day to share with the children in child-friendly language
Structure of literacy sessions
The boxes represent the content not the structure, e.g. shared sessions, guided, independent, plenary.
Flexible according to content, needs of pupils, phases
Success criteria to be shared with pupils and referred to throughut

8. Day 1 Activity Day 1 Activities: Modelled explanation using an object
Use technical and explanatory vocabulary
Take one of the objects on your table and explain how it works to your partner.
Model an explanation of how a peg, stapler, hole punch etc
Display laminated connectives

9. Modelled explanation using a picture of The Umbrella Machine
Day 1 Activity
Modelled explanation using a picture of The Umbrella Machine
Could be a plenary

10. Firstly the men have a candle holder and candle strapped to their head
Firstly the men have a candle holder and candle strapped to their head. Next they collect an umbrella and move onto the candle lighter. The candle lighter lights the candle, after which the man opens the umbrella and raises it above his head. The man then walks into a shower cubicle. He pulls a cord which causes the shower to be activated. The water pours down onto the man’s head which is protected by the umbrella. Providing the umbrella is functioning correctly, the candle will remain alight. When the man leaves the shower area, he reports to the main examiner. If his candle is still alight the umbrella is placed on the pile to be sold to a customer and the man snuffs out his candle and continues back into the store room to collect the next umbrella.

11. Activity
Look at the picture of Wacky Mousetrap and explain how it works to your partner.

13. Day 2 Activity Reading activity Read the text
Decide on the stages in the life cycle
Each table to make notes about one of the stages

14. Butterflies and Moths Eggs and caterpillars
Butterflies and moths lay their eggs on plants. Later the eggs hatch into caterpillars. A caterpillar looks a bit like a worm. It has three pairs of legs and four pairs of suckers which help the caterpillar to grip the leaves and stems of plants.
Caterpillar food
The caterpillars only like certain kinds of leaves and so the butterflies lay the eggs on these leaves. Caterpillars start eating as soon as they hatch and eat all day long. As a result the caterpillar grows so large that its skin gets tight. Then it has to shed the old skin and grow a larger one. Sometimes, caterpillars can kill a plant by eating all its leaves.
What is a pupa?
Finally when a caterpillar is fully grown, it stops eating and sheds its skin for the last time. Lying under the old skin is a pupa. A pupa is a hard case made from the skin of the caterpillar.
Inside the pupa, the caterpillar slowly changes into an adult butterfly. This is called metamorphosis. It means changing shape. Then the pupa splits open and the new adult butterfly comes out.
Read the text
Agree 5 stages
Lay eggs on plant
Caterpillar hatches and eats
Caterpillar grows and sheds skin
Turns into a pupa
Hatches into a butterfly
Each table to make notes about each stage
Use whiteboards and pens to make notes
Use 5 hoops and ask 1 participant from each table to stand in a hoop. Oral explanation of each stage in sequence.

15. Day 8 Activity - Scenario
School is unexpectedly closed for the day
Talk partners – consider reasons for the closure and the effects this will have.
Share possible responses of the pupils, parents and teachers.
Mention that there are different types of explanations e.g. causal, process, reversal etc. This is an everyday example.
Activity may be conducted in role when done in class
Allocate each table either pupils, parents, teachers

16. Day 8 Activity Text message Poster at school gates Radio announcement
Incidental writing
Consider viewpoint, purpose and audience
Text message
Poster at school gates
Radio announcement
TV broadcast
Announcement on website
One for each table or allow to choose
Whiteboards
Feedback

17. Day 9 Activity – The Shirt Machine
Watch (and re-watch) the film
Focus boxes
Likes
Dislikes
Questions
Re-watch would be with the pupils
Film length - 5 minutes and 43 seconds
Focus boxes modified from original – our judgement (original was likes, dislikes, patterns and puzzles)

18. Day 10 Activity
Drama
Each group to take a section of the machine and act out the sounds and movement
Time allocated to practise
Act out in sequence
2 ways in
Allocate a different part of the machine to each table – create movement and sound Or
Each table to be the whole machine and create a sequence using movement and sound

19. Writing – Phase 3
Use the photographs to generate technical language that will be useful for writing their explanation
Oral rehearsal in pairs using speaking frame of each part of the machine
Shared writing
Teacher demonstration
Teacher as scribe
Supported composition
Teacher demonstration
The first thing that happens is the electricity is switched on by pushing a switch on the wall. Next the operator pulls the lever down to start the machine.
Teacher as scribe
Using 2nd picture beginning with ‘This means that…..’ – discuss next sentence in pairs – take feedback
(This means that the power surges through the machine and starts the cogs whirring and clanging)
Supported composition
Use picture 3 to compose next sentence on small whiteboards beginning with ‘After that…….’

20. IWB Resource See IWB resource and refer to planning sheet
IWB – smartboard and promethean versions available