YEAR 3 - Crafty Chameleon LITERARY UNIT OF WORK
Year Group: 3
1
Texts: Crafty Chameleon- Mywene Hadithi
The Greedy Zebra- Mywene Hadithi
Genre Focus: Fiction Recount
(Multi- Cultural Tales).
ISBN-13: 978-0340486986
ISBN-13: 978-0340409121
Skills
Learning Objective
Whole Class
Differentiated Activity
AFL
Reading- make links
between what they
read and what they
already know and
believe about the
topic.
Use effective open
question words in
writing- who, what
where, when why
etc.
Display image of the Crafty Chameleon on IWB. Ask
children for thoughts and ideas about this character?
Encourage children to make links to a previous book
that they have read The Greedy Zebra (also by
Mywene Hadithi). Teacher to revise effective
questions words e.g. who, what when, where why
etc. Teacher to model writing a series of questions to
Crafty Chameleon. What information do we want to
find out about him? Children to then write their own
open questions.
LA-Teacher to support
LA children. This group
of learners will also need
question starters as
prompts.
Children, with
support to
Diamond Rank
their questions.
Question
chart.docx
Oracy- keep in role
and support others
in role play
Writing- note down
ideas to use in
writing
Reflect on
information that we
have found out and
record in note form.
EAS English and literacy team
After children have written the questions, teacher to
go in role as Crafty Chameleon using a prop to show
change of character e.g. a branch, mask etc.
Children to ask CC their questions. Teacher will
need to expand responses slightly! It doesn’t matter
MA- As above.
HA-Write effective
questions independently.
When completed, double
tick the question that
they think will give them
the most information
about the character.
Which questions
will give them
the most
information
about Crafty
Chameleon?
Which will give
the least?
Share questions
with a partner
and double tick
the most
effective
question.
if responses do not wholly fit in with plot of text. After
Teacher in Role session, shared writing of Mind
Map/ Thought Shower to display information that we
have learned from meeting the Crafty Chameleon.
2
Oracy - organise
what they say so
that listeners can
understand
Be in role as another
character. Consider
two points of view.
Oracy- keep in role
and support others
in role play
3.
Reading – use
information from
texts in their
discussion or writing
Compare similarities
and differences
between two texts.
Reading – use visual
information if
relevant
EAS English and literacy team
Teacher to model reading of text from beginning to
the point where Craft Chameleon says that he will tie
Leopard and Crocodile up with a rope.
Ask children a range of questions at pertinent points
including:
How might Crafty Chameleon deal with the
behaviour of Leopard and Crocodile?
Have you ever felt like Crafty Chameleon? How did
you deal with the situation?
It is always right to retaliate? Justify your opinion.
Children to tell a partner what advice they would give
CC. (Teacher to orally model this first- I would advise
Crafty Chameleon to….).
Create a class Conscience Alley. Teacher/ chosen
child to walk down middle of classroom with a line of
children at each side. As Crafty Chameleon walks, a
child from each side (one at a time) encourages CC
to act badly/ sensibly. Photograph this activity. If
time, children to write a short piece of advice to
Crafty Chameleon e.g I think that you
should….because… Encourage use of ‘because’ to
extend responses.
Shared reading of familiar text The Greedy Zebra.
Ask children:
How are the characters of Greedy Zebra and Crafty
Chameleon similar/ different?
Can you think of another African animal that could
have their own tale written about them? What well
know attribute to they have e.g leopard has spots/
hyena has laugh…
LA –- Oral speaking
frame to help scaffold
children’s responses e.g.
I think that you should…
MA- Independent.
Encourage using
‘because’ orally to
extend response.
HA- Independent.
Encourage using
‘because’ / time
connectives such as
‘firstly/ secondly’ orally to
extend responses.
LA: Children may need
to use two separate PE
plastic hoops and think
about each text
separately, with support.
Children could write their
facts/ things that they
have noticed on
sentence strips and
place in designated
hoop.
Tell a Partnerhow did taking
part in
Conscience
Alley make you
feel?
Children to use
Two Stars and a
Wish to evaluate
their learning
against
objective for
session.
Children to use
Two Stars and a
Wish to evaluate
their learning.
Teacher to model completing part of a Double
Bubble Thinking Map (or Venn Diagram) comparing
and contrasting the two African tales.
MA:
Teacher Support.
HA: Independently
complete, writing which
text they prefer and why
when completed.
4
Reading- with
prompting,
consider what they
read/view,
responding orally
and in writing to
the ideas, language
and presentation
Writing- include
relevant details,
information or
observations in their
writing
5
Writing- review and
improve sections of
their work
Be an active viewer,
watch and listen
carefully.
Use senses to write
descriptive jottings/
sentences including
adjectives and
similes.
Improve sentences
using adjectives,
adverbs, similes,
and personification.
Writing- use
adjectives and
adverbs to expand
simple sentences
and phrases
EAS English and literacy team
Play BBC Africa trailer (you tube). Look at landscape
and orally play with words/ phrases to describe. Use
a Noticing Notepad to record what you can see in
clip. Children may like to imagine what they can
hear, smell etc. Challenge children to use more
exciting words such as ‘arid, ‘dehydrated’, ‘majestic’
etc.
Take some of the words/ phrases that the children
have recorded and build into a descriptive sentence.
For example, if a child has written ‘dead tree’ model
a sentence such as ‘The dead tree stood alone like a
solitary soldier’. Model basic descriptive sentences
also that are appropriately pitched for LA children.
Children to try and turn a few of their jottings (things
that they noticed) into descriptive sentences on
whiteboards/ in their notebooks. Encourage children
to read aloud and change word order if necessary.
Shared reading of text. Highlight use of rhythm and
repetitive refrain in text ‘ and he bounced high into
the air going around and around and around’.
Explain to children that we will be writing our own
multi- cultural tales for Year 2. Our stories will be
based on Mywene Hadithi’s but slightly different!
Play Strictly Come Sentence with children. Play
audio clip of Strictly TV theme to engage children’s
interest. Show children a ‘boring’ simple sentence
loosely based on text e.g. The leopard walked
through the jungle.’ Explain that we are looking for
effective adjectives, use of similes/ personification to
LA: Differentiated
‘Noticing Notepad’ just
including ‘What I can
see’.
MA: Teacher Support.
HA: All senses on
Noticing Notepad.
LA – Simple sentences,
insert adjectives/ simple
similes. Teacher/ TA
support if possible.
Encourage oral rehearsal
and re- reading for
accuracy.
MA – Challenge to use
personification.
Encourage oral rehearsal
and re- reading for
accuracy.
Children to
share a variety
of sentences,
beginning with
‘boring’
sentence and
reading their
‘improved’
sentence. Can
children check
against the
objective?
Which parts
have they have
included?
Main activity
constantly
encourages
children to selfassess, reflect
and improve
their writing with
a clear focus.
make the sentence more interesting. Children to
‘score’ the ‘boring’ sentence on individual
whiteboards. Would this sentence get a 10 from
Len? Why not? Share responses as a class. Shared
writing opportunity- improve ‘boring’ sentence
together, inserting adjectives, simple similes etc.
Children to score. This could be an opportunity to
challenge HA children to use a one word comma
sentence starter e.g. ‘Silently, the leopard…’
HA – Challenge to use
personification/ one word
comma sentence starter.
Encourage oral rehearsal
and re- reading for
accuracy.
‘Strictly Come Sentence’ can be played a number of
times to practise improving ‘boring’ sentences.
Children to then have a go at improving their own
(differentiated) sentences.
6
Oracy – explain
information and
ideas using relevant
vocabulary
Writing- use visual
information if
relevant
Make notes and
sketches to use in
own writing.
Order events in a
familiar story.
Writing- note down
ideas to use in
writing
EAS English and literacy team
Shared reading of Crafty Chameleon- different
groups of learners reading different pages with
teacher leading reading for fluency, intonation and
expression for character’s voices.
Share examples of children’s previous story maps of
Crafty Chameleon. Explain that children are going to
create their own story with similar plot but can
change characters and plot.
Create thought shower of ideas for different
characters. Can we possibly have 30 different
versions of story? What attributes are some of the
animals well known for? If children have their own
Magpie/ Writers’ Notebooks, children can record
their initial ideas/ sketches/ key words in there.
Teacher to model completing a Story Wheel for one
version e.g. Menacing Meerkat/ Cunning King Cobra
etc.
Ask children:
What will we keep the same?
What will we change?
Children to complete a Story Wheel, planning out the
eight main sections of their story with coloured
drawings and key words.
LA: Teacher/ TA support
will be required. LA
children may find it
easier to continue to use
a Story Map format
(simple flow chart in
chronological order).
MA: Use copies of text,
teacher model and
previous story maps as a
guide for creating their
own Story Wheels.
HA: As above.
7
Writing – use
nouns, pronouns,
adjectives,
adverbs,
prepositions,
connectives and
verb tenses in their
writing
Use time
connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact,
personification and
use of thesaurus to
set the scene of a
recount.
Writing – use
vocabulary related to
the topic or subject
context.
Writing- use an
increasingly
imaginative
vocabulary
8
Writing- proofread
and give an
opinion about their
own written work
and that of others;
identify ways to
improve and begin
Use time
connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact,
personification and
use of thesaurus in
descriptive recount.
EAS English and literacy team
Shared reading from beginning of text to end. What
was the message behind this story? Can you explain
a time/ situation when brains have been better than
size or strength? Return to first page of storyteacher to read through. Compare this to the
beginning of The Greedy Zebra (written by same
author). Which is the most descriptive beginning
and why? Explain to children that we are going to
improve the beginning of Crafty Chameleon.
Teacher to model a piece of writing including a time
connective, adjectives, simple similes. If children are
ready include a sentence using personification for
example, comparing the Mugumu Tree branches to
gnarled witches’ fingers.
Encourage children to read each sentence/ group of
sentences are check for accuracy/ rhythm of writing.
Ask children:
Does this sound right?
Do we need these two adjectives here?
Can we think of something more effective?
Model how to use a thesaurus to find simple
synonyms for old, hot etc. Teacher may also wish to
model using a simple hard hitting sentence in the
middle of descriptive prose to add impact to a piece
of writing e.g. The jungle was still.
Children to write their own beginning (just setting the
scene) for their version of Crafty Chameleon, using
descriptive language and changing the central
characters.
LA: Children, with
Teacher Support to
record a simple
descriptive sentence
next to an image of the
setting from text.
Begin session by reading the beginning of Crafty
Chameleon (first page). Teacher the then read a
range of children’s examples from yesterday. Look
back to objectives from yesterday (success criteria).
Ask children:
What did you like/ find effective about this
beginning?
How did it make you feel when you read/listened?
LA: Children, with
Teacher Support to
record a simple
descriptive sentence
next to each section of
their Story Maps or use
pictorial prompts to help
structure their writing.
Children to
share with a
partner their
beginning,
referring to
Success Criteria
MA: Encourage use of
time connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact.
HA: Time connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact, personification,
use of thesaurus.
Provide each
child with a mini
list of success
criteria
(differentiated
appropriately) to
stick in next to
their writing -
to edit
Writing- review and
improve sections of
their work
9
Writing – proofread
and give an
opinion about their
own written work
and that of others;
identify ways to
improve and begin
to edit.
Double tick features
of writing against
Success Criteria.
Make any changes
to improve words,
sentences,
punctuation.
Writing – review and
improve sections of
their work.
EAS English and literacy team
What should they do next?
How could they improve/ What should they continue
to do in their writing?
Teacher to use a Story Wheel to model the next
section of story where animals annoy central
character. Highlight use of repetitive refrain and
direct speech.
Spend a short time practising putting words
characters might say into speech bubbles on
individual whiteboards. Make a class list of
synonyms for ‘said’.
Children to use their Story Wheels, Magpie/ Writers’
Notebooks, modelled writing, individual whiteboards,
thesauruses for support when writing. Encourage
children to write to end of story changing characters
(and trick for HA). Provide children with whole class/
individual copies of Success Criteria to tick against
at regular intervals.
Sessions 8 and 9 may overlap. At regular intervals,
stop children and ask them to read aloud their
African tales so far. Refer children back to Success
Criteria and evaluate as a class.
Teacher to model reading an anonymous piece of
writing and write a positive and simple Next Step
comment relating to SC (Two Stars and a Wish).
Children to complete this Self Evaluation on their
own writing when completed.
Teachers may allow time over following days for
children to edit their writing and publish into a Class
Book/ Anthology including children’s Story Maps/
Story Wheels, ‘Improving Sentence’ writing, notes
and artwork to show evidence of the whole writing
journey.
MA: Encourage use of
time connectives,
adjectives, similes and
simple sentences for
impact.
‘Steps to
Success’.
Ask them to
self-assess
whether they
have used each
of the features.
HA: Time connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact, personification,
use of thesaurus, speech
marks for direct speech.
LA: Children, with
Teacher Support to
record a simple
descriptive sentence
next to each section of
their Story Maps or use
pictorial prompts to help
structure their writing.
MA: Encourage use of
time connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact.
HA: Time connectives,
adjectives, similes,
simple sentences for
impact, personification,
use of thesaurus, speech
marks for direct speech.
See main AfL
activity focusing
on selfevaluation and
editing.
EAS English and literacy team