Planning for Quality Texts: The Flower
These documents are intended to support the planning of effective literacy units based on high quality picture books. They are not intended to
be lesson plans, but offer a menu of possible ideas for teachers to use as starting points to plan for purposeful learning and give pupils reasons
for writing as well as the skills they need to write with impact on their reader. They follow a learning sequence:
 a hook to fully engage and interest the children
 responding to reading activities to allow immersion in and exploration of the text, including picture exploration, book and writer talk
 capturing ideas activities which include drama and talk to support understanding of the text and to develop vocabulary, language and
ideas for writing
 possibilities for the contextualised teaching of grammar
 sentence games to develop creativity, vocabulary, language and grammar
 links to guided reading
 a range of writing tasks which may be final unit outcomes or incidental opportunities during the unit
Specific mention is made of the writing sequence:
 modelled writing - teacher models the writing process aloud and the decisions writers make about sentences, paragraphs etc to create
impact on the reader. This can also include the modelling of planning and spelling strategies.
 shared writing - collaborative composition with discussion and suggestions about what to write and how to write it to create the
intended effect. At this point children may write a sentence/s, often in pairs, on whiteboards which are then discussed.
 guided writing - small group sessions based on specific needs of a specific group of children. The session may address misconceptions,
bridge gaps or extend learning and can take place at any point during the unit.
In addition, cross-curricular links are suggested, including links to challenges from the Learning Challenge Curriculum.
Copyright statement:
This document should be used within the purchasing organisation only.
© Focus Education UK Ltd 2014
KS1
Possible Written Outcomes or Incidental Writing
Opportunities
 Fact file on flower

Thought/speech bubbles for Brigg and the
shopkeeper

Retell story or part of story

Retell of story or part of story in the first person as
Brigg

Write sentences for the illustration on the last page
in the book

Instructions for planting seeds

Flower diary recording the growth of a seed/plant

Life cycle of a plant

Recount of garden centre visit

Garden centre sign or poster for role play area

Price list

Information labels for plants in role play area

Captions for paintings in the style of Georgia
O’Keefe
2. Capturing Ideas
 Think of some questions to ask Brigg in an interview

Interview Brigg

Find the main events and make story map 8th-13th
September

Retell story in complete sentences
September

Emotions graph to track Brigg’s feelings through
© Focus Education UK Ltd 2014
15th


Hook
Children enter classroom to find plant pots
with flowers around the room
Visit garden centre
Sentence Games (use throughout unit)
 Sentence not a sentence game based on
book
1. Responding to the Text
 Book talk: what do you like or not like about the book?
 Book talk: Have you any questions about the story? Does
it remind you of anything?
 Book talk: why do you think there were books in the
library marked “Do not read”? Were they dangerous?
 Can you think of any other books that the library might
have thought were dangerous and why?
 Book talk: why do you think there were no flowers in the
city? What would it be like to live in a world where there
were no flowers or plants?
 Visual literacy: look at how the illustrator has used colour.
What is coloured and what is black, white and grey?
How does this change towards the end of the book?
Can you say why?
 Writer talk: look at the page where Brigg is planting and
watering the seed. What do you notice about the text?
Why do you think the writer did this?
 Writer talk: the story ends with a picture. What do you
think will happen?
3. Contextualised Grammar Teaching
 Time adverbs and adverbials to move events forward or
sequence instructions

Fortunately, unfortunately game

Forming questions and command sentences

Improve a sentence- focus on the
grammatical elements that need
consolidation or review

Commas in lists

Fortunately, unfortunately game
-16th

the story

Role play scene with Brigg and the shopkeeper

Think of endings for the story

Choose an ending and tell a partner your idea in
sentences

Set up role play/reading area as garden centre

Make map or flow chart for visit to garden centre

Retell in complete sentences

Find information about a flower or a plant - what it
is called, what it looks like and where it grows

Plant seeds and use correct technical vocabulary

Use photos of seed planting to sequence the
process

Give spoken instructions - how to plant a seed
Chain writing
Guided Reading Possibilities
 Joseph’s Yard by Charles Keeping, Jasper’s
Beanstalk by Nick Butterworth, Titch by Pat
Hutchins

Information texts on plants and flowers,
leaflets, fliers from garden centres

Identify and discuss features of text type for
final written outcome. Level of text can be
pitched at each groups’ level, ensuring both
access and challenge.
4. Modelled Writing
Shared Writing
Guided Writing
Independent Writing
MAKING LINKS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
3
© Focus Education UK Ltd 2014
Geography/Science
• Grow plant - bean, sunflower etc
• Conditions for growth
• Plants and flowers from other countries
Maths
 Working with money - finding an amount,
giving change, adding amounts in role play
garden centre
DT/ICT
 Make flowers and plants to sell in garden centre


PSHE
• What does this book make us think?
• Why should we take care of flowers and plants?
Useful links
http://prod.signedstories.com/story-world/adventure/flower

Art
• Study of Georgia O’Keefe
 Painting flowers in the style of Georgia O’Keefe
Author: John Light
Publisher: Child’s Play
ISBN- 978-1-84643-016-9
© Focus Education UK Ltd 2014
Year 1 Science:
Which birds and plants would Little
Red Riding Hood find in our park?
Year 2 Science:
How can we grow our own salad?