Planning for Quality Texts: Beegu
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
Possible Written Outcomes or Incidental Writing
Opportunities
 Diary entry as Beegu
 Write Beegu 2 - retell the story with added detail in
text
 Write Beegu 2 - retell the story with an additional
event
 Speech bubbles/dialogue between Beegu and
her parents on her return
 Instructions for Beegu to help her understand life
on earth
 Explain how a shelter has been made for Beegu
 Postcard to/from Beegu after her return
 Thought bubbles for different events
 Persuade Headteacher to allow Beegu to stay
 Non-chronological report about life on Beegu’s
planet
 TV report on the sighting of a strange creature
2. Capturing Ideas
 Set up role play area as space ship
 Freeze frame scenes and take photos– thought
track and write thought bubbles
 Make story map of events
 Annotate story map with narrative language
 In groups annotate picture of an event in the text
to add detail and dialogue as appropriate
 Orally rehearse and write more detailed event
 Use pictures of everyday settings to develop new
event. Annotate considering: What would she
have seen? What would puzzle her? Who might
she meet? What might they do/say? What might
Beegu do?
 Add new event to story map and retell in
sentences
 Design and make a shelter for Beegu
 Visualise Beegu’s home planet. Draw
label/annotate
© Focus Education UK Ltd 2014
Year 1


Hook
Create space ship “crash scene”. Children
investigate, find clues and take photographs
Show the beginning of Youtube clip
Sentence Games (use throughout unit)
 Sentence not a sentence game based on
book
 Conjunctions game
 Improve a sentence- focus on the
grammatical elements that need
consolidation or review
 Fortunately, unfortunately game
 Chain writing
Guided Reading Possibilities
 Other space stories - Toys in Space - Mini
Grey, The Way Back Home – Oliver Jeffers, Dr
Xargle's Book of Earthlings - Jeanne Willis, Man
on the Moon – Simon Bartram, Here Come the
Aliens – Colin McNaughton
 Baboon on the Moon - BFI short film
 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.
1. Responding to the Text
 Visual Literacy: use the picture on the front cover – what
could this be about?
 Book talk: read sections of story and discuss illustrations.
What extra information can we get from them?
 Hot seat Beegu
 Role on the wall for Beegu – add to during book
exploration
 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?
 Why does no one help Beegu?
 Make emotions graph for Beegu and annotate
 Make story map of events
 Writer talk: There is limited text. How do the illustrations
help the reader to understand the story and the
characters’ feelings?
 Writer talk: How has the writer chosen the information he
gives us in the text?
3. Contextualised Grammar Teaching
 Linking words and phrases - Time adverbs/adverbials.
 Linking words and phrases - Ly sentence starters.
 Relative clauses to add detail – noun + who, whom,
which or that
 Use of inverted commas for direct speech as appropriate
4. Modelled Writing
Shared Writing
Guided Writing
Independent Writing
MAKING LINKS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
Geography/Science
• Look at the stars and planets. Make a star map.
• Characteristics and requirements for mammals to
live
PSHE
• Why would no one help Beegu? How could she
have been helped?
• Discuss loneliness - watch The Baboon on the Moon.
Who might be lonely?
• Was Beegu brave? When have you been brave?
Art
• Use night time colours to paint backgrounds shade and tone
 Create silhouette buildings
Author: Alexis Deacon
Publisher: Red Fox
ISBN-13: 978-0099417446
© Focus Education UK Ltd 2014
History
 Space exploration - first trip to the moon
DT/ICT
 Design and build a shelter for Beegu on earth
 Make a book to present story - Beegu 2
 Use Wingdings/symbols to write a message in Beegu’s
language
Useful links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no5Sf0MfMZw
