Year 1 Writing Overview
The grid below is an overview of the writing units in Year 1. Each unit is driven by an engaging, vocabulary-rich book (or a school trip!) that inspires a wealth of writing opportunities. Some of these books have strong thematic links to other areas of our curriculum (for example Science, History and Geography). If you would like to see how writing units are mapped across the whole school, please read our 'Whole School Writing Overview' which is available HERE. If you would like to find our more about our writing curriculum, please follow the link to our 'contacts' page and get in touch.
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
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Poetry: 1 week Stimulus: ‘Happy Poem’ by James Carter Purpose: create a new verse for the poem. |
Poetry: 1 week Stimulus: ‘Winter Morning’ by Ogden Nash Purpose: write an acrostic poem using description. |
Poetry: 1 week Stimulus: ‘I Like’ by Moira Andrew Purpose: perform poem and use new vocabulary in sentences. |
Poetry: 1 week Stimulus: ‘Ning Nang Nong’ by Spike Milligan Purpose: perform poem and write own nonsense poem. |
Poetry: 2 weeks Stimulus: Various Food Poems – 'Slurpy Spaghetti' chapter in 'The Puffin Book of Fantastic First Poems’ Purpose: create food poetry. |
Poetry: 2 weeks Stimulus: rhyming poems: ‘Summer Days’ by Anne English and ‘Summer Song’ by J. Ciardi |
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Fiction: cumulative tales, 3 weeks Stimulus: ‘The Three Little Pigs’ by Pie Corbett Purpose: share write a cumulative tale to apply sequencing skills. |
Fiction: adventure story, 2 weeks Stimulus: ‘The Naughty Bus’ by Jan Oke Purpose: write a sequel to a story. |
Fiction: friendship story, 3 weeks Stimulus: ‘Rainbow Fish’ by Marcus Pfister Purpose: change the characters and setting of a story. |
Fiction: mystery story, 3 weeks Stimulus: ‘Beegu’ by A. Deacon Purpose: write a goodbye letter to Beegu. |
Fiction: magical story, 3 weeks Stimulus: ‘Bog Baby’ by Jeanne Willis Purpose: create your own Bog Baby story. |
Fiction: portal story, 3 weeks Stimulus: ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ (traditional) Purpose: change the ending to a story. |
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Non-fiction: Recount Stimulus: Half term break Purpose: write a recount |
Non-fiction: Information texts, 3 weeks Stimulus: Bring in toys from home + ‘Toys’ information text Purpose: write about a toy. |
Non-fiction: recount, 2 weeks Stimulus: Class trip to Sealife Centre Purpose: write a recount of trip to Pizza Express. |
Non-fiction: information text, 2 weeks Stimulus: 'Big Blue Whale' by Nicola Davies Purpose: write a report on a creature seen at the Sealife Centre. |
Non-fiction: explanation text, 2 weeks Stimulus: ‘How to Grow a Beanstalk’ by Janice Vale Purpose: use gained knowledge to look after a plant or animal. |
Non-fiction: letters, diaries, 2 weeks Stimulus: Jack will leave out some plants and a letter. Purpose: write a letter to your new teacher. |
What writing skills and knowledge do we learn about in Year 1?
Sentence Construction
Recognise and generate a range of sentences
Basic Simple Sentences
A basic simple sentence has one main clause (a nound and a verb that can stand alone). They do not have very much detail.
This is a cat.
My car is blue.
Questions and Exclamations
A question is a sentence punctuated with a question mark that invites a response.
How many days are there in a year?
Why is the sky blue?
An exclamation is a sentence punctuated with an exclamation mark, expressing surprise or strong emotion.
I hate cats!
The football team won!
Compound Sentences
A compound sentence uses co-ordinating conjunctions such as: but, and, or, so
The children played on the swings and slid down the table.
Spiders can be small or they can be large.
Complex Sentences
A complex sentence is made up of a main clause and subordinate clause. The main clause makes sense on its own and the subordinate does not. These two clauses can be joined by a subordinating conjunction such as: because, while, when, as
It was pitch black because the light was broken.
I did my homework while watching television.
Complex sentences can also include relative clauses.
Michael, who was always late, cycled to school.
The badger, who lives underground, is nocturnal.
Understand that a sentence makes sense and can stand alone.
Think a sentence, say a sentence, write a sentence - now reread.
Know that a sentence holds meaning, makes sense and is demarcated by CAPITAL LETTERS and FULL STOPS.
Apply phonics to segment words.
Use finger spaces.
Openers
While, When, Where
'ly' openers:
Fortunately, Unfortunately, Sadly
Use coordinating conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions can be used to joins ideas and add information. These conjunctions are: and, but, or, so
The old man took the ticket and examined the printing.
They can be very small or very large.
Charlie hid but Sally found him.
It was snowing so they put their boots on.
Punctuation
Capital Letters
Capital letters should be used for: 'I', days of the week, months of the year and name of people and places
The teacher gave Leah and Jordan some work.
I want to go to Paris!
Monday 13th June
Exclamation marks, question marks and full stops
Don't eat that cake!
Why is the sky blue?
I don't like carrots.
To find out more about these methods of punctuation, look in the Sentence Structure section above.
Bullet points
Bullet points are used to display lists, instructions and recipes.
In my packed lunch there was:
- a sandwich,
- an apple,
- some grapes,
- a bottle of water.
How to make a pancake:
- Measure 250g of flour.
- Add it to a bowl of 200ml of milk and stir.
- Crack an egg into the mixture.
- Stir and pour onto a hot frying pan.
Speech bubbles and speech marks
These can be used during direct speech.
"Hello," said Sarah.
Word Structure and Language
Use a range of prepositions
Prepositions are words that describe where things are. Here are a few examples:
- up
- down
- on
- onto
- in
- inside
- out
- outside
- towards
- across
- under
- towards
Use 'a', 'an' and 'the' determiners correctly
Determiners are used to clarify the noun.
Children should be able to use 'a' and 'an' correctly.
A cat strolled down the road.
My favourite fruit is an apple.
They should also be able to use 'the' to label a specific object.
The dog was friendly.
I went to the park.
Click here to try a learning activity
Use adjectives for description
Adjectives are words that describe things. In year one, children need to use adjectives for description and this may include colour and size.
The old woman sees the big dog.
The yellow tennis ball bounces on the hard ground.
Use vocabulary related to topic
Children are expected to use vocabulary that is linked to the topic that they are writing about. For example, if the topic was cats you would expect to see words such as: tail, fluffy, ears, paws etc..
Suffixes added to adjectives
Suffixes can be added to adjectives to create simple superlatives and comparatives.
fresh --- fresher
quick --- quickest
'un' prefix
The prefix 'un' can be used to change the meaning of verbs and adjectives.\
tie the boat --- untie the boat
wrap the present --- unwrap the present
National Curriculum Terminology
- word
- letter
- sentence
- capital letter
- full stop
- punctuation
- singular
- plural
- question mark
- exclamation mark
Text structure
'Chunk up'
'Chunking up' is a process where sentences are grouped into beginning, middle and end sections. This can be done with a well known story and this way familiar connecting words and phrases can be identified. For example, 'once upon a time' and 'the end' are typical beginning and ends to a story.
Adverbial Openers
Using simple adverbial openers in oral and written work adds detail. Adverbials can be single words (adverbs) or phrases (adverbial phrases). When looking to create these it is useful to ask yourself:
- When?
Many years ago...
As soon as...
In the end...
- Where?
Under the bridge...
In the car...
At Tom's house...
- How?
Heavily
Unfortunately
Wearily
The Reader
When writing children should think about the reader and what effect their writing may have on them. This may effect their use of vocabulary, punctuation and other literary techniques.
Language Effects
Similes using 'like' and 'as'
A simile is where you compare two different things. In this case 'like' and 'as' are used. Children can start by using familiar objects and experiences to draw out comparisons.
The ground was hot like fire.
She was singing like an angel.
The fire is as hot as the sun.
Outside it is as wet as the sea.
Click here to try a learning activity.
Alliteration
This is when two or more words in a row begin with the same letter.
Wicked witch
Slimy slugs
To make this easier there is a two step process that can be followed.
- Gather words beginning with the same sounds and letters
- Put together adjectives with nouns and verbs to describe (the slimy snake slithered)
Descriptive Lists
There are different ways to use descriptive lists:
- introduce sentence of three for description
He wore shoes, a dark cloak and a canvas hat.
- two adjectives to describe a noun
The scary, old woman.
The green-eyed, scaly dragon.
