Writing a setting description based on 'A Christmas Carol' | English

Starter quiz

How do you use a plan to support you when writing?
- Copy it out word for word.
- Use the key vocabulary to form full sentences. ✓
- Follow the order/structure of your plan. ✓
Put the following descriptive details in the correct order to show the 'top down' structure you should follow for a setting description.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  sky and snowflakes
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  streets and decorations
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  people and senses
What is a simple sentence?
- a sentence with a coordinating conjunction
- a sentence about one idea that makes complete sense ✓
- a sentence containing rich vocabulary
What is a compound sentence?
- a sentence containing a subordinate clause and a main clause
- a sentence with a fronted adverbial
- a sentence formed of two main clauses and a coordinating conjunction ✓
What is a complex sentence?
- a sentence formed of at least one main clause and a subordinate clause ✓
- a sentence formed of two main clauses
- a sentence about one idea that makes complete sense
Match the sentence types to their examples.
- simple sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  The melodic sound of tuneful carollers echoed. ✓
- compound sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  Children gazed into shop windows and they admired shiny new toys. ✓
- adverbial complex sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  The sound of tuneful carollers echoed as eager shoppers hustled. ✓

Exit quiz

What is a preposition?
- a word that describes a noun
- a word or words that tell the reader where a noun is ✓
- a word that describes a noun's movements
Which of the following are prepositions?
- under ✓
- through ✓
- glistening
- on ✓
- floated
What is text flow?
- the specific order a text is written in
- how a text is written in order to keep the reader engaged ✓
- the tone or mood created in a narrative
Match the sentence types to their definitions.
- simple sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  a sentence made of just one main clause with just one idea ✓
- compound sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  a sentence formed of two main clauses and a coordinating conjunction ✓
- adverbial complex sentence
  
  ⇔
  
  a sentence formed of a main clause and an adverbial subordinate clause ✓
Which of the following are subordinating conjunctions you would use to form an adverbial complex sentence?
- as ✓
- and
- while ✓
- that ✓
- but
Which piece of punctuation is used to separate adjectives in an expanded noun phrase?
- full stop
- exclamation mark
- comma ✓

Worksheet

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Presentation

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

The purpose of a setting description is to provide rich detail that creates an atmosphere for the reader.
Precise vocabulary, sensory details and personification support in creating a desired atmosphere.
Prepositions help to describe the setting in a precise way by telling the reader where a noun is.
Using a range of sentence types (simple, compound and complex) improves text flow for the reader.

Common misconception

Children may find it difficult to identify or develop appropriate prepositions to precisely describe details about nouns within the setting.

After revealing the prepositions 'beneath' and 'towards', brainstorm a range of helpful prepositions as a class and create a shared bank that the children can use.

Keywords

Atmosphere - the tone or mood created in a narrative
Sensory details - descriptions that include touch, sight, taste, sound and smell
Personification - a way of describing a non-living thing as if it acts or feels like a human
Preposition - a word or words that tell the reader where a noun is
Text flow - how a text is written to keep the reader engaged