Beowulf-diary entry based on Michael Morpurgo

This comprehensive and fully editable 7-day teaching PowerPoint is a high-quality, curriculum-aligned unit culminating in a powerful long writing outcome: a diary entry written in role as Beowulf, based on pages 123–134 of Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo. Designed for Year 5 or Year 6, this unit is carefully scaffolded to develop pupils’ reading, grammar, and composition skills through a sequence of engaging, adaptive, and pedagogically sound lessons.

Each lesson has a clear success criteria, differentiated tasks (MILD, SPICY, HOT), and high-quality supporting resources, including vocabulary banks for all learners, with additional scaffolds for EAL and SEND pupils. The unit builds incrementally towards the final composition, allowing children to interweave knowledge and skills acquired across the week into their final piece.
Key features include:
• Talk-rich environment with structured talk partner activities to deepen understanding
• Assessment for Learning (AfL) is used meaningfully throughout to identify prior knowledge and address misconceptions
• Explicit modelling of writing and grammar, with a strong focus on writer’s voice and purpose
• Progressive grammar objectives in context, including the use of colons and contractions
• Adaptable lesson order, giving teachers flexibility to tailor the unit to their class needs
• Pupil choice through tiered differentiation, boosting motivation and self-esteem

Lesson Overview:
• Lesson 1: Vocabulary Development
To explore and understand key vocabulary from Pg 123–134
• Lesson 2: Comprehension
To retrieve and interpret information from the text
• Lesson 3: Grammar – Diary Features
To identify the features of an effective diary entry using a model text
• Lesson 4: Grammar in Context
To use colons for clarity and effect in writing
• Lesson 5: Grammar in Context
To use contractions accurately in character voice
• Lesson 6: Planning for Writing
To plan a diary entry in role, sequencing events and emotions
• Lesson 7: Final Composition
To write an engaging, characterful diary entry in the voice of Beowulf