Y2 Autumn

Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters

Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher

Whole class teaching

Wk
1

Main texts: John

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Show chn John

Burninghams great book,
John Patrick Norman
McHennessy, the boy
who was always late.
Practise saying the name
together several times
enjoying the rhythm
(have a go at clapping it).
Read the story. The chn
can join in with the name
every time you read it.
Discuss the book,
including the ending. Why
does it end - And John
Patrick Norman
McHennessy set off along
the road to learn? Share
ideas. Ask chn to recall
the excuses that John
Patrick Norman
McHennessy made. Make
a list of them and the
number of lines he had to
write (or see plan
resource). Discuss what
excuse means. It can
sometimes be a false
reason (what JPs teacher
thought). Spoken Lang/
Composition 1

Have a look at the layout of a

letter by showing chn
examples and/or looking at the
first page of Dear Teacher by
Amy Husband. Explain that in a
letter you need to use I (first
person). Usually letters are
started with Dear... but there
are lots of ways to end (or sign
of) a letter. Do the chn know
any? Jot down a few on the
board. Explain that how you
sign of a letter depends on
how well you know the person
you are writing to. Rank the
ideas from informal to formal,
e.g. Love from, From, Best
wishes, Yours sincerely. They
may also come up with
Regards, Yours faithfully, Yours
truly.
Show chn the Hamilton group
reader book The Three
Guinea Fowl. Explain that
there are letters in the book
that solve a problem and you
want them to look out for them
when they read the story.
Word Reading
1/Comprehension 1: Group
Reading

Have a quick look at the /n/

phoneme spelt with digraphs
kn (knock, know, knee) or gn
(gnat, gnaw). Then have a chat
about names and the digraphs
you might spot in them. John
Patrick Norman McHennessy
has got a very long one but
most people have one or more
middle names. Sometimes they
are named after a parent or
grandparent. Ask chn to say
their full name to the person
next to them. Can they spell
their full name? Highlight the
digraphs in John Patrick
Norman McHennessy. Show chn
a list of their full names on the
whiteboard. Have an in depth
discussion about the
graphemes used, with lots of
highlighting of digraphs that
they have learnt. Now write an
address on the board and
discuss what this looks like.
Model writing a childs full
name and address,
demonstrating layout.
Word Reading/Transcription2

Show examples of
postcards and/or look
at the postcard at the
end of Dear Teacher.
Notice how the
message goes on the
left and the address
goes on the right.
Often people dont
write Dear... on
postcards. Look at the
use of capital letters,
full stops and
exclamation marks.
Then have a go at
some shared writing
together. Write a
grumpy letter from the
teacher in John
Patrick Norman
McHennessy to JPs
parents. What might
he want to say? He is
fed up with JP always
being late for school
and all the excuses he
comes up with. How
would he start and end
the letter? Focus on
punctuating correctly.
Grammar
1/Composition 2

Hot seat John Patrick.

First encourage the chn,
in pairs, to try to think
of a question to ask that
cannot be answered
with yes or no! Make a
game of it with points
for open questions.
How did you feel
when... is a good
sentence opener. Today
the chn will write a
letter from JPs mum or
dad, replying to the
teachers letter to them.
They are going to
express their anger at
the teachers treatment
of JP. Discuss what their
mum or dad might say if
their teacher didnt
believe them and gave
them so many lines!
Remind chn about letter
layout and punctuation.
Model how to start a
letter. Spoken language
1/ Composition 3/
Grammar 2

Objectives
Articulate and justify answers
and opinions
Gain and maintain interest of
listener

Dimension
1. Monday: Share ideas about the story and invent new parts
Chn discuss the excuses that John P N McH used and then invent some new ones. They talk
about these and also listen to their friends ideas. They need to be clear what their excuse
would be!

Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A

Resources
None

Transcription Word Reading ensionCompreh Spoken language

Y2 Autumn
Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters
Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher

Main texts: John

Pupils should be taught to:

b. ask relevant questions
f. maintain attention, stay on
topic
i. participate in discussion and
presentations (improvisation)

1. Friday: Asking questions

In pairs chn think of open questions to ask John Patrick. Explain that open questions cannot be
answered with yes or no. Give an example of each type of question, e.g. Closed: Do you like
animals? Open: How did you feel when the lion grabbed your trousers? Write a few sentence
openers on f/c to support less able chn, e.g. How did you feel when What did you think
when How did the Where were you when, etc. How many points did pairs earn?

Develop pleasure in ... by: d.

being introduced to non-fiction
books (texts) that are
structured in diferent ways
Participate in discussion about
books that are read to them.

1. Tuesday: Group Reading looking at letter layout

Chn read The Three Guinea Fowl in small groups. Give chn Hamilton Trust group
reading books (available from Hamilton Education see web address below). They read
through paying special attention to the letters. How do they start? How do they end?
Give some groups questions to answer about the story (see resources). Plenary: Go
through the questions together and compare answers.

1. Tuesday: Group Reading - using graphemes to decode See Tuesday

Pupils should be taught to:
Comprehension 1
b. read accurately by blending the
sounds in words that contain the
graphemes taught so far
Spelling
1. Wednesday: Practising common letter and postcard endings. Writing your full name
Spell by: a. Segmenting PGCs
Give each child a slip with their full name and address on it. They spend some time
b. Learning new ways of
learning to spell their full name by writing it down, covering and checking it. They
spelling phonemes for which
then write their address out at least twice. Encourage them to learn this. If time, chn
one or more phonemes are
write some familiar letter and postcard endings, finishing with their full name each
known
time, e.g. Love from, From, Best wishes, Yours sincerely, etc.
Apply spelling rules and
Plenary: Choose a superhero or a TV character that many chn in your class like.
guidelines, spell the /n/ sound
Shared write the characters name and address on the board. (Make it up from what
spelt kn and gn (Appendix 1)
the chn tell you!) Point out the layout we use to write an address.

Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A

Hamilton Group
Reading books The
Three Guinea Fowl
(see below plan)

Hamilton Group
Reading books The
Three Guinea Fowl
(see below plan)
A slip for each child
with their full name
and address written on
it

Composition

Grammar

Y2 Autumn
Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters
Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher

Main texts: John

Develop their understanding of

1. Thursday: Using simple punctuation when writing a postcard
Postcard frame (see
the concepts set out in
Write a postcard from John Patrick to his teacher explaining why he was late for school resources)
Appendix 2 by:
(see resources). Chn should use one of the ideas generated on Monday. They can use
a. learning how to use both
their own ideas or someone elses. They must check that they have used capital
familiar and new punctuation
letters and full stops. How will they sign of? Remind them to write their full name.
correctly incl. full stops, capital Can they use any other punctuation, e.g. question marks and full stops? Draw bold
letters, exclamation marks,
and colourful pictures for the front of the postcard.
question marks
Plenary: Chn take it in turns to read their postcards to the rest of the class or group.
Use grammar terminology
Develop their understanding of the concepts set out in
2. Friday: Using simple punctuation when writing a letter See Composition None
Appendix 2 by:
3.
a. learning how to use both familiar and new
punctuation correctly
Develop positive attitudes
1. Monday: Creating new ideas based on a story
Slips of paper to write
towards and stamina for
Chn pretend they are John Patrick and work in 3s to brainstorm new reasons why he
excuses on (see
writing by:
might have been late for school and how he escaped. Each group should come up
resources)
a. writing narratives, about
with 3 ideas. They write them on whiteboards in the first person. Then when they are
personal experiences and
clear about them they copy one reason on each slip of paper (see resources). They
those of others (real and
then practise reading them to each other in their small group, making sure they can
fictional)
read them loudly and clearly. They could draw a small illustration of the reasons if
Consider what they are going
they have time. Everyone should help each other.
to write before beginning by:
Plenary: Chn sit in a circle. You say fiercely to each child YOU ARE LATE AGAIN They
b. writing down ideas and/or
take it in turns to read their excuse, e.g. I am late, Sir/Miss, because on my way...
key words, including new
Then display slips for use on Thursday.
vocabulary
Develop positive attitudes
2. Thursday: Writing a postcard based on book John Patrick Norman McHennessy See
Postcard frame (see
towards and stamina for
Grammar 1 Thursday.
resources)
writing by:
d. writing for diferent purposes
Consider what they are going
3. Friday: Writing a letter using the correct layout
Letter
to write before beginning by:
The chn write a letter from JPs parents replying to the teachers letter to them and complaining about template
a. planning or saying out loud his treatment of JP. Remind chn about letter layout and punctuation. Provide some chn with a
(see
what they are going to write
template with the address filled in (see resources) or some chn may wish to write their own address.
resource
about
Remind them to plan each sentence carefully and say it to themselves before they write it. They
s)
c. encapsulating what they
should check it makes sense.
want to say, sentence by
Plenary: Write these unpunctuated sentences on the board: my son told you why he had been late
sentence
and why didnt you believe him Talk about what punctuation we need. Discuss the fact that the
second sentence is a question the first is a statement.

Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A

Y2 Autumn
Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters
Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher

teachingclassWhole

Wk
2

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Read Dear Teacher by

Amy Husband. Compare
the book with, John
Patrick Norman
McHennessy the boy
who was always late.
What is the same about
them? What is diferent?
Sit chn in a circle. Give
each group of 3 chn an
event from Michaels
adventures written in note
form (see resources). Chn
read them out and put
them in the correct order.
When you are all happy
with the order then
number them. Explain
what notes are to chn, i.e.
giving key information of a
text in the shortest number
of words they can.
Spoken language 2
Composition 3/
Comprehension 2

Focus on the /ul/ sound

(schwa efect) spelt -el or
-le at the end of words.
Show chn the chart with
the diferent /ul/
graphemes and read them
through together focussing
particularly on -el (see
resources). NB -el is much
less common then -le (see
Appendix 2 page vi).
Compose a nonsense
sentence together using
words from each column
on the chart e.g. The gerbil
was on the table when a
squirrel tried to be helpful
by giving him a medal.
Learn about letter layout in
more detail by doing this
activity online together at
http://www.funenglishgame
s.com/writinggames/letters
.html.
Word Reading/Transcription
2

Photocopy and enlarge

chns favourite page from
Dear Teacher (voted for
on Monday). Have a look at
layout & features. Look at
the punctuation. Is there
anywhere you could add
an exclamation mark? You
can use exclamation marks
to show strong feelings.
Explain what postscripts
are: P.S. and P.P.S. How has
Amy Husband made the
page fun and interesting?
Discuss the creativity and
humour of the illustrations.
Look carefully at use of
captions, labels, arrows
and lines to make it lively.
Explain they are going to
produce their own page
over the next few days,
starting today with writing
the letter. Composition
4/Grammar 3

Look at a volunteers
draft letter from
yesterday and check
punctuation is
correct. Has anyone
used a question mark
or exclamation mark
in their letter? Then
look at the
illustrations in Dear
Teacher. Show chn
an A3 piece of paper
with a smaller lined
piece of paper stuck
on it (or see
resources). Model
how they will copy
their corrected rough
draft in very careful
handwriting in the
middle and how to
create illustrations
around the outside.
Word Reading/
Transcription 3

Turn to the page of Dear

Teacher that shows the
telegram that Michael has sent.
Explain what a telegram is. They
are rarely used now but were a
way to get a message to
someone quickly before
computers. Show chn examples
(see resources). People were
charged by the word so they
made the text as short as
possible (a bit like writing notes).
Do chn know what has replaced
telegrams? Emails, which are
even more instant. In common
with telegrams, emails tend to
be brief and informative. They
often start with Hi or no
greeting at all and can be a bit
more like a conversation. They
can be used for all sorts of
purposes, e.g. advertising,
information as well as personal
messages. Show chn an image
(see resources).
Composition 5

Objectives
languageSpoken

Main texts: John

Pupils should be taught to:

a. listen and respond appropriately to
their peers
f. maintain attention and participate
actively in collaborative conversations.
e. give well-structured descriptions
f. use spoken language to explore ideas

Dimension
2. Monday: Brainstorm ideas See Composition 4.
Chn brainstorm other things that could have happened to Michael or
adventures they could have that are a bit similar to those that Michael had.
They discuss ideas in small groups, and then make notes individually or in
pairs. Chn then share their ideas with a response partner and give positive
feedback. Chn choose their best idea.

Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A

Resources
Scrap paper Develop
their understanding of
the concepts set out in
App 2 by:
a. learning how to use
both familiar and new
punctuation correctly

Composition rmmaGra

Transcription

ensionCompreh

Y2 Autumn
Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters
Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher
Develop pleasure in reading and motivation to
read by:
b. discussing the sequence of events in books
and how items of information are related
f. discussing and clarifying the meanings of
words
d. Answering and asking questions.

Main texts: John

2. Monday: Group reading - read the sequence of events in Dear

Teacher
In a small group read about Michaels adventures written in note form
(See Monday Composition 3) (see resources).

Michaels adventures
written in note form
(see resources)

Spelling
2. Tuesday: Practising spelling words with /ul/ phoneme Give chn a copy of the Grid with lists of /ul/
Spell by: b. learning new ways of
grid with /ul/ words. They write sentences using words from the list or words
words (see resources)
spelling phonemes for which one or
not listed. They can be funny or serious and can use words from one, two or
more spellings are already known, and
all of the columns as directed by you, e.g. The camel stood on a barrel
learn some words with each spelling,
wearing a royal crown shining with jewels.
including a few common homophones
Plenary: Chn read their sentences to each other.
Handwriting
3. Thursday: Making a finished illustrated letter
A3 piece of paper with
Pupils should be taught to:
Chn read through their work from yesterday to see if they can improve it and
lines in the centre for
a. write lowercase letters neatly and
then copy their corrected rough draft in very careful handwriting in the
each child (see
accurately.
middle of an A3 piece of paper with lines in the centre (see resources) and
resources)
c. write capital letters and digits of the
create adventurous illustrations with captions around the outside based on
correct size, orientation etc.
Amy Husbands ideas. Allow time for illustrating work outside literacy lesson.
d. Use appropriate spacing between
Plenary: Share finished work or work in progress.
words
Develop their understanding of the concepts
3. Wednesday: Using capital letters, full stops and exclamation marks
Photocopy and enlarge
set out in Appendix 2 by:
Chn write a draft of a letter. At the end check they that they have
the chns favourite
a. learning how to use both familiar and new
remembered capital letters and full stops (see Composition 4
page from Dear
punctuation correctly (see Appendix 2),
Wednesday).
Teacher (voted for on
including full stops, capital letters, exclamation
Monday)
marks and question marks
Consider what they are
4. Monday: Creating new events based on ideas in Dear Teacher
Michaels
going to write before
Chn sit in small groups and read through the notes about Michaels adventures (see resources).
adventures
beginning by:
They then brainstorm other things that could have happened to Michael or adventures they could
written in note
b. writing down
have. Then, in pairs or individually, write notes of 3-5 ideas about where he/they could have gone
form and space
ideas and/or
and what could have happened. Just put the key information. It might help them to have other
for chn to write
keywords, including
adventure story books to browse for ideas to pinch.
their own ideas
new vocabulary
Plenary: Chn share their ideas with a partner who gives an opinion about which idea they think is
(see resources)
the best. They read out their best idea to the class. Take a vote about which is the chns favourite
page from Dear Teacher (you need an enlarged photocopy of this for Wednesday).

Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A

Y2 Autumn
Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters
Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher
Develop positive attitudes towards and
stamina for writing by:
a. writing narratives, about personal
experiences and those of others (real
and fictional)
d. writing for diferent purposes
Make simple additions, revisions and
corrections to their own writing by:
b. re-reading to check that their writing
makes sense and that verbs to indicate
time are used correctly and
consistently, including verbs in the
continuous form

Main texts: John

5. Wednesday: Writing a Dear Teacher letter

Chn write a draft of a letter in the first person using one of their adventure
ideas from Monday. Today, they write it in rough concentrating on making the
ideas flow and choosing interesting vocabulary. At the end they check that
they have remembered capital letters and full stops and any other
punctuation.
Plenary: Explore Amy Husbands website click on portfolio to see some of
her other illustrations at http://www.amyhusband.co.uk/home.
6. Friday: Continuing with and finishing letter from yesterday or composing an
email
Chn finish their illustrated letter started yesterday. Early finishers compose an
imaginary email to Dear Teacher using another of the adventure ideas they
generated on Monday (using computers if possible). They could also
download images to illustrate it.
Plenary: Make a large class book with the fantastic letters created. If you
have it, read CLICK, CLACK, MOO Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin another fun book about the power of letters!

Photocopy and enlarge

the chns favourite
page from Dear
Teacher (voted for on
Monday)

Examples of telegrams
and emails (see
resources)

Books:
John Patrick Norman McHennessy by John Burningham, Red Fox, ISBN: 9780099752004
Dear Teacher by Amy Husband, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, ISBN: 9781402242687 (available from Hamilton Education at
www.hamiltoneducation.org.uk)
The three guinea fowl by Ruth Merttens, Hamilton Group Readers. Available from
http://www.hamiltoneducation.org.uk/GroupReading_Year2.php
Not essential CLICK, CLACK, MOO Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, Simon and Schuster Childrens, ISBN: 9780743461511
Websites:
http://www.funenglishgames.com/writinggames/letters.html Activity about letter layout
http://www.amyhusband.co.uk/home Amy Husbands website
Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A

Y2 Autumn
Non-fiction: Plan 1A Postcards and Letters
Patrick Norman McHennessy & Dear Teacher

Main texts: John

The links to the websites and the contents of the web pages associated with such links specified on this list (hereafter collectively referred to as the Links) have been
checked by Hamilton Trust (being the operating name of the registered charity, William Rowan Hamilton Trust) and to the best of Hamilton Trusts knowledge, are
correct and accurate at the time of publication. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other terms and conditions on the Hamilton Trust website, you acknowledge that
Hamilton Trust has no control over such Links and indeed, the owners of such Links may have removed such Links, changed such Links and/or contents associated with
such Links. Therefore, it is your sole responsibility to verify any of the Links which you wish you use. Hamilton Trust excludes all responsibility and liability for any loss
or damage arising from the use of any Links.

Outcomes
Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1. Read and enjoy listening

to a story
2. Invent new ideas based
on the story
3. Discuss ideas with
others.

Monday

1. Read a book
independently, working in a
small group.
2. Use phonic strategies
and clues to help decipher
unfamiliar words.

1. Write name and address.

2. Use correct punctuation
in writing proper names.

1. Write a postcard.
2. Use ideas from a familiar
story to write own
imaginative version.
3. Use correct punctuation
in writing.

1. Read and enjoy listening

to a story
2. Invent new ideas based
on the story
3. Write notes
encapsulating ideas.

1. Learn new ways of

spelling /ul/ phoneme
(schwa)
2. Learn some words with
each spelling, including a
few common homophones

1. Compose a draft letter

based on ideas planned
2. Use full stops,
exclamation and question
marks in own writing.
3. Use capital letters
correctly.

1. Write out drafted work in

neat..
2. Re-read writing to check
it makes sense.
3. Check punctuation and
spelling in writing.

1. Think about what to write

before writing it.
2. Writing what they want to
say, sentence by sentence.
3. Sound out unfamiliar
words to write them.
4. Use correct punctuation
in own writing.
1. Illustrate work
appropriately.
2. Write an email
summarising the letter
content.
3. Read own work to others.

Original plan copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
Y2 Aut N-F Plan 1A