Lesson Plan for Year 2 English - Recount Writing

Overview

This lesson plan is designed for Year 2 students in a New Zealand classroom setting, focusing on developing skills in recount writing. The aim is to guide students in recognising and constructing basic recount texts that relate personal experiences or events they have participated in or observed.

Curriculum Area and Level

Subject: English
Curriculum: New Zealand Curriculum
Strand: Listening, Reading, and Viewing
Level: Level 1
Link to Curriculum: The New Zealand Curriculum Online - English

Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand the purpose of a recount.
2. Identify key components of a recount (orientation, sequence of events, personal thoughts).
3. Begin drafting a simple recount of a recent personal experience using oral language.

Materials

- Chart paper
- Markers
- Example of a recount text on chart paper (preferably about a common experience like a school event or a field trip)
- Writing paper and pencils for students

Lesson Details

Introduction (3 minutes)

- Begin the lesson by explaining what a recount is: “A recount tells the audience about something that has happened. It can tell us about an event, like a trip or a birthday party you attended.”
- Display the example of a recount and briefly discuss its main parts: orientation (who, what, when, where), events in chronological order, and a personal comment or conclusion.

Main Activity (10 minutes)

Step 1: Group Brainstorming (3 minutes)
- Ask students to think about an event they all experienced together recently, such as a sports day or an art class.
- On chart paper, brainstorm key ideas about the event: Who was involved? What happened first? What happened next? How did the event end?

Step 2: Oral Recount (4 minutes)
- Guide students as they orally recount the event collectively. Initiate the recount and have each student add one detail about the event in sequence, fostering a collaborative narrative structure.

Step 3: Introduction to Writing (3 minutes)
- Have students return to their seats and provide them with writing paper.
- Instruct them to write one or two sentences about the beginning of the event, using their own words. Assist by writing sentence starters on the board, like "First, we..." or "The day started with..."

Conclusion (2 minutes)

- Invite a few students to share their sentences with the class.
- Highlight good examples of clear sequencing or interesting details.
- Encourage students by emphasizing that they will continue writing and improving their recounts in the following lessons.

Assessment

Evaluate students’ initial sentences for clarity and correct sequencing of events. This formative assessment will help in understanding their grasp of recount structure, which will be further developed in subsequent lessons.

Extension (Post-Lesson)

For homework, ask students to talk with their families about an event at home and bring back three key points to share for a recount they will write in the next lesson.

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This lesson introduces Year 2 students to the concept of recounts in a structured, supportive, and interactive manner. Each activity segment is designed to scaffold the students’ understanding and application of recount writing, keeping alignment with the New Zealand Curriculum standards.