This lesson plan is a great way to engage pupils with our Crazy Creatures creative writing activity, whilst introducing them to a new format of short story writing – the mini saga.

Learning Objectives (Slide 2)

• Includes speaking, listening, reading and writing requirements

• Think about the 5 ‘Ws’ - who, what, where, why and when

• Pupils will learn the structure of a mini saga

• Pupils will use their knowledge to plan, draft and compose their own mini saga for our Crazy Creatures competition

Preparation

• Photocopy the pupil worksheet for each pupil (or you can request further forms from us or download them)

• Download our free presentation that complements this lesson plan

• Download the resources at our website

• View the fun video that introduces pupils to Crazy Creatures at www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/ crazy-creatures

Activity Name

SlideReference Activity Details

What is a Story?

(10 minutes)4-6

Give your pupils a couple of minutes to tell you their favourite stories. Choose one and ask pupils, as a class, to tell you in as few words as possible what happens in the story. Explain that this is the plot. Now explain what setting, character and events are. Now ask pupils to summarise what happens at the beginning, middle and end of the story and ensure they understand the structure of a story.

Creating a Crazy Creature

(15 minutes)7

Hand out the worksheets to pupils and ask them to draw a crazy creature (box 1) and complete its profile in box 2. If pupils need help or ideas refer them to the right-hand side of the worksheet, which has a list of qualities their creature may have. Encourage individuality and let imaginations run wild!

Website: www.youngwriters.co.uk Email: info@youngwriters.co.uk

HOW TO WRITE A MINI SAGA LESSON PLAN

Main Teaching Activity is continued over the page

Introduction (Slide 3)

Explain to pupils that today they will be writing a mini saga. Explain that a mini saga is a story told in only 100 words!

Main Teaching Activity

Activity NameSlide

Reference Activity Details

The 5 Ws (20 minutes) 8-11

Explain to pupils that they will be moving on to box 3 now – planning what their story is about.To write a story about their crazy creature they need to think about the profile they created for it in box 2 and how this can be used in their story. (They can change their creature’s profile now if they want to!)Ask pupils to consider the 5 Ws: who, what, where, why and when – this will help them draft a rough plot of their story.Who: Who features in their story – just their crazy creature or anyone else? Advise pupils not to add too many character as they only have 100 words to write their story in!Where and When: Where and when is the story set?What: What happens to the creature? Every story needs an event or conflict to move the plot along. Does the creature save the day, have a problem or dilemma? Maybe it’s at a celebration or is on a trip? It could be a naughty creature up to no good or a kind, friendly one doing good deeds. What will your pupils choose?Why: Why does the event or conflict happen to the creature? Why does the creature behave the way it does? Is it in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maybe the creature is a troublemaker! How will they resolve the conflict / dilemma? Or will they write a cliffhanger ending…

Composing a Mini Saga

(30 minutes)12

Now pupils have completed their worksheet they are ready to get writing their own crazy creature inspired mini saga. Suggest pupils write their mini saga in pencil on the mini saga grid (back page of the worksheet). The grid has 100 boxes so pupils can stick to the 100-word limit.Once they have written their mini saga, pupils need to fill in their name, surname and age on the entry form.

Plenary (5-10 minutes) (Slide 13)• Ask pupils to work in pairs or small groups and to read

their mini sagas to one another. Peers are to feedback something they like and something they feel could be improved. Use any extra time to make any changes to their work.

Notes• This activity takes approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

Alternatively, introductory work can be done in class (45 minutes) and the mini saga can be written as homework.

All our resources are free and can be downloaded at www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/crazy-creatures, or you can give us a call or

email to request further colourful worksheets are posted to you.

Suggestions• Advise pupils that abbreviating words helps too, e.g. ‘it is’ becomes ‘it’s’ and ask them to see if there are any unnecessary

words they can remove – you have to be brutal to get to 100 words!

• You can extend the activity by asking pupils to copy up and illustrate their mini saga for display

• You can extend the activity by providing pupils with more time for both drawing and writing activities

• Pupils can experiment with the narrator

• Less able pupils can work in pairs or a small group and have an adult’s assistance

• Suggest pupils work in pairs using the same theme, but one pupil has to write from one creature’s point of view and the other pupil chooses a different view point.

• Mini sagas can be written on any theme from crazy creature superheroes to myths, legends or history!

Website: www.youngwriters.co.uk Email: info@youngwriters.co.uk