This prompt is for generating lesson plan(s) ideas based on the existing strengths of your learners. When copy and pasting the advanced prompt below, you should edit the items in orange to suit your context. Remember you should always review AI outputs for accuracy. AI outputs should always be adapted to best suit your needs and the needs of your learners. 

Basic prompt:

‘Generate a lesson plan on [[ TOPIC ]] for my [[ STAGE OR SUBJECT ]] class.’ 

.

This prompt does not give enough contextual detail and may yield low quality, generic results.

Use the advanced prompt in place of a basic prompt to get better results from the AI model.

Advanced prompt:

You are an expert [[STAGE OR SUBJECT]] teacher in the Scottish education system skilled at designing engaging learning activities for students of all ability levels. Develop a [[CONTENT AREA]] activity for [[AGE OR STAGE]] students who are developing an understanding of [[CONCEPT]]. They have a good understanding of [[LIST PREVIOUSLY MASTERED CONTENT]]. Their other skills include [[LIST STUDENT STRENGTHS]]. Suggest three to five activities that build on these strengths to help them develop their skills in [[CONCEPT]].

.

This prompt has a clearly defined goal, gives details of the context, specifies expectations of the output and gives a clear indication of the constraints such as limitations or boundaries that the AI model needs to take into account when preparing and output. You should edit the items in orange to suit your context.

Example:

Below is an example of the advanced prompt in action using Google Gemini. You will see the prompt input followed by Google Gemini’s corresponding output for this prompt.

Prompt (what we input to Google Gemini):

You are an expert Primary 7 teacher in the Scottish education system skilled at designing engaging learning activities for students of all ability levels. Develop a writing activity for Primary 7 students who are developing an understanding of figurative language. They have a good understanding of simile and metaphor and how to use ‘wow words’ to vary their word choice and show off their vocabulary. Their other skills include making digital artefacts, using accessibility tools on their iPads and they are good at small group discussion. Suggest three to five activities that build on these strengths to help them develop their skills in using figurative language techniques in writing.

.

Gemini Output (what Google Gemini responded with):

Here are 3-5 engaging writing activities for Primary 7 students developing their understanding of figurative language, building on their strengths in digital creation, accessibility tools, and group discussion:

 

Figurative Language Fiesta!

Big Idea: Students will deepen their understanding and application of figurative language (with a focus on simile and metaphor, but introducing personification, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia) by creating multi-modal digital artefacts and engaging in collaborative critique.

Learning Intentions:

• To identify and explain different types of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia).

• To experiment with using figurative language to create vivid imagery and enhance writing.

• To confidently use “wow words” and varied vocabulary within their figurative language.

• To collaborate effectively in small groups, providing constructive feedback.

• To utilise digital tools and accessibility features to enhance their learning and creativity.

Success Criteria:

• I can identify examples of simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia in texts.

• I can create my own sentences and short passages using at least three different types of figurative language.

• My writing includes “wow words” and shows a varied vocabulary.

• I can work well with my group, listen to others’ ideas, and offer helpful suggestions.

• I can use an iPad to create a digital artefact that showcases my understanding of figurative language.

---

Activity 1: “Figurative Language Photo Booth” (Collaborative & Digital)

Time: 45-60 minutes

Resources: iPads with camera access, a variety of everyday objects (e.g., a fluffy blanket, a shiny spoon, a old book, a plant, a toy), whiteboards/mini whiteboards.

Activity Description:

1. Introduction/Review (10 mins): Briefly recap simile and metaphor. Introduce personification, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia with simple examples. Discuss how these add “flavour” to writing.

2. Challenge Setup (5 mins): Divide students into small groups (3-4 per group). Each group is given 3-4 everyday objects. Their challenge is to take photos of these objects and then, using the iPad’s annotation tools or a simple photo editing app, add examples of figurative language directly onto the photo.

3. Creation (20-25 mins):

   • For each object, students must generate at least one simile and one metaphor.

   • Encourage them to also try to incorporate personification, hyperbole, or onomatopoeia where appropriate.

   • “Wow Word” Focus: Before they start, brainstorm a bank of “wow words” related to sensory details (e.g., glistening, velvety, ancient, booming, delicate, swirling). Remind them to use these to elevate their figurative language.

   • Accessibility Tool Integration: Encourage students to use their iPad’s accessibility tools:

     • VoiceOver/Speak Screen: To listen to their sentences to check the flow and impact.

     • Dictation: To quickly capture ideas if writing speed is a barrier.

     • Zoom: To focus on details in their photos.

4. Gallery Walk & Peer Feedback (10 mins): Groups share their “Figurative Language Photo Booth” creations on a shared screen or by walking around the classroom. Each group uses a mini-whiteboard to write down one “star” (something excellent) and one “wish” (something to improve/suggest) for another group’s work, focusing on the effectiveness and creativity of the figurative language.

---

Activity 2: “Sensory Story Spin” (Individual/Pair & Digital Writing)

 

Time: 60-75 minutes

Resources: iPads with a word processing app (Pages, Google Docs), access to royalty-free image libraries (e.g., Unsplash, Pixabay) or drawing apps.

Activity Description:

1. Spark the Imagination (10 mins): Provide students with a captivating visual prompt (a vivid image or a short video clip showing a dynamic scene – e.g., a stormy sea, a bustling market, a mysterious forest path). Alternatively, give them a simple story starter sentence (e.g., “The old clock tower chimed, and then…”).

2. Figurative Language Challenge (5 mins): Explain that they need to write a short descriptive paragraph (5-8 sentences) inspired by the prompt. Their goal is to include at least one of each: simile, metaphor, and personification. They should also try to add hyperbole and/or onomatopoeia if they can.

3. Drafting with “Wow Words” (30-40 mins):

   • Students begin drafting their paragraph. Remind them to think about all five senses and how they can use figurative language to appeal to them.

   • “Wow Word” Encouragement: Have a visual prompt of “wow words” on display, perhaps broken down by categories (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, movement).

   • Accessibility Tool Integration:

     • Reader View (Safari): If using a web-based prompt, this can help them focus.

     • Predictive Text/Spell Check: To support their vocabulary and spelling as they draft.

     • Text-to-Speech (Speak Selection): To listen to their own writing, helping them identify awkward phrasing or areas where more figurative language could be added.

     • Vocabulary/Thesaurus apps: To find synonyms for “wow words.”

   • Adding Visuals (Optional but encouraged): Students can find a relevant image online or draw a simple picture within their document to accompany their descriptive paragraph, further enhancing their digital artefact.

4. Author’s Chair & Feedback (15-20 mins): In small groups, students take turns reading their paragraphs aloud. The listeners’ task is to identify the different types of figurative language used and comment on which “wow words” stood out. They can also offer constructive suggestions for adding more figurative language or making existing examples stronger.

---

Activity 3: “Figurative Language Story Creator” (Group Project & Multi-Modal)

Time: 90-120 minutes (can be split over two sessions)

Resources: iPads with a presentation app (Keynote, Google Slides), a drawing app (e.g., Procreate, Sketches School), or a video creation app (e.g., iMovie, Clips). Whiteboards/large paper for planning.

Activity Description:

1. Story Concept Brainstorm (20 mins):

   • Divide students into groups of 4-5. Provide each group with a story genre or a simple plot premise (e.g., a mysterious creature in the woods, a journey to a hidden treasure, a day in a fantastical school).

   • Their first task is to collaboratively brainstorm the core elements of a very short story (beginning, middle, end – no more than 3-4 key plot points). They can use a whiteboard to map this out.

2. Figurative Language Scripting (40-50 mins):

   • Each group then decides how they will tell their story using a digital artefact (e.g., a short animated presentation with voiceover, a comic strip with text bubbles, a short video with narration).

   • The Core Challenge: Within their story, they must intentionally embed multiple examples of all five types of figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia).

   • They should create a “script” or plan for their digital artefact, explicitly noting where each type of figurative language will be used and which “wow words” they will incorporate.

   • Collaborative Writing: Encourage roles within the group (e.g., “figurative language checker,” “wow word finder,” “story sequence planner”).

   • Accessibility Tool Integration:

     • Dictation: For quick script writing.

     • Text-to-Speech: To proofread their script and hear how the figurative language sounds.

     • Screen recording: If they are creating a presentation, they can record their voiceovers.

3. Digital Artefact Creation (30-40 mins):

   • Students use their chosen app to bring their story to life, incorporating their scripted figurative language.

   • Drawing Apps: For creating comic panels or illustrations.

   • Presentation Apps: For slides with text, images, and audio.

   • Video Apps: For short narrated videos with visuals.

   • Accessibility Focus: Remind them to consider things like clear fonts, good colour contrast, and clear audio if they are recording narration (e.g., using the iPad’s built-in microphone enhancements if available).

4. Showcase & Peer Critique (20 mins):

   • Each group presents their digital story to the class.

   • Audience Task: As they watch/listen, students should try to identify the different types of figurative language used and note down their favourite examples.

   • Group Feedback: After each presentation, the audience provides positive feedback on the creative use of figurative language and suggests any areas where more impact could be made. This can be structured as “Two Stars and a Wish” focusing specifically on the figurative language.

---

These activities encourage creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, while seamlessly integrating their digital literacy and accessibility skills. By making the learning active and product-oriented, Primary 7 students will develop a deep and practical understanding of figurative language.

This prompt is for generating learning intention and success criteria ideas. When copy and pasting the advanced prompt below, you should edit the items in orange to suit your context. Remember you should always review AI outputs for accuracy. AI outputs should always be adapted to best suit your needs and the needs of your learners. 

Basic prompt:

‘Give me learning intentions and success criteria for a lesson on [[Topic]]‘ 

.

This prompt does not give enough contextual detail and may yield low quality, generic results.

Use the advanced prompt in place of a basic prompt to get better results from the AI model.

Advanced prompt:

You are an expert [[STAGE OR SUBJECT]] teacher in the Scottish education system skilled in developing detailed learning intentions and success criteria that are meaningfully connected to learning outcomes for your students. Your task is to generate a list of [[NUMBER]] learning intentions and their linked success criteria for my [[STAGE AND SUBJECT]] class on [[TOPIC]] focused on [[INSERT SPECIFIC TARGET SKILL, LEARNING OR AREA OF THE TOPIC]]. Each learning intention should begin with ‘I can’ and use a Bloom’s Taxonomy classification of educational learning objectives. Each success criteria should begin with ‘I have’ and give a clear, tangible action, product or goal that will show they have met the learning intention. Align to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. 

.

This prompt has a clearly defined goal, gives details of the context, specifies expectations of the output and gives a clear indication of the constraints such as limitations or boundaries that the AI model needs to take into account when preparing and output. 

 

Example:

Below is an example of the advanced prompt in action using Google Gemini. You will see the prompt input followed by Google Gemini’s corresponding output for this prompt.

Prompt (what we input to Google Gemini):

You are an expert Primary 5 teacher in the Scottish education system skilled in developing detailed learning intentions and success criteria that are meaningfully connected to learning outcomes for your students. Your task is to generate a list of 3 learning intentions and their linked success criteria for my Primary 5 class for a lesson on The Titanic focused on the class system operated on the ship. Each learning intention should begin with ‘I can’ and use a Bloom’s Taxonomy classification of educational learning objectives. Each success criteria should begin with ‘I have’ and give a clear, tangible action, product or goal that will show they have met the learning intention. Align to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. 

.

Gemini Output (what Google Gemini responded with):

Here are 3 learning intentions and their linked success criteria for a Primary 5 lesson on the Titanic’s class system, aligned with Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence:

Topic: The Titanic – The Class System Curriculum Area: Social Studies (People, past events and societies)

---

1. Learning Intention (Bloom’s: Understanding): I can describe the different social classes present on the Titanic.

   • Success Criteria: I have identified at least three distinct social classes (e.g., First Class, Second Class, Third Class/Steerage) and can explain a key characteristic of each.

2. Learning Intention (Bloom’s: Analysing): I can explain how a person’s social class on the Titanic impacted their experience and opportunities on board.

   • Success Criteria: I have given at least two examples of how a person’s class influenced their living conditions, access to facilities, or chances of survival on the ship.

3. Learning Intention (Bloom’s: Evaluating): I can express an opinion on whether the class system on the Titanic was fair, providing reasons for my viewpoint.

   • Success Criteria: I have clearly stated my opinion on the fairness of the class system and supported it with at least two relevant reasons or pieces of evidence from our learning.

This prompt is for generating lesson plan(s) ideas which have digital learning embedded into them. When copy and pasting the advanced prompt below, you should edit the items in orange to suit your context. Remember you should always review AI outputs for accuracy. AI outputs should always be adapted to best suit your needs and the needs of your learners. 

Basic prompt:

‘Generate a lesson plan on [[ TOPIC ]] for my [[ STAGE OR SUBJECT ]] class.’ 

.

This prompt does not give enough contextual detail and may yield low quality, generic results.

Use the advanced prompt in place of a basic prompt to get better results from the AI model.

Advanced prompt:

You are an expert [[STAGE OR SUBJECT]] teacher in the Scottish education system. You are proficient in creating engaging, well-developed and effective lesson plan(s) for your learners. Your task is to come up with ideas for [[NUMBER]] lesson(s) in our unit on [[TOPIC]]. The lesson plans should be [[NUMBER]] minutes each and should [[LINK TO THE PREVIOUS LESSON OR STAND ALONE]]. The lesson(s) should focus on [[SPECIFIC CONTENT OR ELEMENTS OF THE TOPIC]]. Each lesson should be engaging and appropriate for [[AGE OR STAGE]] learners in Scotland. Each lesson should be aligned to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and should include: learning intentions and success criteria; a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes direct instruction, an engaging activity or activities, active learning opportunities if appropriate and it should close with a synthesis/summary of student learning plenary activity. Include a list of any materials I need to deliver the lesson, suggested timings for each activity and build in opportunities for formative assessment of learning using AiFL techniques or strategies and Include interdisciplinary learning links where possible. I have access to [[A CLASS COMPUTER AND PROJECTOR]]. My learners have access to [[1:1 OR SHARED iPADS]] and use [[MICROSOFT TEAMS OR GOOGLE CLASSROOM]] as their virtual learning environment – take this into account when planning.

.

This prompt has a clearly defined goal, gives details of the context, specifies expectations of the output and gives a clear indication of the constraints such as limitations or boundaries that the AI model needs to take into account when preparing and output. You should edit the items in orange to suit your context.

 

Example:

Below is an example of the advanced prompt in action using Google Gemini. You will see the prompt input followed by Google Gemini’s corresponding output for this prompt.

Prompt (what we input to Google Gemini):

You are an expert English teacher in the Scottish education system. You are proficient in creating engaging, well-developed and effective lesson plans for your learners. Your task is to come up with ideas for 1 lesson(s) in our unit on The Merchant of Venice. The lesson plan should be 40 minutes and should stand alone. The lesson(s) should focus on: the revision of the key plot points and characters involved in the central conflict of the play. Each lesson should be engaging and appropriate for S3 students in Scotland. Each lesson should be aligned to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and should include: learning intentions and success criteria; a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes direct instruction, an engaging activity or activities, active learning opportunities if appropriate and close with a synthesis/summary of student learning plenary activity. Include a list of any materials I need to deliver the lesson. Include suggested timings for each activity. Build in opportunities for formative assessment of learning using AiFL techniques or strategies. Include interdisciplinarly learning where possible. I have access to a class computer and projector. My learners have access to 1:1 iPads and use Google Classroom as their virtual learning environment – take this into account when planning.

.

Gemini Output (what Google Gemini responded with):

Here is a standalone 40-minute lesson plan for S3 students, focusing on revising the key plot points and characters involved in the central conflict of The Merchant of Venice, leveraging 1:1 iPads and Google Classroom.

---

Lesson: Conflict Unpacked – Plot & Players in The Merchant of Venice

Duration: 40 minutes Curriculum for Excellence Links:

• Literacy: LIT 3-02a (Understanding, analysing and evaluating literary texts – focusing on plot and character), LIT 3-04a (Engaging with texts to explore themes, characters and setting).

• Social Studies (Interdisciplinary Learning): SOC 3-03a (Understanding the role of law and justice in society; exploring historical context of Venice as a trade city and the societal attitudes of the time).

Learning Intentions:

• We are learning to recall and sequence the main plot points of The Merchant of Venice.

• We are learning to identify and describe the key characters involved in the play’s central conflict.

Success Criteria:

• I can accurately place at least 8 out of 10 key plot events in chronological order on a digital timeline.

• I can correctly match at least 4 out of 5 key characters to their primary role in the central conflict.

• I can articulate one key plot point and one key character from the central conflict.

Key Vocabulary:

• Plot: The sequence of events in a narrative.

• Chronological: Arranged in the order of time.

• Conflict: The main problem or struggle in a story (e.g., between characters, or ideas).

• Resolution: The way the main conflict is settled at the end of a story.

• Bond: A formal, often legally binding, agreement for a loan.

• Usury: The practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of interest.

• Prejudice: Preconceived opinion not based on reason or actual experience.

• Justice: Fair treatment according to the law.

• Mercy: Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone.

• Verdict: The decision made in a court of law.

• Character: A person represented in a story.

Materials:

• Class computer connected to a projector/smartboard

• Student iPads (1:1)

• Google Classroom (for sharing all digital resources and assignments)

• Digital “Plot & Character Timeline” Template: A Google Slides presentation (shared as “make a copy for each student” in Google Classroom) with:

  • Slide 1: Instructions.

  • Slides 2-11: Jumbled key plot events (one event per slide, with a blank space for students to add a character name).

  • Slide 12: A simple drag-and-drop character matching activity (e.g., character names to brief descriptions of their role in the conflict).

  • Google Form for the “Character Connection Quiz” and “Exit Ticket.”

Lesson Outline:

1. Hook & Introduction (5 minutes): What’s the Core?

   • Hook (Digital Poll via Google Classroom): Project the question: “In one word, what is the biggest ‘problem’ or ‘fight’ in The Merchant of Venice?” Students use their iPads to submit their answer to a quick Google Classroom “Question” post.

   • Briefly review responses, guiding them towards the “bond” and the “conflict between Shylock and Antonio.”

   • Direct Instruction: Explain that today’s lesson is a fast-paced revision to solidify their understanding of the central conflict by revisiting the key plot points and the characters who drive them. This is crucial for deeper analysis later.

2. Active Learning Activity 1 (15 minutes): Digital Plot & Character Timeline Challenge

   • Google Classroom Setup: Students open their individual copy of the “Digital Plot & Character Timeline” Google Slides presentation from Google Classroom.

   • Task: “Your first challenge is to put the jumbled plot events on your slides into the correct chronological order. Once you’ve ordered them, for each event, identify the main character(s) involved in that specific plot point and type their name(s) into the designated space on the slide.”

     • Active Learning: Encourage students to discuss with a partner (Think-Pair-Share) if they are unsure about the order or characters. They can use the annotation tools on their iPads to highlight key phrases within the event descriptions.

     • IDL Connection: As they work, prompt them to consider: “How does Venice’s identity as a bustling trade city (IDL: Social Studies) make this specific conflict (the bond) possible?”

3. Active Learning Activity 2 (10 minutes): Character Connection Quiz

   • Google Classroom Setup: Once most students have made good progress on the timeline, direct them to a new Google Form quiz posted in Google Classroom.

   • Task: “Now, test your knowledge! Complete this short ‘Character Connection Quiz’ to see how well you can link characters to their roles in the central conflict.”

     • AiFL (Immediate Feedback): The Google Form should be set up to provide immediate feedback on correct/incorrect answers, allowing students to self-assess their understanding of character roles.

     • Example Questions:

       • “Who demands the ‘pound of flesh’?” (Multiple choice: Antonio, Bassanio, Shylock, Portia)

       • “Which character disguises herself as a lawyer to save Antonio?”

       • “Who is the merchant who borrows money from Shylock?”

       • “Who is Bassanio’s friend, for whom he needs money?”

       • “Which character elopes with Lorenzo, taking some of Shylock’s wealth?”

4. Synthesis/Summary & Plenary (10 minutes): Conflict Check-Out

   • Review & Discussion: Briefly review the correct answers to the Character Connection Quiz on the projector. Ask students if any questions surprised them or if they learned something new.

   • Plenary Activity (Digital Exit Ticket via Google Form): Students open a final Google Form (linked in Google Classroom) for the “Conflict Check-Out.”

     • Task:

       1. “Name one key plot point from the central conflict that you now feel confident explaining.”

       2. “Name one key character from the central conflict and briefly describe their role.”

       3. “What is one question you still have about the central conflict or the characters involved?”

     • AiFL: Collect these responses digitally. This provides a quick, individual assessment of learning and identifies any lingering misconceptions or areas for future lessons.

 

Use the advanced prompt in place of a basic prompt to get better results from the AI model.

Advanced prompt:

You are an expert [[STAGE OR SUBJECT]] teacher in the Scottish education system. You are proficient in creating engaging, well-developed and effective lesson plan(s) for your learners. Your task is to come up with ideas for [[NUMBER]] lesson(s) in our unit on [[TOPIC]]. The lesson plans should be [[NUMBER]] minutes each and should [[LINK TO THE PREVIOUS LESSON OR STAND ALONE]]. The lesson(s) should focus on [[SPECIFIC CONTENT OR ELEMENTS OF THE TOPIC]]. Each lesson should be engaging and appropriate for [[AGE OR STAGE]] learners in Scotland. Each lesson should be aligned to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and should include: learning intentions and success criteria; a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes direct instruction, an engaging activity or activities, active learning opportunities if appropriate and it should close with a synthesis/summary of student learning plenary activity. Include a list of any materials I need to deliver the lesson, suggested timings for each activity and build in opportunities for formative assessment of learning using AiFL techniques or strategies and Include interdisciplinary learning links where possible.

.

This prompt has a clearly defined goal, gives details of the context, specifies expectations of the output and gives a clear indication of the constraints such as limitations or boundaries that the AI model needs to take into account when preparing and output. You should edit the items in orange to suit your context.

Example:

Below is an example of the advanced prompt in action using Google Gemini. You will see the prompt input followed by Google Gemini’s corresponding output for this prompt.

Prompt (what we input to Google Gemini):

You are an expert primary seven teacher in the Scottish education system. You are proficient in creating engaging, well-developed and effective lesson plan(s) for your learners. Your task is to come up with ideas for one lesson(s) in our unit on creative writing. The lesson plans should be 45 minutes each and should stand alone. The lesson(s) should focus on how to develop character and setting within a short story. Each lesson should be engaging and appropriate for primary 7 learners in Scotland. Each lesson should be aligned to Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and should include: learning intentions and success criteria; a list of key vocabulary; a lesson outline that includes direct instruction, an engaging activity or activities, active learning opportunities if appropriate and it should close with a synthesis/summary of student learning plenary activity. Include a list of any materials I need to deliver the lesson, suggested timings for each activity and build in opportunities for formative assessment of learning using AiFL techniques or strategies and Include interdisciplinary learning links where possible.

 

Gemini Output (what Google Gemini responded with):

Here is a 45-minute stand-alone lesson plan for Primary 7 students on developing character and setting within a short story, designed for the Scottish education system.

 

Creative Writing: Bringing Characters and Settings to Life!

 

Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes:

• LIT 2-20a / LIT 3-20a: I can plan, draft, and revise my writing, choosing appropriate vocabulary and structures to convey my ideas effectively.

• LIT 2-26a / LIT 3-26a: I can create a well-structured and developed piece of writing, using appropriate language and features of the genre.

• EXA 2-03a / EXA 3-03a (Art & Design): I can explore and express ideas and feelings through art, developing skills in visual representation.

Learning Intentions:

• To understand how to create believable and interesting characters for a short story.

• To learn how to use sensory details to make a story’s setting vivid and engaging.

Success Criteria:

• I can describe a character using at least three personality traits and one physical detail.

• I can use at least three different sensory details (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) to describe a setting.

• I can explain how a setting can affect a character or the mood of a story.

Key Vocabulary:

• Character: The people (or animals/creatures) in a story.

• Setting: Where and when a story takes place.

• Description: Using words to paint a picture for the reader.

• Traits: Special qualities or features of a character’s personality (e.g., brave, shy, mischievous).

• Motivation: Why a character does what they do.

• Sensory Details: Words that appeal to our five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste).

• Atmosphere/Mood: The feeling or emotion a setting creates.

Materials:

• Whiteboard or flip chart

• Markers/pens

• A selection of interesting, diverse pictures projected onto the board (e.g., an old, wise-looking person; a bustling market; a mysterious forest; a futuristic city).

• Small slips of paper or mini whiteboards for quick writes.

• Pens/pencils

• Optional: Character profile worksheet (simple template with sections for appearance, personality, motivation, etc.)

Lesson Outline (45 Minutes):

1. Welcome and Introduction: What Makes a Story POP? (5 minutes)

• Direct Instruction: Greet the class and introduce the lesson’s focus: making stories exciting and real through strong characters and settings. Write the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria clearly on the board.

• Engaging Activity: “Story Spark” – Project a single intriguing image (e.g., an old, weathered door in a brick wall). Ask: “What kind of story might happen behind this door? Who might live here? What does it feel like?”

• AiFL: Listen to initial ideas. This helps gauge prior knowledge about character and setting elements.

2. Crafting Characters: More Than Just a Name! (15 minutes)

• Direct Instruction: Explain that great characters feel real. We don’t just tell the reader what they’re like; we showthem.

  • Appearance: What do they look like? (e.g., “His hair was the colour of burnt toast,” not just “He had brown hair.”)

  • Personality/Traits: Are they kind, grumpy, adventurous? How do we show this? (e.g., “She always offered to help,” not “She was kind.”)

  • Motivation: What do they want? Why do they do things?

• Engaging Activity: “Mystery Character Quick Write” –

  1. Project a picture of an interesting person (e.g., an elderly woman with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, a young boy with a determined frown).

  2. Give students 3 minutes to quickly jot down notes about this character. Encourage them to think beyond just appearance:

     • What’s their name?

     • What are three personality traits they have?

     • What is one thing they really want or are trying to do?

     • What’s one small action they might do that shows their personality?

  3. Active Learning: Students are actively brainstorming and applying the “show, don’t tell” concept.

• AiFL: Ask a few students to share one interesting detail about their character. “Thumbs up/down/sideways” check: “Give me a thumbs up if you feel confident you can think of a personality trait for a character without just saying ‘they are…'”

3. Building Settings: Painting with Words (15 minutes)

• Direct Instruction: Explain that setting is more than just a place; it’s an experience! We use our senses to bring it to life.

  • Sight: What do you see? (Colours, shapes, light/shadow).

  • Sound: What do you hear? (Whispers, roars, silence, music).

  • Smell: What do you smell? (Fresh bread, damp earth, smoke).

  • Touch: What can you feel? (Rough stone, soft carpet, cold wind).

  • Taste: (Less common, but possible for food-related settings).

  • Atmosphere/Mood: How does the setting make you feel? (Spooky, cosy, exciting, lonely).

• Engaging Activity: “Sensory Setting Challenge” –

  1. Project a picture of a distinct setting (e.g., a dark, spooky forest; a bright, bustling city park; a quiet, dusty old library).

  2. Challenge students to describe this setting using at least one detail for three different senses.

  3. Give them 4 minutes to write their descriptions on their slips of paper/mini whiteboards.

  4. Active Learning: Students are applying sensory details to a specific setting.

• AiFL: Ask pairs to share their favourite sensory detail from each other’s writing. Teacher can quickly scan mini whiteboards for evidence of sensory detail use.

4. Synthesis/Summary Plenary: Character Meets Setting (8 minutes)

• Direct Instruction: Bring the class back together. “Now, let’s put our characters into our settings!”

• Plenary Activity: “Character in a Setting” –

  1. Ask students to pick one character idea they brainstormed earlier and one setting idea.

  2. On a new slip of paper, challenge them to write just one sentence that shows their character interacting with their setting, using both character detail and sensory setting detail.

     • Example: “The mischievous old woman, her eyes twinkling like distant stars, tiptoed through the creaking, shadowy library, a faint scent of old paper and dust tickling her nose.”

  3. Active Learning: Students are synthesising both character and setting development.

• AiFL: Collect the slips of paper as “exit tickets.” Read a few aloud (anonymously) and highlight examples of strong character and setting details. This provides a quick check on overall understanding.

5. Wrap-up (2 minutes)

• Quickly revisit the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. Ask students to reflect: “What was one new thing you learned about creating characters or settings today?”

• Briefly mention that in the next lesson, they’ll continue to build on these skills to plan their own short stories.

Interdisciplinary Learning Links:

• Art & Design: Encourage students to draw or sketch their characters and settings. Discuss how artists use details, colour, and light to create mood.

• Drama: Discuss how actors develop a character (their voice, movements, expressions) and how a set designer creates a setting on stage. Students could briefly act out a character’s trait.

• Social Studies: When discussing settings, consider how historical periods or different cultures might influence how a place looks, feels, and the people who live there.