Exciting and engaging writing activity

[Guest]

I've got an interview for a recpetion teaching post this week and the focus is writing. I have to teach whole class and for 30 mins max. I need the activity to really engage the children and to be something simple but fun... Any ideas? I thought possible writiing postcards?

 

Thanks in advance! :blink:

[Guest]

or set up a scenario with a poorly bear leading to Get Well Soon messages?

[millhill]

I had an interview with a writing focus last month.

I put a soft toy in a packaging box and addressed it to the class. Inside I put a letter written on A3 paper from 'Woody and Buzz' (Toy Story). The letter asked the children to look after the toy as there was not enough room at Bonnie's house (the little girl in TS3). It asked the children to write a letter back telling them what exciting activities the toy could do in the class.

I asked the children about their favourite activities and chose one suggestion for the shared writing part.

I then had to do guided writing with 4 children. I asked them to go around the class and show me their favourite activities we took a photo of them then went to write the letters. I provided A4 paper with a photo of the toy as the letter head and they were very keen to write their letters.

Then I put them in an envelope and said I would send them off.

The best bit was when 2 children had decided to come and write their letters independently and wanted to take the soft toy around the classroom.

The lesson went very well, the head teacher said it was very impressive and I got the job (Reception teacher, EYFS Leader and SLT). I can't wait to start in September.

I let the children keep the toy!

 

If you are interested, I have the lesson plan.

 

Good Luck!

Edited April 14, 2013 by millhill

[Guest]

I had an interview with a writing focus last month.

I put a soft toy in a packaging box and addressed it to the class. Inside I put a letter written on A3 paper from 'Woody and Buzz' (Toy Story). The letter asked the children to look after the toy as there was not enough room at Bonnie's house (the little girl in TS3). It asked the children to write a letter back telling them what exciting activities the toy could do in the class.

I asked the children about their favourite activities and chose one suggestion for the shared writing part.

I then had to do guided writing with 4 children. I asked them to go around the class and show me their favourite activities we took a photo of them then went to write the letters. I provided A4 paper with a photo of the toy as the letter head and they were very keen to write their letters.

Then I put them in an envelope and said I would send them off.

The best bit was when 2 children had decided to come and write their letters independently and wanted to take the soft toy around the classroom.

The lesson went very well, the head teacher said it was very impressive and I got the job (Reception teacher, EYFS Leader and SLT). I can't wait to start in September.

I let the children keep the toy!

 

If you are interested, I have the lesson plan.

 

Good Luck!

The lesson plan would be briliant so yes please! Its sounds exactly the sort of activity i was looking for. Ive been round the houses trying to think outside the box if you know what i mean as I'm sure a postcard etc are very common activieites.

 

Thanks so much for your help. Any other tips would also be gratefully recieved as its exactly the same post. I have taught reception but its been 2 years as ive been teaching Nursery class and am really hoiping to have the opportunity to return to reception! I'm going through job description and spec trying to think of sort of questions and responses too.

 

Thanks again x

Edited June 4, 2013 by Guest
Removed email address from public view

[Guest]

Hi I know this is really cheeky but could I have a copy of your lesson plan too?

 

Thanks ever so much.

[millhill]

If you send me a PM with your email address, I will forward it on to you.

[Guest LornaW]

Many congratulations millhill you deserve your promotion that activity was so exciting!

 

LornaW

[Guest]

Hi Millhill,

Your lesson sounds great... I have an interview next week - I have to do a 35 min lesson with a literacy focus. I really like the sound of your lesson. Would you mind emailing me a copy too?

Thanks

[millhill]

If you send me a PM with your email address, I will send it to you.

[jasminerose]

Hi, I recently went for an interview for a Year 1 class, I did not get the job, but apparently was very close and somebody else had more experience. but it went like this:

I read the book 'Meerkat Mail' which is an excellent book about a Meerkat called Sunny and his adventures around the world. I also took in a toy Meerkat which stood at the front with me while I read the story. the children were very engaged and asked lots of questions throughout. the story involves 'Sunny' the Meerkat writing postcards home to his family and there are examples of these in the book. After the story we talked about why someone would need or want to send postcards. we then moved to a table and I gave out plain postcards and asked the children to remember their favourite part of Sunny's journey and to write it down on their postcard. I had some lovely writing and varied interesting comments, including some things from the story that I hadn't noticed, such as the wolf hiding! I let the children keep their postcards to take home, as the children were leaving the class, one of them asked me excitedly when i would be coming again. I took that with me as a success even though I did not get the job ! This story could also lead to other areas of the curriculum and you could easily get quite a few weeks out of it, such as exploring flags of the world, foods of the world etc. I would probably use this activity again for another interview and will let you know how it goes.

[SueFinanceManager]

The lesson plan would be briliant so yes please! Its sounds exactly the sort of activity i was looking for. Ive been round the houses trying to think outside the box if you know what i mean as I'm sure a postcard etc are very common activieites.

 

Thanks so much for your help. Any other tips would also be gratefully recieved as its exactly the same post. I have taught reception but its been 2 years as ive been teaching Nursery class and am really hoiping to have the opportunity to return to reception! I'm going through job description and spec trying to think of sort of questions and responses too.

 

Thanks again x

 

Hi tansherb and welcome to the forum

 

Just to say I edited your post and removed your email address just as a privacy issue. If you want to contact other forum members it is best to use the 'PM' system. PM stands for personal message and all you need to do is hover over the nae of the person you wish to PM and you will see a dropdown box which includes the option 'Send Message'. Just click and then you can email via the internal forum system.

 

Hope that helps for future reference and do just ask if you have other questions about using the site by either PMing me or on admin@eyfs.info

 

Best wishes

Sue

Admin Team