Primary 3 Composition on a family outing

In the month of December we worked on the Introduction part of writing. Most students, especially at the ages of 8 and 9 have a number of ideas for stories but usually tell me at the start of every composition, “Teacher, I don’t know how to begin.” So we took the time to begin every composition by discussing about the Setting of the story, e.g. school canteen, the beach, and using our 5 senses to describe what we can see, hear smell, taste and feel. Below is an example of a composition writing on a family outing.

In the month of January, we are working on using more complex Vocabulary to describe feelings. For example words such as ‘happy’, ‘sad’ or ‘excited’ are not accepted. The children are expected to use words such as ‘overjoyed’, ‘walking on air’, ‘down in the mouth’.

We are also reviewing The Simple Past Tense as many students make tense mistakes in their writing.

As this is a mixed class, the P4s are asked to write more words than the P3s and are less guided in certain sections of the Planning. The whole class uses P4 Grammar, Vocabulary and Comprehension Practices. This is motivating for those students who enjoy the challenge. At the same time, all the exercises are explained thoroughly.

Example of a P3 composition writing – Theme: A family outing

Pictures:

A Happy Family/ Someone Crying/Parents looking worried

Introduction

(What did you see/smell/feel/taste?)

Problem

• It was soon lunch time
• Stomachs rumbling
• Parents decided to buy some food at the nearby food stand
• They reminded you to watch your little sister
• Felt annoyed that you could not go off on your own
• Quarreled with your sister, shouting insults at each other
• Stomped off
• Little did you know that she had wandered off
• Realized only when parents returned

Describe your feelings

Solution

• Spread out to search for her
• Calling her name frantically but to no avail
• Father went to the Information Counter
• Mother began to weep uncontrollably
• Just as father took out his mobile to call the police,

Ending

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Idioms describing Joy

• Jump for joy
• Over the moon
• Walking on air

Idioms describing fear

• Panic rose in me like a tidal wave
• Heart started to beat wildly