Free English / Writing / Early years / A caption: I can see a...

Writing · Early years · Nursery and Reception · Unit 3 of 4 · Caption

A caption: I can see a...

Children say a whole sentence about their picture, hold it on their fingers and write it down word by word.

5sessions

15 to 20minutes each

Receptionages 4 to 6

pre-CEFRCEFR

By the end

Children write one caption that begins I can see and can be read by someone else, with spaces between words.

How the unit runs

5 sessions, 8 parts

Every writing unit follows the same eight parts: read, talk, learn the sentence skill, plan, write together, write alone, check, publish. This unit fits them into 5 sessions of about 15 to 20 minutes.

Session	Parts	What happens
Session 1	Part 1: Read and enjoy + Part 2: Talk it	Read and enjoy "From the bus window". Find 3 features to notice. Oral rehearsal games: Say it again, Finger words, Spot the missing word.
Session 2	Part 3: Sentence skill	Teach the sentence skill: Say it, hold it, write it.
Session 3	Part 4: Plan + Part 5: Shared write	Plan on the frame: my caption. The teacher models the writing, thinking aloud.
Session 4	Part 6: Independent write	Children write independently, with support and stretch.
Session 5	Part 7: Check + Part 8: Publish	Check against the success criteria and the editing checklist. Publish for a real reader on the printable template.

Curriculum link. EYFS Writing ELG: write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others. Year 1 composition (for children ready): say out loud what they are going to write about and compose a sentence orally before writing it. Sources: see the end of this page.

Part 1 of 8

Read and enjoy a model text

Read it aloud first, or press the button. Talk about what the writer has done before anyone writes. This text was written for Litlings and is free to copy for your class.

From the bus window · Caption

I can see a big red bus. I can see a small blue car. I can see a tall green tree. I can see a yellow sun.

What to notice

I can see aThe same start repeats, which makes it easy to remember.
big red busA word or two before the noun tells the reader more.
Four sentencesEach sentence says one thing. Count the words on your fingers.

Part 2 of 8

Talk it: oral rehearsal

Talk comes before writing. Children say the sentences, then the paragraph, before the pencil moves.

Say it again

The adult says a sentence about the picture. Children repeat it exactly three times: whisper, normal, big voice.

Finger words

Say a sentence and put up a finger for each word. How many words? Swap partners and try a new sentence.

Spot the missing word

Say a sentence with a missing word: I can see a ___ bus. Children whisper-guess and choose the best word.

Part 3 of 8

Sentence skill: Say it, hold it, write it

Say a whole sentence, hold it in your head on your fingers, then write one word at a time.

Teach it in four steps

Say the sentence: I can see a bus.
Count the words on your fingers: five.
Write the first word. Touch the next finger. Say the sentence again from the start to find the next word.
Leave a finger space between words. Read it back, pointing.

Examples

Start	Becomes or shows
I can see a bus.	five words, five fingers
I can see a big bus.	six words: add one finger
I see sun.	Say it in a full sentence first: I can see the sun.

Practise: Say it, hold it, write it

Part 4 of 8

Plan: My caption

Draw a picture. Say your sentence. Write it under your picture. Children say each part aloud to a partner first, then jot notes. Type here, or print the frame to use on paper. It prints on one A4 page.

My pictureDraw something you can see.

Draw this part on paper, or print the frame and draw in the box.

My sentence, said out loudAn adult writes your sentence here.My captionI can see a ___.

Download PDF

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Part 5 of 8

Shared write: the teacher models

A script for the teacher. Think aloud, make the choices visible, and make one deliberate slip to fix.

Dodraw a bus with a big red body.
SayI will say my sentence before I write: I can see a big red bus. Say it with me.
Dohold up five or six fingers as you say each word, then touch the first finger.
Dowrite I, leave a finger space, write can. Say the whole sentence again each time.
Sayoops, I forgot the finger space. Let me fix it. Spaces help the reader.
Saynow you. Say your sentence three times, count it on your fingers, then write.

Part 6 of 8

Independent write

The task

Draw a picture of something you can see outside. Write a caption that starts I can see a.

Sentence starters

I can see a ___.
I can see the ___.
I can see two ___.

Word bank

I
can
see
a
big
small
red
blue
green

Support

Give a sentence strip with I can see a already written to copy. Children add their own word.

Stretch

Write two captions, or add a describing word: I can see a tall tree.

English as an additional or foreign language. Teach the pattern I can see a ___ with real objects first. Children repeat it chorally before writing.

Part 7 of 8

Check: success criteria and editing

Children read their writing aloud, tick what they have done and fix what they have not. Ticks are saved on this device only.

Success criteria

I can say my sentence before I write it.I can write each word with a space between.I can read my caption to a friend.I can add a describing word.

Editing checklist

Did I say it before I wrote it?Does my caption start with I?Are there spaces between the words?Does it match my picture?

Printable Early years editing checklist

Part 8 of 8

Publish for a real reader

Photocopy the captions into a class book called Our Class Can See. Send a copy home so children can read it to family.

Printable template: Picture and writing page

One A4 page, blank for handwriting. Print from the browser or download the PDF.

Download PDF

Keep going

In this course

Elsewhere on the site

Sources

Curriculum statements are paraphrased from the documents above. Model texts and activities are original to Litlings.