This term in LKS2, we have been learning about Traditional Tales. The children will write their own version of a traditional tale making sure they change certain elements of the tale to turn into a tale of their own.
Writing an alternative ending to a traditional tale is a great way to give primary age children a chance to practise story-writing using an existing story structure, character models and story language. Children are given a well-known story (meaning that they are familiar with the existing content and story language) and are tasked with editing selected features of the tale, such as character traits and key events. The resulting story usually finishes with an ending that contrasts with the original. Using familiar stories as a basis for writing means that lesson focus can be placed on the trickier details of story-writing, such as direct speech or descriptive language, rather than on building a whole story arc from scratch. Creating an alternative ending to a story like Little Red Riding hood involves deconstructing the characters and plot to discover why the story ended the way that it did. Children can then choose to change specific details and decide how they feel the story would continue from that point onward. It is a good idea to allow children to cherry-pick, or 'magpie’, phrases and sentences from the original story to scaffold their own writing, as it will help them to maintain the rhythmic story language so often associated with traditional tales.
Direct speech and writing in the past tense are two fundamental skills that they have been practising. These are some useful links:
Oak National Academy - Direct and Reported Speech
Oak National Academy - To revise Speech Punctuation
Oak National Academy - Past and Present tense