51ºÚÁÏ

Fully resourced poetry unit exploring senses, fireworks, and onomatopoeia | Ideal for October and November lessons

This fully planned writing unit is ideal for Year 1 pupils in the run-up to Bonfire Night. Across five engaging lessons, children will explore senses, onomatopoeia, and descriptive language to build up to a final senses poem. Starting with a cold write and culminating in a polished piece of poetry, this unit is packed with opportunities for performance, expression, and creative language development.

What’s included:
✔ 5 easy-to-follow PowerPoints
✔ 5 detailed lesson plans with clear learning objectives
✔ Senses worksheet for vocabulary development
✔ High-ability poetry writing frame to support differentiation

Lesson sequence:

1. Write a Poem (Cold Write) – Children write an initial Bonfire Night poem using sensory phrases and sentence-level skills
2. Perform a Poem – Learn lines, use expression, and explore onomatopoeia through poetry performance
3. Group Performance – Build fluency and confidence by performing poems with expression, intonation, and clear voices
4. Plan a Senses Poem – Use expanded noun phrases and sensory vocabulary to plan a descriptive Bonfire Night poem
5. Write a Final Poem – Children write their final piece, applying their learning from the week to create a ‘banger’ of a poem

Why this unit stands out:
✔ Ideal for exploring poetry, performance, and seasonal themes
✔ Created by an experienced English subject lead
✔ Tried and tested in real Year 1 classrooms
✔ Fully resourced for easy, low-prep teaching

Perfect for:

• October or November literacy sessions
• KS1 poetry and performance lessons
• Creative writing and sensory language development
• Whole-class, group, or guided writing sessions

Search terms: KS1 poetry | Year 1 Bonfire Night writing | senses poem | fireworks writing unit | onomatopoeia Year 1 | Bonfire Night literacy | outstanding writing lesson | KS1 English planning | firework safety poem | Key Stage 1 poem writing