This year 3/4 Black Lives themed unit of work is based on Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker. Counting on Katherine tells the extraordinary tale of Katherine Johnson, a young mathematical genius who faced terrible segregation throughout her life. This true story recounts how Katherine’s boundless curiosity, skill and determination eventually led her to become one of NASA’s most prominent mathematicians.

Our mixed age planning was written to support a variety of school settings.  From one mixed age class to a school with several mixed age classes, the planning can be flexibly adapted using a range of cycles to suit. Cycles of mixed age planning are available for years 1/2, 3 /4, 4/5 and 5/6. They have been carefully thought out to ensure progression and coverage of skills for each of the year groups whilst retaining high quality texts suitable for the age range. We are always happy to advise on different configurations of classes and how Pathways to Write can be adapted to suit any circumstance.

The unit comprises 15 sessions of English planning and focuses on mastering key writing skills (grammar, vocabulary and punctuation) from the national curriculum. Opportunities to develop reading comprehension, writing composition and spoken language skills are also woven throughout the unit.

Mastery Skills:

• Expand noun phrases by the addition of modifying adjectives, nouns and prepositional phrases
• Use fronted adverbials
• Use paragraphs to organise information and ideas around a theme (to organise and sequence more extended narrative structures)
• Choose nouns or pronouns appropriately for clarity and cohesion and to avoid repetition
• Use commas after fronted adverbials

Short writing opportunities:

• Description
• Character description
• Diary
• Letter of application
• Dialogue
• Biography
• Letter

Resources: PowerPoints, lesson planning and abridged methodology.

This Black Lives themed collection of units aligns with skills and progression covered in Pathways to Write, Autumn 1.

This unit can be used individually or as part of a whole-school themed project with our other units on this theme.

The supporting texts for the units of work can be purchased at Peters Ltd at 30% off the RRP price of the books*:
Please contact Oonagh Towse oonagh.towse@peters.co.uk 07815 557646
Or, place your order online using discount code ‘LITCO30’ Click here for details
*You will receive 30% discount off the RRP on the vast majority of books ordered for the Pathways to Read and Pathways to Write programmes. Items excluded from this offer: book packs, plus short discount items (a small number of academic titles, big books, and audio titles). This offer may not be used in conjunction with any other promotion.

If you are an existing Pathways to Write school and wish to order any additional units, please complete the order form above to access your Pathways Literacy discounted prices.