Your Year 2 students are already storytellers — they just need the structure to go from scattered memory to a polished, illustrated mini-book. This unit takes them from “I don’t know what to write” to “I AM AN AUTHOR” in 12 lessons, finishing with their own 7-page mini-book read aloud at the Author’s Chair.

Twelve 35-minute lessons across three weeks. The same 9-slide structure every day so students build the routine fast. Speaker notes on every slide. Full lesson plans for every lesson. Open Monday morning and teach.

Note: This unit is aligned to the Australian Curriculum v9.0 and is suitable for Year 2 teachers across all Australian states and territories — NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, NT, ACT, and TAS.

WHAT’S INCLUDED
✓ 108-slide lesson deck — 12 lessons, 9 slides each, with detailed speaker notes (PPTX + PDF)
✓ Heart Map worksheet — brainstorm people, places, and moments to find the right story idea
✓ 5-Part Story Plan — quick-sketch Beginning, Problem, Try, Solve, and Ending before drafting
✓ Mini-Book template — 7-page student book (Cover + 5 story pages + About-the-Author back page)
✓ Sensory Detail Bank — organised by See, Hear, and Feel to help students show rather than tell
✓ Editing Checklist — capitals, finger spaces, periods, spelling, and author’s signature
✓ Student rubric — 4 criteria: Story Shape, Details, Sentences, Conventions / 16 pts total
✓ 13-page unit overview — cover page and one lesson per page with timing, materials, and conferring prompts
✓ 3-page summative task — student task brief, self-assessment checklist, and teacher assessment guide
✓ Editable parent letter — introduces the unit, explains the mini-book, and invites Author’s Chair celebration (DOCX)
✓ Product cover JPG

THE THINK · TELL · WRITE FRAMEWORK
Every lesson follows the same three-step structure: Think through the story, Tell it to a partner, then Write it on the page. This sequence builds oral language as a genuine writing rehearsal tool. Students who tell their story first write more confidently, with more detail, and with a stronger sense of audience.

YEAR 2 NARRATIVE WRITING SKILLS TAUGHT
Identifying the 5-part story shape: Beginning, Problem, Try, Solve, Ending
Choosing one small, true moment to write about using the Heart Map
Writing strong leads: action, sound, or feeling openings that pull the reader in
Drafting 3 sentences per story page with consistent structure
Adding sensory details: See, Hear, and Feel to show character experience
Writing strong endings with a feeling and a final image
Editing for capitals, finger spaces, periods, and best-try spelling
Reading a finished mini-book aloud with voice and expression at the Author’s Chair