Looking for a simple, classroom-ready recount writing activity for Year 1?

My First Recount is a free Ready2Teach English resource designed for a Year 1 Term 1 lesson on personal recounts. Students are guided to think about something that happened to them, talk about it with a partner, draw their ideas, sequence events using first, next, then and finally, and write a simple recount.

This mini pack is ideal for introducing early recount writing in a clear, low-pressure way. The pages use large student-friendly fonts, simple visuals, structured prompts and plenty of drawing space, making it suitable for young learners who are still developing confidence with writing.

What’s Included

This free resource includes:

Teacher notes with suggested lesson placement

Student recount planning page

Simple recount writing template

Drawing page to match the recount

Partner talk cards for oral language practice

Student editing and reflection checklist

Cut-out sequence cards for extra support

Prompts for who, where, what happened and how students felt

Sequence language support using first, next, then and finally

Perfect For

This resource is ideal for:

Year 1 English lessons

Term 1 recount writing

Oral language and partner talk

Literacy rotations or workstations

Introducing personal recounts

Early sentence writing

Small-group support

Independent writing practice

A free website download or lead magnet

Workstation Use

This resource works especially well with the Ready2Teach colour-coded workstation system:

Station

Suggested Use

Orange Station

Introduce personal recounts and model a short recount

Blue Station

Teacher supports oral rehearsal and sequencing

Yellow Station

Students use partner talk cards

Green Station

Students complete the planning and writing pages

Red Station

Students physically sequence recount ideas using cards or props

Purple Station

Students record themselves retelling their recount

White Station

Students act out the beginning, middle and end

File Format

Downloadable DOCX file

Editable, printable and ready to use in the classroom.

Literacy

FREE Year 1 English Resource: My First Recount