Stage 1 Writing: Information Report

Term:

Weeks: 1 10

Foundation Statement Students communicate with a wide range of people on familiar and introduced topics to achieve a variety of purposes. They interact effectively, adopting new speaking skills, in order to give confident oral presentations. They listen to instructions and share ideas with peers to complete tasks. Students recognise that spoken language has a range of purposes and audiences and use this knowledge when attempting to communicate effectively with others. They investigate the different types and organisational patterns of common spoken texts and recognise features within them. Students read and view short literary and factual texts, using an increasing variety of skills and strategies including context, grammar, word usage and phonics to make connections between their own experiences and information in texts. Students read, interpret and discuss texts, including visual and multimedia texts, using a range of skills and strategies. They explore and identify ways texts differ according to purpose, audience and subject and understand that people produce texts. Students recognise the basic structure and grammatical features of a limited range of text types. Students write simple literary and factual texts on familiar topics for known readers by planning and reviewing their writing. They write using basic grammatical features and conventions of punctuation, showing awareness of different purposes, audiences and subject matter. Students spell using knowledge of sight words, letter-sound correspondence and other strategies. They write using letters of consistent size and slope in NSW Foundation Style and use computer technology to produce texts, recognising simple conventions, language and functions.

Social Purpose Information reports are used to present information about something. They generally describe an entire class of things, whether natural or man-made: mammals, the planets, rocks, plants, computers, countries of the region, transport, and so on.

Structure Information reports are usually organised to include: a general statement identifying the subject of the information report, perhaps defining and classifying it; description (bundles of information relating to, for example, features, behaviour or types).

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WS1.9 Plans, reviews and produces a small range of simple literary and factual texts for a variety of purposes on familiar topics for known readers. WS1.10 Produces texts using the basic grammatical features and punctuation conventions of the text type. WS1.11 Uses knowledge of sight words and lettersound correspondences and a variety of strategies to spell familiar words. WS1.12 Produces texts using letters of consistent size and slope in NSW Foundation Style and using computer technology. WS1.13 Identifies how own texts differ according to their purpose, audience and subject matter. WS1.14 Identifies the structure of own literary and factual texts and names a limited range of related grammatical features and conventions of written language.

Outcomes

Indicators States the purpose and intended reader of an information report before writing Discusses some of the different purposes of visual texts, eg charts, maps, diagrams Writes an information report on a familiar topic, which includes information on one or more aspects of the topic Identifies function of different stages of an information report.

ESL Scales Reading and Writing

ESL Scales levels: Beginning Reading and Responding 1, 2, 3; Reading and Responding 1; Beginning Writing 1, 2, 3; Writing 1 Ask students to locate information texts on a topic using illustrations, title, layout as clues. Take photographs of students in the class and jointly scribe simple descriptions (2 to 3 characteristics). Read an information text to the class. Ask students to locate key words (read out by teacher). ESL Scales levels: Reading and Responding 2, 3; Writing 2, 3 Jointly construct some or all paragraphs of an information report on an animal after students have had many opportunities in a small group to use new vocabulary. Use a jointly constructed information report for reading and writing activities: re-ordering under correct headings, cloze on content words, completing half-sentences, highlighting pronouns referring back to nouns. Provide many opportunities for building up the field knowledge before writing. Provide clear pro formas for students to draw/write information under relevant headings, eg Where do mice live?, What do mice eat?

Content Mid Stage 1

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WS1.9 Learning to Write - Producing Texts Practise joint and independent constructions of a variety of simple text types on familiar topics for a known audience, eg recount of personal experience, simple procedure, description of familiar people or things. WS1.10 WS1.11 WS1.12 Learning to Write - Skills and Strategies Use a pro forma with headings as a basis for writing simple texts. Read their own writing aloud to self-correct and clarify meaning. Use illustrations with appropriate labels to support texts. Build handwriting skills such as forming most letters of the alphabet correctly and writing clearly in straight lines from left to right using letters of uniform size, shape and spacing. Develop computer skills, including knowledge of letters on keyboard and words associated with computers (eg keyboard, mouse, disk, screen, cursor).

WS1.13 Learning about Writing - Context and Text Encourage students to write a variety of simple texts through modelling. Design joint and independent construction activities, drawing students attention to the text purpose and structure. Provide pro formas with guided questions to scaffold students writing. Encourage students to think about what they know about a topic before writing. Encourage students to identify a target audience before writing. WS1.14 Learning About Writing - Language Structures and Features Make explicit the organisational stages of literary and factual texts. Discuss with students how adjectives are used to provide more information about nouns. Talk with students about the punctuation needed for their own writing. Model proofreading and editing, eg circle a word that does not look right.

Content Later Stage 1

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WS1.9 WS1.13 Learning to Write - Producing Texts Learning about Writing - Context and Text Engage in joint and independent constructions of a Discuss and explain the purpose and audience of a range of text types, eg recounts of personal variety of simple literary and factual texts in experience, simple procedures, descriptions of books, including media and electronic texts Model how to select and organise information familiar people or things, poems, elementary stories, information reports, basic explanations, before writing Model how to consider purpose and audience written opinions Respond to questions about their own writing from before writing a variety of audiences, eg teacher, family member, Provide pro formas with guided questions to classmates, older or younger students, teachers scaffold students writing aide, classroom visitor Use headings to indicate topic of text WS1.14 Use graphics to accompany text where relevant Learning About Writing - Language Structures and Features Make explicit the basic structure and grammar of WS1.10 WS1.11 WS1.12 Learning to Write - Skills and Strategies a variety of text types, including information Prepare for writing, eg by planning text structure report, procedure, recount and narrative Assist students to identify verbs and verb groups into a framework such as a matrix, flowchart or semantic map, by taking notes from written texts Provide opportunities for writing conferences to Use subjectverb and nounpronoun agreement in support editing and proofreading Point out clauses to students and explain their their own writing Begin to proofread and edit their own texts for purpose Model how to provide feedback to a writer publication Use common punctuation, eg upper and lower case, Model strategies for ensuring the use of correct correct spacing, question mark, and experiment spelling and punctuation in texts. with more advanced punctuation for different effects Spell high-frequency and common sight words accurately and use knowledge of letter combinations and blends when writing new words Develop handwriting of consistent size and spacing in NSW Foundation Style Use computer software to write texts.

Grammar Focus Forming a sentence that includes an action verb, eg Koalas eat gum leaves. Discussing the do-er of the action verb, eg koalas (and possibly the done-to, eg gum leaves). The different functions of action verbs, eg telling about behaviour, and relating verbs, eg identifying, defining and describing things.

Grammar Terminology Students at this stage will be using terms such as: sentence; joining word, eg grass and bushes are plants; naming word/noun, eg proper noun: Sydney; common noun: city; relating verb, eg tigers are meat eaters; action verb, eg they hunt other animals; adjective, eg tigers are strong.

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Teaching and Learning Experiences Lesson 1: Pre-Assessment: To write an information report. What is an information report? Write an information report about your favourite animal (see template). Lesson 2: Learning Intention: To organise information into different subjects. Focus on organising information by preparing information cards and pro formas for a number of information report topics being studied, eg wet and dry environments. Students sort information into correct pro formas. Wet Environments Dry Environments Can be wet, damp or moist. This type of environment is also known as a water environment. Some examples include: a swamp, ocean and a pond. Ponds are lled with both animal and plant life. Some animals live in the water such as; sh, craysh and tadpoles. Some animals live above the water (ducks and insects), and others live in the area surrounding the pond (raccoons, earthworms, etc.). The Pacic Ocean is the biggest ocean of the world and covers more than 30% of the Earth's surface. Can be dry and dull. Have limited access to water or no water at all. Has high temperatures but it can be very cold at night. An example is a desert. There is very little animal or plant life here. Leopards, buffalos, zebras and elephants can live in savannahs. Plants and animals that live here can survive without food or water for a long time. It is difficult for people to live here because of the harsh weather. The biggest desert is northern Africa's Sahara Desert; it covers roughly 9,065,000 square kilometres. Animals that live in the desert can cope with the lack of water, the extreme temperatures and the shortage of food. Date

Lesson 2:
Learning Intention: To read and answer questions about a factual book. Ask questions about the context of information reports using a factual big book. -Who would read or write this book? -Why would the author write this book? -Is this a literary or factual text? How do you know? Using a mind map, list prior knowledge of a given topic before reading. Identify new knowledge gained after reading the text; relate this to the texts purpose.

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Ask students to add adjectives to expand information for different body parts, eg Fur-short course fur. Feet- four webbed feet Claws- sharp pointy claws

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Lesson 3:
Learning Intention: To learn the structure of an information report. Discuss the structure and purpose of an information report. Students cut up and order the structure of an information report (see template).

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Lesson 4:
Learning Intention: To organise an information report into different headings. Provide students with a matrix with headings including: 1. Classification 2. Description 3. Habitat 4. Movement 5. Feeding 6. Breeding 7.Other Facts Students use the matrix to sort information from an information report on sharks (see template).

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Lesson 5: Learning Intention: To label information on a diagram. Students recall information they have learnt about sharks and construct a mind map in their books. Ask students to construct a list of body parts related to a shark. Connect to the interactive about shark anatomy- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRkRkBXL-UI Using the template (image of a shark), students now label and discuss the body parts of a shark.

Lesson 6:
Learning Intention: To organise an information report on an animal. Provide students with a matrix with headings including: 1. Classification 2. Description 3. Habitat 4. Movement 5. Feeding 6. Breeding 7.Other Facts Cut out sentences in half and students read and arrange the information together. Students use the matrix to sort information from an information report on tigers (see template).

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Lesson 7:

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Learning Intention: To sort details in an information report. Using the matrix of an information report, students identify possible answers they can come up with. e.g. Classification Description Habitat Movement Feeding Habits Breeding Habits Other Facts It belongs to the fish family. Is it a wild cat? Is it a large animal? Is it brown, black or white? Swamps Rivers Trees Ocean Does it glide or swim? Does it run, crawl or climb trees? Plants Meat Frogs Insects Lay eggs Dont lay eggs Does it change colour? Are they becoming extinct?

Lesson 8: Learning Intention: To write an information report as a class. Students jointly construct an information report on jellyfish. Discuss/model how to research information using books and the internet. Students use the matrix to research and record their detailed information.

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Lesson 8: Learning Intention: To research and write an information report. In pairs, students research and write an information report on frogs. Students follow the matrix and record their answers on the worksheet titled, Information Report or a computer.

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Lesson 9: Learning Intention: To label a diagram for my information report. Students use adjectives to draw and label a diagram for frogs (see frog template).

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Lesson 10: Learning Intention: To write an information report. Post Test Ask students to independently construct an information report about a familiar topic.

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Assessment Pre Assessment Post Assessment Anecdotal Observations Researching information using books and the internet labelled diagrams

Evaluation

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