Lesson video

Hello, my name is Miss Vincent and I'm going to be teaching you for today's lesson for this writing outcome, so I'm really excited.

In today's lesson we start a new outcome where we're looking at instructions and we're going to get the chance to write some really exciting instructions of how to keep a dragon as a pet.

So again, to use the how to train your dragon film, to help inspire us to think about how you could tame a dragon so how you could get a dragon to be your pet, and then also what we'd need to do to train it, to be able to fly, to feed it and to make sure that it goes to bed on time as well.

So I hope that you enjoy this unit as much as I do and let's get started today by thinking about what instructions are and looking at the features of an instructional text, off we go.

So let's have a look at today's agenda.

So first of all, we're going to think about what instructions are and where we might have seen them before.

Then we're going to think about the features of instructions.

Now, features is a word that you might come across often and features basically just means, how do we know that that's instructions? What things can I see that show me that those are instructions and you can have features of a person.

So I have brown hair and I have blue eyes, and those are some of my features.

But in instructions you might think about, I can see bullet points or I can see imperative verbs and I know those are the features of instructions.

Then we're going to have a go at finding some features in a text on the screen.

So in this lesson, you will need an exercise book or a piece of paper, you will need a pencil or a pen, and you will need your brain switched on, ready to really look closely and find those features of an instructional text.

So if there's anything that you need today, then pause the video and go and get it and when you come back, press play and we'll get started.

Fantastic, let's get started with our learning on instructions.

So first of all, we're going to think about what instructions are.

So I'd like you to think about that question.

What are instructions? You can pause the video and just make a brief note.

You can say it out loud or you can just think it in your head and try and think about when you might have seen them.

So what are instructions? Pause the video and have a think, off you go.

Okay, really well done having a thing.

So, instructions are quite simply a direction or an order.

So, telling somebody what to do.

Teachers often give instructions about what to do perhaps about where to line up or how to do your work.

So lots and lots of instructions that happen in school, but they are quite simply a direction or an order.

And they give information and steps often about how a task should be completed.

So that's quite simply it, instructions tell you how and in what order to do something.

Can you think of where you might have seen instructions before we kind of across instructions a lot in life.

So I wonder where you might have seen instructions before.

I've already given you an example.

In school, you might have seen some instructions because teachers love to give instructions, don't they? So I'd like you to pause the video and have a little think, where have you seen instructions before? Off you go.

Okay, well let's think so, I found some examples.

So you might have some instructions for building toys perhaps.

And sometimes instructions don't have any words at all.

They just have pictures to show the different steps of how to do something.

You might see some instructions if you buy a new electronic gadget or perhaps you buy a new piece of furniture that comes with a set of instructions about how to assemble it.

That means how to put it together.

Or perhaps if it's an electronic set of instructions about how to use it and how to use it safely.

You might have seen instructions on clothes labels.

So how to wash them correctly and how to look after them so that they don't shrink or they don't change colour.

And again these are instructions so the first and the third instructions, haven't really got many words whereas the second set of instructions is a lot of sentences explaining what you have to do.

And then there's a set of instructions that we often come across a special set of instructions for cooking and in cooking we call these instructions recipes.

So they give us the exact things that we need, which are the ingredients and the exact order we should use them in.

So the instructions of how to complete the recipes.

So those are some examples.

I wonder if you thought of any of those, there are lots and lots of other examples too.

So in this unit, we're going to be writing instructions for keeping a pet dragon and we're going to do it in two parts.

So one set of instructions we'll think about how to tame and train a dragon.

And then the second set of instructions would think about how to care for it.

So in particular, thinking about feeding your pet dragon and thinking about bedtime routines for your pet dragon.

That word to tame means to help a creature that's wild get used to being around people.

So wild animals can't just be pets, they need a little bit of practise getting comfortable around people and getting to know the people before they can become tame.

Okay, so let's think about the features of instructions.

Remember the features are what we see in instructions, and those can be to do with how they're written.

It can be with the word choices or it can just be to do with how they look on a page.

So, I want you to think about whether you think you might know what the features of instructions are.

And I'll give you a little help.

I want you to think about what language you think instructions use, what layout, so layout is all to do with how it looks on a page.

What punctuation might you see when you're writing instructions and what type of vocabulary choices might there be.

So I want you to pause the video and think about those different points or think about what you know about instructions and just write a little list of what you think the features of instructions might be.

Off you go.

Okay, well, let's check.

So, these are some of the features of instructions.

So addressing the reader, that means writing directly to the reader, so I would be telling you what to do if I was writing instructions for you.

So first, listen carefully, next take notes.

So always thinking about telling the reader what they need to be doing.

Chronological order and ordering conjunctions.

Chronological order, chronos means time, so chronological order means in time order and ordering conjunctions help us do that.

And we'll talk about those in a little bit more detail.

Imperative verbs that we also call bossy verbs, and I'll talk about those in a moment.

Precise adverbs and we know that verbs and adverbs go really closely together.

So if we're telling somebody what action they need to do with an imperative verb and adverb can help us be really, really precise in telling them how they should do that action.

You might see brackets that gives them extra information.

In instructions, you might see a conditional sentence.

So often an if sentence, and we'll talk about those in more detail, but in recipes you might see, be careful if you leave the cake in the oven for too long, it might burn.

So, conditional if sentence.

And then something that's very, very common is a new instruction goes on a new line.

And that's because we want it to be really clear where each new instruction starts.

So, let's think about chronological order and ordering conjunctions.

They tell us exactly when something needs to happen.

Which in instructions is very important because we need to know exactly what to do and exactly when to do it.

So, chronological order just means in time order.

So my turn your turn chronological order, good job.

Just means in time order and then ordering conjunctions.

Good job, and those are examples like first, next, after that, but it doesn't just have to be those, it could be something like before you leave.

So telling your reader when they need to do something and finally, good job.

Then let's think about imperative verbs.

And I also called them bossy verbs and I've put a waggling finger there, which reminds me of imperative verbs.

Can you do that with me? One, two, three imperative verbs.

And that's just because in instructions, we use these bossy verbs to tell the reader what they need to do.

So we know that verbs are doing or being words.

And if you do it or you are it, then the word is a verb.

Now here, imperative verbs are definitely doing words.

And they're words that we tell people what to do.

So an imperative verb is one that tells someone to do something.

So I'm going to give you some imperative verbs.

When a sentence contains an imperative verb it becomes an order or a command.

So the type of sentence that we write in instructions are commands, my turn your turn, command.

Good job, so as I said, I'm going to give you some orders and commands and you need to follow them but I wonder if for each one you can spot the imperative verb, let's try.

So first, put your right hand on your head.

Do you know what the imperative is there? Can you say it out loud? Put, well done, okay.

My next instruction, tap that hand gently on your head.

Are you doing it? Well done, what is the imperative verb there? Can you say it? Tap, well done, you keep doing that.

Now, place your left hand on your tummy.

What's the imperative verb there? Can you say it out loud? Its place, well done, I wonder if you know what's coming? Move your left hand around in circles.

What's the imperative verb there? It's move, can you do it? I get a bit confused if I go too fast.

Have a go at doing it, so tap your head with one hand and move the other one in a circle, it's quite hard.

Well done for trying, so those are my imperative verbs.

And then finally, we've got our conditional if sentences.

So for example, if you are not careful, the dragon might bite your hand and that's to do with having a dragon as a pet.

So they express what could happen if something else is not done properly.

Okay, so I wonder if you can spot which one of these is a feature of instructions? Is it imperative verbs or is it informal verbs? Point to your answer three, two, one.

Imperative verbs, well done, okay.

How about now? The order doesn't matter or they have to be in chronological order, three, two one, point to your answer, chronological order, okay.

This one's a bit different, I've got four possibilities.

Which of these are features of instructions? Is it brackets? Is it past tense? Is it new instruction, new line? Or is it ordering conjunctions? And you might have more than one there as well.

So I'm going to give you five seconds for this one to make your minds up about which ones are features.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Three of them were features just not past tense, 'cause they're not written in the past tense 'cause it's something that people are doing now and then.

Okay, let's have a go at finding some of the features in a text.

So, I have an example text here, which is all about taming a dragon.

Remembering that that word taming helps us understand that we help the dragon to get used to being around people.

So for going from being completely wild, to getting a little bit more used to being around people.

So I'm going to read it through once and then I'm going to ask you to have a look at it carefully for some particular features, so read along with me.

Taming a dragon.

Dragons can be very nervous around Vikings.

Therefore, it is very important to gain their trust.

Firstly, ensure that both you and the dragon are in a safe space.

Next, check the dragon has seen you and do not make any sudden movements.

Do not approach the dragon from behind as this will scare it.

Okay, so that first sentence there, we call this a signposting sentence and we're going to write one of these in each of our sets of instructions.

And that's the signposting sentence, is essentially just a little introduction for that particular topic, to helps tell your reader why we need instructions for this particular thing or something that they need to know in order to do the instructions successfully.

So, I would like you to pause the video and look very carefully for two different things.

I'd like you to find some ordering conjunctions.

Remember those are those words or phrases that come at the beginning of a sentence to show us what order the steps need to be completed in.

And then I'd like you to find some of those imperative verbs, some of those bossy verbs that tell the reader what to do.

So pause the video and see if you can find some examples of those two things, off you go.

Okay, well let's check.

So to make it easier, I thought we could show the ordering conjunctions in blue.

So, look very carefully to see if you spotted the same ones.

The first one I spotted in that first instruction was firstly, and in the second instruction, it was next.

Did you spot those too? Give yourself a little pat if you did.

And then we were looking for the imperative verbs, so the bossy verbs and there was one of those, each of the instructions as well.

So ensure, which means make sure.

And then for the second instruction, it was check.

Really well done if you found those as well.

So, let me read you the next set of instructions.

I've already done the ordering conjunctions and the imperative verbs for these ones.

So follow along and then I might ask you to find something else.

So when the dragon seems comfortable, cautiously offer it some food.

If you choose the wrong type of food, eels, the dragon may back away again.

Once the dragon has eaten, sit back and wait patiently for the dragon to come to you.

If you rush the friendship, it will just fly away.

So I've already shown you the ordering conjunctions.

And in this case, they're not just one word and much longer, but they still tell the reader when to do something.

And I've already put our imperative verbs in green.

So offer to give something and wait, to wait.

So now I'd like you to find two other features.

I'd like you to look for brackets that give extra information and I'd like you to see if you can find any conditional sentences.

Remember those conditional if sentences.

So in my example earlier of a conditional if sentence, it said, if you are not careful, the dragon might bite your hand.

I wonder if you can find any more of those conditional sentences and those brackets are for extra information.

So pause the video and have a look.

Okay, so let's think about the brackets first.

I'm going to highlight those in pink.

Can you point to where the brackets were? Well done, so dragons do not like eels and we'll see that in a clip that we watch in our upcoming lesson, that the dragon does not like eels.

So that's extra information in our brackets saying that they are the wrong type of food.

And did you find any conditional if sentences? Can you point to any that you found? There were actually two examples in these two paragraphs.

So one was, if you choose the wrong type of food, eels, the dragon may back away again.

And the second one was, if you rushed the friendship, it will just fly away, okay.

So that was all of our different features thinking really carefully.

So I'd like you to complete a little task now.

So I'd like you to create a mind map of all of the features of instructions that you can remember.

Remember if you're stuck, you can go back and watch that section again and think really carefully about which features you didn't remember and which ones you could remember.

Now you've got a little challenge as well in a different colour, I'd like you to add the purpose of that feature.

So what's the point in having that feature.

And I've shown you an example of how to start your mind map just with a little bubble in the middle that says features of instructions and you can have little arms coming off it.

And for example, I've got two there.

You might have brackets and then in another colour I've written to give extra information.

And that tells me why I have brackets in instructions or I've got new instruction, new line to show where each new instruction begins clearly.

And you can do that for lots of the different features that we discussed together.

So I'd like you to pause the video to complete your task and then press play, sorry, and resume once you've finished, off you go.

Okay, fantastic, I wonder how many you remembered.

So let me show you some of the features that I made a note of.

So chronological order and the purpose of that is so that the instructions are completed in the correct order.

And then we've got ordering conjunctions to tell the reader when to complete that instruction.

We've got bossy verbs, imperative verb to tell the reader exactly what to do.

And you've got precise adverbs to make the action even more precise.

And then brackets which I talked about in the example.

A new instruction, new line.

Remember that you might have also included a conditional if sentence in your features as well.

These are just some examples.

Really well done, we've completed all the sections of our lesson on identifying the features of an instructional text.

So you should feel very, very proud of yourself and all of your hard work.

If you like to, you can share what you've learned today with a parent or carer.

I will see you soon for another lesson on how to train your dragon, bye.