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Learning the features of a non-chronological report

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can identify the different features of a non-chronological report

Key learning points

  1. Non-chronological reports are non-fiction.
  2. Non-chronological reports often have titles, subheadings and paragraphs.
  3. An introduction followed by two paragraphs of information is how we can structure a non-chronological report.

Keywords

  • Information - pieces of knowledge that help us understand something

  • Non-chronological report - a non-fiction text that informs about a subject or event and that is written out of time order

  • Features - the parts or characteristics that make something unique

Common misconception

Pupils may find understanding the concept of non-chronological challenging.

Using examples they're very familiar with, such as the events in a school day, will help to explain the concept.

Teacher tip

Have examples of information texts and non-chronological reports for the children to explore and identify the features. It would also be helpful to have some fiction texts for them to compare and see the differences. Add images to the slide deck.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
(Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What always comes at the beginning of a sentence?

a full stop
Correct answer: a capital letter
a number

Q2.
What comes at the end of a sentence?

Correct answer: a full stop
a capital letter
a number

Q3.
Which word can be used to join two ideas in a sentence?

Correct answer: and
first
finally

Q4.
What does a 'command' do?

Tells the reader what their name is.
Correct answer: Tells the reader what to do.
Tells the reader a story.

Q5.
Which of these is a command?

A bat has wings.
I like playing football.
Correct answer: Read on to find out more.

Q6.
If a story is made up using imagination, what type of text is it?

Correct answer: fiction text
non-fiction text
instructions text

6 Questions

Q1.
Select the missing word. The simplest way to organise texts is into two categories called fiction and __________.

books
words
Correct answer: non-fiction

Q2.
Which of these is a type of fiction text?

newspapers
Correct answer: stories
shopping list

Q3.
Which of these is a type of non-fiction text?

poems
plays
Correct answer: reports

Q4.
What does 'chronological' mean?

Correct answer: the order that something happens
the route to get to a place
the ideas that a writer has in their head

Q5.
What does 'non-chronological' mean?

the order that something happens
Correct answer: out of time order
fiction

Q6.
Put these parts of a football match into chronological order.

1 - warming-up
2 - kick-off for the start of the match
3 - half-time
4 - kick-off for the second half
5 - full-time

To help you plan your 2 English lesson on: Learning the features of a non-chronological report, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...