The digestive system: explanation writing
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Threads
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of explanation text writing from the Year 3 unit 'Mummification: explanation text'. Pupils write using an introduction, themed sections and conclusion paragraphing structure, applying a range of formal and viewpoint fronted adverbials and a range of causal conjunctions to their writing. Year 4 level sentence structures are also reviewed and applied. This unit prepares pupils for more non-fiction writing in the non-chronological report style in the Year 4 unit, 'Ancient Greeks or Anglo-Saxons: non-chronological report'.
Prior knowledge requirements
- The purpose of an explanation text is to explain the process of how or why something happens to the reader.
- Explanation texts are a type of factual, non-fiction writing.
- Explanation texts are organised into paragraphs in chronological order of when the steps of the process happen.
- Explanation texts can contain visual information, most commonly diagrams or photographs accompanied by a caption.
- Important features of explanation texts include apostrophes possession, subject-specific, factual vocabulary, numerical facts and sequencing and causal conjunctions.
- Nouns and pronouns can be referred to in a range of ways to avoid repetition.
Threads
Why this why now
This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of explanation text writing from the Year 3 unit 'Mummification: explanation text'. Pupils write using an introduction, themed sections and conclusion paragraphing structure, applying a range of formal and viewpoint fronted adverbials and a range of causal conjunctions to their writing. Year 4 level sentence structures are also reviewed and applied. This unit prepares pupils for more non-fiction writing in the non-chronological report style in the Year 4 unit, 'Ancient Greeks or Anglo-Saxons: non-chronological report'.
Prior knowledge requirements
- The purpose of an explanation text is to explain the process of how or why something happens to the reader.
- Explanation texts are a type of factual, non-fiction writing.
- Explanation texts are organised into paragraphs in chronological order of when the steps of the process happen.
- Explanation texts can contain visual information, most commonly diagrams or photographs accompanied by a caption.
- Important features of explanation texts include apostrophes possession, subject-specific, factual vocabulary, numerical facts and sequencing and causal conjunctions.
- Nouns and pronouns can be referred to in a range of ways to avoid repetition.
Reading, writing & oracy
The digestive system: explanation writing
In this unit, pupils research the human digestive system to write an informative and clearly-presented explanation text. Pupils focus on using an array of subject-specific vocabulary appropriately, set within Year 4 level sentence structures, applying causal conjunctions to explain certain features.
5 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the The digestive system: explanation writing unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our primary english curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for primary english programmes.