Lesson video

Hi everybody, I'm Miss Gardner.

Welcome to your first lesson from our unit, the Stone Age a non-chronological report.

Thank you so much for joining in on the lesson today.

I am so excited to get started with this unit.

So let's get going.

This is the first lesson of the unit, a Stone Age non-chronological report.

So that means we're gonna start by looking at what a non-chronological report is.

So your learning outcome is I can identify and explain linguistic features of a non-chronological report.

Let's start by looking at the key words.

We'll do my turn, your turn.

I'll say the word first and then you can say it back to the screen or to your partner or whoever you are with.

Linguistic feature, non-chronological report, subject-specific vocabulary, and fronted adverbial.

Let's have a look at what these mean.

A linguistic feature is a structure of language that uses words.

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

Subject-specific vocabulary is vocabulary used when writing about a particular subject.

And a fronted adverbial is a sentence starter followed by a comma.

So there are three sections to our lesson today.

In the first we'll be looking at subject-specific vocabulary.

Then in the second, looking at formal fronted adverbials.

And then finally viewpoint fronted adverbials.

Let's start by looking at subject-specific vocabulary.

Non-chronological reports use subject-specific vocabulary.

That means this is a vocabulary that is related to the topic of the report.

So in this case, we're gonna be using vocabulary that's related to the Stone Age.

It is factual, so lots of facts and information and it's often found in non-fiction texts.

The Stone Age is a prehistoric period of history.

Have a go at saying that word.

We'll do my turn, your turn.

Prehistoric.

This means it is a period of history with no written records, it's from so long ago that there are no written records about what took place at that time.

The Stone Age could be divided into three different periods and they took place approximately.

We want to make sure we're using the word approximately because we can't be really exact with these timings because there are no written records.

So the first period was the Palaeolithic.

Let's have a go at doing my turn, your turn.

Palaeolithic.

And that was around 2.

5 million years ago to around 10,000 BCE, so a really long time ago.

Then we had the Mesolithic and that was from approximately 10,000 to 8,000 BCE.

And then finally, the third period was the Neolithic.

And that was from around 8,000 BCE to 3,000 BCE.

So all of these were a really, really long time ago.

Subject-specific about the stone Age includes words like this, prehistoric.

Prehistoric, that was a time before written records.

Hunter-gatherer, there were people who hunted the animals and gathered food from nature to eat.

Neolithic, that's the new Stone Age the most recent Stone Age.

And then Mesolithic, which we also call the middle of the three Stone Age periods.

So these are the kind of vocabulary that we're going to be using in our non-chronological report about the Stone Age.

So let's check for understanding what is subject-specific vocabulary? A, words that describe a noun B, words related to a specific topic or subject or C, a general word used in the English language.

Pause the video now.

That's correct.

It is B.

Well done everyone.

So now it's time for task A.

You need to circle the words that are specific to the topic of the Stone Age.

Here are your options, prehistoric, nature, Mesolithic, hunter-gatherer, Neolithic and animals.

Which one of these are most specific for a non-chronological report on the Stone Age? Pause the video now.

Welcome back everybody.

Let's go through the answers.

The words that are most specific to the Stone Age were prehistoric, it's the period of history that was way before written records, so long ago.

Hunter-gatherer, people who hunted wild animals and gathered fruit and nuts from nature so they could eat.

Mesolithic, that middle period in the Stone Age.

And Neolithic, the new Stone Age, the most recent of all the Stone Age periods.

Nature and animals, they're relevant but they're not specific to the Stone Age.

Well done everybody.

It's time for the second section of our learning.

We are going to be looking at formal fronted adverbials.

A fronted adverbial is a sentence starter followed by a comma.

And each type of fronted adverbial, because there's lots of different types, has a different purpose.

And fronted adverbials are used to improve text flow.

We want to include a range of fronted adverbials in our writing to make it more interesting and to engage the reader.

And just to improve text flow.

Formal fronted adverbials are formal in tone.

In our non-chronological report we're going to try to use formal language and you can see on the colour scale that the darker the colour, the more grey, black colour, the more formal the language is.

And you can see the arrow pointing at that, which shows that in this type of text, we're using formal language.

There are different groups of formal fronted adverbials.

We have and, formal fronted adverbials.

And we have but, formal fronted adverbials.

Let's have a look at what these mean.

And, formal fronted adverbials include also, in addition and additionally and they all build on a point from the previous sentence.

Let's have a look at this in an example.

In the Mesolithic period, people lived in small tents made of wood and mud.

In addition, they were nomadic they moved around depending on the seasons.

You can see, in addition, is our formal and, fronted adverbial.

It's building on the point about the tense from the previous sentence.

Let's check for understanding, true or false? And, formal fronted adverbials build on a point from the previous sentence.

Pause the video now.

That is true.

Well done.

Can you use A or B to justify your answer? A, there are different formal fronted adverbials, or B, and, formal fronted adverbials are used to stretch one point over more than one sentence.

Pause the video now.

That's correct.

It is B, well done everybody.

But, formal fronted adverbials are, and they include however, and in contrast.

And these introduce a contrasting idea from the previous sentence.

Let's have a look at an example.

The Mesolithic people moved around as they looked for animals to hunt.

In contrast, the Neolithic people settled in small communities for longer periods of time.

In contrast, is that formal fronted adverbial and it's introducing that contrasting idea.

Unlike the Mesolithic people who moved around the Neolithic, people settled, it's a contrasting idea.

Let's check for understanding.

Formal fronted adverbials A, are followed by a comma B, are formal in tone C, mark the end of a sentence.

Pause the video now.

That is correct, it is A and B.

Well done everybody.

It's time for task B.

You need to fill in the blanks with the most appropriate formal fronted adverbial.

Your options are, additionally, however and in contrast.

I'm going to read the sentences now.

And if you think you can already say the formal fronted adverbial, as I'm reading it, have a go at saying it to your screen.

Don't worry, if not, you're gonna have a go at doing this independently after, anyway.

Number one, the Mesolithic people moved their homes depending on where the animals went.

Blank, the Neolithic people settled in communities.

Number two, the Mesolithic people hunted animals to eat.

Blank, they didn't just eat meat as they also gathered berries and nuts from their natural surroundings.

And three, the Stone Age people made pots out of clay to store food and water.

Blank, they made dice out of animal bones to play games.

Pause the video now and off you go, filling in the most appropriate formal fronted adverbial.

Well done everybody.

Welcome back.

Number one, the Mesolithic people move their homes depending on where the animals went.

In contrast, the neolithic people settled in communities.

Two, the Mesolithic people hunted animals to eat.

However, they didn't just eat meat as they also gathered berries and nuts from their natural surroundings.

And three, the Stone Age people made pots out of clay to store food and water.

Additionally, they made dice out of animal bones to play games.

Well done everybody.

Great work on task B.

It's now time for our final section of our learning.

We're going to be looking now at viewpoint fronted adverbials.

Non-chronological reports are written out of time order.

Each section is about the theme related to the subject.

And viewpoint fronted adverbials can be used to introduce facts within a section.

And they are used because they emphasise the writer's opinion.

An opinion is what someone thinks or believes about something.

So using viewpoint fronted adverbials gives the writer a tool to share their opinion or point of view.

The writer tells the the reader their opinion by choosing the viewpoint fronted adverbial carefully.

Let's have a look at some examples.

There are two different viewpoint fronted adverbials to explore in this unit.

We'll do my turn, your turn.

Amazingly.

Amazingly, tells you that this fact is going to make you think, wow, it's amazing fact.

Interestingly, this tells you that this fact is interesting.

Match the viewpoint fronted adverbial to its meaning.

You have amazingly and interestingly, and they either tell you that this fact is interesting or this fact makes you think, wow.

Pause the video now and match the viewpoint fronted adverbial to its meaning.

Amazingly, this fact makes you think, wow.

And interestingly, this fact is interesting.

Well done everybody.

Amazingly, this fact makes you think, wow, let's use this in a sentence.

Amazingly, the Mesolithic people created some of the earliest known art in human history.

I think that's pretty amazing.

Amazingly, tells you the writer thinks it's amazing.

Interestingly, what's an interesting fact? Interestingly, the Neolithic people began farming and raising domesticated animals in their communities.

I think that's really interesting so I've used that viewpoint fronted adverbial to show that to the reader.

Let's check for understanding which of these are viewpoint fronted adverbials? Quickly, interestingly, amazingly or suddenly? Pause the video now.

That's correct, it is B and C.

Quickly, is a fronted adverbial of manner and suddenly is also a fronted adverbial of time.

Well done everybody.

Now we're gonna have a go at saying some sentences because we know how important it is to say our sentences out loud.

Say a sentence using the viewpoint fronted adverbial interestingly, and say where the comma comes after the fronted adverbial, because it's really important that we're using a comma after a fronted adverbial.

And so saying it helps us to remember that when we write it.

For example, interestingly comma, the Stone Age is a prehistoric period of history, which means it came before written records.

Now it's your turn to practise.

I want you to say a sentence using the viewpoint fronted adverbial, interestingly.

And remember to say where the comma comes after the fronted adverbial.

Pause the video now and off you go.

Well done everyone.

Here's a couple of examples.

I'm sure yours didn't sound exactly like this.

You might have included a different fact, but these are just a couple of examples you could have used.

Interestingly, the Stone Age began approximately 2.

6 million years ago.

Or interestingly, people in the Stone Age were known as hunter-gatherers because they hunted their own food.

Great job everybody.

It's time for task C.

You need to write a sentence now, using the viewpoint fronted adverbial, amazingly.

And it's gonna be a sentence including a fact about the Stone Age.

Remember to use a comma after the fronted adverbial.

Pause the video now and off you go.

Well done everybody.

Welcome back.

Here are a couple of example sentences.

Of course, don't worry that yours aren't exactly the same these are just some ideas.

Amazingly, people in the Mesolithic Stone Age carried their homes with them, depending on the seasons and where the animals went.

Amazingly, people in the Stone Age made their own weapons out of flint to hunt animals to eat.

Well done everybody for working so hard on task C.

Here is a summary of everything we have done in today's lesson.

A non-chronological report uses subject-specific vocabulary.

Viewpoint fronted adverbials introduce facts within a section and they are used to emphasise a writer's opinion.

But, formal fronted adverbials introducing a contrasting idea from a previous sentence.

And, formal fronted adverbials build on an idea from the previous sentence.

And formal language structures match the purpose of a non-chronological report to inform the reader with lots of facts.

Well done everybody for working so hard today.

Great job.