Lesson video

Hi everybody, it's Miss Gardner.

Welcome to your next lesson from the unit "Stone Age: A Non-Chronological Report." Thank you so much for coming to join me on today's lesson.

I'm really excited and I hope you are too.

So let's get going.

In today's lesson from our "Stone Age: A Non-Chronological Report" unit, we are beginning writing.

So your learning outcome is I can write the introduction of a non-chronological report about the Stone Age.

Let's start by looking at the keywords.

We'll do my turn, your turn.

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

Introduction.

General facts.

Viewpoint fronted adverbial.

Command.

Let's have a look at what these mean.

The introduction is the opening paragraph, the first paragraph of a nonfiction text that encourages the reader to carry on reading.

General facts are the most basic or necessary facts about a topic.

A viewpoint fronted adverbial is a sentence starter that gives the writer's point of view.

And a command is a type of simple sentence that tells someone to do something.

So there are two sections of our learning today.

In the first, we're gonna be preparing to write our introduction, and then in the second section, we'll be writing the introduction.

So let's start with preparing to write.

So a non-chronological report.

This non-chronological report that we're writing can be structured into five sections.

An introduction, section one, section two, section three, which are all about specific themes.

And then the conclusion.

In this lesson we're gonna be writing the introduction.

So what is the purpose of the introduction? By purpose, I mean the aim of the text.

So the purpose of the introduction is to do all of these, engage the reader, hook them in, make them want to read on and give them some general facts.

The most basic facts about your topic.

We can't assume your reader knows anything about the Stone Age.

They might not have any idea what that is.

So you need to give some general information about the Stone Age in your introduction before you give more detailed, specific facts.

So you can see in the visual here, the start of our non-chronological report, the introduction, we're including general information about the Stone Age.

And then, as you go further through your non-chronological report, the facts become more specific and more detailed.

So let's check for understanding, true or false.

Information in the introduction should be general.

Pause the vide now.

That is true, well done.

Can you use A or B to justify your answer? A, the writer should only include general facts in the introduction.

Specific facts will be given later in the report.

Or B, the writer should include very specific facts in the introduction.

Pause the video now.

That's correct, it is A, our introduction includes general facts about the subject.

Well done.

The Stone Age has been divided into three sections.

Let's do my turn, your turn.

Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic.

So the Palaeolithic was about 2.

5 million years ago to around 10,000 BCE.

The Mesolithic was approximately 10,000 to 8,000 BCE, and then the Neolithic was approximately 8,000 to 3,000 BCE.

So in our non-chronological report, we will focus on the Mesolithic and the Neolithic periods as this is when the most significant changes occurred.

And it's also what we have the most information about because it's more recent history.

So first checking for understanding.

Can you put the three periods of the Stone Age in the correct order? So you have Mesolithic, Palaeolithic and Neolithic.

Can you order them correctly? Pause the video now.

Okay, well done, so number one is the Palaeolithic.

Number two, the Mesolithic.

And number three, the Neolithic.

Well done, everybody.

The Stone Age is known as the Stone Age because humans developed their use or their tools and their weapons and their houses through their use of stone.

So you can see in the pictures below there, we've got some drawings of Stone Age tools and weapons.

Most of it's made from stone, stone and wood.

And then in the bottom right picture, you can see this is a picture from Skara Brae, which is a Neolithic settlement.

And you can see that the houses were made of stone.

So this is why it is known as the Stone Age.

There are some general key facts that the reader needs to know about the Stone Age before they can start learning about the more detailed facts about their diet and their artefacts and houses.

So these are the facts that we can include in our introduction.

So it's a prehistoric period of time.

Tools, weapons and houses were made out of stone.

It's been divided into three sections, the Palaeolithic, the Mesolithic and the Neolithic.

And the Stone Age began approximately 2.

6 million years ago.

The Mesolithic period started approximately 10,000 years ago.

So checking for understanding.

Which two of these are true about the Stone Age? A, it is a period of modern history.

B, the Stone Age began approximately 2.

6 million years ago.

C, the Mesolithic period began approximately 10,000 years ago.

Or D, tools and weapons were made from iron.

Pause the video now.

Okay, it is B and C.

These two are the general facts we can include in our introduction about the Stone Age.

Well done, everyone.

So our introduction will open with a general fact.

So I'm thinking I want to include the fact that it is a prehistoric period of time, and that tools, weapons and houses were made out of stone.

That's why it's called the Stone Age.

So let's think about how we can say these facts in a sentence.

So here is a sentence scaffold, and I want you to say the first sentence out loud, including a general fact about the Stone Age.

So the sentence scaffold is the Stone Age is a, hmm, period, hmm, when people used, hmm, to make, hmm.

So thinking back to the key facts we know about the Stone Age, and we're going to say them in our opening sentence.

And you can use the sentence scaffold to help you.

So pause the video now and off you go.

Okay, well done everybody.

Let's say this opening sentence out loud together.

The Stone Age is a prehistoric period of time when people used stone to make tools, weapons, and houses.

Well done, everybody.

That could be a really excellent opening sentence to your introduction.

So now let's plan what we are going write next.

Let's just look again at the general facts that the reader needs to know about the Stone Age.

So we've said about how it's a prehistoric period of time and we've said that it's a time when tools, weapons and houses were made out of stone.

Now let's give a bit of information about when the Stone Age took place.

So I wanna talk about how it's been divided into three sections, the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic, and how long ago it started.

So I'm going to now try and say my sentences using these facts.

Now, these two sentences are both simple sentences.

The Stone Age has been divided into three periods.

These are known as the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods.

These are both simple sentences because both made up of a main clause.

So a main clause, a coordinating conjunction, and another main clause all joined together to form a compound sentence.

So true or false, a compound compound sentence is formed of one main clause.

Pause the video now.

That is false.

Can you use A or B to justify your answer? A, compound sentences have at least two main clauses, or B, simple sentences have one main clause.

Pause the video now.

That's correct.

A compound sentence has at least two main clauses.

Well done, okay, so we're gonna practise saying this compound sentence now.

You need to stretch the first main clause with the coordinating conjunction, and, and then say another, the second main clause.

So for example, the Stone Age has been divided into three periods, and these are known as the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods.

Now it's your turn.

Can you stretch the main clause with and, and then a second main clause.

I'll give you the first main clause to help you.

The Stone Age has been divided into three periods.

And pause the video now, and off you go saying this compound sentence.

Well done everybody, welcome back.

I wonder if your set compound sentence sounded like this.

The Stone Age has been divided into three periods, and historians have named these the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic periods.

If you need to pause the video now and have another go at saying the sentence, you can do that.

Otherwise, really well done.

Okay, so viewpoint fronted adverbials are going to be used in our non-chronological report, and they are really helpful to introduce facts.

So for example, we could use amazingly, amazingly.

This tells you that the fact in the rest of the sentence will make you think, wow, this is amazing.

And then interestingly.

Interestingly tells you that the fact in the rest of the sentence is interesting.

So let's try and use one of these viewpoint fronted adverbials when talking about these two general facts.

So you're going to use the viewpoint fronted adverbial interestingly to say the sentence, the following sentence.

Interestingly, the Palaeolithic period began approximately 2.

6 million years ago and the Mesolithic period began approximately 10,000 years ago.

So you can see interestingly followed by a comma is starting my sentence, and it's showing the reader I think this is really interesting.

Now it's your turn.

You need to say the next sentence about these general facts using the viewpoint fronted adverbial interestingly.

You can use the sentence scaffold to help you.

Interestingly, the Palaeolithic period, you're going to continue that sentence.

So pause the video now and off you go.

Welcome back, everybody, well done.

I'm going to say the sentence now, and you can say it with me.

Interestingly, the Palaeolithic period began approximately 2.

6 million years ago, but the Mesolithic period came much later when it began 10,000 years ago.

Well done, everybody.

So the introduction must also inform the reader what the rest of the report will be about.

In our non-chronological reports, we will be writing about the changes that took place from the Mesolithic period into the Neolithic period, and we are gonna be focusing on these aspects, the diet in the Stone Age, the artefacts and the houses, okay? So checking for understanding.

Which three of these will the report have sections about? A, artefacts, B, clothing, C, Diet, or D, houses.

Pause the video now.

Okay, we are going to have sections about artefacts, diet and houses.

Well done, everyone.

In our introduction, we also need a command, and a command comes at the end of the introduction and it encourages the reader to continue reading.

A command starts with an imperative verb.

For example, read on to find out more about this prehistoric era.

Read is your imperative verb.

Or continue reading to learn more about the fascinating Stone Age.

Continue is your imperative verb, or find out more about this interesting period of history in the rest of this report.

The command motivates the reader to continue reading.

So let's just check for understanding.

What does a command start with? A, a subordinate clause, B, a fronted adverbial, C, an imperative verb or D, an adjective.

Pause the video now.

That is correct.

It starts with an imperative verb, well done.

It's time for task A.

You need to say the first two sentences of the introduction because we know how important it's to say our sentences so we can hear if they make sense.

Make sure you include the following, a general fact about the subject to open the report and a viewpoint fronted adverbial.

So pause the video now and have a go at saying the first two sentences of your introduction.

Off you go.

Welcome back, everybody.

Let's just check our sentences.

Does the first sentence include a general fact? Does the second sentence begin with a viewpoint fronted adverbial? I'm going to say my sentences now, and you can help me check if I've included those things.

The Stone Age is a prehistoric period of time when people used stone to make tools, weapons and houses.

Interestingly, the Palaeolithic period began approximately 2.

6 million years ago, but the Mesolithic period came much later when it began 10,000 years ago.

So does my first sentence include a general fact? Yes, it does.

Said it was a time, a prehistoric period of time when people used stone.

And does my second sentence begin with a viewpoint fronted adverbial? Yes, it does, I've used the word interestingly.

If you need to say your sentences again now, pause the video and off you go.

Otherwise, really well done.

It's now time for the second section of our learning where we are writing the introduction.

This is your success criteria for today's writing.

These are what the things you need to include in your writing to make it a really successful piece of writing.

So let's go through it.

First, I have written general facts about the Stone Age.

I have written a viewpoint funded adverbial.

I have outlined what the report is about, and I have written a command to encourage the reader to continue reading.

Remember, you can use these general facts to write the introduction.

It's a prehistoric period of time, the Stone Age.

In the Stone Age, tools, weapons and houses were made out of stone.

Historians have divided it into three sections.

The Palaeolithic, the Mesolithic and Neolithic.

And the Stone Age began about 2.

6 million years ago.

The Mesolithic period started approximately 10,000 years ago.

So these are the only facts you need to include in your introduction.

Don't need to go into more detailed facts about their diet or their houses or their artefacts just yet.

Those will come later.

So let's look at a model introduction and see what we can tick off on our success criteria.

I'm going to read it out now,out loud now, and I want you to be thinking about which of the points of my success criteria we can tick.

Introduction, that's my subheading.

The Stone Age is a prehistoric period of time when people used stone to make tools, weapons and houses.

Interestingly, the Palaeolithic period began approximately 2.

6 million years ago, but the Mesolithic period came much later when it began 10,000 years ago.

In this report, you'll learn about the diet, artefacts and housing of the Stone Age.

Read on to find out more about this fascinating period of history.

So I have written general facts about the Stone Age.

I have, I've said that people use stone, that it began approximately 2.

6 million years ago, and that the Mesolithic period began 10,000 years ago.

So those are some general facts.

So I can give that a tick.

I have written a viewpoint fronted adverbial.

Interestingly, yes, I can give that a tick.

I have outlined what the report is about.

In this report you will learn about the diet, artefacts and housing of the Stone Age.

So I can give that a tick.

And then I have written a command to encourage the reader to continue reading.

That was my final sentence, read on to find out more about this fascinating period of history.

So I can give that a tick too.

It's now your turn.

It's time for task B, and you need to write the introduction of the non-chronological report about Stone Age.

You can use your success criteria to help you structure your paragraph.

So in a second, you're going to pause the video so that you can stick in your success criteria really neatly.

You can write your first subheading, which is introduction with a neat line underneath, and then you can have a go at writing your introduction.

So pause the video now and off you go.

Well done, everybody.

So I want you now to read back through your introduction of your non-chronological report about the Stone Age.

Use your success criteria to help you check that you've included everything you need to in an introduction.

Some of you might have been doing that as you were writing, but it's still really important that you can go back and check that you've included general facts.

You can give yourself a tick if you've done that.

That you've included a viewpoint fronted adverbial.

You can give yourself a tick if you've done that.

You've outlined what the report will be about.

So the diets, the artefacts and the housing.

You can give yourself a tick if you've done that.

And then finally, you can give yourself a tick if you've written a command to encourage the reader to continue reading.

So pause the video now and have go just checking one more time through your success criteria.

Off you go.

Well done, everybody.

You've worked really hard today.

Let's give a summary of today's learning.

The purpose of the introduction is to give a general fact about the subject, inform the reader of the outline of the text and encourage the reader to continue reading.

Viewpoint fronted adverbials can be used to introduce facts.

A command motivates the reader to carry on reading the report, and the introduction gives brief, general information about the subject.

Great job everybody, well done.