Lesson video

Hi everyone and welcome to our lesson today.

My name is Ms. Mullins.

I'm really, really happy that you've made the choice to be here with me today.

We've got a really exciting lesson, so let's get started.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to use your research to plan the adaptation section of a non chronological report about aye-ayes.

Throughout our lesson today we will be using these key words, specific information, parenthesis, brackets, text cohesion, adaptations.

Well done.

Specific information is clear, exact, and particular information.

Parenthesis is additional information that can be removed without compromising grammatical accuracy.

Brackets are a punctuation mark used to add extra factual information in a clause.

Text cohesion refers to how text flows to maintain the interest of the reader and achieve the text's purpose.

Adaptations are special features that animals and plants develop to help them survive where they live.

Today we are planning the adaptation section of a non chronological report about aye-ayes.

Firstly, we will be learning about the structural and linguistic features.

Then we will plan the adaptation section.

So let's get started with learning about the structural and linguistic features.

Non chronological reports often follow the same structure.

They have a title, an introduction.

This is the first paragraph that encourages the reader to read on.

Then they have sections.

In our report, our sections have been about the aye-aye's diet and its adaptations.

The sections contain paragraphs of information related to a particular aspect of the subject.

And finally, we have the conclusion.

This is the last paragraph that summarises the key information in a text.

We've already written the introduction and the diet section.

Now we are planning the adaptation section.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

The purpose of the adaptation section is to engage the reader and give the reader specific information about the aye-aye's adaptations.

The facts that we include in the adaptation section have to be specific and detailed.

The adaptation section gives the reader specific information about the aye-aye's adaptations.

The section follows a clear structure, adaptations subheading.

Firstly, we have an introductory sentence.

Then we give our reader specific information about the adaptations.

And finally, a linking sentence which links onto the next section.

The introductory sentence introduces what the paragraph will be about.

Specific information gives the reader detailed information about an aspect of the topic, in this case adaptations.

And finally, the linking sentence links on to the next paragraph.

We've used some devices to build text cohesion so far in our report.

Fronted adverbials, subject specific vocabulary relative complex sentences.

Well done.

These devices help our writing flow.

They keep our reader interested and they help us achieve the text's purpose.

Match each cohesive device to its function.

Well done, if you spotted that the fronted adverbial is a sentence starter followed by a comma.

Subject specific vocabulary is vocabulary used when writing about a particular subject and a relative complex sentence is a sentence formed of a main clause and a relative clause.

Fantastic work.

We have used some devices to build text cohesion, so far in this report.

I've already mentioned that we have used fronted adverbials, subject specific vocabulary and relative complex sentences.

We can also use parenthesis marked using brackets.

That's what we are going to be focusing on today.

This is just like the other cohesive devices in that it helps our writing flow.

It keeps our reader interested and it helps us to achieve our text's purpose, which is to inform our reader.

Parenthesis is additional information that can be removed without compromising grammatical accuracy.

In other words, we can add parenthesis into a sentence and we can also remove it from the sentence and the sentence can still make sense.

We can use parenthesis when we want to add extra information into a sentence.

Brackets can be used to demarcate parenthesis and separate it from the rest of the sentence.

Let's look at an example.

Here I have a sentence about aye-ayes.

Let's read it together.

Aye-ayes use echolocation when hunting.

Echolocation is a tricky word and it's not a word that we use often in our daily conversations.

Some of our readers might not know what the word echolocation means.

Echolocation means locating prey using reflection of sound.

I think that I might need to include that extra information about what that word means in my sentence.

Let's have a look at how I could use that.

Aye-ayes use echolocation, locating prey using reflection of sound when hunting.

Now this looks great, but my parenthesis has not been separated from the rest of the sentence.

I need to use some punctuation here.

I'm going to use brackets.

Here, we can see that the brackets separate the parenthesis from the rest of the sentence.

Match the terms to their definitions.

Well done.

Brackets are a punctuation mark used to add extra factual information in a clause and parenthesis is additional information that can be removed without compromising grammatical accuracy.

Tick which sentence correctly uses brackets or parenthesis.

Is it A, aye-ayes' incisors two front teeth, bracket, grow continuously, closed brackets.

Is it B, aye-ayes' incisors, bracket, two front teeth, closed brackets, grow continuously.

Or is it C, aye-ayes', brackets, incisors, closed brackets, two front teeth grow continuously.

Well done, if you spotted that it was B, this sentence is correct because the additional information is about what incisors are, that they are to front teeth.

That additional information has been enclosed within the bracket.

That's why this sentence is correct.

Now for your task, read the model adaptation section and answer the following questions.

What is the subheading? Find and copy two examples of subject specific vocabulary related to the aye-aye's adaptations.

Find and copy one example of a fronted adverbial.

Find and copy one example of a relative clause and find and copy one example of parenthesis marked using brackets.

Let's read the model together.

How are aye-ayes adapted to live in their environment? In addition to their interesting feeding habits, aye-ayes have a range of fascinating adaptations that enable them to survive in their environment.

These unique creatures' ears, which are large and dish-like, are hypersensitive to the slightest sounds.

As a result, aye-ayes are able to tap on trees' trunks, and listen for grubs inside.

When they have located grubs inside a tree, these lemurs use their middle fingers, which are noticeably long and slim, to reach deep inside trees' trunks and pierce the grubs in order to scoop them out and eat them.

As well as their impressive hearing and specially modified fingers, aye-ayes' incisor teeth, a pair of sharp teeth located at the front of their mouths, grow continuously throughout their lives.

Due to this adaptation, these creatures are able to bite through tree bark and hard coconut shells when feeding.

Having this range of adaptations means that aye-ayes are well equipped to survive and thrive in the rainforests of Madagascar.

So now you've had a chance to answer the questions.

Let's share the answers.

What is the subheading? The subheading is how are aye-ayes adapted to live in their environment? Two examples of subject specific vocabulary related to aye-aye's adaptations.

Could be any two of these words, hypersensitive, specially modified or incisor teeth.

One example of a fronted adverbial could be any of these, in addition to, as a result, as well as, or due to this adaptation, any of those answers would've been correct.

Find and copy one example of a relative clause.

There were two relative clauses in the text, so you could have used which are large and dish-like or you could have used which are noticeably long and slim.

And finally, one example of parenthesis marked using brackets is a pair of sharp teeth located at the front of their mouths.

Fantastic work, everyone, well done.

Now that brings us on to the second part of our lesson where we are now going to plan the adaptation section.

When we plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise and capture subject specific vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help us to organise information easily for future use, when we come to writing.

We use bullet points when note taking, they look like this.

Plans should include A, clear concise notes, B, paragraphs, C, bullet points.

Well done.

Plan should include clear concise notes and bullet points.

They definitely should not include paragraphs.

Let's review the structure of the adaptation section.

So our adaptation section starts with a subheading, an introductory sentence that introduces what the section will be about.

Specific information that gives the reader detailed information about an aspect of the topic and a linking sentence that links on to the next paragraph.

We will use the same structure in our plan so that when we come to writing, our writing follows an appropriate structure.

Let's look at my model one more time.

Let's read it all together.

How are aye-ayes adapted to live in their environment? In addition to their interesting feeding habits, aye-ayes have a range of fascinating adaptations that enable them to survive in their environment.

These unique creatures' ears, which are large and dish-like, are hypersensitive to the slightest sounds.

As a result, aye-ayes are able to tap on trees' trunks, and listen for grubs inside.

When they have located grubs inside a tree.

These lemurs use their middle fingers, which are noticeably long and slim to reach deep inside trees' trunks, and pierce the grubs in order to scoop them out and eat them.

Let's now look at this sentence.

This is my introductory sentence.

It explains to my reader what this section is about.

Now it's your turn.

Write your subheading on the line.

Write it as a question.

What would you like to find out about aye-aye's adaptations that might help you come up with your question? Then use bullet points to note key words and phrases you will use in your introductory sentence.

Can you link on from the previous section and what is this section about? Pause the video while you do that and then we can share some ideas.

Well done everyone.

I'm sure you've come with some fantastic ideas.

Here are a few things that you might have included.

Here is my example of a question for a subheading.

What enables aye-ayes to survive in their habitat? You might have included an opener such as as well as their interesting feeding habits to link on to the last section, which was about diet.

You also might have mentioned that aye-ayes have a wide range of adaptations and that these adaptations help them to successfully hunt in their habitat.

Well done everyone.

Let's go back to my model, but we're not gonna read the whole thing again.

This time we're just going to focus on this part.

These unique creatures' ears, which are large and dish-like, are hypersensitive to the slightest sounds.

As a result, aye-ayes are able to tap on trees' trunks, and listen for grubs inside.

When they have located grubs inside a tree, these lemurs use their middle fingers, which are noticeably long and slim to reach deep inside trees' trunks, and pierce the grubs in order to scoop them out and eat them.

Here I've included some specific information about particular adaptations of aye-ayes' bodies.

As well as their impressive hearing and specially modified fingers, aye-ayes' incisor teeth, a pair of sharp teeth located at the front of their mouths, grow continuously throughout their lives.

Due to this adaptation, these creatures are able to bite through tree bark and hard coconut shells when feeding.

In my second paragraph, here is my specific information.

This time I have talked in more detail about the aye-ayes' incisor teeth.

This gives my reader specific information about the aye-ayes' incisor teeth.

Let's just remind ourselves of some of the aye-aye's physical adaptations before we go on to plan the specific information section.

They have large bulbous eyes that help the nocturnal creatures see in the dark.

Their incisor teeth grow continuously so that they never wear down.

They have an extra long middle finger that taps on tree trunks and is used to scrape grubs out from inside the tree and their hypersensitive, dish-like ears listen for grubs inside trees' trunks.

You might want to talk in more specific detail about any of these adaptations.

Match the adaptation to its function.

Hypersensitive hearing is used for echolocation.

After tapping on trees' trunks, it listens to hear whether there are grubs inside.

Continuously growing incisor teeth are used to bite through strong materials such as tree bark and coconut shells.

The extra long middle finger is used to pierce and scoop grubs from inside trees' trunks, and excellent night vision enables the aye-aye to see when hunting at night.

Now that we've just reminded ourselves of some of the aye-aye's adaptations and the functions of these adaptations, now it's time for you to choose two of them.

Use bullet points to note key words and phrases you will use in your specific information sentences.

I really want you to consider how each adaptation helps the animal survive in its environment.

Pause the video while you do that.

Great work, everybody.

Hopefully you're feeling really excited about the adaptations that you chose to write about.

Here are some notes that you might have chosen to include.

For example, if you wrote about the aye-aye's dark brown fur, that it camouflages the animal in the treetops, camouflage is the ability to blend in with its surroundings and helps protect the aye-aye from predators.

For my adaptation two, I've decided to write about the middle finger and write that it is specially modified to be long and slender, and it is used to pierce grubs and scoop out.

Scoop them out from tree trunks.

Before we move on, do a final check to make sure that not only have you mentioned each adaptation, but you've also explained how that adaptation helps the aye-aye to survive in its environment.

When you're ready, we can move on.

Great work, everyone.

Now we're going to go to the second paragraph in my adaptations section, which we've already read, and we're just going to look at my final sentence, which is my linking sentence.

Let's read it through together.

Having this range of adaptations means that aye-ayes are well equipped to survive and thrive in the rainforests of Madagascar.

This is my linking sentence, which summarises how important these adaptations are.

It signals to my reader that we are then going to be moving on after this section.

Use bullet points to note down key words and phrases you will use in your linking sentence and use the question prompts to help you.

Have you considered your sentence opener, and can you summarise the importance of adaptations? Pause the video while you do that, and then we can share some ideas.

Great work, everybody.

Here are my ideas.

Now, these will probably be different to yours, but this is why it's helpful for us to share a few different ideas when planning.

My sentence opener is, having this range of adaptations means.

I've also summarised the importance of adaptations by writing, adaptations are essential to aye-ayes' survival.

It's really important to remember that when it comes to writing, we can build on the ideas in our plan.

So when I come to writing my final sentence, I will take these ideas and expand them into full sentences.

So that brings us to the end of our lesson.

Today we have been planning the adaptation section of a non chronological report about aye-ayes.

I have been so impressed with your dedication to your learning and your fantastic ideas.

Here's a summary of what we have learned.

Information in the adaptation section is specific for the reader.

Parenthesis is additional information that can be removed without compromising the grammatical accuracy of a sentence.

In nonfiction writing, parenthesis can be indicated using brackets.

The structure of a detailed paragraph can include an introductory sentence, specific information sentences, and a linking sentence.

Well done everyone.

I hope you're feeling really proud of the planning that you've produced in our lesson today.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.