Lesson video

Hello everybody, I'm Miss Gardner.

And I'm really excited to be one of your Oak Academy teachers.

I'm going to be teaching a unit on pandas.

We're going to be writing a non-chronological report.

I can't wait to do it.

I really hope you enjoy it as well.

And I can't wait to see all your work.

Let's get started.

Okay, for this lesson, you're going to need an exercise book and some paper, a pencil, your brain, and if you can, try and find somewhere nice and quiet and calm, where you can concentrate.

If you need to, pause the video now, so you can go and sort all that stuff out.

The LO for today, the learning objective, is to analyse the features of a non-chronological report.

This is going to be lesson one one of a 15 lesson unit.

On the agenda we're going to start with some key vocabulary.

Then we're going to introduce a non-chronological report.

Then we're going to discuss the features of one.

And then we're going to find examples of these features in a non-chronological report that I've written.

So key vocabulary.

We'll play my turn, your turn.

I'll say the word.

You say it back to your computer screen.

Just so it's really good at getting it into your head.

Really good way for you to get that into your head.

Formal language.

A formal language is language used in serious situations.

It's often used in writing.

So for example, if you were going to be writing a letter to your head teacher or maybe to your local MP, you would use formal language.

Conjunction.

A conjunction is a word which is used to connect clauses or sentences, or to coordinate words in the same clause.

You might have heard of them from previous grammars lessons.

A coordinating, conjunction, an example is and, but, or A subordinating conjunction would be something like, because, so, although.

Subheading.

So subheading is a word sentence or phrase that introduces a part of a text.

A clue for you is that it's often underlined.

Signposting.

A signposting phrase or signposting sentence is something which guides the reader through the text so they know what to expect from when they're reading.

So the next section is about introducing a non-chronological report.

What is a non-chronological report? You might've heard of it from previous units.

Maybe you've done it in school before in the past.

You might have heard of it, may be known as an information text, but it comes from the word chronology.

Chron, which means time, and ology which means a study of.

So a non-chronological report is a nonfiction text, but which is not written in time order.

Some of you may have written a biography in the past where that would have been a chronological report, 'cause you would have probably started from that early life or from birth of someone's earlier birth.

And we'll go in chronological order until the end of their life.

A non-chronological report, it doesn't need to be in time order.

So which would be the best book for finding out information about the deep sea? Would it be the one on the left, "The Fish With the Deep Sea Smile?" Or would it be "Creatures of the Deep." Have a little think.

You're right, it would be "Creatures of the Deep," 'cause that is a nonfiction text, which would give you lots of facts and information about that subject.

"The Fish With the Deep Sea Smile" would probably give you an idea and lovely images, but it's more of a story, a fiction text.

So features of a non-chronological report.

When I say features, I think things, characteristics, things that you would expect to see in a non-chronological report.

Have a little think now.

You're going to have a little think now about what are these features.

I want you to think about the language, the layout and the structure, any punctuation you'd expect to find, and maybe some vocabulary choices.

Here's your chance to pause the video and maybe jot down some ideas.

So here's some things that I've come up with and things that I've often seen spotted in a non-chronological report.

You're always going to have a title and probably subheadings, which come at the beginning of each paragraph.

Often they're underlined to tell you what the paragraph is going to be about.

Subject specific vocabulary is vocab and words which are relevant to the subject you're writing about.

In the books we looked at earlier, the subject specific vocabulary to "Creatures in the Deep Sea," you'd probably see vocab like ocean floor and coral reef, because they are specific to that subject.

Formal conjunctions, we're going to look at those in a minute, but they are a part of formal language, and they are a conjunction, so what link clauses and phrases together.

Facts.

Because it's an information text it is filled with facts that can't be debated.

They can't be negotiated.

They are true, 100%.

A rhetorical question is when you ask a question to the reader which you don't expect them to answer.

Something like did you know? You wouldn't expect the reader to respond with the answer.

A signposting sentence is when you have a sentence in your writing, which tells you what to expect from what you're about to read.

A parenthesis for extra information.

It comes within a sentence.

Usually you'll see it within brackets, and it builds onto the sentence.

It adds extra information.

And a colon to introduce a list.

This is going to be something we're going to be doing more thoroughly in a later lesson.

And it's often found in a non-chronological report or information text.

Okay, so what is a formal conjunction? There are different types of formal conjunctions.

The first type is an and conjunction.

And is a conjunction because it links two clauses, but in formal language, you could maybe use words, expressions like in addition to this, moreover, furthermore, as well as.

You notice at the end of each formal conjunction, they are followed by a comma.

They come at the beginning of the sentence, and they're followed by a comma.

But conjunctions.

You can use the word, but, but in a formal language you might want to use words like however, although, despite this.

Again, you'll notice they're all followed by the comma.

Now the final one, you've got to be quite careful 'cause I always make this mistake, but it is causal conjunction, not a casual conjunction, which I often read as.

These link clauses and kind of make them have a reason.

So as a result, due to this, and consequently.

Again, all followed by a comma.

We're just going to do a little bit of a check quiz to see whether you've, what you've learned from just now.

Are these features? You say yes or no and you say them at the computer screen.

Rhetorical question.

Yep, you're right.

Did you know is often found in a non-chronological report.

Informal conjunctions? You're right, no, they are not in part of a on non-chronological report.

Formal conjunctions, however, are.

Actually, however, is an example of one.

Opinions? No, opinions are not part of the non-chronological report because they are something, they are someone's own thoughts and feelings.

and an information text is giving facts that is 100% true.

Subheadings? Yeah.

Subheadings are definitely found in a non-chronological report.

And they're usually at the top of a paragraph, underlined, to tell you what that paragraph is going to be about.

Facts? We did speak about that just earlier, but yes, you're going to be, in any non-chronological report it is filled with lots of interesting facts.

Now we are going to analyse an example for non-chronological report.

So this is an example of a complete non-chronological report.

We're going to be writing it in sections throughout the unit.

You're not going to write it all in one go.

But so we're going to look at it as a paragraph at a time, but just for you to get the idea of what it should look like as a whole.

You can see at the top, you've got your title.

This one's about the Loch Ness monster.

You've got your introduction.

And then you've got the following paragraphs, all which have got subtitle at the top.

Subheading at the top.

Just for a moment, you're going to, in a moment you're going to pause the video.

And I want you to think about the purpose of the Loch Ness report.

Why was it written? The audience.

Who was it written for? The layout.

How was it structured? And any language you'd expect, you would expect to find in a non-chronological report.

Pause the video now and have a think.

Now we're going to read the text together.

Then we're going to try and find some of these features within the text.

So The Loch Ness Monster.

Scientists first spotted Loch Ness monsters, which many people doubt exist, in 1912.

Did you know that it is in fact an important part of the food chain of the Scottish lochs and is a vicious carnivore? Vicious, meaning aggressive, carnivore, an animal that eats other animals.

Inhabiting Loch Ness, on the west side of the hilly Scottish Highlands, this beast is able to survive, thanks to a range of fascinating adaptations.

This report will reveal the mysteries of this mythical animal's habitat, appearance, and diet.

We're going to play a little bit of a game where you need to find the feature within the text.

Nice one to start with, the title and the subheadings.

Can you find the title and the subheadings? If you need to pause, that's absolutely fine.

Yep, you're right.

The Loch Ness monster is our title.

Next feature for you to find is a rhetorical question.

Again, pause if you need to.

There's no rush.

Yeah, the clue really there is did you know.

Did you know that it is in fact an important part of the food chain of the Scottish lochs and is a vicious carnivore? The author is not expecting you to actually answer the question.

That's why it's called a rhetorical question.

Parenthesis for extra information.

Can you spot that feature? Find the feature within the text? Yep, you're right.

It comes after inhabiting Loch Ness, on the west side of the hilly Scottish Highlands.

You could take out the parenthesis here and the sentence would still make sense.

It just gives you that extra information.

A signposting sentence.

Try and think back to the key vocabulary.

Can you remember what a signposting sentence is? Yeah, you're right.

It comes at the end of the introduction and it tells you what the rest of the unit of the text is going to be about.

This report will.

And then it goes into detail about what the text will be about.

Good job.

So the next paragraph is the characteristics paragraph.

Characteristics, or features.

This ferocious beast has a range of features, which enable it to capture its prey pretty quickly and efficiently, green leathery scales to camouflage, rotating eyes to spot prey, and sharp teeth and claws.

Furthermore, it's long razor sharp teeth, used to use to rip through open tough sealskin, and two foot long claws, make Loch Ness monsters extraordinary hunters.

So find the feature again.

The subheading.

Yep, you're right.

The subheading is the characteristics.

And it was made clear by the fact that it was put in bold and underlined.

And at the top of your paragraph.

Subject specific vocabulary.

You might find more than one example.

So have a pause, read it carefully, which vocab is really specific to the subject of the text? So I found prey, camouflage, and sealskin, all the words which are relevant to the facts of the Loch Ness monster.

Formal conjunctions.

Have a little pause.

Yep, furthermore, which is a formal conjunction version of what used to build information on from the previous sentence.

Furthermore, you're building on, but using formal language.

Colon to introduce a list? Yep, it comes after the word efficiently.

This ferocious beast has a range of features, which enable it to capture its prey quickly and efficiently, colon, and it introduces the features.

The green scales, the rotating eyes, and the sharp teeth and claws.

Next paragraph is all about the diet.

Diet.

This rare creature has a unique and specialised diet in order to help it preserve energy.

Predominantly this fascinating species consumes eels and large fish, sometimes hunting otters.

Did you know that each adult male needs to eat a minimum of 50 kilogrammes of food each day to sustain its active lifestyle? However, Loch Ness monsters will rarely prey upon seals as they can lead to food poisoning.

Find the feature again.

A fact.

Pause the video if you need to.

Can you find me a fact? Something that can't be debated? Yeah, the fact is that adult males need to eat a minimum of 50 kilogrammes of food each day.

Often when I'm asked to find a fact, I look for a number.

That's quite a good clue.

And our final paragraph is the conclusion.

To conclude.

Loch Ness monsters have superbly adapted to suit the harsh environment where they live.

Despite all these features, big game hunters threaten the future survival of Loch Ness monsters.

Rare sightings of this beast have given it a mythical status.

And now many doubt whether it does still actually exist.

A subheading.

This is a nice, easy one to finish off.

Conclusion.

Yeah, that is underlined and in bold.

Formal conjunction.

Yeah, to conclude is a really nice way to join the final paragraph with the rest of the text, to conclude.

You may have also spotted the other formal conjunction, the but conjunction, despite all these features, which is another example of a formal conjunction.

Well done for a brilliant lesson.

You have been introduced to a non-chronological report.

You have discussed the features of a non-chronological report and checked your understanding.

And then we found the examples of features in an example non-chronological report.

That brings us to the end of lesson one.

I really hope you enjoyed it.

And if you'd like to share your work with your parent or carer, I'm sure they would love to see it.