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Year 5

Reading around the text 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover'

I can compare and contrast between two non-fiction texts.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 5

Reading around the text 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover'

I can compare and contrast between two non-fiction texts.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When reading non-fiction texts, readers can use the layout features to help navigate the text.
  2. Non-fiction texts can present information in different forms and layouts.
  3. Readers can compare and contrast within and across texts.

Keywords

  • Layout - the way the information is organised on the page

  • Skimming - quickly glancing over text for main ideas and key points

  • Scanning - rapidly searching a text for specific information or keywords

  • Compare - identifying similarities between two or more things, ideas, concepts, or texts

  • Contrast - identifying differences between two or more things, ideas, concepts, or texts

Common misconception

Pupils may find it challenging to remember features found in non-fiction texts.

Display/print out common non-fiction text features, alongside layout features, to support pupils when comparing and contrasting.


To help you plan your year 5 english lesson on: Reading around the text 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You may wish to make Task B more interactive by printing statements and asking groups to sort into 'similarities' and 'differences'.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2023 Walker Studio edition of ‘Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover’ written and illustrated by Markus Motum, for this lesson.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
How did the Curiosity rover get its name?
Correct answer: It was named by a pupil called Clara Ma
It was named by the NASA scientist team
It was decided by using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Q2.
True or False? The Curiosity rover was only able to take photographs in black and white.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q3.
What technology and equipment was on board the Curiosity rover?
Correct answer: navigation cameras
internet connection
Correct answer: laser
Correct answer: drill
games
Q4.
Match the following definitions of a similarity and difference.
Correct Answer:similarity, two or more things that are alike or have something in common
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two or more things that are alike or have something in common

Correct Answer:difference,two or more things are not alike or do not have something in common
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two or more things are not alike or do not have something in common

Q5.
Sequence the following events from the text in chronological order.
1 - the module enters the Martian atmosphere
2 - a parachute is deployed to slow the module down
3 - a descent vehicle uses rockets to lower the rover onto the surface of Mars
4 - after landing safely, the rover sets off to explore the Martian landscape
Q6.
True or False? 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover' is a non-fiction text.
Correct Answer: True, true

6 Questions

Q1.
True or false? The layout of a text refers to the way the information is organised on the page.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q2.
Match the keyword to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:skimming,quickly glancing over text for main ideas and key points
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quickly glancing over text for main ideas and key points

Correct Answer:scanning ,rapidly searching a text for specific information or keywords
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rapidly searching a text for specific information or keywords

Correct Answer:comparing,identifying similarities between two or more things
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identifying similarities between two or more things

Correct Answer:contrasting,identifying differences between two or more things
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identifying differences between two or more things

Q3.
Which of the following is a tip for skimming and scanning?
reading every word
Correct answer: locate headings and subheadings
Correct answer: notice illustrations, captions and graphics
Q4.
Which of the following are layout features likely to be found in a non-fiction text?
Correct answer: sub-headings
Correct answer: text boxes
Correct answer: paragraphs
character dialogue
Correct answer: captions
Q5.
How much did Curiosity weigh?
one pound
one kilogram
Correct answer: one ton
Q6.
What material are Curiosity rover’s wheels made out of?
recycled plastic
Correct answer: aluminum
gold

Additional material

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