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New
Year 5

Planning and writing the introduction of a biography about Harriet Tubman

I can use my research about Harriet Tubman’s life to help me plan and write the introduction of a biography.

New
New
Year 5

Planning and writing the introduction of a biography about Harriet Tubman

I can use my research about Harriet Tubman’s life to help me plan and write the introduction of a biography.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The introduction provides the reader with general information about who the biography is about.
  2. The introduction explicitly outlines which aspects of the subject's life will be explored.
  3. In the introduction, information should be kept general and it should encourage the reader to read on.
  4. When writing, we should orally rehearse sentences and use our plans and success criteria to guide us.

Keywords

  • Purpose - the aim of the text

  • Introduction - the first paragraph of a non-fiction text that encourages the reader to read on

  • General information - the most basic and necessary information

Common misconception

Pupils may use facts that are too specific in the introduction.

General facts and information should be explicitly shared. Visuals that represent **general** versus **specific** information should be referred to throughout the planning process. Visuals help pupils 'see' which information belongs where.

It is helpful for pupils to say each sentence aloud before they write it, either to themselves or a partner, as this will improve sentence transcription accuracy.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), 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.
Select the correct definition of 'biography'.
a poem that tells a story
a non-fiction text that informs the reader about a subject
a report that informs the reader about a real-life event
Correct answer: a non-fiction text that informs the reader about a person
Q2.
Put the sections of a biography about Harriet Tubman in the correct order.
1 - introduction
2 - early life
3 - activism
4 - conclusion
Q3.
Which country was Harriet Tubman born in?
England
Correct answer: America
France
Q4.
When was Harriet Tubman born?
Correct answer: around 1820
around 1865
around 1920
Q5.
__________ is a war between the citizens of a country.
An Underground Railroad
A conductor
Correct answer: A civil war
Q6.
Select a synonym for 'fugitive'.
Correct answer: runaway
enslaved
excited

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:purpose,the aim of the text

the aim of the text

Correct Answer:introduction, the first paragraph that encourages the reader to read on

the first paragraph that encourages the reader to read on

Correct Answer:general information,the most basic and necessary information

the most basic and necessary information

Q2.
Match these parts of the introduction to their functions.
Correct Answer: introductory sentence,introduces the reader to who the biography is about

introduces the reader to who the biography is about

Correct Answer:general information,gives the reader some necessary information about the person

gives the reader some necessary information about the person

Correct Answer:linking sentence,indicates what the next section will be about

indicates what the next section will be about

Q3.
Put these parts of the introduction in the correct order.
1 - introductory sentence
2 - general information
3 - linking sentence
Q4.
Which of these make up the purpose of the introduction?
Correct answer: engage the reader
Correct answer: make the reader want to read on
give the reader some specific information
Correct answer: give the reader some general information
Q5.
Plans should include which of the following?
Correct answer: bullet points
paragraphs
Correct answer: notes
Correct answer: facts and dates
Q6.
Put the stages of the writing process in the correct order.
1 - plan
2 - draft
3 - edit
4 - rewrite