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Year 6

Researching information about a penguin's habitat and diet

I can write notes about a penguin's habitat and diet from a range of sources.

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New
New
Year 6

Researching information about a penguin's habitat and diet

I can write notes about a penguin's habitat and diet from a range of sources.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Information can be gathered from a range of different sources.
  2. Credibility of each source must be determined.
  3. Origin of a source must be cited.
  4. Full sentences are not required when writing in note form.
  5. Notes can be organised by theme using bullet points.

Common misconception

Pupils may lose sight of the overall structure of the planned report.

Constantly refer back to the idea of paragraphs focusing on a given theme (diet, habitat) after a general introduction, using the stag beetle model as needed.

Keywords

  • Source - someone or something that supplies information

  • Credibility - the fact that someone can be believed or trusted

  • Origin - where something starts

  • Theme - a central idea that the writer intends the audience to engage deeply with

  • Bullet points - punctuation marks that lay key information out in a non-fiction text

Encourage frequent oral rehearsal based on notes taken, showing how these can be converted back into complete facts. You may wish to model how we can orally connect ideas using fronted adverbials, complex and compound sentences.
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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
When we look at sources online for research, what are good signs that the source is credible?
The website is very colourful and engaging.
Correct answer: The website is for an organisation that is well-known and respected.
Correct answer: The information on the website matches other things you've read.
The website is known for its funny content.
Q2.
You are looking for facts about penguins online. Which of these sources would you trust to give you credible information?
a video about funny animals with a few hundred views
Correct answer: the website of a leading penguin conservation charity
Correct answer: the website of a well-known news organisation
Correct answer: a video about penguins by a famous scientist
Q3.
Put the parts of a non-chronological report about penguins in the correct order.
1 - an introduction giving general information about pandas
2 - sections that give specific information about themes such as appearance & diet
3 - a conclusion that gives general information about the future of pandas
Q4.
Select the fact about macaroni penguins that is most likely to be placed in the introduction of a non-chronological report.
The macaroni penguin is 70 centimetres in length.
Correct answer: It is a flightless bird.
It has white pink legs and feet.
It can store oxygen in its muscles.
Q5.
Which of the following are adaptations that help macaroni penguins survive?
Correct answer: They have excellent underwater vision.
Correct answer: They have a streamlined body.
Males are slightly larger them females.
They are around 70 centimetres long.
Q6.
Which version below is most appropriate for research notes?
They store oxygen in their muscles, allowing them to dive deeper.
Correct answer: store oxygen in muscles > dive deeper
Because they store oxygen in their muscles, they can dive deeper.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which sentences use an apostrophe for singular possession correctly?
Each penguins' yellow crest is fully formed by the age of four.
Correct answer: Each penguin's yellow crest is fully formed by the age of four.
Correct answer: The macaroni penguin's belly has white plumage.
The macaroni penguins' belly has white plumage.
Q2.
Which sentence uses an apostrophe for plural possession correctly?
The macaroni penguin's eyes are red.
Correct answer: Macaroni penguins' eyes are red.
The macaroni penguins eyes are red.
Q3.
Which sentences use apostrophes for possession correctly?
The penguins' excellent vision helps it escape predators.
Correct answer: The penguins' excellent vision helps them escape predators.
Correct answer: The penguin's excellent vision helps it escape predators.
The penguin's excellent vision helps them escape predators.
Q4.
Which of these sentences might belong in a paragraph based on the theme 'Penguins' diet'?
Macaroni penguins spend six months in the ocean.
Correct answer: The penguins feed mostly on krill.
Correct answer: Macaroni penguins fast for long periods of time.
They live in large, crowded colonies of up to 100,000 individuals.
Q5.
Which version below is an appropriate bullet point note about the penguins' habitat?
Correct answer: come ashore to breed - 50 sites - Antarctica, S. America, Africa
They come ashore to breed at 50 sites in Antarctica, South America and Africa.
c.a.b. - 50 - A, SA, A
Q6.
Which of the following facts give evidence that macaroni penguins are well-adapted to their lifestyle?
Correct answer: They can survive for weeks on their fat reserves without eating.
They eat mostly krill as well as squid and fish.
Correct answer: They can swim to depths of 80 metres, diving for up to three minutes.
Their nest is a shallow 'scrape'.