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Year 6

Researching information about threats to a penguin

I can write notes about threats that exist for macaroni penguins.

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New
New
Year 6

Researching information about threats to a penguin

I can write notes about threats that exist for macaroni penguins.

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. Established facts and relevant evidence can be used to strengthen the writer's position on a subject.
  5. Relevant statistics can enhance the evidence cited.

Common misconception

Pupils may struggle to keep language formal when generating expanded noun phrases relating to the penguins.

Model out loud the thought process of selecting and rejecting different adjectives, bearing in mind formality - e.g. rejecting 'cute' and selecting 'instantly-recognisable'.

Keywords

  • Subject-specific vocabulary - vocabulary we use when writing about a particular subject

  • Formal tone - the effect created by choosing serious, factual language

  • Threat - the possibility that something harmful or unwanted will happen

  • Statistics - a collection of numerical facts or measurements

  • Bullet points - punctuation marks used to lay out information in a non-fiction text

Supplement the information in the lesson with additional videos and images about macaroni penguins, which you can use as stimuli for generating more expanded noun phrases with a formal tone.
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).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which sentences use an apostrophe for singular possession correctly?
The penguins' feet are webbed.
Correct answer: The penguin's feet are webbed.
Correct answer: A macaroni penguin's diet is largely composed of krill.
A macaroni penguins' diet is largely composed of krill.
Q2.
Which sentences use an apostrophe for plural possession correctly?
Correct answer: Macaroni penguins' nests are shallow and stone-lined.
Penguin's nests are shallow and stone-lined.
Correct answer: The penguins' breeding sites are across three continents.
The penguins' breed on three different continents.
Q3.
Which sentences use apostrophes for possession correctly?
Correct answer: The penguin's oily feathers help keep it warm.
The penguin's oily feathers help keep them warm.
Correct answer: The penguins' oily feathers help keep them warm.
The penguins' oily feathers help keep it warm.
Q4.
Which of these sentences might belong in a paragraph based on the theme 'Penguins' habitats'?
Correct answer: They breed in colonies of up to 100,000 individuals.
They survive mostly on krill.
Correct answer: They spend half of their life swimming at sea.
They are considered a vulnerable species.
Q5.
Which version below is an appropriate bullet point note about penguins' habitats?
Correct answer: nest = shallow scrape - rocks + grass > incubate eggs
Their nest is a shallow scraped lined with rocks and grass.
Their nest is a shallow scrape where they incubate their eggs.
Q6.
Which of the following facts tell us that macaroni penguins are sociable and communicative?
Correct answer: They live in colonies of up to 100,000 penguins.
They spend six months of the year at sea.
Correct answer: They uses noises to show aggression, find each other and attract mates.
Correct answer: They can move their flippers to communicate with gestures.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is a statistic about macaroni penguins?
Macaroni penguins are very sociable and communicative.
Correct answer: They can dive to depths of 80 metres.
They have breeding sites on three continents.
They communicate using noises and flipper gestures.
Q2.
Which of the following sentences show a threat that macaroni penguins face to their population?
There are monitoring programmes at breeding colonies.
Correct answer: Climate change affects krill numbers.
There are protected reserves at breeding grounds.
Correct answer: Fishing affects krill and fish numbers.
Q3.
Which of the following is an appropriate expanded noun phrase to replace 'macaroni penguins' in a non-chronological report?
these adorable creatures
Correct answer: these flightless birds
Correct answer: this vulnerable species
this cuddly, cute animal
Q4.
Match the nouns and adjectives to make word pairs to describe the features of macaroni penguins and their lives.
Correct Answer:tightly-packed,feathers

feathers

Correct Answer:streamlined,body

body

Correct Answer:shallow,scrape

scrape

Correct Answer:unique, yellow,crest

crest

Q5.
Put these events in order to show how climate change threatens macaroni penguins.
1 - Human carbon emissions drive climate change.
2 - The sea becomes warmer.
3 - Krill numbers fall.
4 - Penguin numbers fall.
Q6.
Match each statement to the best label.
Correct Answer:current status,vulnerable to extinction

vulnerable to extinction

Correct Answer:past problems,fishing led to a huge fall in numbers

fishing led to a huge fall in numbers

Correct Answer:conservation efforts,breeding grounds are in protected reserves

breeding grounds are in protected reserves

Correct Answer:current problems,climate change is reducing krill numbers

climate change is reducing krill numbers