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Year 6

Writing specific sections of a non-chronological report about a penguin

I can write the ‘appearance’ and ‘adaptations’ sections of a non-chronological report about macaroni penguins, using a range of cohesive devices.

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Year 6

Writing specific sections of a non-chronological report about a penguin

I can write the ‘appearance’ and ‘adaptations’ sections of a non-chronological report about macaroni penguins, using a range of cohesive devices.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Information in a section becomes more specific and detailed as the section goes on.
  2. Facts written in a section should be researched and organised prior to writing.
  3. A range of cohesive devices helps us to link facts within and between sentences.
  4. Before we write, we should orally rehearse sentences to ensure our sentences make sense and flow well.
  5. Parenthesis, varied sentence types and a range of fronted adverbials are all cohesive devices that can be used.

Keywords

  • Text cohesion - how a text flows to maintain the interest of the reader and achieve text purpose

  • Cohesive devices - language structures that develop text cohesion

  • Subheading - a phrase, word or sentence used to introduce a section of a text

  • Introductory sentence - a sentence used at the start of a paragraph

Common misconception

Pupils may struggle with generating an introductory sentence for each section.

Ask pupils to think about the main point of the paragraph, e.g. What is most obvious about the penguins' appearance? Are penguins well-adapted? If so, to what?

A slide is left intentionally lined for you to complete shared writing with your class, constructing a model text together using the notes and success criteria. You can do this at any juncture in the lesson that you feel is appropriate, using the examples provided on Feedback slides to help you.
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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the examples below show good text cohesion?
Penguins have blubber. They can stay warm in the sea.
Correct answer: Penguins can stay warm in the sea because they have blubber.
Correct answer: Penguins have blubber. As a result, they can stay warm in the sea.
Penguins can stay warm in the sea. They have blubber.
Q2.
Which co-ordinating conjunction could be used to join these two sentences? Female macaroni penguins lay eggs. Both males and females incubate these eggs.
but
or
Correct answer: and
Q3.
Which of the following best combines these two ideas? Penguins have solid bones. They can dive deeper.
Although penguins have solid bones, they can dive deeper.
Correct answer: Because penguins have solid bones, they can dive deeper.
While penguins have solid bones, they can dive deeper.
Q4.
Which sentence combines these ideas using a non-finite (-ing) clause? Penguins look after their eggs well. They incubate them for weeks.
Penguins look after their eggs well and incubate them for weeks.
Because penguins incubate their eggs for weeks, they look after them well.
Correct answer: Penguins look after their eggs well, incubating them for weeks.
Q5.
Which fronted adverbial could connect these two sentences? Some penguin breeding sites are now protected from humans. Their numbers are still falling.
Correct answer: Despite this,
As a result,
In addition,
Q6.
Tick the parts of a non-chronological report that include specific information about particular themes.
conclusion
Correct answer: diet section
Correct answer: habitat section
introduction

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the types of cohesive device to the examples.
Correct Answer:complex sentence,The penguins use their fat stores while they incubate the egg.

The penguins use their fat stores while they incubate the egg.

Correct Answer:parenthesis,The nest (called a 'scrape') is shallow and rock-lined.

The nest (called a 'scrape') is shallow and rock-lined.

Correct Answer:fronted adverbial,As a result, they can escape predators.

As a result, they can escape predators.

Correct Answer:compound sentence,Macaroni penguins have webbed feet and they have red eyes.

Macaroni penguins have webbed feet and they have red eyes.

Q2.
Which of these examples correctly connects these ideas? Penguin colonies are huge. Penguins can find each other with noises.
Because penguin colonies are large, penguins can find each other with noises.
Correct answer: Although penguin colonies are large, penguins can find each other with noises.
While penguin colonies are large, penguins can find each other with noises.
Q3.
Which of the following could be an introductory sentence for an appearance section of a non-chronological report?
Macaroni penguins weigh around 3.5 kilograms.
The penguins' white belly contrasts with their black back.
Correct answer: Macaroni penguins are known for their distinctive yellow crest.
Q4.
Which of the following cohesive devices have been used here? The penguins have solid bones (unlike most birds) and they can store oxygen in their muscles.
complex sentence
Correct answer: parenthesis
Correct answer: compound sentence
fronted adverbial
Q5.
Which of the following cohesive devices have been used here? 'Furthermore, because they have excellent underwater vision, they are able to escape their predators.'
Correct answer: complex sentence
parenthesis
compound sentence
Correct answer: fronted adverbial
Q6.
Which of the following fronted adverbials can be used to show a contrast between ideas?
Correct answer: However,
Furthermore,
In addition to this,
Correct answer: Despite this,

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