New
New
Year 3

Writing a section on Portia spiders' appearance for a non-chronological report

I can use my plan to write a detailed section about the appearance of the Portia spider.

New
New
Year 3

Writing a section on Portia spiders' appearance for a non-chronological report

I can use my plan to write a detailed section about the appearance of the Portia spider.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A subheading signals to the reader what the section is about.
  2. A section about one feature of the report's subject contains specific facts and information to keep the reader engaged.
  3. Writers choose varied fronted adverbials and different sentence types to ensure the text flows for the reader.
  4. A section can be composed of one paragraph.
  5. Sentences should be said aloud before writing to ensure they make sense and read back once written to check for errors.

Keywords

  • Text flow - how a text is written to keep the reader engaged

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

  • Compound sentence - a sentence formed of two main clauses and a co-ordinating conjunction

  • Complex sentence - a sentence formed of at least one main clause and a subordinate clause

  • Fronted adverbial - a sentence starter followed by a comma

Common misconception

Pupils write their facts in a non-coherent order.

Ensure pupils are following the order of the facts on their plans when writing full sentences.

Use the accompanying Year 3 Grammar lessons to explain and teach the range of sentence types appropriate at Year 3 level.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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.
What is a plan?
Correct answer: a framework that writers create before they write a section or whole text
lined paper
an answer sheet
Q2.
Match the terms to their definitions.
Correct Answer:clause,a group of words that contains a verb

a group of words that contains a verb

Correct Answer:verb,a doing or a being word

a doing or a being word

Correct Answer:fronted adverbial ,a sentence starter followed by a comma

a sentence starter followed by a comma

Q3.
A section in a non-chronological report is introduced by a ...
Correct Answer: subheading , Subheading, a subheading
Q4.
Non-chronological reports contain lots of ...
jokes
Correct answer: facts
rhymes
onomatopoeia
Q5.
Match the fronted adverbial to its purpose.
Correct Answer:In addition, ,to build on a point from the previous sentence

to build on a point from the previous sentence

Correct Answer:However, ,to introduce a contrasting idea from the previous sentence

to introduce a contrasting idea from the previous sentence

Correct Answer:Interestingly,,to show the writer's point of view

to show the writer's point of view

Q6.
Facts in the introduction of the non-chronological report are general. In later sections, the facts become ...
vague
short
Correct answer: specific
more general

6 Questions

Q1.
When we write, we always try to do which of these things?
Only showcase one sentence type.
Correct answer: Plan and say each sentence before we write it.
Do not say any sentences before we write them.
Q2.
Which of these sentences is relevant to a non-chronological report about the Portia spider?
Slowly, the evil spider crept behind the innnocent insect.
The Portia spider is as quiet as a mouse.
Correct answer: Interestingly, the Portia spider's fur helps it camouflage in its surroundings.
Q3.
What is the definition of a subheading?
A subheading is the main body of the text.
A subheading is a word, phrase or sentence used to describe a picture.
A subheading is a word, phrase or sentence used to label a picture.
Correct answer: A subheading is a word, phrase or sentence used to introduce part of a text.
Q4.
Choose a viewpoint fronted adverbial to start this sentence: __________, the Portia spider can see in 3D.
Correct answer: Interestingly,
Gently,
Carefully,
Magically,
Q5.
The Portia spider eats other __________.
Correct Answer: spiders, Spiders, spider
Q6.
Which sentence could follow this sentence to give a contrasting idea? 'The Portia spider has two venomous fangs to attack other spiders.'
In addition, it lives in the rainforest.
Correct answer: However, it cannot kill humans.
Also, it can jump 50 times its own body length.