ENGLISH- WRITING
Rationale: During this English unit students will be developing their knowledge and
Concepts being explored
Conventions and language
features of informative texts.
Connecting their lives- where
have you seen informative
texts.
Deconstruction and
reconstruction of informative
texts.
How to construct an
informative text.
Analysis of prior
knowledge
Comparison of narrative and
informative text in lesson one.
Brainstorming the differences
between the two texts.
Australian Curriculum
English: Year 5: Literacy: Interpreting,
analysing, evaluating (ACELY1701).
Identify and explain characteristic text
English- Writing- Informative texts Year 5 &6
skills about informative language features within texts through deconstruction and
re-construction methods. Students will be able to make connections within their Topic: Informative texts
own lives of how and when they use informative texts. Students will build on their Week: 1-5
previous learning on South-East Asian countries to research and develop an Educational Setting: Years 5
informative text on an animal from these countries. and 6
Lesson 1 - 50 mins Lesson 3 - 50 mins Lesson 4 - 50 mins
Lesson 3 PowerPoint Lesson 4 PowerPoint
Learning intention: To compare an
informative report to a narrative and to Learning intention: To understand the Learning intention: To understand
identify where we may see an conventions and language features of an the structure of a paragraph.
informative report and the modes it may informative text. (write on whiteboard)
be presented in.
Lesson: what are you going to do? Lesson what are you going to do?
Lesson: what are you going to do? Teacher to recap previous lesson- what did we Teacher to recap previous lesson-
Teacher to read narrative text ‘the learn about last lesson? Students to put hands what did we learn last lesson?
midnight thunderstorm’ up to answer. Students to put their hands up to
Teacher to ask: Use slide 1 to reinforce previous learning. answer.
 What type of text is this?
 How do you know? Teacher to introduce the structure of an Reinforce that informative texts follow
 What is the text about? informative text a specific structure and language
Title, introduction, paragraphs of facts, features.
Students respond with hands up.
conclusion (slide 2)
Teacher to read informative text ‘all Teacher to:
about thunderstorms’ Teacher to show a piece of writing on the Introduce introduction is
interactive whiteboard. Slide 3 ‘From egg to Slide 1
Teacher to draw Venn diagram on the tadpole to toad’ Each paragraph is about a subject of
whiteboard our topic.
How are these texts different/ same? Teacher to pose question; what kind of language  Paragraph starts with a topic
Record answers in Venn diagram. features can you see here? (E.g. Heading/ title, sentence that introduces the
 What does an informative text paragraphs, images). subject.
contain?  Facts about the subject are put
 How may we see an informative Read each section aloud and ask students to in logical order.
identify purpose. (hands up for answers)  Concluding statement about
report?
1
e.g., introduction (what it’s going to be about)
Record answers on white board. the subject.
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main body paragraphs (facts about topic)
structures and language features
used in imaginative, informative and
persuasive texts to meet the purpose
of a text.
Elaborations: Use comprehension
strategies to analyse information,
integrating and linking ideas from a
variety of print and digital sources
(ACELY1703).
English: Year 6: Literacy: Interpreting,
analysing, evaluating (ACELY1711).
Analyse how text structures and
language features work together to
meet the purpose of a text.
Elaborations: Use comprehension
strategies to interpret and analyse
information and ideas, comparing
content from a variety of textual
sources including media and digital
texts (ACELY1713).
General Capabilities
Literacy- interpret and use language
confidently for learning and
communicating.
ICT- learn to use ICT effectively and
appropriately to access, create and
communicate information and ideas,
solve problems and work
collaboratively.
Personal and social capability-
building positive relationships, making
responsible decisions, working
English- Writing- Informative texts Year 5 &6
Students brainstorm ideas for topics of
informative reports in their book.
Teacher asks each student for one idea-
make a list on the whiteboard.
Lesson 2 - 50 minutes
Learning intention: Informative reports
contain facts.
Lesson: what are you going to do?
Show students fact/ opinion video
Teacher to read: Distinguishing between
fact or opinon ‘Zebra’ text.
Students given a copy.
Students to underline facts and opinons
in different colours.
After completion go through each
paragraph and pick out the facts and
opinions.
Ask students if they would like to read a
paragraph.
Teacher to:
Make statements about zebras, students
call out fact or opinion.
Teacher to explain task 1
Students work independently on
advertising facts and opinions
comprehension task.
Answers to be written in workbooks.
Formative assessment: Task 1
conclusion (summarising information and
bringing it to a close) Image (supporting
facts/topic).
Teacher to explain task 1:
The Apple iPad sorting task
1. Cut out and read each paragraph of the
informative text
2. Decide which part of informative
structure each paragraph belongs to.
3. Glue into the correct table on the next
page.
4. Read through the entire text in the
correct order.
5. Glue sheet into book.
As a group discuss students sequences and
each sections purpose introduction (what it’s
going to be about) main body paragraphs (facts
about topic) conclusion (summarising
information and bringing it to a close) Image
(supporting facts/topic). Slide 4
Formative assessment: Task 2
Introduce language features of informative texts
Slide 5
Read out and go through the language features
of the text on slide 6
Teacher to explain task 2:
Worksheet ‘The giant squid’. Identifying
informative language.
Students to complete and glue into book.
Discuss answers as a class.
Formative assessment: Task 3
Collect student’s books for marking.
We start a new paragraph for each
new subject.
Teacher to read a paragraph to
students slide 2
 Do you think this paragraph
flows smoothly? Why/why not?
 What is wrong with the way
this paragraph is structured?
 How might these problems be
fixed?
Ask students how the paragraph
should be reordered.
Reorder the paragraph.
Look for topic sentence, facts,
concluding statement.
Example on slide 3.
Teacher to explain task 3:
Give each table group a jumbled
paragraph, give students a few
minutes to reorganise the structure.
One student from each table reads out
their paragraph.
Teacher to ask whole class:
 Does this sound correct?
Why/why not?
 Which words gave clues about
the correct order of text?
 Why were these words/
phrases helpful?
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effectively in teams, handling
challenging situations constructively
and developing leadership skills.
Cross-curricular links
ICT: Acquire store and validate
different types of data and use a
range of software to interpret and
visualise data to create information
(ACTDIP016)
Assessment
Preliminary- Venn diagram
Formative- fact/ opinion task,
structure sorting task,
language identification task,
paragraph writing,
brain-storming task.
Summative- informative piece
of writing
English- Writing- Informative texts Year 5 &6
Lesson 5 50mins
Lesson 5 PowerPoint
Learning intention: To plan informative
report for assessment.
Teacher to recap last lesson- what did
we learn? Briefly ask students (hands
up).
Teacher to:
Give students informative report
planning sheet.
Briefly explain sections again.
Teacher direction: explain task 5:
Using the sheet and the animal you
wrote a paragraph on last lesson, plan
an informative report on this animal.
Have your plan checked by the teacher.
Write your information report.
Formative assessment: Task 5
Teacher to explain summative
assessment.
Teacher direction:
Give students assessment outline and
rubric, explain.
Students to stick this into their books.
Lesson 6-7 - 100 minutes
Learning intention: Construction of informative
text: working on assignment.
Students chance to clarify understanding of what
is expected.
Time for teacher to help with ideas.
Continuous informal feedback- written and
verbal from teacher.
Lesson: what are you going to do?
Teacher to: give students recap expectations of
assessment. Explain timeline for steps.
Students choose animal for research and 3
subjects for paragraphs.
Students begin their research (computers/
books).
Students given planning sheet to make notes.
Teacher to
Walk around class and look at students work.
Question them about their work and provide
constructive feedback.
Be available to provide further clarification.
Look at drafts.
Students to select an animal that they
know something about.
Students write a paragraph using the
structure learned, about their animal.
Formative assessment: Task 4
Lesson 8 – 50 minutes
Learning intention: Construction of
informative text: working on
assignment.
Students chance to clarify
understanding of what is expected.
Time for teacher to help with ideas.
Continuous informal feedback- written
and verbal from teacher.
Lesson: what are you going to do?
Students will complete assessment
piece, edit their work and use
computers to publish report.
Teacher to
Walk around class and look at
students work.
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Differentiation Lesson 9 – 50 minutes Early finishers Question them about their work and
Editing worksheets. provide constructive feedback.
Teaching: Learning intention: To self-assess and Extra work for assessment task. Be available to provide further
Teacher explicit peer assess informative reports. clarification.
Look at drafts.
Powerpoint
Teacher to:
Student input Explain self-assessment sheet and
Class discussions peer-assessment sheet.
Students to assess own work against
Mode: sheet.
ICT: Interactive whiteboard, Students will swap their report with
videos, powerpoints another student and peer assess using
Written, books, worksheets assessment sheet.
Verbally discussed
Students will be given the option to
Organisation:
present their report to the class.
Class discussions
Working in small groups Summative assessment:
Working independently Teacher to mark informative report
against assessment rubric and give
written feedback to students.
Teacher and Student
Resources

Teacher:
Worksheets
Interactive whiteboard/
powerpoints/ computer
Markers
Assessment sheet/ rubric

Student:
Pencils, coloured pencils,
Scissors
Glue

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Internet/ Books
Workbooks

English- Writing- Informative texts Year 5 &6

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English- Writing- Informative texts Year 5 &6