Real Writing Year 3 - Unit 8
Model text: Biomes, by Jo Franklin
Curriculum links: Geography (Biomes)
Unit overview
This writing unit for Year 6 is built around an original model text by Jo Franklin; a non-chronological report describing various biomes from around the planet. The example text is available as a PDF in three versions (plain, illustrated and annotated); annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations are also included.
During the two-week unit, pupils will complete activities that explore the features of a non-chronological report, making cross-curricular links with geography as they learn technical vocabulary related to climate and the environment. Ultimately, pupils will research and produce their own report about a biome of their choice, which could be enhanced with pictures, diagrams and maps.
Key curriculum skills
Two fully-resourced lessons are included for the following LKS2 English objectives, which can form part of the unit or be taught discretely:
1. Vocabulary - To explore words using the prefix bio- (life)
Pupils will: revisit the topic of prefixes; understand the meaning of the prefix ‘bio-’; practise deducing the meaning of words from their constituent parts; complete a word and suffix match activity; write sentences using words with prefixes.
2. Grammar: To ensure correct and consistent use of the past and present tenses
Pupils will: revisit why tenses must be correct and consistent; complete a ‘fill the gaps’ activity with verb tenses; rewrite a paragraph, correcting the use of tenses; write their own paragraph with incorrect tenses, for a partner to correct.
Revisited skills
- Subordination
- The correct use of past and present tense
- The use of commas for lists
Additional year 3 curriculum teaching points
- extending sentences with a wider range of conjunctions
- The use of conjunctions, adverbials and prepositions to express time, place and cause
- The use of paragraphs organised around a theme
- The inclusion of organisational features such as headings and subheadings
Year 3 words: featured vocabulary
Spelling words: describe, particular, therefore, different, natural, often
Tier 2 words: animals, humid, igniting, isolated
Tier 3 words: tropical, rainforest, biome, vegetation, climate, landscape, hemisphere, temperate, tundra, savanna