Real Writing Year 3 - Unit 3
Model text: The Life Cycle Of A Flowering Plant, by Jo Franklin
Curriculum Links: Science (Life cycles)
Writing unit overview
This writing unit for Year 3 is built around an original model text by Jo Franklin; an illustrated explanation of the life cycle of flowering plants. The example text is available as a PDF in three versions (plain, illustrated and annotated); annotated and non-annotated PowerPoint presentations are also included.
In this two-week unit, pupils will read an informative poster, explaining the cyclical process of the life of a flowering plant. They will have an opportunity to learn some precise, subject-specific vocabulary as well as some of the writing techniques associated with composing explanatory texts. It will culminate in them writing their own explanatory text about the life cycle of a flowering plant. This unit could link with the science curriculum topic ‘plants’.
Key curriculum skills
1. Vocabulary - exploring words ending in -tion
Pupils will: fill in the gaps with the corrects verbs or nouns; write a paragraph about meeting friendly aliens, using -tion nouns; write definitions for alien words.
2. Grammar - exploring how to join clauses and sentences using causal conjunctions
Pupils will: use sentence maker cards to connect clauses with conjunctions; write sentences with casual conjunctions and experiment with the effect of moving these conjunctions to different places with the sentences to create complex sentences.
Additional skills to teach or revisit
- the correct use of: subordination; adverbs
- conjunctions to show time or place
- past and present tense
- commas for lists
Additional Year 3 teaching points
- extending sentences with a wider range of conjunctions
- using paragraphs to group related material
- using headings and subheadings
Year 3 vocabulary
Y3/4 Statutory Spelling words: circle, natural
Tier 2 words: moisture, formation, essential
Tier 3 words: pollination, reproduction, germinate, nutrients, photosynthesis, dispersed