This Year 5 Real Writing unit uses an original explanation text by published children’s author Anita Loughrey.
The unit follows a carefully mapped framework and covers two to three weeks of lessons.
Pupils are introduced to the structure and language of explanation texts, then move into guided practice. The children then research and write their own animal life cycle explanations.
The sequence links naturally to science learning on animal life cycles and supports Year 5 writing objectives.
Included in this unit
• Model text in three PDF versions: plain, illustrated and annotated
• Annotated and non-annotated teaching slides
• Two fully resourced lessons for each key grammar objective
• Teacher notes and step-by-step guidance
• Vocabulary cards and matching activities
• Comprehension questions
• Research sheets, margin planners and writing skill checks
• Animal image cards and explanation writing posters
Curriculum links
English
- Explanation writing
- Causal conjunctions
- Parenthesis
- Paragraphs
- Fronted adverbials
- Adverbials of time
- Tense consistency
- Organisational and presentational devices
- Summarising information
Science
- Animal life cycles
- Classification
- Adaptation
Vocabulary
- Tier 2 words: secrete, absorb, external, emerge
- Tier 3 words: amphibian, lifecycles, ectothermic, vertebrate, hibernate, tympanum, predator, larva, metamorphosis
- Common exception words: develop
Key teaching activities
Exploring explanation texts
Teachers guide pupils to read the model text, identify organisational features such as diagrams, headings and glossary use, and compare these with other explanation texts.
Teaching new vocabulary
Teachers introduce technical and subject-specific vocabulary using word cards. Pupils find examples in the model text, infer meanings from context and complete vocabulary-matching tasks.
Checking understanding
Teachers use structured comprehension questions to assess understanding of frog life cycles and explanation text content.
Summarising information
Pupils explore précis skills by completing research sheets that capture key life cycle stages succinctly.
Grammar and composition
Activities focus on:
• Using causal conjunctions
• Indicating parenthesis with brackets, dashes and commas
• Linking ideas across paragraphs with adverbials
• Using prepositional phrases for cohesion
• Identifying and maintaining present tense in explanations
Research and writing
Pupils choose an animal, explore its life cycle using research sheets, plan using a margin planner and write an extended explanation over several sessions. Regular opportunities to edit and improve writing support independence.
Outcomes
By the end of the unit pupils:
• Understand and use the structural features of explanation texts
• Apply causal conjunctions and parenthesis accurately
• Use tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary confidently in context
• Summarise key information effectively
• Research and write a full explanation of an animal life cycle
• Edit and improve writing using clear success criteria