This Year 4 Real Writing unit centres on an original report by children’s author Jo Franklin. It follows a clear framework and offers two to three weeks of structured planning. Teachers develop pupils’ vocabulary, grammar and composition while drawing on geography links.
Pupils read a report about countries in North America and explore the author’s use of comparatives, superlatives and headings. They research two or more countries and use these features to write a comparative report of their own.
Curriculum links
English
- vocabulary development
- grammar
- organisational devices
- paragraphing
- comparatives and superlatives
- consistent tense
- fronted adverbials
- expanded noun phrases
- conjunctions
- commas in lists
- planning, drafting, editing and proofreading
Geography
- map skills
- continents
- physical and human features
- countries in North America
- retrieval
- inference
- identifying features of nonfiction
Vocabulary
- Tier 2 words: contrast, dictate, diverse, official, similarity, universal
- Tier 3 words: bilingual, climate, colonise, continent, country, currency, language, populous, season, temperature, tourism
- Common exception words: although, century, different, island, length, position, separate
Resources included
- Three versions of the model text: plain, illustrated and annotated
- Annotated and non-annotated PowerPoints
- Teacher notes and full teaching sequence
- Vocabulary cards and matching activity
- Political and physical maps of North America
- Fact file templates
- Report writing poster
- Margin planner
- Writing skills check
- Activity sheets for each objective
- Writer’s craft task instructions
Key teaching activities
Exploring the continent
Teachers introduce North America through atlases and maps. Pupils identify the continent, locate countries and discuss physical and human features using the maps provided.
Reading the model text
The class reads the model report together and identifies key features such as present tense and clear headings. Teachers revisit conjunctions and comma use and pupils highlight examples in the text.
Investigating vocabulary
Pupils use vocabulary cards to find Tier 2, Tier 3 and statutory spelling words in context. They infer meanings and complete a matching activity to reinforce understanding.
Developing comprehension
Teachers use retrieval and inference questions to explore languages, climates, currencies and landscapes across the continent.
Writing opportunities
Pupils create fact files about countries mentioned in the model text. More confident pupils extend this using atlases, books or digital research.
Grammar and composition sessions
Teachers guide pupils through:
- Comparatives and superlatives
- Writing with headings and organised paragraphs
- Fronted adverbials and their punctuation
- Expanded noun phrases linked to geographical content
Short practice tasks help pupils rehearse each skill.
Investigating report features
Using the report writing poster, pupils identify structure and language features in the model text and compare them with additional examples from the pack.
Research, planning and writing
Pupils select two or more North American countries, gather information, complete fact files and plan their structure using the margin planner. They draft their reports over several sessions and edit with the writing skills check.
Outcomes
By the end of the unit pupils:
- Understand report structure and purpose
- Use comparatives, superlatives and organisational devices effectively
- Apply fronted adverbials and expanded noun phrases
- Retrieve and organise geographical information
- Produce a well-structured report comparing two or more North American countries