Real Writing Year 4 - Unit 8
Model text: Countries in North America by Jo Franklin
Curriculum links: Geography (North America)
Unit overview
This writing unit for Year 4 is built around an original model text by Jo Franklin; a report about North America, describing the similarities and differences between the countries within the continent. 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 investigate the author’s use of comparatives and superlatives and explore how simple headings are used to organise information. In their final writing task, pupils will write their own report comparing two or more countries in North America. This unit could be used within a geography topic on the theme of North America.
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 use comparatives and superlatives
Pupils will: organise words and phrases to show if the are using the comparative or superlative form; write sentences using comparatives and superlatives
2. Grammar: To use simple organisational devices
Pupils will: organise information into paragraphs, writing headings for each paragraph; write a short report about the geographical features of the UK using headings to organise information
Revisited skills
- Using a range of conjunctions to create sentences with more than one clause
- Using consistent tense
- Commas in a list
Additional year 4 curriculum teaching points
- Using fronted adverbials
- Creating expanded noun phrases
Year 4 words: featured vocabulary
Spelling words: although, century, different, island, length, position, separate
Tier 2 words: contrast, dictate, diverse, official, similarity, universal
Tier 3 words: bilingual, climate, colonise, continent, country, currency, language, populous, season, temperature, tourism