Real Writing Year 4 - Unit 6
Model text: Fair’s Fair: What is Fairtrade?, by Ross Montgomery
Curriculum links: Geography (trade links)
Unit overview
This writing unit for Year 4 is built around an original model text by Ross Montgomery; an explanatory text about Fairtrade, explaining its origins and how it helps farmers all over the world. 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 how subordinate clauses are used to create multi-clause sentences. They will also learn how to use the possessive apostrophe with plural nouns. In their final writing task, pupils will write their own explanations describing trade links and the distribution of food for Fairtrade products. This unit could be used within a geography topic on trade links, food or chocolate, or to develop pupils’ understanding of Fairtrade as part of a whole school project.
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 show possession by using the possessive apostrophe for plural nouns
Pupils will: sort sentences, showing whether they include singular or plural possession; circle apostrophes and identify whether they are being used to show singular or plural possession; add apostrophes correctly to show possession; write sentences that include nouns that show singular and plural possession
2. Grammar: To extend the range of sentences with more than one clause by using subordinating conjunctions
Pupils will: play a game to create multi-clause sentences; write a paragraph describing why people should buy Fairtrade chocolate, using subordinate clauses.
Revisited skills
- Using consistent tense
- Commas in a list
- Present perfect form of verbs
Additional year 4 curriculum teaching points
- Organising paragraphs around a theme
- Using headings
- Using fronted adverbials
Year 4 words: featured vocabulary
Spelling words: business, enough, interest
Tier 2 words: exploitation, fair, fund, guarantee, poverty, profit
Tier 3 words: commerce, commercial, consumer, developing country, ethical, produce, producer, sustainable