In P3 over the last two weeks, we have been learning about the features of a brochure/leaflet. We are going to write a leaflet all about ‘How to Survive on a Deserted Island’ which links well with our IDL topic.

We now know that a brochure has to have a front cover with a title, some paragraphs, bright colours to stand out and context appropriate words/adjectives. We looked at some examples of brochures and discussed the features with our talking partners. Then, using this knowledge, we started to plan ideas for our first section, ‘How to make a shelter’ by looking at these 3 questions;

Why would you need a shelter?

What materials would you use?

Where would you build it and when would you build it?

To help us get some advice on how to build a good shelter, we watched a video from top survival expert, Bear Grylls.

From watching this video, we were then able to plan and create a context appropriate word bank with some words like venomous, dangerous, hypothermia, as black as…, torrential and terrified.  Some materials that we could use are Moho bark, Bayleaf palm leaves, Kahuna palm and thatching palm. We had some great discussion of the meaning of these words when creating this word bank.

“I was practising using  capital letters and full stops at the beginning and end of my sentences”- Hana C.

“I learned that Bear Grylls can teach us a lot about surviving on a deserted island”- Teagan.

“First I didn’t know what brochures were, but now I do. I also wasn’t sure who Bear Grylls was, but now I know a little bit about him and I enjoyed it”- Theo.

“At the start of writing I found it quite tricky, but after using the word bank I was more confident with my writing and it turned out pretty good”- Rebekah.

What an exciting few weeks the children have had in P3/2 – We have been researching and writing our own non-fiction books LI. We are learning to write a non-fiction book.

In Reading – We were learning over a six week period;

• About the features of a non-fiction book.
• To consider how non-fiction books differ from fiction books.
• To discuss the difference between fact and fiction

How – lots of different opportunities were experienced to ‘hook’ us in e.g.

• I can share two new facts/information I have learned from my non-fiction book
• I can make questions to find the answers
• I can find the answers to others questions

Activity;

In reading groups appoint facilitator and resource manager

Give out white boards and pens

In groups the facilitator chose people in turn to share two facts they had learned and then invited questions from the group.

What are good question starters? What, where when how who is etc…

Next they had to generate three questions that you might find the answer to in their text. Mrs Allsopp modelled outloud her thinking giving an example from each text.

They then gave their questions to another group to find the answers!

In writing we were able to then generate our own success criteria having thoroughly researched the ‘common’ features of non-fiction texts.

• I can identify the success criteria for my book
• I can write three chapters – each chapter must share three new facts.
• I can include a picture, and/or diagram
• I can include an index , contents, glossary
• I can include a Front and back cover with a title and blurb

Now that we had completed the research we were ready to make our own books.

The success criteria were referred to throughout the process.

When the books were complete the children had to write a book review on each other’s…a lot of feedback and discussion was had.

Finally our books have been displayed for anyone to have a read and learn!