The report book Sue Palmer

report text * describes what things are like (or were like) * not in time order (non-chronological) Blank version

report catalogue information leaflet magazine article non-fiction book (e.g. geography) encyclopaedia entry tourist guide book topic-based school project letter These texts are often ‘report text’…

report organisation 1 When? What? Who? Where? More detail if necessary information organised in categories Main points in category Topic simple report Blank version

report organisation 1 Introduction Who-What-Where-When etc. Paragraph Section }1 }2 Paragraph Section When you have made your “spidergram” skeleton, each spider leg gives you one paragraph (or subheaded section) in your writing

report organisation 2 comparative report e.g. 1 e.g. 2 e.g. 3 etc. categories simple comparison When you have made your grid, write a paragraph about each point of comparison. formatted text When you have made your grid, write about each example under each category heading. Blank version

report language features * present tense (except historical reports) * ‘general’ nouns (not particular people, animals, things) * third person * factual description * technical words and phrases * often formal, impersonal language

Audience someone* who wants to know about - the subject - one aspect of the subject * You may have further information on age, interests, etc. of reader. Purpose to organise and write the facts, so they are easy to find and understand

Planning report text * BRAINSTORM what you know (and find out more if necessary). * ORGANISE it into categories. * Make the SPIDERGRAM. Write the topic in the middle, and one category on each leg.

When writing with a partner.. REHEARSE Say each phrase or sentence aloud Improve if possible WRITE One writes, one helps. RE-READ Read back to check it makes sense * *

‘Skeleton’ blanks

Report text Back to skeleton

Comparative report Back to skeleton

Alternative ‘skeleton’ note-taking frameworks

Tree diagram

Venn diagram

Mobile post-it notes

Examples of ‘skeletons’ in use Taken from ‘How to teach Writing Across the Curriculum’ (KS1/2) by Sue Palmer, with many thanks to David Fulton Publishers

OUR SCHOOL Our school is called Lee Park Primary, and it is in Longton near York. Lee Park has seven classes, from reception to Year 6, and there are 198 pupils in the school. It was built in Lee Park has a big playground, with special sections for the infants and juniors. In the infant playground there are lots of shapes painted on the ground, like hopscotch squares and a map of Britain, for people to play on. There is also a special area for sitting quietly. The junior playground has play areas marked out as well, including football and netball pitches. We also have a school field. This is next to the school down a little lane. In the summer we are allowed to play on the field too, but in winter it is too muddy. However, when it snows, Mrs Carr (our headteacher) sometimes lets us go on the field. The school has a large school hall that we use for assembly and some lessons, such as gym and drama. We also use the hall for lunches. You can bring packed lunch and sit at the back of the hall, or you can have school lunch. The dinner ladies serve this on long wooden tables at the front of hall. The rest of the time, the tables are stored in a cupboard. Skeleton

Text Our School Intro field playground hall Lee Park Longton, near York 198 pupils 7 classes built 1967 hopscotchmap games infants quiet area juniors netballfootball summer - play winter usually no play snow - play assembly, lessons lunch dramagym packed lunch back school lunch front-tables (cupboard)

Butterflies Butterflies belong to the order of insects known as Lepidoptera. This means they have scaly bodies and wings, and a feeding tube on the front of the head called proboscis, coiled up when not in use. Their wings may be large, brightly coloured and patterned. Butterflies are found in most parts of the world and different species are adapted to the environments in which they live. Like all insects, the butterfly’s body is divided into three parts: head, thorax and abdomen. On the head are a pair of antennae, used for smelling, and two large compound eyes. Three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings – fore and hind – grow from the thorax. The wings are made of a very thin membrane, stretched over a network of ‘veins’, in the same way as the skin of an umbrella is stretched over the frame. Tiny overlapping scales on the membrane give the wings their pattern and colour. Male butterflies tend to be more brightly coloured than the females but the females are larger. They also have bigger wings, enabling them to fly even when they are carrying a heavy burden of eggs. A female butterfly may lay up to 3,000 eggs, always choosing an appropriate plant for the caterpillars to feed on. However, usually only one or two eggs out of a hundred hatch out and many others die as they grow through the stages of larva (caterpillar) and chrysalis (pupa) to become an imago (adult butterfly). The imago usually has a lifespan of only a few weeks. It feeds on nectar from flowers or other sweet food, such as over-ripe fruit, which it sucks up through the proboscis. This food provides energy to fly and reproduce, but most butterflies do not need any body-building foods to see them through their short lives. In fact, a few species have mouthparts that do not open so they cannot feed

1. Brainstorm Butterflies caterpillar wings chrysalis lays eggs short life sucks through tube nectar antennae six legs insect Text2.3.

2. Organise into categories Butterflies definition reproduction feeding characteristics group? insect insect features wings eggs leaves lifecyclenectar tube Text1.3.

3. Spidergram (adding to information from 2 though further readings) Butterflies definition reproduction characteristics feeding insect Lepidoptera insect features wings scales/veins don’t need much for short life span proboscisnectar over-ripe fruit lifecycle 3,000 max eggs leaves male/female differences 1/100 survive coiled proboscis scaly body/wings Text1.2.

BUTTERFLYScientific name: Lepidoptera Butterflies are insects with two pairs of brightly coloured, patterned wings. Their bodies and wings are covered in tiny scales – it is the scales that give the wings their pattern. They feed through a tube on the head called a proboscis, which is coiled when not in use. By travelling from flower to flower to such up the nectar, butterflies help with pollination. They pick up the pollen on their abdomen in the flower and it brushes off on another. Habitat Meadows, woodland, gardens Feeding habits Herbivorous: nectar from flowers; ripe fruit Life Cycle 100s of eggs → caterpillars → pupa → adult (imago) Predators Birds, bars, spiders, lizards, etc. forewings 2 pairs of wings on thorax hindwings abdomen compound eyes on either side of head antennae head coiled proboscis 3 pairs of legs on thorax thorax

ClassificationKey factsHabitatFeeding habitsLife cyclePredators Butterfly Worm Woodlouse Insect Lepidoptera 1. scales and coiled proboscis 2. helps pollination Meadows woodlands gardens Herbivorous – nectar ripe fruit 100s of eggs → caterpillars → pupa → adult (imago) Birds, bats, spiders, frogs, lizards, small mammals