1. Writing Instructions

2. In groups, think of three ways you could:
Clean your teeth without a toothbrush
Cook toast without a toaster
Paint a chair without a paintbrush
Mow the lawn without a mower
Hit in a nail without a hammer
Remove leaves from a lawn without a rake
Move a small boat through water without oars or a motor
Leave a message for a friend without pen, paper, ‘phone or computer

3. Now, choose your best idea out of the three you have thought of.
In pairs, write instructions to explain how to carry out your idea.
Think carefully how your instructions should look on paper. Consider what you will need to do to make your instructions easy to follow and understand.

4. Swap your instructions with another pair.
Read the instructions you have been given and decide:
Do the instructions make sense?
Are they easy to follow?
How could they be improved?

5. In groups, think of three ways you could:
Clean your teeth without a toothbrush
Cook toast without a toaster
Paint a chair without a paintbrush
Mow the lawn without a mower
Hit in a nail without a hammer
Remove leaves from a lawn without a rake
Move a small boat through water without oars or a motor
Leave a message for a friend without pen, paper, ‘phone or computer

6. Now, in pairs, discuss & write down what you think the features of instructional writing are.
This means what should be included when instructions are written.

7. Features of Writing Instructions
Heading
Sub-headings
List of ingredients, tools or equipment
Short bite-size sentences
Numbered steps or connectives
Step-by-step pictures
Imperatives
Declaratives

8. Imperatives are command words
Imperatives are command words.They are words that instruct us or tell us what to do.
For example:
Take your coat off.
Sit down.
Put your hand up.
Stop talking.
Write this down.

9. Look at these instructions for making a cheese sandwich
Look at these instructions for making a cheese sandwich. Which words are the imperatives?
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
Slice the cheese.
Place the cheese on one slice of buttered bread.
Put the second slice of bread on top of the cheese.
Cut the sandwich into two or four.

10. Look at these instructions for making a cheese sandwich
Look at these instructions for making a cheese sandwich. Which words are the imperatives?
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
Slice the cheese.
Place the cheese on one slice of buttered bread.
Put the second slice of bread on top of the cheese.
Cut the sandwich into two or four.

11. Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients
2 slices of
bread
Cheese
Butter
Equipment
knife
Sharp knife
Plate
Instructions
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
Slice the cheese.
Place the cheese on one slice of buttered bread.
Put the second slice of bread on top of the cheese.
Cut the sandwich into two or four.

12. Genre or Form Audience Purpose Every type of text (writing) has a:
Type of writing
(leaflet, brochure, letter, report, instructions, memo etc.)
People it is aimed at
(teenagers, parents, car owners, pet owners etc.)
Why it was written
(to inform, persuade, complain, entertain etc.)
Genre or Form
Audience
Purpose

13. Making a Cheese Sandwich
Genre/Form?
Audience?
Purpose?

14. The Cheese Sandwich Genre/Form? Audience? Purpose? Instructions
Children
To instruct children how to make a sandwich.
Genre/Form?
Audience?
Purpose?

15. Write your own set of instructions for:
Task
Write your own set of instructions for:
Mending a bicycle puncture
Baking a cake
Sending a text message
Or an idea of your own
Playing a game or sport
Making a birthday card

16. Include a heading
Include sub-headings
Include a list of ingredients, tools or equipment
Include step-by-step pictures
Use short bite-size sentences
Number each step or use connectives
Start with imperatives (verbs used as an instruction) & include declaratives
Try to include at least five steps

17. Instructions for ………… Ingredients ………… Instructions ……………………… Pictures
OR Tools
OR Equipment
…………
Instructions
………………………
Pictures

18. A list of ingredients, tools or equipment Step-by-step pictures
Peer assess - Check your partner has included:
Heading
Sub-headings
A list of ingredients, tools or equipment
Step-by-step pictures
Short bite-size sentences
Numbers for each step or connectives
Imperatives (verbs used as an instruction) & declaratives
At least five steps