InformatIve  Writing

Welcome to the Informative Writing Learning Space.

What is informative writing?

The focus is on factual information on a topic or subject. The purpose is to inform or educate the audience with correct and factual information. There are many strategies to make informative texts engaging to read. This unit of work will showcase these for you to use when writing your own informative text.

Natural Landmarks List Website: https://www.australia.com/en/things-to-do/nature-and-national-parks/australias-top-natural-attractions.html

Man Made Landmarks List Website: https://worldoftravelswithkids.com/famous-man-made-landmarks-in-australia/

Kids World Travel website: https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/countries-of-the-world.html

Australia Country Profile: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/facts-about-australia/ 

google.com: www.google.com

Activity 2: (Step 2) Sizzling Starts

Learning Intention: Create an opening statement that captures audience attention.

Strategies:

Hook the reader with an enticing fact or opinion that introduces the topic. 

Paint word pictures, writing as if you are a witness.

Start with a strong quote from an expert, an interesting statistic or fact.

Exemplars Links: 

1. www.sevenstepswriting.com/informative-writing/informative-writing-samples/  

2. www.sevenstepswriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/I_AllSteps_SWS_CareyCampRecounts_RB.pdf 

3. teacherhub.sevenstepswriting.com/resources/99  (Select area of focus as needed)

(View samples and download more examples)

Class Modelled Activity: Write the opening sentences to one of the following newspaper articles.

Ready, Set, Go!

1. A road bridge collapsed when the local river flooded.

2. There is a mouse plague and the population of mice in our area is HUGE.

3. An attempted robbery at the local bank was foiled by the librarian.

4. The school bus driver has won the lottery.

5. The town reservoir only has enough water to last for 48 days.

Group Task: Create groups of three and students select a different topic to write a sizzling start.

Activity Reflection: Ask students to share their work with the class.

Activity 3: (Step 3) Tightening Tension (Progression of Information)

Learning Intention: Be able to use verbal and written description language. 

Strategies: 

Factual information can be tense. For example, does the polar beat get the seal - or will it starve?

Write as if you are a witnessing what's happening. 

Short sharp sentences  can speed up the pace and create tension.

Modelled Example:

1. teacherhub.sevenstepswriting.com/resources/99 (Select area of focus as needed)

2. Documentary Tension.

Placing the strongest and most emotionally engaging moment just before the end sets up a strong ending. As a class watch this trailer for an exciting documentary about birds. 

Example Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZSkitrLE34 

Class Task: As a class make a list of all the exciting (tense) and dramatic moments in the clip. Which ones really struck in students' minds? Did anyone jump in the final dramatic moment when the crocodile appeared? How did this set up the ending?

Group Task: Now ask students to imagine the world from a bird's point of view, based on what they saw in the video. Students form into groups of three and pick on the of the moments of tension from the class list. The groups then brainstorm ideas for a tension scene using the Five +1 Senses Brainstorm chart. They can then write a tension scene or act it out.

Activity Reflection: Ask students to share their work with the class.

Activity 4: (Step 4) Dynamic Dialogue

Learning Intention: Know how to use dialogue to develop informative writing.

Strategies:

Quotations can be used to convey information, move the action and alter the voice, pace or tone.

Modelled Exemplar Link: teacherhub.sevenstepswriting.com/resources/99 (Select are of focus as needed)

Group Task: Pick one of the following topics:

1. Lion Keeper

2. Free Range Eggs

3. Clothes

4. School Leaders

Brainstorm three people who might know a lot about this topic. (If the topic was 'Spiders' the specialists could be a biologist, an entomologist or an environmental scientist.

Then draft three or more questions you could ask one of the specialists. Create groups of three for the task. 

Next they pair up with another group and share the topic, list of specialists and questions. Together they see if they can think of any more questions to ask the expert.

Activity Reflection: Ask students to share their work with the class.

Activity 5: (Step 5) Show Don't Tell

Learning Intention: To explain information using show and not tell.

Strategies:

Paint a word picture such as swimming in an ocean full of plastic.

Use a single example that shows evidence of the importance or impact  of the topic.

Modelled Exemplar Link: teacherhub.sevenstepswriting.com/resources/99 (Select are of focus as needed)

Class Task: Explain to the class that they are news reporters. As a class for three minutes, brainstorm ideas for a news story on the topic: An amazing robot can rescue people from burning buildings. 

Stop the class after three minutes and explain to the class that there is a secret about this amazing new robot: It can't climb stairs yet, so it's not very helpful. But the inventors hope to sort that out soon. 

Explain to the groups that they now only have two minutes to write a sentence or two that shows what the secret is but they are not allowed to tell what it is. Can they do it?

Activity Reflection: Ask students to share their work with the class. Ask the class, 'Did they do it?' after each group shares their writing.

Activity 6: (Step 6) Ban the Boring! - (Link with Activity 7)

Learning Intention: To avoid using strategies that lack emotion or creativity.

Strategies: 

Exemplar: teacherhub.sevenstepswriting.com/resources/99 (Select are of focus as needed)

An informative piece of should engage the reader, not just state facts. Ban, boring beginnings (We went on a camp...), repetitive sentences, overly long or irrelevant quotations and boring endings (It was fun).

Group Task: As a class add other examples of boring writing to the class poster that match informative writing such as a those given above.

Activity Reflection: Ask students if they can share other boring examples from information texts read.

Activity 7: (Step 7) Ending With Impact (Conclusion)

Strategies:

Exemplar: teacherhub.sevenstepswriting.com/resources/99 (Select are of focus as needed)

Don't just summarise. The facts have informed, now extend. Create a satisfying ending by linking back to the introduction. End with a call to action. Leave the reader with something to think about (ponder).

Group Task: As a class make a poster of all the boring endings you want to ban from informative writing ( this may include reports, news articles, biographies, explanations, travel writing, audio and visual documentaries).

The list might include:

1. And that is why (topic) is important.

2. In conclusion, I think...

3. So now you know how (topic) works.

4. Now you know all about (topic).

5. So (topic) is a very important thing.

6. THE END.

Activity 1: 

Learning Intention: I know the purpose of an information report and can identify it's different elements 

Activity 3: 

Learning Intention: I can draft an information report based on my research

As you research your information, underline 4-5 words that you will be using in your glossary.

Watch your teacher use their information from their research page to create a draft for their information report.

Don't forget to show your subheadings, fun fact and glossary terms. 

Activity 4:

Learning Intention: I can publish an information report.

Look at the information report attached, and use it as a guide as to how you will set out your information report.

Note: the subheadings, glossary, fun fact and diagrams