Published on www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies 16-Dec-2010 Year 1 Non-fiction Unit 5 Recount (fact and fiction) Recount (fact and fiction) (2 weeks) This is the last in a sequence of five non-fiction units for Year 1. It builds on children's knowledge and understanding from unit 3 and on cross-curricular work based on observations of the growth of a seed. The unit has three phases with oral and written outcomes and assessment opportunities for teachers and children at intervals throughout each phase. The outcome for the unit is children creating a stop-frame animation of the life cycle of a seed. Specific guidance for early reading and ongoing teaching of word, sentence and speaking and listening needs to be covered alongside this unit, informed by ongoing assessment for learning. Phase 1 Read and compare simple recounts. Discuss and contrast recounts with narrative texts. Identify and discuss common features of recounts. Sequence a set of events. Justify opinions based on evidence in the text. Phase 2 Orally compose a recount, sequencing events using time connectives, based on first-hand experience. Plan how to write this recount using a storyboard. Phase 3 Model through shared writing, changing oral composition into written composition. Reinforce knowledge of how to write a sentence. Children create group animated recounts of the growth of a seed with written captions recounting events. Overview Describe incidents from own experience in an audible voice using sequencing words and phrases such as 'then', 'after that'; listen to others' recounts and ask relevant questions. Read personal recounts and discuss the difference between recounts and stories, fact and fiction. With the children, explore the generic structure of recounts, for example ordered sequence of events, use of words like 'first', 'next', 'after', 'when'. Model writing a recount of an activity in which all the children took part, for example a visit of someone from the community or the previous afternoon's fire drill or thunderstorm, giving them opportunities to contribute ideas and form sentences. Children write simple personal recounts, independently, using the language of texts read as models for their own writing, maintaining consistency in tense and person. 1998 Framework objectives covered: Year 1, Term 2: T17 use terms 'fiction' and 'non-fiction'. Page 1 of 11
Year 1, Term 3: T18 read recounts and begin to recognise generic structure, for example ordered sequence of events, use of words like 'first', 'next', 'after', 'when'; T20 write simple recounts linked to topics of interest/study or to personal experience, using the language of texts read as models for own writing. Objectives To ensure effective planning of literacy teachers need to ensure they plan for all elements of literacy effectively across the year ensuring that assessment for learning is used to plan and amend teaching. It is essential that core skills such as phonic strategies, spelling, and handwriting are incorporated into these exemplar units to ensure effective learning. Most children learn to: (The following list comprises only the strands, numbered 1 through 12, that are relevant to this particular unit. Where there are relevant Steps in Learning for an objective, a link has been included.) 1. Speaking Tell stories and describe incidents from their own experience in an audible voice 3. Group discussion and interaction Explain their views to others in a small group, decide how to report the group's views to the class 5. Word recognition: decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) Recognise and use alternative ways of pronouncing the graphemes already taught Recognise and use alternative ways of spelling the graphemes already taught Identify the constituent parts of two-syllable and three-syllable words to support the application of phonic knowledge and skills Recognise automatically an increasing number of familiar high frequency words Apply phonic knowledge and skills as the prime approach to reading and spelling unfamiliar words that are not completely decodable Read more challenging texts which can be decoded using their acquired phonic knowledge and skills, along with automatic recognition of high frequency words Read and spell phonically decodable two-syllable and three-syllable words 6. Word structure and spelling Spell new words using phonics as the prime approach Segment sounds into their constituent phonemes in order to spell them correctly Recognise and use alternative ways of spelling the graphemes already taught Use knowledge of common inflections in spelling, such as plurals, -ly, -er Read and spell phonically decodable two-syllable and three-syllable words 7. Understanding and interpreting texts Identify the main events and characters in stories, and find specific information in simple texts Recognise the main elements that shape different texts Page 2 of 11
9. Creating and shaping texts Convey information and ideas in simple non-narrative forms Create short simple texts on paper and on screen that combine words with images (and sounds) 10. Text structure and organisation Write chronological and non-chronological texts using simple structures 11. Sentence structure and punctuation Compose and write simple sentences independently to communicate meaning 12. Presentation Use the space bar and keyboard to type their name and simple texts Prior learning Check that children can already: Listen attentively to recounts and recall some details including the correct ordering of events. Ask relevant questions and speak about their own experiences. Discuss ideas confidently with a response partner. Teaching sequence phase 1 Note: Children working significantly above or below age-related expectations will need differentiated support, which may include tracking forward or back in terms of learning objectives. EAL learners should be expected to work within the overall expectations for their year group. For further advice see the progression strands and hyperlinks to useful sources of practical support. Context Prior to the sessions children should have undertaken a science project on growing and changing with a focus on the life cycles of plants and animals. As part of the science project, children make drawings of the changes to a plant or animal they are observing over a period of time. Photographs of a seed at various stages of growth will be needed to support children's speaking and listening activities and whole-class planning. Children's observational drawings from the science lessons form the basis for the stop-frame animations. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives needs to be layered across each phase of Listening; reading; analysis and discussion (3 days) Explain that children are going to use science observations to create their own animated recount of events. During shared reading, read simple recounts of events or observations with the children. Investigate the key features of the text-type. Focus on the language features that denote the sequence of events for the reader and collect words such as first, next, then on an IWB frame. Page 3 of 11
Annotate the shared text to show children that a good recount contains not just the main facts but also details that bring the recount alive. An IWB can be used to underline the main events in one colour and the details in another colour. Discuss and contrast the recounts with how narrative texts work, highlighting the main differences. Emphasise how both types of text are written in a sequence of events but recounts are about real events using specific words and have a distinctive text structure. Insert the photographs taken of the seed showing different stages of growth into an IWB skeleton frame of a recount. Arrange the images at random on the page so they can be sorted into sequential order as part of the shared session. Explain that children are going to combine what they have learned about recounts with their observations of a seed growing. On an IWB display the skeleton planner and photographs. Discuss the photographs and the various changes to the seed. The photographs could be annotated by circling the observable details of change. Organise children into groups. Ask children to identify the sequence in which they think the seed developed, by organising a set of laminated photographs into the correct order. Encourage children to circle evidence that backs up their opinion using a whiteboard marker. During the plenary, assign two children from each group the role of envoy. Each pair of envoys visits another group. The members of the group explain their sequence of photographs to the envoys who then return to their own group and revise their own group sequence if necessary. Record children's findings on an IWB by dragging and dropping the photographs onto the recount skeleton planner. Remind children that a good recount should contain extra details to make the reader interested in the events. With their response partners, ask children to identify an interesting, funny or unusual detail that could be added to each step of the recount. Children could refer to their science observation drawings to support this discussion. Annotate the skeleton plan with children's ideas in note form. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives should be layered throughout this phase of Children can sequence a set of events based on their own experience and observations. Children have made appropriate progress in line with national expectations of phonic development. Teaching sequence phase 2 Talk for writing; capturing ideas (3 days) Explain that you are going to model how to use talk to plan your writing. Display the IWB skeleton plan. Model dragging and dropping time connectives such as first, next, then from an IWB word bank onto each stage of the IWB skeleton plan. Discuss with children how the words or phrases will support both the talk and the writing by being used as sentence starters. Model talking through the first stage of the recount of the life cycle of the seed using the key vocabulary and added details noted on the plan. Children work with response partners following the model of the teacher's oral text structure building up a recount. Emphasis should be placed on the language features of the text-type. Children could use the photographs from previous sessions and/or their drawings from the science observations to support them and add their own personal details to the oral recount. Model drawing and writing on the IWB planning board based on the oral recounts from the previous session. Explain that the board will support children's writing and help them remember what they want to tell their audience. Children work on a group planning board during the independent sessions adding drawings of the different stages of a seed's growth, noting time connectives to link each section of the text. During the plenary, refer back to the key features of recounts identified in previous sessions to check for the main events, sequential vocabulary and details. Page 4 of 11
Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives should be layered throughout this phase of Children can orally compose and retell a sequence of events using time connectives to link the sequence. Children have made appropriate progress in line with national expectations in reading development. Teaching sequence phase 3 Modelled, shared and collaborative writing (4 days) The writing process will be a combination of animating the images into the software and then adding written words and incidental sounds. Children will need to have: an appropriate background for the animation, such as a white sheet of paper that can have drawings added to it where required, for example a brown line to denote the earth or a blue line to show the surface of water in a pond - copies of their observational drawings cut out ready to move around as part of the animation - adhesive materials to hold the drawings in place. Display the animation package stop-frame animation software on an IWB with camera plugged into the laptop. Use modelled and shared teaching approaches to demonstrate how to use the stop-frame animation software and camera to take the ideas from the plan and add them into the animation package. Animation can be done in episodes or clips, for example with the shoot appearing out of the seed. Once animated, the clips are added onto the video clipboard in the software. Once all the clips have been animated, drag and drop them onto the video editing time line or story board in the software. The clips can be moved and sequenced on the time line or story board. Each event on the planning sheet would be the equivalent of one episode. Children work in small groups during the independent session to create their own visual text following the model established in the shared sessions. The process will need to be worked on over a number of sessions. Model how to drag and drop the animated events onto the time line or story board in the software package. Ask children to work with a response partner to decide on the order of events, referring to the IWB plan. Children work on their own animations following the model set in the shared sessions. During the plenary, children exchange groups to review another group's plan, watch the animation and check that the animation is in the correct sequence. Where appropriate, children give feedback to the group to note any changes they think need to be made. Use modelled, shared and supported composition approaches to demonstrate how to change the oral retellings of the recount and the notes on the plan and make them sound like the books read in the shared sessions. Ask children to work in pairs on whiteboards to write a sentence to accompany the main events and details. Demonstrate how children can insert their text into the software by adding captions to their animated images. The process would need to be broken down and worked on over a number of sessions with children working in small groups during the independent session. During guided writing use the Developing early writing (Ref: 0055/2001) sentence-level units to emphasise understanding of a sentence, capital letters and full stops. Use children's own work from the animations to provide a context for the work. Read through the animated recount created during the previous shared sessions. Where could sound effects be used to add interest for the reader? Are any sound effects needed? Add selected sound effects from the software. Emphasise how sound effects add details to the recount for the reader and that too many sound effects make the recount difficult to read. Children work on their text during the independent session adding sound effects where appropriate. Use peer review to evaluate how sound has been used for effect. During shared writing, focus attention on the language of sequencing. Use supported composition to make changes to weak sentences in the whole-class text and develop the use of time connectives, for example two weeks later or after a while. Page 5 of 11
Children work on their text during the independent session making changes where appropriate. Use peer review and success criteria from reading recounts to evaluate how time connectives have been used. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives should be layered throughout this phase of Children can write a recount using time connectives to sequence events and correctly demarcate sentences. Children have made appropriate progress in line with national expectations in reading. Children can apply their phonic knowledge when writing independently in line with national expectations of phonic development. Complete teaching sequence Note: Children working significantly above or below age-related expectations will need differentiated support, which may include tracking forward or back in terms of learning objectives. EAL learners should be expected to work within the overall expectations for their year group. For further advice see the progression strands and hyperlinks to useful sources of practical support. Context Prior to the sessions children should have undertaken a science project on growing and changing with a focus on the life cycles of plants and animals. As part of the science project, children make drawings of the changes to a plant or animal they are observing over a period of time. Photographs of a seed at various stages of growth will be needed to support children's speaking and listening activities and whole-class planning. Children's observational drawings from the science lessons form the basis for the stop-frame animations. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives needs to be layered across each phase of Phase 1: Listening; reading; analysis and discussion (3 days) Explain that children are going to use science observations to create their own animated recount of events. During shared reading, read simple recounts of events or observations with the children. Investigate the key features of the text-type. Focus on the language features that denote the sequence of events for the reader and collect words such as first, next, then on an IWB frame. Annotate the shared text to show children that a good recount contains not just the main facts but also details that bring the recount alive. An IWB can be used to underline the main events in one colour and the details in another colour. Discuss and contrast the recounts with how narrative texts work, highlighting the main differences. Emphasise how both types of text are written in a sequence of events but recounts are about real events using specific words and have a distinctive text structure. Insert the photographs taken of the seed showing different stages of growth into an IWB skeleton frame of a recount. Arrange the images at random on the page so they can be sorted into sequential order as part of the shared session. Explain that children are going to combine what they have learned about recounts with their observations of a seed growing. On an IWB display the skeleton planner and photographs. Discuss the photographs and the various changes to the seed. The photographs could be annotated by circling the observable details of change. Organise children into groups. Ask children to identify the sequence in which they think the seed developed, by organising a set of laminated photographs into the correct order. Encourage children to circle evidence that backs up their opinion using a whiteboard marker. Page 6 of 11
During the plenary, assign two children from each group the role of envoy. Each pair of envoys visits another group. The members of the group explain their sequence of photographs to the envoys who then return to their own group and revise their own group sequence if necessary. Record children's findings on an IWB by dragging and dropping the photographs onto the recount skeleton planner. Remind children that a good recount should contain extra details to make the reader interested in the events. With their response partners, ask children to identify an interesting, funny or unusual detail that could be added to each step of the recount. Children could refer to their science observation drawings to support this discussion. Annotate the skeleton plan with children's ideas in note form. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives should be layered throughout this phase of Children can sequence a set of events based on their own experience and observations. Children have made appropriate progress in line with national expectations of phonic development. Phase 2: Talk for writing; capturing ideas (3 days) Explain that you are going to model how to use talk to plan your writing. Display the IWB skeleton plan. Model dragging and dropping time connectives such as first, next, then from an IWB word bank onto each stage of the IWB skeleton plan. Discuss with children how the words or phrases will support both the talk and the writing by being used as sentence starters. Model talking through the first stage of the recount of the life cycle of the seed using the key vocabulary and added details noted on the plan. Children work with response partners following the model of the teacher's oral text structure building up a recount. Emphasis should be placed on the language features of the text-type. Children could use the photographs from previous sessions and/or their drawings from the science observations to support them and add their own personal details to the oral recount. Model drawing and writing on the IWB planning board based on the oral recounts from the previous session. Explain that the board will support children's writing and help them remember what they want to tell their audience. Children work on a group planning board during the independent sessions adding drawings of the different stages of a seed's growth, noting time connectives to link each section of the text. During the plenary, refer back to the key features of recounts identified in previous sessions to check for the main events, sequential vocabulary and details. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives should be layered throughout this phase of Children can orally compose and retell a sequence of events using time connectives to link the sequence. Children have made appropriate progress in line with national expectations in reading development. Phase 3: Modelled, shared and collaborative writing (4 days) The writing process will be a combination of animating the images into the software and then adding written words and incidental sounds. Children will need to have: - an appropriate background for the animation, such as a white sheet of paper that can have drawings added to it where required, for example a brown line to denote the earth or a blue line to Page 7 of 11
show the surface of water in a pond - copies of their observational drawings cut out ready to move around as part of the animation - adhesive materials to hold the drawings in place. Display the animation package stop-frame animation software on an IWB with camera plugged into the laptop. Use modelled and shared teaching approaches to demonstrate how to use the stop-frame animation software and camera to take the ideas from the plan and add them into the animation package. Animation can be done in episodes or clips, for example with the shoot appearing out of the seed. Once animated, the clips are added onto the video clipboard in the software. Once all the clips have been animated, drag and drop them onto the video editing time line or story board in the software. The clips can be moved and sequenced on the time line or story board. Each event on the planning sheet would be the equivalent of one episode. Children work in small groups during the independent session to create their own visual text following the model established in the shared sessions. The process will need to be worked on over a number of sessions. Model how to drag and drop the animated events onto the time line or story board in the software package. Ask children to work with a response partner to decide on the order of events, referring to the IWB plan. Children work on their own animations following the model set in the shared sessions. During the plenary, children exchange groups to review another group's plan, watch the animation and check that the animation is in the correct sequence. Where appropriate, children give feedback to the group to note any changes they think need to be made. Use modelled, shared and supported composition approaches to demonstrate how to change the oral retellings of the recount and the notes on the plan and make them sound like the books read in the shared sessions. Ask children to work in pairs on whiteboards to write a sentence to accompany the main events and details. Demonstrate how children can insert their text into the software by adding captions to their animated images. The process would need to be broken down and worked on over a number of sessions with children working in small groups during the independent session. During guided writing use the Developing early writing (Ref: 0055-2001) sentence-level units to emphasise understanding of a sentence, capital letters and full stops. Use children's own work from the animations to provide a context for the work. Read through the animated recount created during the previous shared sessions. Where could sound effects be used to add interest for the reader? Are any sound effects needed? Add selected sound effects from the software. Emphasise how sound effects add details to the recount for the reader and that too many sound effects make the recount difficult to read. Children work on their text during the independent session adding sound effects where appropriate. Use peer review to evaluate how sound has been used for effect. During shared writing, focus attention on the language of sequencing. Use supported composition to make changes to weak sentences in the whole-class text and develop the use of time connectives, for example two weeks later or after a while. Children work on their text during the independent session making changes where appropriate. Use peer review and success criteria from reading recounts to evaluate how time connectives have been used. Specific teaching of reading and speaking and listening objectives should be layered throughout this phase of Children can write a recount using time connectives to sequence events and correctly demarcate sentences. Children have made appropriate progress in line with national expectations in reading. Children can apply their phonic knowledge when writing independently in line with national expectations of phonic development. Assessment Assessing Pupils' Progress In this exemplified unit we have identified the 'main' assessment focuses for reading and writing. However, it is important to remember that teachers should interpret and adapt the teaching sequence to meet the needs of particular classes and this may affect the types of evidence which it is desirable and possible to gather. Page 8 of 11
In order for a judgement to be made against writing assessment focuses 1 and 2 it is important that children are given space and time to develop their own ideas and define their own purposes for writing. Opportunities to plan for this will arise throughout the literacy curriculum as well as through the application of skills across the curriculum. The suggested outcome for this unit is a recount of a personal experience, structured using time connectives. It is important to be aware that with good teaching, many children will be able to go beyond this, and to encourage this where possible. The teaching of this unit should particularly support the collection of evidence against Reading assessment focuses 1 (Use a range of strategies, including accurate decoding of text, to read for meaning) 2 (Understand, describe, select or retrieve information, events or ideas from texts and use quotation and reference to text) and Writing Assessment Focuses 3 (organise and present whole texts effectively, sequencing and structuring information, ideas and events), 7 (Select appropriate and effective vocabulary) and 8 (use correct spelling). It is important to remember to link this work for the children with the learning they do during discrete phonics sessions, and encourage them to apply their knowledge when reading and writing. Evidence against a variety of assessment focuses will be collected at many points during the teaching sequence. Independence and opportunities to make decisions are integral to children's development in reading and writing, and it will be important to collect evidence of achievement against the assessment focuses from occasions where children can demonstrate some independence and choice away from direct teaching. Suggestions for the collection of assessment information against a range of assessment focuses are found below. Opportunities for assessment The following are examples selected from the teaching content for this unit of work that will support planning for effective assessment as an integrated part of the teaching and learning process. Evidence gathered during this ongoing work will contribute to the periodic assessment of pupils' progress. Learning outcomes Example of teaching content and assessment opportunities Evidence Approach to assessment Children can orally compose and retell a sequence of events using time connectives to link the sequence. The children have taken part in an activity stimulated by another curriculum area, such as planting seeds, or visiting a farm. The teacher or the children have taken photographs of the different stages of the activity and the teacher has transferred these to the IWB. Using the pictures to guide them, the children sequence the activity and talk about each stage using complete sentences. The teacher models adding adverbs, especially time connectives, and the children practise this in pairs or small groups. Teacher observation Teacher feedback, selfassessment against agreed checklist Children can write a recount using time connectives to sequence events and correctly demarcate sentences. Children use oral drafting as the starting point for their own written recounts of a personal event or experience. Using a strategy modelled for them during shared writing, they recount their narrative orally and ask questions to one another in pairs to help them add information to some of their sentences. Question cards for children to use as prompts: When? Where? Who? What else was interesting? Example 1. We planted seeds. When? A few weeks ago we planted seeds. Children's recounts, teacher observation Teacher feedback, selfassessment against agreed checklist Page 9 of 11
Learning outcomes Example of teaching content and assessment opportunities Evidence Approach to assessment 2. We put soil in pots.. When? First we put soil in pots.. 3. Then we watered the seeds.. How? Then we carefully watered the seeds They record their first draft of simple sentences and, through guided/ supported writing or peer support, they refine or extend their sentences to provide information as effectively as possible. Key aspects of learning For further information, see the booklet Progression in key aspects of learning (Ref: 0524-2004) from Learning and teaching in the primary years: Professional development resources (Ref: 0518-2004G). Reasoning Children will sequence events using visual evidence. Children will be explaining their opinions and returning to the text and their observations to find evidence. Evaluation Children will discuss success criteria for their written work and begin to judge the effectiveness of their own and others' writing. Social skills When developing collaborative writing, children will learn about assigning roles within a group to complete a task. Communication Children will develop their ability to discuss as they work collaboratively in pairs and groups. They will communicate outcomes orally, in writing and through ICT if appropriate. Page 10 of 11
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