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Non-fiction Unit 3.2: Where Would You Like to Live?
About this unit:
In this unit, the children explore the Big Question: Where would you like to live? They read the interactive eBook, retrieving and collating information about different countries and identifying the similarities and differences between the lives of children around the world. They learn about how to present information using paragraphs and headings. In their writing tasks, compose a report in response to the Big Question.
Stimulus synopsis: Let’s Go To ...
What is life like for children all around the world? This eBook takes you on a journey to find out!
This interactive eBook includes pop-up fact boxes, animation, videos and supplementary text to engage children and support learning.
Recommended Route
This recommended route is a varied learning pathway through the lessons available, which ensures full coverage of the curriculum objectives for the year group within a given number of weeks. It will typically progress from comprehension to composition, with grammar and depth focus lessons scheduled where relevant. The learning objectives for each lesson are listed in the lesson plans below, and national curriculum coverage can be viewed in The National Curriculum for England Correlation Chart Year 3, The National Curriculum for Wales Correlation Chart Year 3, The National Literacy and Numeracy Framework Correlation Chart Year 3 (Wales), The Curriculum for Excellence Correlation Chart P4 (Scotland) and The Northern Ireland Curriculum Correlation Chart Year 4.
Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 / Day 4 / Day 5Comprehension 1
Introduce the unit and the Big Question
Retrieve information
Ask questions / Comprehension 2
Explore features of non-fiction
Skim and scan
Retrieve information from the text to answer questions / Comprehension 3
Ask questions and use skimming and scanning to find key information
Complete ‘true or false’ pre-reading activity, then review and revise answers after reading / Depth focus 1:
Researching information
Ask questions for research
Retrieve and record information / Comprehension 4
Read for information
Explore communication with penpals
Compare and contrast
Day 6 / Day 7 / Day 8 / Day 9 / Day 10
Comprehension 5
Read for information and record facts
Understand the concept of subject-specific vocabulary
Identify instructional text / Depth focus 2: Paragraphs and headings
Use paragraphs to organise ideas around a theme
Use headings / Short composition (Day 1)
Write about themselves
Organise writing into paragraphs under headings / Comprehension 6
Read for information
Ask questions to create purpose for reading
Explore visual elements of texts
Make own facts and favourites file / Comprehension 7
Read for information
Ask questions
Research answers to questions
Day 11 / Day 12 / Day 13 / Day 14 / Day 15
Comprehension 8
Compare similarities and differences / Long composition (Day 1)
Plan and discuss ideas for writing a non-chronological report answering the Big Question / Long composition (Day 2)
Draft and write a report / Long composition (Day 3)
Draft and write a report
Evaluate their own and others’ writing / Long composition (Day 4)
Edit and redraft reports
Recommended Grammar Lessons
These short, discrete grammar lessons can be taught at any point in the recommended route, either spread between the lessons or taught in one session as a group. All of the units across a year group contain grammar lessons that, between them, cover the curriculum requirements for the year group.
Grammar Lesson 1 / Grammar Lesson 2Revise the concept of verb
Encourage the children to generate verbs
Revisit the alphabet / Revisit and revise verbs, past and present tenses, and the function of verbs in a sentence
Lesson Bank
If you would prefer to develop your own route through the material, the lessons detailed below, alongside additional lessons, are available in the lesson bank for the unit. This lesson bank contains all available lessons for the unit, including comprehension lessons, composition activities (both long and short), and depth focus and sentence grammar lessons where relevant. If you are planning a thematic curriculum, or using Wordsmith alongside other resources, you can select appropriate lessons from the lesson bank for your own planning.
Spelling list
The spelling list linked below contains all the spellings children will come across in this unit. They are linked to the spelling requirements for the National Curriculum for England Programme of Study for the year group. This list can be used to issue spellings to children on a weekly basis.
NF AR 3.2.1 Spelling List: Where Would You Like to Live?
You can also view the complete spelling list for Year 3.
Teaching Strategies
Throughout the lesson plans, key teaching techniques such as ‘Babble Gabble’ appear in green. For a definition of each of these techniques, consult the Wordsmith Glossary of Teaching Strategies, which outlines what each technique involves and how it can be used.
Grammar Assessment
At the end of each term, once all four units have been covered for the year group, children’s individual knowledge of the grammar concepts taught during the unit can be assessed using the printable grammar progress check and mark scheme.
· About the Grammar Progress Checks
· Grammar Progress Check: Year 3, Spring Term
· Grammar Progress Check Answers: Year 3, Spring Term
You can record children’s attainment on the Grammar Progress Checks using the editable Class Record.
Pearsonis not responsible for the quality, accuracy or fitness for purpose of the materials contained in the Word files once edited. To revert to the original Word files, re-download themfrom ActiveLearn.
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Day 1: Comprehension
Session / Main focus / Teaching summary / Activity descriptionComprehension 1 / Introduce the unit and the Big Question
Retrieve information
Ask questions / · In what country do you live? Discuss any relevant vocabulary (e.g. country, county, city, address). Ensure the children understand these details in relation to themselves. If appropriate, use ‘Great Britain and the UK’ (NF ITP 3.2.1) to explain the terminology related to the United Kingdom and British Isles.
· Use Screen 1 of the eBook to introduce the Big Question.
· Look at the contents. What places will we find out about by reading this eBook? Discuss experiences of children who have been to these or other places.
· Think-Pair-Share ideas about the information needed about each place to answer the Big Question.
· Following the activity, share the groups’ questions. Make a list for the Learning Wall. / Core: In small groups, the children discuss what they already know about different countries in the world, recording their ideas in note form on ‘Mind map’ (NF PCM 3.2.1). They then write at least three questions to which they want to find the answers.
Support: In small groups, the children discuss and record what they already know about two countries shown on Screen 1 of the eBook. They then orally rehearse and write questions to which they want to find the answers, using question stems such as ‘What is …?’, ‘What do ...?’ and ‘How do …?’.
Extend: The children create their own mind maps for the countries shown on Screen 1 of the eBook, noting what they know in one colour and adding questions they would like to answer in a different colour.
Objectives: Check that text makes sense and is in context; Ask questions to improve understanding; Make predictions
Spoken language: Listen and respond appropriately
Photocopiables: NF PCM 3.2.1
Digital resources: eBook of Let's Go To ..., NF ITP 3.2.1
Day 2: Comprehension
Session / Main focus / Teaching summary / Activity descriptionComprehension 2 / Explore features of non-fiction
Skim and scan
Retrieve information from the text to answer questions / · Click through the eBook. What sort of book is this? How can you tell? Revise the differences between fiction and non-fiction.
· Explore the organisational features. Discuss how they help to find and understand information.
· Show ‘Information texts’ (NF ITP 3.2.2). Can you add any others?
· Ask a question that has its answer in the text on Screen 2. Model finding the answer using skimming and scanning.
· Read the main text on Screen 2. What information do you think we’ll find if we click on this globe icon?
· Explore the other interactive pop-ups in a similar way. / Core: Talk Partners discuss answers to the questions on ‘Question time’ (NF PCM 3.2.2), relating to Screen 2 of the eBook. They highlight evidence from the text to support their answers before writing them down.
Support: Talk Partners take it in turns to ask each other questions about Arun, using question stems such as ‘Where …?’, ‘Who …?’, ‘What …?’, ‘When ...?’ and ‘Does Arun ...?’.
Extend: The children write ‘Where’, ‘When’, ‘What’, ‘Who’, ‘Why’ and ‘How’ questions that can be answered by screen 2 of the eBook, including its pop-ups. They swap questions and challenge each other to answer them.
Objectives: Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read; Identify themes and conventions; Understand what they read, in books they can read independently; Identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning; Retrieve and record information from non-fiction
Spoken language: Consider and evaluate different viewpoints
Photocopiables: NF PCM 3.2.2
Digital resources: eBook of Let’s Go To ..., NF ITP 3.2.2
Day 3: Comprehension
Session / Main focus / Teaching summary / Activity descriptionComprehension 3 / Ask questions and use skimming and scanning to find key information
Complete ‘true or false’ pre-reading activity and then review and revise answers after reading / · Introduce Screen 3 of the eBook. Has anyone been to France? Recap from any information the children already know about France.
· Ask the children to complete the first part of the activity.
· Read Screen 3 of the eBook, including all interactive pop-ups. Remind the children to look out for things that would make France the place they would like to live.
· Continue modelling how to retrieve information by asking questions and finding answers.
· The children complete the second part of the activity.
· Bring the class back together to share and discuss the children’s answers to the questions on ‘France: True or false?’ (NF PCM 3.2.3). / Core: In mixed-ability pairs, the children complete ‘France: True or false?’ (NF PCM 3.2.3) before reading the information on France. They then return to NF PCM 3.2.3 to review and revise their answers, correcting the false statements. Challenge the children to find two more facts about France in the eBook and write them down.
Support: In mixed-ability pairs, the children complete ‘France: True or false?’ (NF PCM 3.2.3) before reading the information on France. They then return to NF PCM 3.2.3 and review their answers, correcting the false statements.
Extend: In mixed-ability pairs, the children complete ‘France: True or false?’ (NF PCM 3.2.3) before reading the information on France. They then return to NF PCM 3.2.3 to review and revise their answers, correcting any false statements. Children then write ‘10 Fascinating Facts about France’, using ideas from NF PCM 3.2.3 and other facts they have learned from screen 3.
Objectives: Understand what they read, in books they can read independently; Check that text makes sense and is in context; Identify and summarise main ideas; Identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning; Retrieve and record information from non-fiction
Spoken language: Ask relevant questions; Build their vocabulary
Photocopiables: NF PCM 3.2.3
Digital resources: eBook of Let’s Go To ...
Day 4: Depth focus
Session / Main focus / Teaching summary / Activity descriptionDepth focus 1:
Researching information / Ask questions for research
Retrieve and record information / · Focus on the ‘Penpal’ pop-ups in the eBook and the other places they mention. How would you find out more about them?
· Model the process of choosing a country, devising four or five questions as a purpose for research, using reference books and the internet to find the answers, and finally recording the information using different formats, e.g. a spider diagram or a chart.
· Model evaluating the resources. Was it easy to find answers to our questions? Were we able to answer all our questions? / Core: The children use the internet and/or reference books to find key information about one of the other ‘Penpal’ locations in the eBook. If they have a penpal in another country, they could use that country. They record questions and answers on ‘Questions and answers’ (NF PCM 3.2.10).
Allow time for sharing information with the rest of the class, evaluating information-gathering techniques and recording the process.
Support: The children use the eBook to compose and answer two or three questions about a country in the eBook. They record the information on ‘Questions and answers 2’ (NF PCM 3.2.18) and share it with the rest of the class.
Extend: The children choose their own resources to find key information about one of the other ‘Penpal’ locations in the eBook. If they have a penpal in another country, they could use that country. They decide how to record the information so they can share it with the class (e.g. in a spider diagram or mind map, or as an interview). They add explanations of how they chose their resources and found the information, and why they recorded it in the way they did.
Objectives: Retrieve and record information from non-fiction
Spoken language: Listen and respond appropriately; Articulate and justify answers
Photocopiables: NF PCM 3.2.10, NF PCM 3.2.18
Digital resources: eBook of Let’s Go To ...
Day 5: Comprehension
Session / Main focus / Teaching summary / Activity descriptionComprehension 4 / Read for information
Explore communication with penpals
Compare and contrast / · Read Screen 4 of the eBook, highlighting the difference between the USA (country) and Alaska (state). Discuss Alaska’s unusual geographical position.
· What interesting facts have you learned about Alaska? As a class, rate the facts from least to most interesting, discussing reasons for ratings.
· Do you have penpals? How did you link up? Read the penpal links on screens 2 and 4. Discuss the two different forms (email and text). What other ways could the penpals keep in touch? Point out the informality of the writing (e.g. note form of text message, colloquial language).
· Use the internet to look for information on how to make links to schools in other countries. / Core: In small groups, the children discuss similarities and differences between their lives and that of Kaya from Alaska, recording their answers on ‘Alike and different’ (NF PCM 3.2.4). Encourage each member of the group to contribute. Children then discuss and record what they would like most and least about living in Alaska.
Support: In small groups, the children discuss and list three or four differences between their lives and Kaya’s, recording their answers on ‘Differences in Alaska’ (NF PCM 3.2.14). Each child then says which parts of Kaya’s life they would like and which they would not like.
Extend: In small groups and using the ‘Same’ and ‘Different’ columns on ‘Alike and different’ (NF PCM 3.2.4), the children record similarities and differences between their lives and Kaya’s, and between the two locations. They discuss what they would most and least like about living in Alaska and jointly compose their reasons.
Come back together as a class. The children share their responses (and reasons) with one another.
Objectives: Understand what they read, in books they can read independently; Retrieve and record information from non-fiction; Discuss books that are read to them and those they read themselves
Spoken language: Participate actively in conversations; Gain the interest of the listener
Photocopiables: NF PCM 3.2.4, NF PCM 3.2.14
Digital resources: eBook of Let’s Go To ...,
Day 6: Comprehension