ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
MEDIUM TERM PLAN
YEAR 7 / Non-fiction: the spy who learnt English!
Aims:
  • This scheme of work aims to develop students' knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of non-fiction and to meet National Curriculum, Key Stage 3 Framework requirements.
  • The scheme not only requires students to perform reading and writing activities but contains various possibilities and suggestions for oral assessments
  • The medium term planning format allows teachers the freedom to choose resources and plan individual lessons, including starter activities. However, in order to ensure equality of provision and progression for all pupils, teachers will adhere to the stated objectives and outcomes for each week.
  • There is scope to introduce further types of non-fiction (analyse, advise etc.) depending on the class or timescale involved. This scheme has focused on the types necessary for Year 7 consolidation of Year 6 learning.

Duration: 6 weeks
Resources:
  • Various examples illustrating the different text-types – individual week resources for further details. Resources can be gathered from supermarkets, free publicity material from newspapers or retailers.
  • Each writing style should be accompanied by the grid representing the features of this writing style
  • Video clips from James Bond films

National Curriculum Coverage:

Notes:
  • This unit can be adapted to fit the length of time available. It should be remembered that students should have a good understanding of the basic non-fiction text types from their Year 6 teaching. It may therefore be worthwhile to spend a lesson revising this learning.
  • Most tasks should be adapted to produce a variety of speaking and listening or reading outcomes in order to avoid a heavy written outcome unit of work.
  • The teacher can remain distanced from this scheme or can become involved as the Head of MI5. Home-works can be given via registers and using spy names instead of student’s real names can serve to encourage enthusiasm and participation from students.
  • As with all tasks, some students may find it easier to respond to previous responses to similar tasks as opposed to formal examples.
Most students will: read non-fiction both as shared text and within groups. They will recognise some of the stylistic conventions of non-fiction text types. They will write examples of non-fiction showing understanding of the techniques used by the texts studied. They will engage in speaking and listening activities.
Some student will not have progressed so far and will: read the non-fiction texts and engage with most of the material and related activities. They will write about, and in response to, their machines or gadgets. These pupils may need a variety of scaffolds to support reading and writing and may benefit from ‘treasure hunts’ to find certain features. They may find it easier to improve on previous student’s work or to use previous students’ examples as opposed to formal examples.
Some students will have progressed further and will: respond to the non-fiction texts as pieces of well crafted writing and then attempt to replicate these devices in their own work. They will read and discuss texts independently. Analytical writing will show control of language and some evidence of independent study. They will extend their knowledge and understanding of the various word choices made for each piece of non-fiction. They may wish to develop a portfolio for their gadget and accompany each piece of work with a covering letter.

KEY TEACHING AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Pupils should be taught to:
WORD LEVEL
  • W7 Recognise personal errors, corrections, exceptions and new vocabulary
  • W14 Use a dictionary and a thesaurus with speed and skill
  • W16 Understand and have the terminology to describe the role of word classes,
  • W17 Understand the use correctly terms of qualification
  • W19 Expand the range of link words and phrases used to signpost texts
SENTENCE LEVEL
  • S3 Use punctuation to clarify meaning
  • S8 Recognise the cues to start a new paragraph
  • S13 Revise the stylistic conventions of the main types of non-fiction
  • S15 Vary the formality of language in speech and writing
TEXT LEVEL – READING
  • R1 Use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information
  • R7 Identify the main points in a text and how they are sequenced
  • R10 Identify how media texts are tailored to suit their audience
  • R14 Recognise how writers’ language choices can enhance meaning
TEXT LEVEL – WRITING
  • W1 Plan, draft, edit, revise, proofread and present a text with reader and purpose in mind
  • W2 Collect, select, and assemble ideas in a suitable planning format
  • W10 Organise texts in ways appropriate to their content
  • W11 Select and present information using detail, example, diagram and illustration as appropriate
  • W15 Express a personal view, adding persuasive emphasis to key points
TEXT LEVEL – SPEAKING AND LISTENING
  • S&N1 Use talk as a tool for clarifying ideas
  • S&N4 Give clear answers, instructions or explanations that are helpfully sequenced
  • S&N12 Use exploratory talk as a way of researching ideas

POSSIBLE TEACHING SEQUENCE
Week 1: Writing to inform
OBJECTIVES:
  • R1 Use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information
  • R7 Identify the main points in a text and how they are sequenced
  • Wr1 Plan, draft, edit, revise, proofread and present a text with reader and purpose in mind
  • Wr10 Organise texts in ways appropriate to their content
  • Wr11 Select and present information using detail, example, diagram and illustration as appropriate
RESOURCES:
  • ‘Cycling know-how’ leaflet or any information leaflets or information articles depending on differentiation (class set)
  • James Bond film clips
  • James Bond logo and stills (OHP)
  • Task for designing machines (OHP) (press release)
  • Writing to inform – key features (OHP)
  • Key terms for features of writing to inform for use with ‘treasure hunt’ method (adapted from key features grid) (OHP)
  • Examples of formal letter layout with scaffold (OHP)
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
  • Introduce the unit of non-fiction by a class mind-map of the different styles of writing and the documents these create (newspapers, diaries, advertisements)
  • Allow each student time to create their own spy name
  • Discuss the role of a spy and the equipment needed by a spy (this can include showing clips from James Bond where Q is introducing the various machines.)
  • Show press release: to create 3 machines. Draft these three machines before choosing one machine to focus on.Students should consider: purpose of the machine, the make, the style, the various materials used, energy, speed. Remind students that it is the inclusion of these details as opposed to the accuracy of the detail.
  • Use ‘cycling know-how’ to discuss the layout, language and content of an information leaflet. It could be useful to create a checklist from this for students to work from. This work can be completed as class or with groups analysing each different feature.(differentiation: treasure hunt: find one example of a heading, or set different groups to find different features: some word level, sentence level, text level)
  • Class discussion on how these ideas could be adapted to create an information leaflet on students’ chosen machines. Think of four general headings the class could use in relation to the machines: security, materials, specifications, weapons, use of machine
OUTCOMES:
  • One information leaflet or letter providing information on three machines, one in specific detail.
  • Knowledge of information writing
NOTES:
  • Differentiation: scaffolds of information leaflets can be used for lower ability students, higher ability students can compose covering letters to MI5 introducing the information leaflet.

Week 2: Writing to explain
OBJECTIVES:
  • W16 Understand and have the terminology to describe the role of word classes
  • S3 Use punctuation to clarify meaning
  • S15 Vary the formality of language in speech and writing
  • R1 Use appropriate reading strategies to extract particular information
  • S&N4 Give clear answers, instructions or explanations that are helpfully sequenced
RESOURCES:
Explain
  • ‘How balloon’s fly’ (OHP, class set) or any relevant articles depending on differentiation (class set)
  • Writing to explain – key features (OHP, pair or group copy on card to stand up on desk for easy referral)
Instruct
  • ‘Writing instructions: patchwork’, ‘Emergency repair: punctures’ or any relevant instruction articles
  • Writing to instruct – key features (OHP)
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
  • Produce a labelled diagram of their machine and to start making notes how to use it
  • Use the ‘key features’ OHP to create a grid. Students read the explanation articles and find examples of the key features by referring to the grid. The idea of a ‘treasure hunt’ can be used to enthuse students. This task could also be done in reverse: students create a basic checklist of the features and locate examples of these in a text. The class then breaks into groups with different explanatory documents in front of them to locate further features and retrieve examples. Whichever approach is used, students should gain an understanding on the general layout, general ‘contents’, sentence types, words used in this style of writing.
  • Discuss: what should be on the MI5 representative’s checklist when they visit to learn about the new machine. How can explanatory skills be assessed? (clarity, labelled diagrams, connectives). A general checklist is created, adapted from the first checklist created. Each students must retain a copy
  • Deliver a verbal example of how to explain about the machine
  • ‘Critical friends’ can be used to pair up the students. Each one must use the previously created checklist to assess the other on their explanatory skills. Inventors must explain and their machine: why they choose it, why it is useful, what it does. The activity concludes with a comparison of checklists with assessors adding a recommendation or query onto the checklist as to whether the machine is suitable and whether they understood the explanation given
OUTCOMES:
  • Speaking and listening assessment
  • Knowledge of features of an explanation
NOTES:
  • Differentiation: lower ability students could perform a ‘treasure hunt’ whilst higher ability generate the criteria.
  • Writing to instruct can be revised at this point and assessed at the same point as explanations.

Week 3:Writing to persuade
OBJECTIVES:
  • W14 Use a dictionary and a thesaurus with speed and skill
  • R10 Identify how media texts are tailored to suit their audience
  • R11 Recognise how print combines to create a message
  • R14 Recognise how writers’ language choices can enhance meaning
  • Wr15 Express a personal view, adding persuasive emphasis to key points
RESOURCES:
  • Task letter (OHP)
  • Reading an advertisement guide (OHP)
  • Copies of advertisements placed in any newspapers or magazines - specifically gadget magazines eg. ‘Verdict’ or various advertisements taken from newspapers, television, radio, internet (Ebay)
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
  • Display task letter acknowledging the creation of the machine and requesting an advertisement to be placed in ‘MI Spy Magazine’
  • Use the advertisements and knowledge from Year 6 to discuss the features of this style of writing. This discussion can begin by noting similarities and differences between advertisements that have been brought in. It can then be extended to matching the technical terms to examples on these adverts or to naming the technical terms. As before, focus on text features, sentence features and words features.
  • Ask students to scan the various advertisements on their table and rank these in order of preference or effect and areas of common ground. Then ask for responses per group.
  • Set task to create their own advertisement. Use the findings from the previous tasks to specify what should be included: picture, rhetorical question, price, contact.
OUTCOMES:
  • Knowledge and use of the key features of this writing style
  • Advertisement for the gadget
NOTES:
  • This can be adapted for a speaking and listening assessment if students were asked to produce or design a television advertisement for their gadget
  • EBay could be used for material to discuss and analyse effective advertisements for gadgets

Week 4/5:Writing to review or evaluate
OBJECTIVES:
  • S15 Vary the formality of language in speech and writing
  • Wr3 Use writing to explore and develop ideas
  • Wr10 Organise texts in ways appropriate to their content
  • Wr15 Express a personal view, adding persuasive emphasis to key points
  • Wr18 Identify criteria for evaluating an object or event, present findings fairly and give a personal view
RESOURCES:
Recount
  • Writing to recount: key features (OHP)
  • ‘That’s what you think – not dressed like that you’re not’ – diary extract (class set, OHP)
  • ‘Diaries’ worksheet
Review
  • Writing to evaluate or review – key features (OHP)
  • Evaluation request letter from Headquarters
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
  • Inform students that as their machine has now been accepted by MI5, they need to complete a mission in order to assess the effectiveness of the machine.
  • Each student should answer the following questions on lined paper: place, name of contact, purpose of mission, key word or exchange to identify the contact. Collect in the papers and redistribute each piece to another student. Set homework for the student to ‘complete’ the mission – either by a diary entry, a storyboard or comic strip. The purpose for this activity is not the written outcome but the student creating the mission.
  • Look at a diary entry handout: quick quiz in tables to locate answers. This task can lead into a discussion revising the features of writing to recount. Remind students of the five ‘w’s’: count these on fingers to aid rememberance: who, what, why, where, when
  • On returning from their mission, students should evaluate how their machine aided or hindered their mission. Students therefore need to recall specific incidents with their machine as opposed to the entire mission. Specific audience and purposes can be used here to differentiate the outcome – some students could be interviewed by MI5 who sponsored the creation of the machine, some may write a report for an independent commission, some may need to perform a group feedback to other inventors.
  • An alternative task could be to inform students that MI Spy Magazine has brought out a special edition. They want all their inventors to evaluate each other’s machines
  • The features of evaluative writing could be revealed before or after the tasks have been completed. If revealed after, students could become aware of how many features they included automatically and re-draft their work to accommodate other features
  • Evaluation forms could be created for students to use when evaluating their own or other’s machines
OUTCOMES:
  • Knowledge and use of the key features of this writing style
  • Revision of the key features of writing to recount
  • Evaluation forms or reports on gadgets
NOTES:
  • This writing style could be started at the beginning of the unit and continued as an extension activity throughout the unit: students could be asked to keep a diary monitoring the creation, acceptance and use of the machine
  • Writing to recount should have been studied at Year 6 level via newspaper reports. Students should therefore remember to write in the past tense.
  • For either writing style, a purpose and audience can be set for students such as a report for MI5, a private diary entry. As the focus is to record the details for both purposes and audience, this allows lower ability students to reach and complete extension work.

Week 6: Writing to argue, discuss
OBJECTIVES:
  • W19 Expand the range of link words and phrases used to signpost texts
  • Wr2 Collect, select, and assemble ideas in a suitable planning format
  • Wr3 Use writing to explore and develop ideas
  • Wr16 Find and use different ways to validate an argument
  • S&N1 Use talk as a tool for clarifying ideas
  • S&N7 Answer questions pertinently
RESOURCES:
  • Writing to argue or discuss – key features (OHP)
  • Examples of argumentative and discursive writing from newspapers or on television
IDEAS FOR TEACHING:
  • Place an envelope on each table, filled with a mixture of questions (some requiring a discursive response, some requiring an argumentative response: eg. discuss the weather, ‘school uniform should be banned’ – do you agree or disagree with this statement?). Students should answer these questions and then sort the questions into the two groups and note the difference between the two.
  • Give out examples of argumentative writing and ask students to highlight the connectives used – how many of these did they use in their responses to the previous questions? Can they respond to using these connectives?
  • What is the structure of an argumentative text and how does this differ from that of a discursive text?
  • Divide students into groups to plan the response for the argument: 1. ‘machines or gadgets are useful for spies’ 2. ‘machines or gadgets are not useful for spies. Ideas could be completed via post-it notes placed on the teaching board.
  • An introduction or conclusion to a discursive or argumentative question could be completed as a class before asking students to write either writing style using connectives previously learnt
OUTCOMES:
  • Recognition of the key features of both writing styles: argument, discuss
  • Use of one or both writing styles dependent upon ability or teacher’s decision
  • Recognition of contrasting and additional connectives
NOTES:
  • Students should be introduced to both writing styles and may only have a basic understanding of these writing styles from Year 6
  • It may be more practical to focus on the structure of these styles or one style as opposed to word, sentence level features as students are learning rather than revising this style. Knowledge could be extended depending on time allowance, as a differentiated task, in a corresponding Year 8 scheme of work or focused on in another scheme of work where such writing style is focused on