climate change, waste monsters

A fully resourced, fifteen session writing unit with a powerful climate change theme. It is pitched at upper KS2 and has a focus on sentence variety. Children explore the text ‘Planet SOS’ by Marie G Rhode, which describes a series of waste monsters and how to defeat them. This unit looks closely at the E-waste Golem.
Children explore the grammatical features of the text, and then compose a piece of work that demonstrates a similar range of sentences. As the unit progresses, children learn about waste - a contributor to climate change - and how we can reduce the problem.
During the unit, children will combine a monster with a type of damaging waste - there are three of each to pick from. Children create unique pieces of writing that explain the causes of a particular waste issue and persuade the reader to the think carefully about the impact of throwing things away.
For the final outcome, children will create destructive waste monsters, and then give the reader useful guidance on how to defeat them. At the end of the project, artwork (optional!) and writing could be combined to create a class book of waste monsters. Absolute everything you need is in the zip folder. Enjoy!

What type of writing is this?
Like lots of modern information books, Planet SOS does not fit neatly into one genre.
• The text has many of features of explanation writing: the author explains how waste is created and how it can be reduced.
• It also has persuasive features: the reader may be persuaded to combat the monster and reduce waste.
• The text has features typical of non-fiction, information writing: each page is packed with information about waste and mythical creatures.
• There are also elements of fiction writing: types of waste are personified as a series of mythical monsters.

Summary of objectives

Reading and vocabulary
• I can use drama to develop my vocabulary and communication skills
• I can show understanding through tone, volume and action
• I can look for key words and find information (in non-fiction texts)
• I can explain the impact of using second person point of view

Grammar
• I can use a colon to introduce a list (when the clause before the list is independent)
• I can use dashes to interrupt a sentence and add information
• I can write multi-clause sentences
• I can use the future perfect tense
• I can use a relative clause to add information about a noun
• I can write a conditional sentence
• I can identify different sentence structures

Planning and composition
• I can grow my knowledge by reading and researching
• I can write using second person point of view
• I can include a range of sentences in my writing
• I can assess and improve my writing with a partner