Years 3 and 4 Information Text Writing Unit - Rainforest

A fifteen-lesson writing unit, leading students towards writing their own information text about two rainforest creatures.
This unit of writing is ideal for students who have already studied the rainforest or to be taught alongside a rainforest topic (try ours here!). Students spend time at the start of the unit reading sample information texts to understand their purpose and structure. They then research two rainforest creatures to write their own texts about, they can use the rainforest fact files provided and we strongly advise also using textbooks or the internet to support their research.
The first ten lessons explore the text type and sentence level work. The final five lessons allow time to write the information text. The unit uses three differentiated example text types about giant anteaters and red-eyed tree frogs to support students’ understanding.
Where appropriate, each lesson is differentiated and carefully planned to suit different students’ needs. Answers (or example answers) are provided, where appropriate.
Lesson order:
• Hook lesson: read through the sample information texts with parts missing, students can try to work out what the texts are about and gain an understanding of the purpose of information texts.
• Identify key features, students use the sample texts to understand and identify the key features in information texts.
• Sorting information, students begin researching their rainforest creatures using the rainforest fact files provided and class books/the internet. Students complete a mind map to sort the information they find.
• Answering questions in more detail, students use a chatterbox to answer questions about their creatures in more detail.
• Using present tense, students will learn how information texts use present tense and practise writing in the present tense.
• Using third person pronouns, students will learn how information texts use third person pronouns and practise using them to avoid repeating nouns.
• Comparing and contrasting the two rainforest creatures using conjunctions and adverbials.
• Writing a glossary for the information texts.
• Exploring how rhetorical questions are used in information texts and practise writing them,
• Introducing headings and sub-headings, students will use these to plan their information texts in preparation for writing.
• Writing the introduction, looking at examples and creating a shared write as a class.
• Writing the second and third paragraphs, more detail about the rainforest creatures.
• Writing the conclusion.
• Students can practise editing using our ‘information text to edit’ before editing their own work.
• Publishing texts.
Looking for more? Try our newspaper writing units, available for Years 3&4 and Years 5&6. Or our Year 3&4 explanation text.