Stage 3 Writing: Information Report
Term:
Weeks: 1 – 10
Foundation Statement
Students communicate effectively, using considered spoken language to entertain, inform and influence
audiences for an increasing range of purposes. They work productively and independently, in pairs or groups to
deliver effective oral presentations using various skills and strategies. Students listen attentively to gather
specific information and ideas, recognising and exploring how spoken and written language differ, and how
spoken language varies according to context. Students evaluate characteristic language features and
organisational patterns of challenging spoken texts.
Students independently read and view an extensive range of complex texts and visual images using a
comprehensive range of skills and strategies. They respond to themes and issues within texts, recognise point
of view and justify interpretations by referring to their own knowledge and experience. Students identify,
critically analyse and respond to techniques used by writers to influence readers through language and
grammar. They identify text structure of a range of complex texts and explore how grammatical features
work to influence an audience’s understanding of written, visual and multimedia texts.
Students write well-structured and well-presented literary and factual texts for a wide range of purposes
and audiences, dealing with complex topics, ideas, issues and language features. They write well-structured
sentences, effectively using a variety of grammatical features. Students spell most common words accurately,
and use a variety of strategies to spell less common words. They use a fluent and legible style to write and
employ computer technology to present written texts effectively in a variety of ways for different purposes
and audiences. Students evaluate the effectiveness of their writing by focusing on grammatical features and
the conventions of writing.
Social Purpose
Information reports are used to present information about something. They generally describe an entire class
of things, whether natural or constructed: mammals, the planets, rocks, plants, computers, countries of the
region, transport, and so on.
Structure
Information reports are usually organised to include:
 a general statement identifying the subject of the information report, perhaps defining and classifying it;
 description (‘bundles’ of information relating to, for example, features, behaviour or types).
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Outcomes
3.9 Produces a wide range of well-structured and well-presented literary and factual texts for a wide
variety of purposes and audiences using increasingly challenging topics, ideas, issues and written
language features.
3.10 Uses knowledge of structure, grammar and punctuation to edit own writing.
3.11 Spells most common words accurately and uses a range of strategies to spell unfamiliar words.
3.12 Produces texts in a fluent and legible style and uses computer technology to present these
effectively in variety of ways.
3.13 Critically analyses own texts in terms of how well they have been written, how effectively they
present the subject matter and how they influence the reader.
3.14 Critically evaluates how own texts have been structured to achieve their purposes and discusses
ways of related grammatical features and conventions of written language to shape readers’ and
viewers’ understanding of texts.
Indicators
 writes an information report including detailed descriptions using graphics where relevant to text
 can record information from more than one source before writing
 considers an audience’s likely knowledge of a topic and provides helpful explanation or definitions, eg
glossary.
ESL Scales: Reading and Writing
ESL Scales levels: Reading and Responding, Writing 1, 2, 3
 Use an information text as the basis for a subject-specific word list. Ask students to locate all the words
that name the animal, describe the animal, name the body parts etc.
 Take photographs of students’ friends in the class and jointly construct their characteristics; recycle
text into cloze; cut up sentences, words.
ESL Scales levels: Reading and Responding, Writing 3, 4, 5
 Jointly construct some or all paragraphs of an information report about an animal or a machine after
students have had many opportunities in a small group to use new vocabulary.
 Use this joint construction for reading and writing activities about information reports: reordering under
correct headings, cloze on content words, completing half-sentences, highlighting theme words.
ESL Scales levels: Reading and Responding, Writing 5, 6, 7
 Provide many opportunities for building up the field knowledge before writing.
 Select for the students well-written information texts. Discuss new vocabulary.
 Provide a clear pro forma chart with relevant headings suited to the topic for students to organise
information.
Content – Early Stage 3
WS3.9
Learning to Write - Producing Texts
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Participate in frequent joint and independent activities
to construct a wide range of literary and factual texts
Consolidate skills in locating resources and accessing
information in preparation for writing.
Produce a variety of texts, using a range of
technology, for different audiences.
Produce texts with attention to design, layout and
graphics
WS3.10 WS3.11 WS3.12
Learning to Write - Skills and Strategies
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Proofread their own texts for meaning, spelling and
punctuation.
Use a variety of spelling resources and strategies to
spell unfamiliar words.
Use correct structure, grammar and punctuation when
producing texts.
Use variety of references to assist writing and editing
Develop fluent NSW Foundation Style handwriting.
Experiment with computer technology to produce
different texts
WS3.13
Learning about Writing - Context and Text
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Structure activities so that students write a variety
of texts for different purposes and audiences across a
range of topics.
Provide opportunities for students to reflect analyse
and evaluate their own writing and that of others.
WS3.14
Learning About Writing - Language Structures and
Features
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Model the editing of writing for consistency of point
of view, cohesive structure and appropriate use of
language for the intended audience.
Assist students to identify the techniques used in
argumentative and persuasive texts to influence the
reader, and apply these to writing where appropriate.
Model ways of providing specific and constructive
comments about their own writing and the writing of
others during peer conferencing sessions.
Discuss with students how cohesive texts are
constructed.
Model how to change the theme of a clause and discuss
the effects of such changes, linking change in theme
to the use of active and passive verbs.
Design activities for students to recognise how
grammar is used in constructing effective texts.
Content – Later Stage 3
WS3.9
Learning to Write - Producing Texts
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Produce well-planned, coherent, extended texts by
applying knowledge about the writing process, eg
researching, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading,
structuring paragraphs.
Write and creatively manipulate a range of text types
to more sophisticated levels, eg researched historical
recounts, detailed descriptions, sustained arguments
and discussions with evidence, responses to artworks,
multimedia projects.
Relate to audiences through subtle use of language, eg
humour, modality, irony
Write texts that deal with more complex and detailed
subject matter to high levels of technicality and
abstraction.
Combine various channels of communication in
multimedia texts, eg poetry, dramatic performance,
business letters, diagrams, illustrations.
WS3.10 WS3.11 WS3.12
Learning to Write - Skills and Strategies
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Gain control over a comprehensive range of
grammatical features and punctuation that contribute
to the purpose, meaning and clarity of texts.
Apply knowledge of spelling conventions and strategies
to ensure a high level of spelling accuracy.
Experiment with personal handwriting style to enhance
fluency, speed, legibility and appeal.
Consolidate computer skills when using a range of
computer software and applications, eg tables, borders
and graphics, word processors, authoring software,
web pages.
WS3.13
Learning about Writing - Context and Text
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Model how to reflect on written texts in order to
enhance the quality of their own writing, eg use of
organisational patterns to influence readers, use of
literary devices to enhance stories and poems,
techniques for taking into account the interests and
needs of audiences, strategies for selecting and
working with a range of topics.
Teach students to reflect critically on the
effectiveness of their own writing, eg how entertaining
their stories are, whether their explanations are clear,
how easy it is to retrieve information from their
information reports.
WS3.14
Learning About Writing - Language Structures and
Features
 Initiate discussions about the structure, grammatical
features and conventions in written texts with the
view to students applying this knowledge in their own
writing, eg the use of dependent clauses to add detail,
the use of adjectives and adjectival clauses to build
character in narratives, how the elements of a clause
are ordered to facilitate the flow of the text, how
effective punctuation enhances readability
Grammar Focus
 The use of clearly structured sentences, with attention to how the beginning of the sentences focuses
the reader’s attention on the topic, eg. The local government, The state government, The federal government.
 The use of the passive voice when necessary to change the focus of information in the sentence, eg meat,
fruit and vegetables are brought to the markets, rather than people bring meat, fruit and vegetables to the
markets.
 The use of sentences with some complexity in the combination of clauses, eg We can generate electricity
by using water’s natural force as it passes from one height to another, turning a water turbine on its way
through; The earth could fit inside the sun one million times if the sun were hollow.
 The use of ‘hedging’ language when needing to qualify a statement, eg Dingoes on Fraser Island are
generally tame; Although our sun seems very big, most scientists say there might be some stars bigger than
the sun.
 The use of the simple past tense (and other appropriate past tenses) in historical recounts, eg When the
master wanted to buy a new slave, he would bid for one at the market. The slaves were captured foreigners
and may have had a high price if they were young and healthy.
 The use of longer noun groups to build up a description, eg Our sun looks like the biggest star in the
galaxy.
 The relationship between words, eg word chains and word sets.
Grammar Terminology
Students at this stage should be using terms such as:
 word chains
 word sets
 connectives
 compound and complex sentences
 theme of clause
 active and passive
 noun group (including adjectival phrases and adjectival/relative clauses)
 preposition, eg in an adjectival phrase
 relative pronoun, eg in an adjectival/relative clause
 technical terms
 word origin, eg the Greek and Latin origins of many technical terms.
Teaching and Learning Experiences
Lesson 1:
 Have students read a variety of information reports and point out how tables, graphs,
diagrams, charts, maps and other visual texts can enhance information. Encourage students to
use graphics where appropriate in their own information reports, eg diagram of life cycle in
information report about frogs.
Date
Lesson 2:
 Have students read and annotate an information report. Ask them to identify the features
of an information report: classification followed by description, topic sentence in paragraphs,
topic usually in first position of sentence.
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Lesson 3:
 Jointly construct an information report on a current topic. Model how a variety of forms of
the topic can be used to write the topic sentences in each paragraph, eg China, The country,
China’s geography.
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Lesson 4:
 Cut an information report into strips. Have students sort information strips into categories
on the same topic. Jointly construct topic sentences for each paragraph.
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Lesson 5:
 Have students identify technical language in an information report and write a glossary to
define the terms.
 Have students locate information from a variety of sources to write an independent
information report and list these sources in a bibliography.
Date
Lesson 6:
 Model how to edit sentences in information reports to build more complex descriptions, eg
They have fur. It is soft and grey becomes They have soft grey fur, which …
 • Have students jointly construct or adapt a pro forma to organise information. Ask
students to use this when independently writing an information report.
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Lesson 7:
 Have small groups or pairs of students produce multimedia information reports on a topic of
interest.
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Assessment
 Anecdotal Observations
 Desk grid
Evaluation
 Tagged Work sample: Lesson