Introduction
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The 2 week literacy unit is the English component of the Science and Technology unit on Natural
Disasters; it is created for a Year 5 class.
The literacy unit is linked to the Science and Technology core Earth and it’s surrounding. The main
outcome that is covered in the Science strand is ESS3.6 recognises that the earth is the source of most
materials and resources, and describes phenomena and processes, both natural and human, that form
and change the earth over time.
Prior to both the science and literacy unit students have explored the purpose and features of written
information reports about Antarctica. They are also able to work in groups and respond in class
discussions.
During the Natural disaster unit in Science and Technology students have built an erupting volcano and
have written a procedure about how to make a working model of a volcano.
In the literacy unit on Natural Disasters students will be required to write a joint Explanation text on a
natural disaster, and therefore need knowledge of the topic, technical language specific to the topic and
the language demands associated with writing a stage appropriate Explanation report. Students are
given the opportunity to build their field knowledge about natural disasters through a semantic web, floor
storm and researching different types of disasters, which involves the student to put information on a
retrieval chart and reporting back to the class about their natural disaster. Oracy and writing will be
developed during these teaching and learning activities. The lesson sequence will lead students to be
able to independently construct an Explanation text.
During this unit students will develop the ability to explain scientifically how certain Natural Disasters
occur through the use of an Explanation text. The lessons were constructed to allow students to:
 Listen and give accurate, researched and sequential explanations.
 Jointly construct explanations about different natural disasters.
 Examine how conjunctions are used to show cause and effect.
ASSESSMENT:
Assessment before literacy unit:
 Ongoing classroom assessment through: Teacher observation of students during Science and
Technology unit, through constantly roaming around to see how students interact with each other and
whether they are confident in speaking in a group.
 The ability to use scientific terminology about natural disasters.
 Their ability to predict, observe and explain upon undertaking various scientific experiments and
displaying ability to use higher order, abstract thinking skills.
 Written journals on what students have learnt each lesson in the Science and Technology unit Natural
Disasters. This will let teachers understand what children know at that point in time and will allow
teachers to create learning experiences that cater for students needs.
Assessment during the literacy unit:
 Formative assessment will take place in the form of a class discussion, clarifying what students already
know.
 Ongoing observation and questioning of students to ensure they have a conceptual understanding of the
content.
 Semantic web constructed by the student about natural disasters.
 Observation of students during the floor storm activity, on the vocabulary used and group participation.
 Information placed on the retrieval chart and the oral explanation given in class.
 Ordering the Explanation text type into the correct structure order in the English books and labelling the
structure.
 Cloze passage on conjunctions and verbs, identifying specific grammar within an Explanation text.
 Joint construction, through observation of discussion taking place and the contribution made to the joint
construction of the Explanation. Students will be assessed on their ability to use all information and skills
learnt throughout the unit to participate in the construction of an Explanation.
 Researching skills through locating information on the internet, books etc. about different natural
disasters.
 Students self assessment at the end of the literacy unit (Refer to appendix 1).
# While most of the assessment will adopt a formative approach, the joint construction will be part of a summative
assessment as it will be done at the conclusion of the literacy unit. After the joint construction lesson students will
also individually construct their own Explanation on a natural disaster which will form part of the summative
assessment.
Text Structure:
Statement of
phenomenon.
(Identifies the topic
and what is to be
explained - Tsunamis)
Language Features:
How are Tsunamis formed?
Tsunami is a Japanese word for harbour wave.
A tsunami is a wave that is larger then any normal
waves. When a tsunami reaches land it can get as
tall as 30 metres high. These waves can cause
Simple present
Tense: travel, is, can,
squeeze, push,
triggers, slow.
widespread destruction when they crash ashore.
Explanation
Sequence
(The series of events
that cause Tsunami’s)
Tsunamis
are
frequently
caused
by
large
earthquakes beneath the sea. They could also be
caused
by
underwater
landslides,
volcanic
Technical words:
tsunami, metres,
earthquake, energy,
volcanic eruptions,
height, landslides.
eruptions or other movements in the earths crust.
These movements
push the water
upward,
sideways or downward to create the tsunami
wave.
The movements caused either by the earthquake,
landslides or volcanic eruptions push some areas
Action verbs:
reaches, push, slow,
rushing, eruption,
sink, increases.
Conjunctions: when,
while, and, but, as
of water upwards while other areas of water sink.
This produces a series of waves rushing outwards
from the centre of the disturbance.
Complex sentences:
The waves are not
very……..
A Tsunami is not a single wave, but a series of
waves that travel very quickly at up to 500 miles
an hour over long distances without losing any of
their energy. The waves are not very high out at
Adverbial phrases:
In the earths crust,
from the centre of the
disturbance.
sea in the deep water but as they reach nearer to
land they squeeze closer together. When they
squeeze closer together they slow down and their
height increases instantly.
Background
information (optional)
Tsunamis always cause great damage. The
damage is mostly caused by the huge mass of
water behind the large wave front, as the height of
the sea keeps rising fast and aggressively floods
into the coastal area.
Subject: Tsunamis
Purpose: To explain how Tsunamis are formed
Audience: Teacher/students
Noun groups:
The huge mass of
water
Outcomes
Indicators
TS3.1
Communicates
effectively for a
range of purposes
and with a variety
of audiences to
express well
developed well
organised ideas
dealing with more
challenging topics.
- explores
ideas about
natural
disasters
individually and
in groups.
- listens to a
gives a
description
about natural
disasters.
1. Think, Pair, Share (What do you Know)
- Teacher asks students to individually fill in as much information as they know about natural disasters
on a simple Semantic web, so teacher can see student’s current knowledge of natural disasters.
- Student’s form pairs and shares their information with each other. Students are required to add new
information to their own Semantic web in a different colour.
- Pairs join together to form a group of four. Group combines information on natural disasters to share.
- Groups share with whole class and teacher creates a large semantic web about natural disasters on
butcher’s paper with all the groups ideas put together.
- Students can add to the semantic web throughout the unit.
- Teacher reads a couple pages from the factual text ‘Totally weird: Natural disasters’ to briefly explain
about natural disasters at the end of the lesson.
- A4 paper
- factual text
‘Totally weird:
Natural Disasters’
- Butchers paper
TS3.2
Interacts
productively and
with autonomy in
pairs and groups
of various sizes
and compositions,
uses effective oral
presentation skills
and strategies and
listens attentively.
- listens in
group
discussions
and records
key words or
ideas to
accompany
natural disaster
photos.
- uses a variety
of ways to seek
relevant
information.
- explores
different
natural
disasters set
by the teacher.
- Reports
information
using a
retrieval chart
and as a
weather
broadcaster.
2. Floor storm on Natural Disasters / Vocabulary building
- In groups of 4 (mixed ability groups) students are given a range of pictures of different types of
natural disasters such as tornados, earthquakes, cyclones etc. (refer to appendix 2)
- Students in their groups discuss the pictures. Students need to classify the pictures into groups such
as water disasters, land disasters, fire, weather disasters etc. Students record different words or
phrases that match or describe the pictures on A3 paper.
- Students can organise the pictures the way they want, as they are bringing their knowledge of what
they think the pictures resemble or mean.
- Students share pictures and vocabulary with the class. Each group is given the opportunity to share
their way of organising the photos.
- Jointly organize pictures on board under different headings and writing key words to accompany the
pictures.
-Pictures on
natural disasters
- A3 paper
3. Investigating Types of Disasters
- Jigsaw Activity: in groups of four students are given a natural disaster to explore and research by
using non-fiction texts, internet etc to answer questions. (Disaster type: what is the disaster? How
does it occur? Where can it happen? Other information, draw a diagram labelling it, group questions
arising from the investigation.)
- Retrieval chart: groups record information that they found on a class retrieval chart. For example:
Disaster type
How does it occur? Where can it happen?
Diagram
Questions
- computers
- Retrieval chart
(on butchers
paper)
- Non-fiction
books on natural
disasters.
TS3.1
Communicates
effectively for a
range of purposes
and with a variety
of audiences to
express well
developed well
organised ideas
dealing with more
challenging topics
Teaching/Learning tasks
(Time of each lesson: 40 mins)
Resources/
grouping/
extra information
# Individual, pair
and group
activities.
#Group activity
#Group activity
- Groups report back to class all the information they found out and recorded about their certain
disaster. When reporting back to the class they need to take on the role as a weather broadcaster,
broadcasting their news about the natural disaster to the class.
*this lesson may take two lessons to complete
RS3.7 critically
analyses
techniques used
by writers to create
certain effects, to
use language
creatively, to
position the reader
in various ways
and to construct
different
interpretations of
experience.
WS3.14 Critically
evaluates how
own texts have
been structured to
achieve their
purpose and
discusses ways of
using related
grammatical
features and
conventions of
written language to
shape readers and
viewers
understanding of
texts.
WS3.9 Produces a
wide range of wellstructured 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.
- identifies the
structure of an
explanation
text such as
phenomenon,
sequence,
background
information
(optional).
- Recognises
an explanation
text and
identifies the
purpose of the
text.
- recognises
how cause and
effect
relationships
are constructed
in different
sentences
through using a
variety of
conjunctions.
- identifies
suitable verbs
and
conjunctions in
a cloze
passage.
- plans writing
through
discussion with
others and by
making notes,
lists or drawing
diagrams.
- contributes to
joint text
construction
activities.
-writes an
explanation
that is
sequential.
4. Tsunami explanation Deconstruction
- Show Explanation on How are Tsunamis formed? for students to examine.
- Discuss the structure of the explanation, Recap Purpose; Audience; structure: Statement of
phenomenon, explanation sequence, concluding statement (optional), visual images.
- Label the structure
*title
*phenomenon
*sequence
* Concluding statement (optional)
- Teacher cuts the Explanation into three sections – general statement, explanation sequence and
concluding statement. Have students discuss the purpose of each piece of text and allow them to
sequence them in the correct structure.
- using another Explanation text on Tsunamis cut out the different paragraphs and mix up, have
students individually sort into order, students paste the explanation into their books in correct order.
- Students highlight the structure on their sheets.
- Tsunami
5. Cloze passage with conjunctions and verbs removed
- Discuss the grammatical features of an Explanation, briefly looking at general and abstract nouns,
action verbs, simple present tense, passive voice complex sentences and technical language.
- Teacher discusses the definition of a conjunction and its purpose within an Explanation.
- Using the Tsunami Explanation from previous lesson teacher and students Identify the conjunctions
in the Explanation and highlight them.
- Whole class create a word wall/ word bank on words that are conjunctions.
- In pairs students are given another Explanation on a natural disaster with conjunctions and verbs
missing. Students in their pairs discuss what conjunctions and verbs fit where. Students can use the
word wall for assistance.
- Whole class comes together. Pairs read out their Explanation cloze and compare with peers the
conjunctions and verbs that were put in the missing gaps.
- Teacher reads original explanation report and students compare with theirs. It is important to
consider all answers that have been selected and highlighting the important fact that there may be
more than one correct answer.
- cloze passage
‘How do floods
Occur?’ from
English K-6
modules.
- Word bank
6. Joint construction
- In small groups (groups of 4-5) the students brainstorm what they think needs to be included in an
Explanation on ‘Why do volcanoes erupt?’ groups take notes in their English books. Students can use
the retrieval chart and non-fiction books on volcanoes for assistance.
- As a whole class, all groups come together to construct a flow chart or diagram on how a volcano
erupts (refer back to the retrieval chart, lesson 3). This diagram will be referred back to when writing
the Explanation.
- Using their notes each group contributes and shares their part to make up the Explanation.
- Teacher and students write an Explanation on volcanoes all together from information gathered by
the students, following the structure: statement of phenomenon, Explanation sequence, and
background information (optional).
- The Explanation on ‘Why do volcanoes erupt?’ constructed by the class is written on an A3
cardboard for display.
*this lesson may take two lessons to complete
#After the joint construction activity students will write their own Explanation on a natural disaster.
- English books
- Retrieval chart
from lesson 3
- A3 cardboard
- Non- fiction
books on
Volcanoes.
Explanation
- English books
#Whole class and
individual activities.
#Pair activity
#Group and whole
class activity
LANGUAGE DEMANDS
Planned T/L Tasks
1
Think, Pair, Share
(Semantic web)
Spoken language
demand
Listening Demands
Written Language
Demand
Aspects of Grammar
- Taking part in small
group discussion.
- Brainstorming ideas
about natural disasters
with whole class.
- Presenting opinions
- Two way listening in
pair work and class
discussion.
- Listens for key
information when
factual text is read on
natural disasters.
- Two way listening
between peers about
the natural disaster
photos.
- Listening to specific
points related to natural
disasters.
- Two way listening
between group
members about
information on a natural
disaster.
- Listening to key
information during
groups presentation.
- Two way listening
between peers and
teacher about
Explanations.
- Listens to information
about the structure of a
Explanation
- listens attentively at
the beginning of the
lesson when teacher
speaks of grammatical
features.
- Words written down
associated with natural
disasters (semantic
web).
- Descriptive words
about natural
disasters.
- Using nouns and
verbs
- Express ideas about
natural disasters into
words or sentences.
- Words or phrases
based around the natural
disaster pictures.
- Descriptive language.
- Simple sentences
about different natural
disasters.
- Vocabulary related
specifically about natural
disasters such tsunami,
volcano. Cyclone etc.
- Recording information
on retrieval chart.
- Note taking when
researching disaster
from internet, books etc.
- Summarizing
information.
- Descriptive language.
- Sentence
construction.
- Technical language
about their chosen
disaster
- Two way listening
between groups and
class discussions.
- Listens for key points
on volcanoes.
- Jointly construct an
Explanation of one type
of natural disaster.
- Ideas on why a volcano
erupts written in their
English books.
- Summarizing
information on volcanoes
Floor storm
- Discussion around
natural disaster photos.
- Presenting opinions
- Orally comparing and
contrasting natural
disaster pictures.
Jigsaw groups and
retrieval chart
- Presenting an oral
report about chosen
natural disaster.
- Group discussion
about the chosen
disaster.
- Presentation skills.
4
Explanation
deconstruction
- Taking part in class
discussion on the
structure of an
Explanation.
5
Cloze passage
- Take part in class
discussion on
conjunctions and verbs
in an Explanation.
2
3
6
Joint construction
- Taking part in group
discussion about
volcanoes.
- Giving an oral
Explanation on ‘why do
volcanoes erupt? ‘
- Explanation on
Tsunamis.
- Organise
sentences/paragraphs
into the structure of the
text
- Cloze passage on
floods.
Specific Vocab
Metalanguage
- Structure of an
Explanation.
- The purpose of an
explanation text.
- Using appropriate
conjunctions in an
Explanation report.
- identifying verbs.
-highlight grammatical
features in text.
- Using complex
sentences in the joint
construction of an
Explanation.
- Vocabulary related
specifically about floods.
- Technical language
within the Cloze passage.
- Use appropriate
structure for an
Explanation (statement of
phenomenon, explanation
sequence).
- Technical language
used about volcanoes.
Lesson: 4
Duration: 40mins
Time
5mins
15mins
Key Learning Areas: English
Focus: Structure of an Explanation report
Outcomes
Teaching/Learning Experiences
RS3.7 critically
analyses techniques
used by writers to
create certain effects,
to use language
creatively, to position
the reader in various
ways and to construct
different interpretations
of experience.
T. Displays the explanation text ‘How are Tsunamis formed?’ on OHP.
T and Ss read through the Explanation, allowing Ss to take turns to read. Ss
identify the text type by justifying their reasons, perhaps through the
structure/features
T Discusses the purpose of an Explanation and the structure by first asking
questions:
- What are Explanations used for?
- Who would write the text?
- Who would read it?
- Why would you need to know how a Tsunami is formed?
- Is the text written or spoken?
Teacher Discusses the purpose of an Explanation Q: What is the purpose of this
explanation? (It describes how something works/happens).
T Draws attention to the different paragraphs that make up the structure of the
text type.
Teacher explains the structure of an Explanation by writing down the structure
on the board.
- Title
- Statement of Phenomenon
- Explanation sequence
- Concluding statement (optional)
Do: students orally outline the structure of the Explanation text ‘How are
Tsunamis formed?’
Teacher Demonstrates the structure of the Explanation by cutting out the
paragraphs and mixing it up. Teacher with the help of the students put the
Explanation together in the right structure order.
Do: students individually are given the text type ‘How are Tsunamis formed?’ (Or
a different Explanation text to make it more challenging) all cut up. Students
need to order them into the correct structure and paste it in their English books.
Students highlight the text structure in their books.
Deliver: students share their structure order with the class.
20mins
Indicators and
Assessment
- Identifies the
structure of an
explanation text such
as phenomenon,
sequence, and
concluding statement
(optional).
- Recognises an
explanation text and
identifies the purpose
of the text.
Resources and
References
- Explanation text
‘How are Tsunamis
formed?’
- Explanation text
on Tsunamis Cut
up.
- OHP
- English books
#students can be given a different explanation text on Tsunamis then the one
demonstrated by the teacher.
Catering for Students with special needs: ESL students – clear explanation on the structure of an Explanation text. Teachers questioning aimed to see for
students understanding. Putting the Explanation up on OHP to allow for students to visually enhance meaning
Gifted students- provide a different explanation text from one demonstrated by teacher when students work on their own to order the text in the correct order.
Literacy Learning difficulties- clear explanations, along with the use of labelled pictures and diagrams allows students to obtain a visual and verbal representation of
the information. All students learning will be maximised through mixed ability groupings, extra teacher assistance during the individual task of structuring the
explanation text.
Teacher = T
Students = Ss
Assessment:
Lesson: 5
Duration: 40mins
Time
5mins
15mins
20mins
Key Learning Areas: English
Outcomes
Teaching/Learning Experiences
RS3.8 Identifies the
text structure of a
wider range of more
complex text types and
discusses how the
characteristic
grammatical features
work to influence
readers and viewers
understanding of texts.
T with Ss Discusses all the grammatical features of an Explanation. T lists the
grammatical features on the board:
- general and abstract nouns - action verbs - simple present tense
- passive voice - complex sentences - technical language
- conjunctions
T Displays the Tsunami Explanation text used in previous lesson on OHP. T
briefly goes through the text asking students to list some of the grammatical
features they see in the text. Q: what are some action verbs you can see? What
is some technical language used in the text? So on.
T Draws attention to the conjunctions within the text and asks students: what
are conjunctions? (conjunctions are used to join sentences) What is their
purpose within an explanation text? Discussion takes place about conjunctions
and whole class creates a word wall/word bank on words that are conjunctions.
T writes the conjunctions on an A3 cardboard to be displayed around the
classroom (some words could include: although, after, before, because, until,
then, if, when, while etc.).
T Demonstrates conjunctions by writing a couple of sentences on the board that
pair together. Students then need to find a conjunction (from the word bank) to
join each pair of sentences together. For example, lightning struck the tree. A
bushfire started in the forest. T asks students What conjunction can join this
sentence together? (A Lightning struck the tree then a bushfire started in the
forest).
T reads out an Explanation on ‘How do floods occur?’ and tells students that
they will be completing a cloze passage with conjunctions and verbs missing. (T
doesn’t display Explanation on OHP when reading it to the students)
Do: In pairs students are given the Explanation on floods with conjunctions and
verbs missing (refer to appendix 3). Ss in their pairs discuss what conjunctions
and verbs fit where. Students can use the word wall for assistance.
Deliver: Whole class comes together. Pairs read out their Explanation cloze and
compare with peers what conjunctions and verbs were put in the missing gaps.
Teacher reads original Explanation and students compare with theirs.
WS3.14 Critically
evaluates how own
texts have been
structured to achieve
their purpose and
discusses ways of
using related
grammatical features
and conventions of
written language to
shape readers and
viewers understanding
of texts.
Focus: Conjunctions and Verbs
Indicators and
Assessment
- identifies different
grammatical features of
an explanation report.
- recognises how
cause and effect
relationships are
constructed in different
sentences through
using a variety of
conjunctions.
Resources and
References
- Cloze passage on
How do floods
occur?
- A3 cardboard
- Explanation text
on Tsunami’s.
- Explanation text
on Floods.
- OHP
- identifies suitable
verbs and conjunctions
in a cloze passage.
Catering for Students with special needs: ESL students – paired up with someone who is not ESL during cloze activity in order to give assistance when needed
(peer tutoring taking place). Teacher models and gives step by step instruction on what needs to be done in the lesson.
Gifted students- higher order thinking questions during discussion, extension activities (another cloze which can be completed
individually).
Literacy Learning difficulties- grouping, detailed modelling, modified handouts when needed. Constructing a word bank on conjunctions to provide assistance when
completing the cloze passage. Revising over grammar that is seen in an explanation text. T selects difficult words and discusses the meaning and pronunciation with
students.
Teacher = T
Students = Ss
Assessment:
APPENDIX 1
Student Self Assessment
List some skills that you feel you can take
away from this unit
What did you find most challenging?
What is one thing that I could do to help me
learn more?
List some things you remember from the unit.
APPENDIX 2
Some pictures that can be used for Floor storming activity
APPENDIX 3
How Do Floods Occur?
In winter there is snow on the mountains.
spring comes the sun comes out, it
shines onto the snow. The snow
. The
melting snow turns into water and flows off
the mountain and enters the rivers. The huge
amount of water makes the water level
.
rocks and concreted areas surround rivers
they can cause floods. If it rains the rain falls
onto the rocks, nothing can soak up the
water. The water flows down the rocks and
into the river.
it rains for a long time the huge amount
of rain cannot soak into the soil. The water
forms small streams. The streams all lead to
the main river and feed it.
the river the water level rises.
the water enters
there is not a
dam on the bank of the river the river will
During spring
.
the rivers are still blocked
by ice, floods occur in Siberia. The snow
melts
the river is unable to flow because
of the ice. The river stops and builds up.
it gets up as high as the ice, it is
already so high that it causes a flood.
Though floods occur in most parts of the world
they do not occur very often. In the past 250
years there were 150 major floods. The most
flood-prone river is the Huang He River (also
called the Yellow River and China’s Sorrow)
which is located in Northern China.
Note: Red lines indicate verb missing and black lines indicate conjunction missing.
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