Note: Children working significantly above or below age-related expectations will need differentiated support, which may include tracking forward or back in terms of learning objectives. EAL learners should be expected to work within the overall expectations for their year group. For further advice see the progression strands and hyperlinks to useful sources of practical support.

Phase 1: Reading, retrieving information, making notes (5 days)

Teaching content:

• Ask children to recall what they have already learned in another curriculum area, for example electricity in science. Begin to list words related to their investigations and introduce a glossary.
• Provide opportunities for children to explore non-fiction texts, drawing attention to index pages, glossary and title pages.
• Begin to construct a class glossary drawing children's attention to alphabetical order and definition. Ask children, using whiteboards in pairs, to write three words they have been using in their investigation. Sort into alphabetical order. Children should then attempt to write a definition for their words which would be added to the class or individual glossary throughout this unit.
• Play a game in which one child reads out their definition and the class or group have to guess the word. Have a class list of technical vocabulary available to the children.
• Look together at a range of information texts on the linked theme. Use a selection of texts as examples of how a process is described through the use of diagrams and flowcharts. Draw attention to labels and captions that help to explain what is happening.
• Draw attention to the use of cause and effect conjunctions such as because, so and but. This and similar activities could form part of the investigation during science lessons.

Learning outcomes:

• Children can find a key word using an index and then locate the relevant information on a page.
• Children demonstrate that they have understood information read from a book or screen by noting the main points.
• Children can make and use a class glossary of special interest words related to the investigation and give explanations and definitions.
• Children can follow a line of enquiry emerging from their own questions.