Writing to inform and explain

Royal Navy experiences of the abolition of slavery

Synopsis

This lesson provides an exciting context for students to develop their informative and explanatory writing skills in preparation for the assessment on the 'inform/explain/describe' writing triplet. The context for this lesson revolves around the lives of the Royal Naval personnel stationed in the West Africa Station in the mid 1800s. The actions of these individuals had a dramatic impact on stamping out slavery across the Atlantic and paved the way for current Royal Naval operations to prevent people trafficking.

MOD Topic

Royal Navy experiences of the abolition of slavery

Curriculum Checklist

5.1, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.5, 8.6, 9.2.

Curriculum Links

• English
• Drama
• History
• Geography

Prior Knowledge

Strategies for writing to inform and explain (e.g. rhetorical questions, question / answer format, anecdote, fluent control of range of devices and discursive markers, use of satire, irony, humour, layout / presentational / graphical devices, etc).
Knowledge of a range of reading strategies, especially scanning.

Learning Outcomes

Lower ability students will:

• Be able to identify inform and explain language features with assistance and discuss the impact on its reader.
• Revise some prior knowledge of inform and explain techniques to write a series of inform and explain texts that information in a clear manner whilst engaging a key stage 3 audience.
• Provide positive and negative points about their peers' work to help improve their written piece.
• Gain knowledge about the involvement of the Royal Navy in the abolition of slavery
• Have some understanding that the Royal Navy plays a key role in suppressing the modern people trafficking trade.

Average ability students will:

• Be able to identify some inform and explain language features and discuss the impact on its reader.
• Apply some prior knowledge of inform and explain techniques to write a series of inform and explain texts that deliver information in a, logical and progressive manner whilst engaging a key stage 3 audience.
• Assess their peers' work to reinforce understanding and to help improve their written piece.
• Be aware of some of the issues involved in the abolition of slavery and the part played by the Royal Navy
• Understand that the Royal Navy plays a key role in suppressing the modern people trafficking trade.

Higher ability students will:

• Be able to identify inform and explain language features and understand the impact on its reader.
• Apply prior knowledge of inform and explain techniques to write a series of inform and explain texts which deliver information in a clear, logical and progressive manner whilst engaging a target key stage 3 audience.
• Constructively and accurately assess their peers' work to reinforce understanding to help improve their written piece.
• Understand the role played by the Royal Navy in the abolition of slavery. Be aware of the range of factors which encouraged slavery and those which caused the rise of the abolition movement.
• Fully understand the role that the Royal Navy plays in suppressing the people trafficking trade today.

Lesson code

EN12