Animal Facts Info Texts

Overview

In this explicit teaching lesson, students learn the common structure and features of information texts using a model about animals. They practise identifying parts of the text and then begin building a short structured paragraph with headings and a labelled visual.

Learning intentions

• Students will learn that information texts are organised into a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Students will identify headings and subheadings that group information.
• Students will recognise visual elements (such as diagrams, captions, and labels) that add information.
• Students will use a simple plan to write or complete a short information-text section.

Success criteria

• I can point to the introduction, body, and conclusion in a model information text.
• I can name and locate a heading (and a simple subheading if included).
• I can add a label/caption to a visual and explain how it helps the reader.
• I can write 2–3 sentences of body information that matches the heading and subheading.

Curriculum links

• Reading and viewing: identifying how texts are structured for purpose and audience, including headings and images.
• Writing: creating short texts with clear structure and using punctuation and sentence boundaries appropriate for early years.
• Language: using topic vocabulary and describing the purpose of information texts.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min: Activate and clarify goal

• Show the class an animal information page (teacher-prepared, age-appropriate).
• Ask: “Where does the reader learn what the animal is?” and “Where do we learn details?” Introduce today’s focus: structure (introduction/body/conclusion) plus headings and visuals.

2. 5–12 min: Explicit teaching—model the structure

• Display the model text. Read it aloud slowly.
• Point to: Heading (title), Introduction (what the animal is / general statement), Body (detail sentences under headings or grouped sections), Conclusion (a wrap-up statement).
• Use think-aloud prompts: “This is the body because it gives facts about how/where/what…”.

3. 12–20 min: Guided practice—spot the parts

• Give students a simple cut-and-sort worksheet (or teacher cards) with sentence strips and labels: Introduction, Body, Conclusion.
• Students (in pairs or as a group of 6 using shared responses) place strips under the correct part.
• Teacher checks quickly: “What makes this a body sentence? What clue words or facts helped you?”

4. 20–28 min: Explicit teaching—headings, subheadings, and visuals

• Show another page or zoom into one section of the model.
• Teach: headings tell the main topic of the section; subheadings (if present) organise different kinds of information.
• Teach visual features: diagram/illustration plus labels or a caption that explains what the reader can learn from the image.

5. 28–38 min: Create—build a structured body paragraph

• Provide a graphic organiser with three boxes: Introduction, Body (with one heading line and optional subheading line), Conclusion.
• Teacher provides a short word bank (animal topic words, e.g., habitat, food, body parts) and sentence starters (e.g., “The ___ lives in…”, “It eats…”, “Its ___ helps it…”).
• Students complete the organiser together or in pairs: write 2–3 sentences for the body that match the heading and include one label/caption sentence idea.

6. 38–43 min: Share and feedback (quick conference style)

• Choose 2–3 student responses to read aloud or display.
• Class uses a simple check: “Is it in the right section?” “Does it match the heading?” “Does the visual add information?”

7. 43–45 min: Exit ticket—show understanding

• Students answer one quick prompt: “Underline the introduction sentence in the provided mini-text,” or “Circle the heading.”
• Collect to inform next lesson planning.

Resources

• Teacher model: short animal information text (1 page or large print) with heading, clear sections, and a labelled diagram
• Sentence strips/card set for introduction/body/conclusion sorting
• Cut-out labels for “Heading”, “Introduction”, “Body”, “Conclusion”, and “Label/Caption”
• Graphic organiser (3 sections with heading line and body lines)
• Picture/diagram of an animal part for labelling (teacher-prepared or printed)
• Age-appropriate word bank and sentence starter strips
• Coloured markers or sticky notes for students to mark text parts
• Mini-text for exit ticket (one short paragraph with clear sections)

Assessment

• Observation during sorting and shared responses: can students identify which sentences belong to introduction, body, or conclusion?
• Review of completed graphic organiser: do body sentences match the heading and use topic vocabulary appropriately?
• Exit ticket accuracy: identifying headings/introduction in a short model.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters with missing words for body sentences.
• Use fewer sentence strips and only one heading for the body if needed.
• Offer a partially filled organiser (teacher writes introduction; students add body and conclusion).
• Extension:
• Add a second subheading (e.g., “Where it lives” and “What it eats”) and ask students to write two different body mini-sections.
• Encourage students to include a conclusion that restates the main idea using different wording.
• EAL learners:
• Pre-teach key topic nouns (habitat, food, body parts) with visuals.
• Permit oral rehearsal before writing; allow sentence starters to be copied with guidance.
• SEN (learning needs):
• Reduce writing load by allowing one or two sentences plus a label/caption rather than multiple full sentences.
• Use consistent colour-coding across the lesson for headings and sections to reduce cognitive load.