Procedural Texts Competition

Lesson Overview

This 60-minute lesson is the culminating activity for the unit "Mastering Procedural Texts" aimed at Year 1-3 students in Australia. The focus is on consolidating students’ understanding and skills in creating and presenting procedural texts through an engaging class competition. Students will present their own procedural texts, demonstrate clear steps, and support their oral presentation with visuals or props. The session will end in a friendly voting process to recognise achievement and encourage participation.

Australian Curriculum Alignment (English, Years 1-3)

Strand: Literacy Sub-strand: Literacy and Literature - Creating texts Content Descriptions:

• ACELA1462: Understand that texts are created by authors who develop characters and settings and organise events and ideas (supports understanding procedural texts).
• ACELY1650: Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing print and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose. (Note: Applies to procedural texts as informative procedural writing.)
• ACELY1660: Use comprehension strategies to understand and discuss procedural texts, focusing on sequence and language features.
• ACELY1661: Create short texts that show emerging use of language features and text structures of procedural texts, including simple sequencing words (first, then, finally).

These alignments support students in presenting and reinforcing their understanding of the structure and language of procedural texts.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Present their procedural texts clearly and confidently using correct sequencing language and instructions.
• Demonstrate understanding of the purpose and structure of procedural texts.
• Show active listening skills by respectfully watching peers’ presentations and offering feedback.
• Participate in a democratic voting process to identify engaging and clear procedural presentations.

Resources Needed

• Students’ previously prepared procedural texts (written or multimodal).
• Visual aids or props relevant to each student's procedure (optional, but encouraged).
• Voting cards or stickers for each student.
• Chart paper or whiteboard to record votes and feedback.
• Dyslexia-friendly printed copies of key instructional vocabulary and sentence starters, such as "First," "Next," "Finally," "You need to," etc.

Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up and Recap (10 minutes)

• Greet students and briefly review what procedural texts are and why we use them.
• Use a quick interactive activity: show pictures of steps (e.g., how to brush teeth) and have students put them in order verbally.
• Remind students about key language features in procedural texts (sequencing words, clear instructions).

2. Presentations Preparation (5 minutes)

• Allow each student a few minutes to organise their notes, visuals, or props.
• Remind them of the structure: introduction, sequential steps, and conclusion (e.g., “That’s how you…”).
• Provide dyslexia-friendly sentence starter cards for support.

3. Procedural Text Presentations (30 minutes)

• Each student takes a turn to present their procedural text, aiming for about 4-5 minutes each.
• Other students listen attentively and can ask one question or give a compliment after each presentation (optional).
• Teacher notes strengths and encourages positive peer comments.

4. Voting and Feedback (10 minutes)

• Each student votes for their favourite presentation (not their own) using voting cards or stickers.
• Tally votes visibly on the whiteboard/chart.
• Discuss what made the winning presentation successful: clarity, use of sequence words, engagement, etc.
• Highlight all students’ efforts and check understanding of procedural texts reinforced through presentations.

5. Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Reflect with students on what they learned about procedures and presenting them.
• Ask if the competition helped them understand how to explain steps clearly.
• Remind students they can use these skills in daily life and other subjects.

Differentiation Strategies

• For students who need support: Provide sentence starters and checklist visual aids with clear steps and key vocabulary. Allow use of drawing or digital tools instead of oral presentations if preferred.
• For dyslexic learners: Use dyslexia-friendly fonts and layouts on printed supports, offer oral prompts, and provide opportunities to rehearse presentations with a peer or teacher beforehand.
• For advanced learners: Encourage them to include additional detail, use descriptive language, or add a ‘why’ to their steps (explaining importance). They might also help peers by providing constructive feedback.

Extension Activities

• Students who finish early or show advanced skills can create a video recording of their procedural text presentation to share with another class or for a digital class book.
• Create a collaborative procedural text from the competition theme, combining parts of each student’s procedure into one class procedural book.
• Invite students to identify procedural text features in classroom signage or favourite recipe books at home.

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This lesson plan promotes confidence, comprehension, and communication aligned with the Australian Curriculum for English Year 1-3. The competition format fosters motivation and engagement, making the learning meaningful and memorable while respecting diverse learning needs.