Procedural Writing Introduction

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ST Name: Kym Fox

ST Number: 40036679

Class Level: 2nd & 3rd Class

Date: 14/05/25

Subject: English

Time: 9:00

Duration of Lesson: 40 minutes

Number of Pupils: 27 pupils

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Strand(s):

• Oral Language

Element(s):

• Exploring and Using

Learning Outcome(s) (Ireland’s Primary Language Curriculum reference):

• [Information giving, explanation and justification]
  • Analyse and select information to communicate ideas and opinions for a variety of purposes, such as informing, debating, explaining, justifying and persuading. (IE Curriculum Language Strand - Oral Language, 3rd Class, expects structured use of language for instructions and explanations)

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Focus of the new learning / Learning Objectives

1. The child should be enabled to identify and describe the key features of procedural writing (title, list of ingredients/materials, numbered steps, transition words, and concluding statement).
2. The child should be enabled to understand and use bossy verbs appropriate to procedural texts, particularly in cooking/baking contexts.

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Assessment

1. Method: Informal observation and oral participation during 'hot seat' game and class discussions.
2. Assessment of: Ability to recognise procedural text features; use of transition words and bossy verbs during oral explanation.
3. To be recorded: Anecdotal notes on pupil contributions using checklist based on procedural writing features.

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Teacher Questioning

Lower order questions (Closed Questions)

1. What comes first in a recipe?
2. Can you name a transition word we use when giving instructions?
3. Is the list of ingredients part of procedural writing?

Higher order questions (Open Questions)

1. Why do you think we use bossy verbs in recipes?
2. How does the order of the steps help when we follow a recipe?
3. What would happen if we did not use numbers or transition words in instructions?

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Language Development opportunities in this lesson:

• Extension of vocabulary with bossy verbs (imperative verbs).
• Exposure to sequencing language (first, then, next, finally).
• Practising oral communication of instructions clearly and confidently.

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Literacy Development opportunities in this lesson:

• Familiarisation with key features and structure of procedural writing genre.
• Strengthening understanding of text organisation and coherence.
• Developing skills in both receptive (listening) and productive (speaking) language.

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Teaching Methodologies

Primary methodologies underlined:

• Talk and Discussion
• Collaborative/Co-operative Learning
• Active Learning
• Skills Through Content
• Problem Solving

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Introduction (10 Minutes)

Stimulus

• Teacher reads aloud a recipe for making a pizza without stating it is a recipe. Uses clear tone but no visuals yet.

Elicit Prior Knowledge

• Pose leading questions: “What do you think I just read? Is it a story, a letter, or something else?”
• Encourage pupils to guess the type of text.

Share Learning Intention

• “Today, we are going to explore a special kind of writing called procedural writing—this is writing that gives us instructions on how to do something. We will find out what makes it special and use it to help us write our own instructions by the end of the week.”

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Development (25 Minutes)

Step 1: Explore Procedural Writing Features (10 mins)

• Present an A3 checklist poster outlining key features:
  • Title
  • List of ingredients/materials
  • Numbered steps
  • Transition words (First, then, next, now, finally)
  • Conclusion (optional) e.g. “Enjoy!”, “Have fun!”
• Discuss each feature with examples.
• Connect these to the pizza recipe just read.

Step 2: Bossy Verbs Exploration (5 mins)

• Brainstorm with the class imperatives related to baking/cooking (e.g. chop, mix, bake, sprinkle, stir, heat).
• Write them on a large A3 sheet titled “Bossy Verbs.”
• Discuss how these verbs tell us to do something directly—making the instructions clear and easy to follow.

Step 3: Oral Procedural Practice (5 mins)

• Class brainstorms the steps orally to make a simple sandwich, using transition words and bossy verbs.
• Teacher models writing steps on board including numbers and transition words for clarity.

Step 4: 'Hot Seat' Procedural Guessing Game (5 mins)

• One child sits “in the hot seat” facing the class with a hidden recipe title on their back/behind them.
• Each group of pupils brainstorms and mouths / suggests one step and its transition word.
• After each clue, the child in the hot seat attempts to guess the recipe/instruction title.
• Rotate several pupils if time permits.

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Conclusion (5 Minutes)

Cognitive:

• Recap key features of procedural writing using the checklist.
• Ask pupils what new things they learned about writing instructions and why steps and bossy verbs are important.

Social:

• Encourage pupils to praise their peers for contributions during ‘hot seat’ and group brainstorming.
• Emphasise cooperation and learning from each other.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) considerations:

Pupil(s)	Reason(s)	Method(s)	Additional Comments
Pupils with language delay or EAL	Struggle with vocabulary and sequencing	Visual aids – A3 posters, use of gestures, repetition	Print materials with pictures for clarity
Pupils with attention difficulties	Sustain engagement	Interactive ‘hot seat’ game, group work	Frequent check-ins; movement in activity
All pupils	Different learning preferences	Multimodal input – oral reading, visual text, oral and group participation	Mix of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic approaches

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The Learning Environment & Resources

• Spacious classroom allowing group seating in clusters for discussion.
• A3 posters: Procedural writing checklist, Bossy verbs list.
• Whiteboard or flip chart for shared writing.
• Large cards with recipe titles for ‘Hot Seat’ game.
• Printed copies of pizza recipe (for teacher's reference).

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Teacher Tips & WOW Factor Suggestions:

• Start lesson with fun dramatic reading of pizza recipe with expressive voice to engage attention.
• Use “thinking hats” during brainstorming for different groups—one focusing on verbs, another on sequencing, another on ingredients.
• For the transition words, create a simple catchy chant or song as a brain break to help embed these words in memory.
• Consider recording a short video after class of a pupil doing the sandwich instructions orally, to reflect on language use later in the week.

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This detailed and interactive lesson plan aligns directly with the IE Curriculum’s focus on oral language development and communicating ideas effectively for procedural purposes and enables pupils to grasp foundational writing structures with highly engaging, cooperative oral activities.