Extinction Writing Task

Overview

This 20-minute lesson supports Year 3 students in continuing their non-chronological report on Megalodon by focusing on the subheading "Why is Megalodon extinct?" Children will explore reasons behind extinction through a class discussion, using conjunctions and pronouns to construct 2-3 informative sentences for their report. The lesson aligns with the English programme of study within the National Curriculum for England, emphasising nonfiction writing, sentence structure, and composition skills.

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National Curriculum Links

English – Key Stage 2 (Year 3):

• Spoken Language

  • Pupils should be taught to participate in discussions, ask relevant questions, and articulate ideas clearly.

• Writing – Composition

  • Plan writing by discussing similar texts, including nonfiction.
  • Write for different purposes.
  • Develop positive attitudes to writing by forming sentences with correct grammar.

• Writing – Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation

  • Use conjunctions (e.g. and, but, so, because) to extend sentences.
  • Use pronouns to avoid repetition.
  • Use sentences with different forms: statements, questions, exclamations, and commands.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Discuss and explain reasons why Megalodon became extinct using relevant vocabulary.
• Write 2-3 sentences under the subheading "Why is Megalodon extinct?" using conjunctions and pronouns accurately.
• Use oral language skills to develop ideas collaboratively.

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Resources

• Whiteboard or interactive board
• Large paper/poster for mind-mapping ideas
• Individual writing booklets or lined paper
• Word banks including conjunctions (and, but, because, so) and pronouns (it, they, its)
• Sentence starter prompts
• Visual aids/images of Megalodon and extinction-related concepts (e.g. ocean changes, food chain)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (4 minutes)

• Recap previous learning: Remind pupils they have already written 2-3 sentences under other subheadings for their report using conjunctions and pronouns.
• Introduce the new subheading on the board: "Why is Megalodon extinct?"
• Show an image or short brief about Megalodon and the concept of extinction.
• Explain that today pupils will think about and write the reasons why Megalodon no longer exists.

2. Class Discussion & Idea Generation (6 minutes)

• Prompt discussion with open questions:
  • "What does extinct mean?"
  • "Why do you think Megalodon is not alive today?"
  • "What might have happened in the ocean or to the Megalodon itself?"
• Record children’s ideas on the large paper/poster, modelling use of conjunctions and pronouns as ideas develop. For example:
  • “Megalodon became extinct because the ocean changed.”
  • “It could not find enough food, so it died out.”
• Emphasise correct use of conjunctions and pronouns by highlighting examples.
• Encourage pupils to ask questions and build on each other's ideas.

3. Writing Task (8 minutes)

• Ask pupils to write 2-3 sentences under the subheading using their discussion ideas.
• Provide sentence starters on the board, e.g.:
  • “Megalodon is extinct because…”
  • “It could not survive when…”
  • “This happened so…”
• Remind pupils to use conjunctions and pronouns learned.
• Circulate and provide individual support, encouraging neat handwriting and clear sentence structure.

4. Plenary & Sharing (2 minutes)

• Invite 3-4 pupils to read their sentences aloud.
• Provide positive, specific feedback on use of conjunctions and pronouns.
• Recap the key vocabulary and ideas discussed.
• Reinforce how the writing contributes to a well-structured non-chronological report.

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Assessment

• Observe participation in discussion for understanding of extinction and ability to articulate ideas.
• Review written sentences for:
  • Use of conjunctions (because, so, but, and)
  • Correct pronoun usage (it, they, its)
  • Appropriateness and relevance to the topic
• Provide formative feedback to inform next steps in report writing.

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Extension (if time or for early finishers)

• Challenge pupils to add an additional sentence using an adverbial phrase, e.g.:
  • “Megalodon became extinct millions of years ago because...”
• Ask pupils to add a question related to extinction to include in their report’s ‘Did you know?’ section.

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Consider pre-teaching any tricky vocabulary related to extinction (e.g. survive, environment, prey).
• Use positive reinforcement to support less confident writers in sentence construction.
• Encourage cross-curricular links by mentioning simple science facts about extinction and fossils in later lessons.

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This lesson supports pupils’ development of nonfiction writing skills through meaningful content and interactive dialogue, firmly rooted in the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum for England.