Planning a Fact Page

Overview

In this lesson, pupils plan a simple fact page about a familiar animal or plant. They apply prior learning about labels, facts and sentences by organising a title, labelled picture and relevant notes before writing.

Learning intentions

• WALT plan a simple fact page using labels and notes.
• WALT say aloud what we are going to write.
• WALT organise information in a clear order.
• WALT leave spaces between words when writing notes and sentences.

Success criteria

• I can choose a clear topic.
• I can include a labelled picture.
• I can write or record at least three relevant facts.
• I can leave spaces between my words.

Curriculum links

• Writing composition: saying aloud what they are going to write about.
• Writing composition: sequencing sentences to form short narratives.
• Writing vocabulary, grammar and punctuation: leaving spaces between words.
• Writing vocabulary, grammar and punctuation: learning the grammar introduced in Year 1.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and revisit. Teacher opens the hook and recap slides with a striking animal or plant image and asks, “What could we teach someone about this?” Students turn and talk, then recall the features of a fact page: title, picture, labels and facts.

2. 5–15 min · I do: model a plan. Teacher models planning a page about a familiar topic, such as a sunflower, on the model planning slides; think aloud while choosing a title, drawing a simple diagram, adding labels and recording three short factual notes. Students help identify which ideas are facts and practise saying the planned sentences aloud.

3. 15–25 min · We do: organise information. Teacher displays a mixed-up example on the shared organisation slides and guides the class to place the title first, the diagram and labels next, and the facts in a sensible order. Students suggest improvements, explain why information belongs together and orally rehearse a shared plan with a partner.

4. 25–30 min · We do: prepare to work independently. Teacher demonstrates how to complete the fact-page planning sheet, including the topic box, labelled picture area and three fact boxes; model leaving spaces and using notes rather than copying long sentences. Students choose a familiar animal or plant and tell a partner their topic and three possible facts.

5. 30–40 min · You do: individual planning. Teacher distributes the fact-page planning sheet and conferences with pupils, prompting, “What is your topic?”, “What does your picture show?” and “Which fact should come first?” Students independently complete a plan with a title, labelled picture and at least three relevant facts, using words, short notes or dictated ideas as appropriate.

6. 40–45 min · Plenary and assessment. Teacher returns to the review and plenary slides and invites pupils to hold up or share one part of their plan; review the success criteria together. Students tell a partner one fact and check their plan for a topic, labels, three facts and spaces between words.

Resources

• the complete fact-page lesson deck
• the fact-page planning sheet
• Visualiser or interactive whiteboard
• Pencils, colouring pencils and erasers
• Familiar animal and plant photographs
• Teacher model paper or flip-chart paper
• Word banks and topic picture cards

Assessment

• During modelling, check whether pupils can distinguish a fact from an opinion and explain the purpose of a label.
• During independent work, check that pupils say their ideas aloud, choose relevant information and leave spaces between words.
• Use the plenary check to assess each plan against the four success criteria; note pupils needing further support before the writing lesson.

Differentiation

• Support pupils, including SEN and EAL learners, by offering a choice of familiar topics, photographs, planning templates, picture-supported word banks and adult conferencing. Accept labelled drawings, oral rehearsal, invented spelling or dictated notes where appropriate.
• Provide sentence frames such as “A ___ is a ___.”, “It has ___.” and “It lives/grows ___.” Keep facts short and read instructions aloud.
• Pair pupils strategically for oral rehearsal, while ensuring each pupil completes an individual plan. Use enlarged sections of the model and highlight spaces between words.
• Extension pupils can plan an extra section, such as food, habitat or growth, and decide the best order for presenting all the information. They should explain their ordering choice to a partner.

Extension

• Pupils add a fourth fact and a second labelled feature to their plan.
• Pupils number their facts to show the order they will use when writing the finished page.
• Pupils orally present their plan to a partner, who checks whether the information is clear and relevant.