Uno's Garden - Evidence based fictional writing

Our report writing unit is wrapping up and it is time to assess how well the students understand "how to craft a quality report". 

So, this week we have been using our higher order thinking skills to create evidence based reports - to demonstrate our understanding of report writing. 

This involves many different skills such as: Thinking creatively, using the 'what if' key, using and analysing criteria, combining attributes, thinking outside of the square, researching, assessing, logic and reasoning, justifying, sorting, categorizing, investigating, selecting and interpreting visual images and texts and using graphic organizers and diagrams to order our information.

Using the amazing creatures of Graeme Base’s Uno’s Garden (which we are all so familiar with)  we are writing interesting, scientific reports on a range of wonderful animals.

Ever wanted to know more about the Snortlepig or the Frinklepod or the Grazing Gondolopes.

We started by listening and exploring the story, looking closely at the pictures. Then after choosing an animal, we created mind-maps, grouping information to make the writing of our reports easier.

We also had to do some research, finding information to support our reports by making links with other animals and their characteristics. We learned about animal families and their scientific names and Genus's, how to categorize physical features based on their dietary requirements and use what we know about features of animals to group our imaginary creatures into appropriate categories.

We have also been looking at how to draw anatomy sketches to add depth and interest in our reports (yesterday we used magnifying glasses to look at flyie). The children have been thinking about external and internal features of their creatures in relation to already existing animals. DID you know that a cow has 4 stomachs? Only 15 of the 26 children did!

Such fun.