Unit Title: Exploration of the Amazon

Teachers: Ibu Pip Level: Grade 5/6 Length of Time (Lessons): 10 weeks Subject: English

This unit of work is based on the thrilling adventure story called ‘The Explorer’ by Katherine Rundell. The unit will include writing
opportunities in the form of short stories, biographies, black out poetry, TV adverts and persuasive texts. Included, will also be a focus
on reading comprehension, vocabulary development and SPaG.

Framewor Learning Key Concepts Essential Assessments Key Activities and Strategies for Key Resources
k Objectives/Go questions Differentiation
Codes als and AO (attach where
(attach possible)
assessments)

WEEK 1 LO: To be To make What do Discussion STARTER: Look at front cover of book - Reading focus
LESSON able to analyse predictions you predict outcomes make predictions about what it will be sheets, 1 per
1: pg1-65 an author’s about a text the book about - Have printed picture on board and child.
style of writing will be add children’s ideas.
THE and identify about?
CRASH different What questions do you have about the
techniques Why do you book? https://
and think that? www.youtube.co
SPAG: vocabulary MAIN: CLASS GUIDED READING: Read m/watch?
used. Chapter 1 ‘The Flight’ v=pNJSWlMsQ5
Grammar 1. What words does the author use in 8
=active LO: Identify this chapter that builds excitement
and techniques and tension?
passive that the author 2. 2. Pg 45-italics. Why are italics used
has used to here? How should the words be
voice
evoke read? What clue does it give us
emotion. about how the characters are
feeling?
Punctuati LO: To
identify Once the chapter is finished, complete
on= Parts
unknown reading focus sheet. Complete Chapter 2
of speech vocabulary as well if there is time.
from and use
booklet dictionaries to
nouns, define
verbs and meaning.
adjectives
LO: To think
. carefully about
the meaning
and impact of
the author’s
Spelling
vocabulary
lists from choices.
Twinkl.

LESSON 2 LO: To be To identify What will Cold writing STARTER: Grammar

- COLD able to key happen in task “4 children are travelling over the Amazon booklet
WRITING develop vocabulary your story? rainforest in a small plane; the plane
TASK vocabulary crashes, only the children survive.”
How will Children to write a short story based on this
LO: To your Completed starter. The idea of this is that they will Novel
complete a characters have limited knowledge of what the
cold writing behave? worksheet environment is like and we learn how
task vocabulary improves a story. (30-45
What will minutes) Laptop
be the NB This will not be marked.
problem?
Introduce this first task before you read the
How will next chapter. Reading focus
your story sheet
end? MAIN:
Task 2
Go through the vocabulary on the slide
show.

Task 3
Read chapter 2 ask the children to make
note of words they think would be
descriptive when writing about the
rainforest.

KQ What words would be useful when

describing a rainforest ?
Add to the slide using the feedback from
the children

Task 4
Ask the children to look at the writing they
did earlier and think about what they could
add to improve it, they should make notes
in purple pen

Task 5
Reading focus

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q-
jLc897NU7LxcXlq-BXvtPYCttX-
v_o8U_qYJGUccY/edit

PLENARY: Use 1 new word that you have

 learnt today in a sentence.
IS IS LESSON 1 IS LESSON 1 IS LESSON IS LESSON 1 IS LESSON 1 HERE IS LESSON 1
LESSON 1 HERE HERE 1 HERE HERE HERE
HERE
LESSON LO: To use To be able to Which Edits to STARTER: VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP Novel
3- new skim read words or original story Task 1
Thursday vocabulary to phrases Watch the video
refine cold describe https://www.youtube.com/watch?
writing text. the v=JEsV5rqbVNQ Google
To be able to rainforest Vocabulary Classroom
retrieve retrieved from MAIN:
information text Tell the children they are going to
experience more of what the Amazon is so
from a text
that they can improve their first piece of Google slide
writing. presentation

They should make notes while they watch.-

KQ What words could be added to the
words bank ?
I will write them up on the Prowise board.

Establish Success Criteria

Capital letters for the beginning of

sentences and proper nouns
Descriptive language
Words that are specific to The Amazon
Show how the characters feel
Describe the sounds of the rainforest

Task 2
Children to write a new richer version of
their story.Using word bank.

Task 3

Peer assesment of the task (example on

 Prowise)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1rHa1LF7kPjT5dcHhmKuD7CE56o2tm4Vr1
K9sUefecnM/edit

LESSON LO: To use a Seeing how Why did Finished STARTER: Craft materials
4- range of language can you make diorama with Share some short story examples with the
MONDAY materials to create an this part? labels. class
create a 3D
image in the
diorama of the Where is MAIN: Novel
setting. reader’s mind. the Read Chapter 3 and complete reading focus
evidence activity sheet.
from the
text? Create a 3D diorama of the setting so far in Reading Focus
the story. Label it with key vocabulary. sheet for
chapter 3
PLENARY:
Show your work
LESSON 2 LESSON 2 IS LESSON 2 IS LESSON 2 LESSON 2 IS LESSON 2 IS LESSON 2 IS
IS IS

LO: To be To be able to Why has a Completed STARTER: https://

able to use use a semi- semi-colon worksheets Task 1 www.naturalcurr
semi-colons colon to join 2 been used KQ What do you know about the Amazon iculum.co.uk/
accurately. here? River ( talk to a partner ).
main clauses year-6-grammar-
MAIN: lessons/semi-
Independent
Task 2 colons/silver-
writing
Vocabulary check ants/screen-4/
To use a
semi-colon to
Task three
add detail to a Read chapter 4
sentence
Task four
Using semi- colons
Use the natural curriculum’ link to complete
the lesson on semi-colons

Katherine Rundell uses semi-colons a

lot .Look at the example on slides.
Slide show in Explorer folder.

First, ask children to give you names of

things that you may see in the rainforest.
eg. caiman, ants etc……
Ask someone to explain how we could add
extra information to the creature , or plant.
eg.

In the rainforests of Brazil expect to see : a

caiman ; a relative of the alligator, a bullet
ant ; which has a nasty bite ……
Work together to create a list that uses
semi-colons for extra information.

Then use the Explain , change create

activity in the slide show.

Task 5

Reading focus
Chapter 4

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1CtVwfoGwS2vQf2aFk6awMqvI0zxiG25KM-
PCd18x6DM/edit

● Talk partners. What animals do we prowise

know live in the rainforest ?
https://
● Vocab Check presenter.prowi
se.com/
distract share_YdDPeyM
58jXU5F21exxQ
cocoa pods
pmcm3NIKG7toj
Percy Fawcett 7DO6aTCJ1hOG
iOvfMMV0yIBMb
undergrowth WciPQS
larvae

grub

Read chapter 5 Reading focus

https://
docs.google.co
Display pictures of the animals of the
m/document/d/
rainforest and tell the children they are
1K3guZ3J2dAGI
going to be writing a double page spread
0ikQUkGV2LJzE
about one of them.
gw5-
fT4cUxC01U3AU
M/edit
What are the features of a non-
chronological report ?

Share some examples-see if they can find

the features.

● present tense
● scientific language

● headings

● fact boxes

On the slide I have put some ideas of

animals but the children could research an
animal of their choice.

The following slide shows what must be

included.

Task 2

Research an animal of choice. -all planning

notes on Google Doc. Double page spread
in topic books/Google Slide.

Task 3

Recap - Where should the semi- colon go ?

Write an expanded noun phrase about a

piranha
 PLENARY

Task 4

Reading focus

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1K3guZ3J2dAGI0ikQUkGV2LJzEgw5-
fT4cUxC01U3AUM/edit

LO: To be To know Why would Finished letter STARTER: https://

able to write a conventions this letter www.twinkl.com
letter of letter have an Present non-chronological reports to the /resource/t2-e-
informal class
explaining writing 3663-y6-letter-
tone?
what you have writing-informal-
seen in the model-example-
jungle. MAIN text
Character
analysis

Retrieve Features of a letter

information Informal
from a text language
review Hand out example letters - 1 per child

LO: To be
able to
recognise and
use relative What type of text is it? How do you know?
clauses.

What features do you notice?

Work through Twinkl ppt Y6 Letter

writing:informal

https://www.twinkl.com/resource/t2-e-3663-
y6-letter-writing-informal-model-example-
text

Write a letter to a loved one explaining what

amazing wildlife you have seen in the
jungle

PLENARY:

Share an extract from your letter.

LO: Can you To be able to Is the Finished STARTER Sticks

write a set of write in a instruction instructions
instructions clear and clear or Whole class reading:Chapter 6 Fire string
that would concise way. ambiguous Vocab check Pva
enable the ? Why?
children to coins
build a raft to
sail on the a couple of red
Amazon with? Who are Reading focus herrings
the
instruction https://docs.google.com/document/d/
s for? 1t1QVcD7Y5F89gAU8ZRllff0bGcimdhqIq9ia
LO: Can you MszaoGg/edit Text
use imperative
and modal How to trap the
verbs Iron Man
effectively to MAIN:
https://
write Task 1 docs.google.co
instructions? m/document/d/
Talk to your partners. 1lAIeoAOkAQ8Q
MPccjl69PT77Py
KQ: What problems could they face if they
2Dgotl7IhbF1E_
take the raft on the river ?
qCw/edit

Watch the video of sailing on the Amazon

Reading focus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=nCO7WnTK4x4 https://
docs.google.co
m/document/d/
1I2-
8FnAfxvk_gSaV
MiWSZou16WtUt
g8OPdbUn1AKT
Task 2
Ko/edit
Vocab

summons

compulsory
Christopher Maclaren

liana

raft

Task 3

Making a raft

Give children a pile of lolly sticks or twigs,

string and PVA glue.

In pairs they need to construct a raft- it will

be a competition to see how many pennies
the raft can hold.

Task 4

You need to write a set of instructions so

that someone else can make the raft
without needing to ask for help. Show the
children the model text , How to trap the
Iron Man, What features can they identify ?

Write up a success criteria for what to

include.
● An introduction which explains what
the instructions are for.

● A list of what you will need.

● Sequenced instructions with clear

order.

● Imperative verbs

● Health and safety advice

Task 5

Take photos of the finished rafts to put in

books.

Task 6

Reading focus chapter 7

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I2-
8FnAfxvk_gSaVMiWSZou16WtUtg8OPdbUn
1AKTKo/edit

PLENARY:

Test the raft

LO: Can you Persuasive What Finished STARTER: Google Slides
persuade writing persuasive speech/drama
others to techniques performance Task one
have been
agree with
used? Talk partners. Text
your point of
view through What effect How will they find their way back to their
your writing? does this shelter without a map ?
have on the Reading focus
reader? sheets

Task two

Vocab check.

Hauled

Mooring

Jutted

Embers

Termite nest

The lost city of Z

Task three

Establishing the pros and cons of taking

the raft up the river.
Pros of leaving the forest:

It will get them away from the rainforest

they could starve if the don’t get help

The rainforest is full of dangerous creatures

People probably think they are dead so

won’t try to find them

They are children

One of them may become ill

Whatever happened to Percy Fawcett may

happen to them

Are there cannibals in the forest ?

Cons of leaving the forest:

They don’t know if the raft will float well

The Amazon has dangerous currents

Can they swim ?

The river is full of piranha and caiman

How will they carry enough supplies

Max is not sensible enough to be on raft.

 How do they know where they are going ?

How can they bring the raft to the shore ?

Students will construct this into a

persuasive argument.

Give the children the persuasive argument

word bank and look at model text - T4W

Task 4

Reading focus

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1PqhBHmZeh5BNDqm-UHnd-
nUerUblhBjIiWNkL9RITJk/edit

LO: To Persuasive Have you Completed Work on completing persuasive arguments. Rubric
complete argument used argument
persuasive AFOREST
techniques
argument.
? Reading Focus Word mats

Have you
included
three Sentence
arguments starters
?
 Have you
got an
introductio
n and
conclusion
?

LO: Re-cap on Parenthesis Why do we Being able to STARTER: Parenthesis ppt

using hyphens and use explain and worksheets
to avoid compound parenthesis Talk partners- What is parenthesis? Where
? should the parenthesis go?
ambiguity and adjectives.
to create How do Videos about
compound hyphens parenthesis
adjectives. stop MAIN
ambiguity
in our Watch videos and work through ppt as a
writing? class.
LO: To be
able to use
parenthesis to
add detail to a Complete differentiated worksheets to
sentence. check understanding.

Read chapter 9

Compound adjectives. Katherine Rundell

uses them a lot. Talk through the slides
then there is a writing activity in which they
need to use compound adjectives
effectively in a descriptive paragraph about
 meeting the sloth for the first time.

Play the compound adjective dice game

and then share favourite compound
adjectives that were made.

Link to novel: Add all of the compound

adjectives you find in the chapter to the
Google Slide

Reading focus chapter 9

Homework: Read chapter 10 and complete

reading focus sheet.

LO: To be SPaG Cursive handwriting practise - letters

able to read l and m
and
comprehend Watch videos to see how to join these
chapters ‘Con letters.
and ‘Smoke’.

1. Check answers to Reading Focus Sheet.

 2. Read the chapter called Con (the pdf
called chapter 12(1))

3. Spag Review-Look at the Google Doc

called 'Smoke'

Write a sentence about the image on pg 150

of 'The Explorer' using parenthesis?

Use a hyphen to write a compound

adjective in a sentence to describe this
image.

Write your answers on the shared Google

Doc called 'Smoke'

4. Read Chapter 13 called 'Smoke' and

complete reading focus sheet called
'Chapter 12'

NOT LO: To be STARTERTalk partners Persuasive

COMPLET able to leaflet example
ED THIS produce an This chapter is called Con and has this
CYCLE illustration. What do you predict it will be
informative
and about ?
Persuasive
persuasive language word
advertisement mat
for a MAIN
destination
Task 1
Persuasive
advert hotel
LO: To Spag check activity sheet
investigate
why the layout Write an expanded noun phrase about this
of a text is sloth.
important Write a sentence about this spider monkey
using a compound adjective.

Task 2

Vocab Check

Intervals

Manaus

Sceptical

presumptous

ignite

Read Chapter 11

Task 3

Fred has never been to Brazil or Manaus

and will need advice of where to go when
he gets there. The children will be writing a
persuasive booklet about either Brazil or
Manaus which will give him the information
that he needs.

Read hotel advertisement together and

answer questions

Look through ppt.

Look at layout of adverts - style, font etc

Websites to put on Google Classroom to

research Brazil and Manaus: Make notes

https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/
brazil/articles/the-20-quintessential-dishes-
to-eat-in-brazil/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/
travel/destinations/south-america/brazil/rio-
de-janeiro/

Example leaflet is on the slide show

 Success criteria

Must include:

Headings

A map

Places to visit

Local food

Persuasve language

Appropriate layout

Send trifold brochure template to Google

Classroom.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/
1xzCZaxncEC5gsfzGiVEVL7L_-
zzcBfr2HUzQnNN3r9o/edit?
copiedFromTrash#slide=id.p

Read Chapter 12

NOT LO: To STARTER: https://

COMPLET complete your create.kahoot.it/
ED THIS destination Recap persuasive adverts using Kahoot details/to-be-
CYCLE advertisement able-to-identify-
persuasive-
techniques-in-
MAIN:
adverts/
Complete advert 34c38d12-08df-
434f-85a8-
a5c16973698f
PLENARY:

Read chapter 12 and compete reading

focus

H/W: Read smoke

LO: To be Developing, What is the Performance STARTER: https://

able to create and thinking impact of of blackout Task 1 www.youtube.co
a piece of deeply about that word? poetry Pupils are asked to consider the m/watch?
connotations of the word ‘blackout’, in the
blackout vocabulary v=Nt5nguT3hEM
Why have expectation that most focus will be on
poetry based you chosen adversity and &feature=emb_l
on the that word? deficiency – a concept that blackout poetry ogo
description of aims to turn on its head.
Poetic forms
the cliff. How does
this impact
the reader? MAIN: Photocopy of
Task 2 chosen page
LO: To play It is expected that most pupils will suffer from book
with language from “writer’s block”, particularly with
to create regard to poetry, so this introduction to
meaning. blackout
poetry actively demonstrates the purpose Ppt
of it.
 Task 3
PPT-A step-by-step guide to creating
blackout poetry. Depending on the self-
sufficiency of your class, you can either
give them all the
information and let them loose or do it
together in smaller stages.

Task 4
Choose a page from ‘The Explorer’ Chapter
called ‘Smoke’ -pg 152

Task 5
Show some examples of finished blackout
poetry

Task 6
Have a go at making your own blackout
poetry

PLENARY
Share your ideas so far

READ CHAPTER ‘ON THE RIVER’

LO: To finish See above See above See above SPaG: Adverbs from booklet See above
your blackout
poetry and Read ‘At the top of the cliffs’
create a
STARTER:
performance Give me one word that you really like from
poetry piece. your poem so far

MAIN:
Complete poem and art work

Start creating your performance piece.

PLENARY:
 Share your performance so far
LO: To Features of an What is the Finished Laptops
complete autobiograph difference autobiography SPag: Cursive handwriting - n and o
research in y between a
Read ‘The Ruined City’
order to write biography Research sheets
a biography of and STARTER: Spag review.
Percy Fawcett, autobiogra
including a phy? 1. Circle the word (an adverb) that
range of describes how Fred climbed the cliff.
features to
Fred climbed the cliff expertly.
engage the How is an
reader. autobiogra
phy
2. Choose a conjunction that can
structured?
complete both sentences correctly. Write it
in the box.

You can eat the pineapple

__________________ you have finished
your tea.

__________________ you’ve had your

water, you can have some pineapple.

Task 2- Vocabulary

Mango

Ancestors

Appraising

Photogenic

Ignoramus
Wickerwork

Boulevard

Read Chapter ‘The Explorer’

Task 3

Could the mystery man be Percy Fawcett ?

What clues do we have already ?

Eg.

He’s well spoken

He has a son

He is dressed in an explorer’s gear

He is in a lost city

We are going to find out about Percy

Fawcett see if we can make a connection .

Talk through the slides and then write a

double page spread.

Websites:

https://www.torbay.gov.uk/media/8995/
percy-fawcett-the-lost-explorer.pdf
https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/percy-
fawcett

http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/
articles/2007/07/13/
famous_percy_harrison_fawcett_feature.sh
tml

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/the-lost-
city-of-z-what-happened-to-percy-fawcett/

http://paidpost.newyorker.com/lostcityofz/

PLENARY:

Share your findings

Read ‘The Explorer’ and complete reading

focus for homework.

STARTER:
Task 1

Spotting the mistakes

it was almost complete dark wen they found

somewhere to moor ! a place were the bank
dident rise to steeply from the river. .There
are seven mistakes

Task 2

Vocabulary:

resin

carbon- copied

figs

traversed

Task 3

Read - On the River

Task 1

Spag review
Write the sentences and underline the
adverb.

Fred paddled enthusiastically towards the

dolphins.

The dolphins swam majestically around the

raft.

Task 2

Vocabulary check

Foliage

stern

rough-hewn

Task 3

Read the chapter at the top of the cliff.

Task 4

Watch a video about lost cities and how

they are found with new technology.

1. What do you think the children have

found ? Explain.

2. What could be the identity of the man

hiding behind the pillar ?
 3. Reading the description can you draw an
image of what the children can see

Give the children an extract which

describes the city . They should draw the
city and then annotate it.

Task 5

Reading focus

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1rzvsv5V3s4xj691gnwV2isrO-
WuiZDP2zQJvKPRXjgQ/edit

LO: To use Task 1

body language Spag Review
and facial Write a synonym for the underlined words.
expressions to
convey a 1.Fred was flabbergasted by the sight of the
character’s ruined city.
feelings.
2. A man crept out from behind the pillar.
LO: To be
able to use Task 2
clues from the Vocab check
text to infer
information Dolourous
about a Pungent
character and Pith helmet
what they carcara
might be
thinking and Task 3
feeling. Read the chapter The ruined city.

Use an Task 4
emotions
graph to Who is the mystery man ?
explore a
character’s Give the children the extract which
thoughts. describes The Explorer. There are a series
of questions based around inference which
ask the children to look for clues.
For example, the fact that he has an accent
that belongs among tailoring and fast car
would give us a clue that he is upper class.
His Khaki clothes that he is military or an
explorer. He has obviously been there for a
while as some of the adaptions to his
clothes are exotic.

Task 5

Reading focus

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
13EZyhe3Zvz5egs8GD8InkHbnunjJK93MeH
Jgj7XtopI/edit

LO: Writing to
entertain using
puns- create a
 rainforest
menu
describing the
types of food
that you might
cook and eat
in the jungle.
LO: Identify
the main
themes in the
story
LO: Create
character
profiles,
exploring
character
development.

LO:
Summarise
information
and use it to
inform writing.
LO: Create a
Conscience
Alley to
explore a
character’s
thoughts and
feelings and
what
motivates
them to make
a difficult
decision.
complete LO: Formal letter to the president
Rainforest
d in IS under threat -
To be able to
write a formal
letter to the
president