Write & Connect 1 - Book 1, 11-14 year olds by Ready-Ed Publications

Ready-Ed

Write And Connect

Publications

Write And Connect

Book 1

Write And Connect Book 1 lower secondary students who are not writing at their expected level of competency. It focuses on reteaching basic writing skills and concepts through high interest texts and activities which abandon time limits and break down tasks into manageable parts. As

Book 1

and their overall feeling of success will also grow. This book is part of a three part series. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.

Ages 11 - 14 years

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Choices The Great Houdini Mountain Biking Team Player V Couch Potato Bermuda Triangle Mystery Buy Australian Made Uluru Cyclone Yasi

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Write And Connect Book 1 ISBN 978 186 397 883 5

CUL U

CU R

  

By Margaret Warner

Acknowledgements i. Clip art images have been obtained from Microsoft Design Gallery Live and are used under the terms of the End User License Agreement for Microsoft Word 2000. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/permission. ii. Front cover photograph: istock.com/ bonnie jacobs ©

Copyright Notice The purchasing educational institution and its staff have the right to make copies of the whole or part of this book, beyond their rights under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act), provided that: 1.

The number of copies does not exceed the number reasonably required by the educational institution to satisfy its teaching purposes;

Copies are made only by reprographic means (photocopying), not by electronic/digital means, and not stored or transmitted;

Copies are not sold or lent;

Every copy made clearly shows the footnote, ‘Ready-Ed Publications’.

Any copying of this book by an educational institution or its staff outside of this blackline master licence may fall within the educational statutory licence under the Act. The Act allows a maximum of one chapter or 10% of the pages of this book, whichever is the greater, to be reproduced and/or communicated by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that

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educational institution (or the body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under Act. For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact: Copyright Agency Limited Level 19, 157 Liverpool Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 9394 7600 Facsimile: (02) 9394 7601 E-mail: info@copyright.com.au Reproduction and Communication by others Except as otherwise permitted by this blackline master licence or under the Act (for example, any fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review) no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address below.

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ISBN: 978 186 397 883 5 2

Contents

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Teachers' Notes Curriculum Links Punctuation Grammar

4 4 5 6

Choices l Examining A Narrative l Check The Text l Edit And Proofread l Plan A Narrative l Review Your Writing

9 10 11 12 13

The Great Houdini l Examining A Biography l Check The Text l Constructing Sentences l Plan A Biography l Review Your Writing

16 17 18 19 20

Mountain Biking l Examining An Explanation l Check The Text 1 l Check The Text 2 l Plan An Explanation l Review Your Writing

23 24 25 26 27

Team Player V Couch Potato l Examining A Discussion l Check The Text 1 l Check The Text 2 l Plan A Discussion l Review Your Writing

30 31 32 33 34

Bermuda Triangle Mystery l Examining A Report l Check The Text 1 l Check The Text 2 l Plan A Report l Review Your Writing

37 38 39 40 41

Buy Australian Made l Examining An Exposition l Check The Text 1 l Check The Text 2 l Plan An Exposition l Review Your Writing

44 45 46 47 48

Uluru l Examining A Description l Check The Text 1 l Check The Text 2 l Plan A Description l Review Your Writing

51 52 53 54 55

Cyclone Yasi l Examining A Report l Check The Text 1 l Check The Text 2 l Plan A Report l Review Your Writing

58 59 60 61 62

l Answers

63-66

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Teachers’ Notes

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Write and Connect - Book 1 is written for lower secondary students who are struggling to keep up with their peers, and is therefore linked to the Year 5 English curriculum. Researchers and teachers know that students' written literacy skills improve as they write more often and experience successes.

It is important to remember that secondary students experiencing difficulty with writing must be retaught basic written literacy skills that they may have had difficulty processing in earlier years. When they acquire these skills, they will begin to gain confidence with their writing. Students at lower secondary level who are not writing confidently at their expected level of competency are more likely to engage with interesting texts that teach them about the writing process. In Write and Connect - Book 1, students will engage with a range of texts that are likely to be of interest to them and will complete language activities related to these texts. How you could use the book: • model effective writing strategies and discuss the writing process as you compose a text or discuss a written text; • discuss the topic knowledge, awareness of intended audience and the purpose of a particular piece of writing; • actively teach the technicalities of writing, e.g. sentence construction, complex sentences, paragraphing, vocabulary development, spelling, text coherence, editing and proofreading skills; • encourage students to work with a partner or group to develop their ability to discuss and then improve their writing and to develop editing and proofreading skills; • develop students’ written literacy skills so that when they write they will know the expected format for different genres, they will know their intended audience and they will know the purpose of their writing and they will have the skills to write with confidence.

Australian Curriculum Links Year 5

Language ACELA1797 ACELA1500 ACELA1502 ACELA1504 ACELA1505 ACELA1506 ACELA1508 ACELA1512 ACELA1513

Literacy ACELY1701 ACELY1702

Literature ACELT 1608 ACELT1609

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Punctuation

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. It is important that students understand and use the correct language relating to punctuation when talking about their writing.

APOSTROPHE: an apostrophe is used when something has been left out of a word, e.g. it is/ it’s, she will/she’ll, or to show ownership, e.g. Jack’s bike, Lily’s pen.

CAPITAL LETTERS: these are used to start a sentence, and for the names of: people, places, days, months, festivals, organisations and for the titles of books and movies, e.g. On Monday, Rose went to Canberra then to Mount Kosciuszko to the Snowtime Festival. COMMA: a comma separates items in a list, e.g. I bought carrots, beans, potatoes, fruit and drinks. It also separates one part of a sentence from another to make the meaning clear, e.g. Outside, the grass was covered in frost.

COLON: this is used to separate the main part of a sentence from an explanation or list, e.g. The wildlife sanctuary cared for a number of species: koalas, possums, kangaroos, wombats and bandicoots. It can also be used when quoting what a person has said, e.g. He said:,“Don’t worry, be happy.” DASH: this indicates added emphasis, an interruption or change of thought, e.g. You are my friend - my best friend - the only one who helped me with the assignment. It is also used between numbers, e.g. pages 1 – 10. ELLIPSES: a series of three dots to show that you have left out a word, phrase, line, paragraph or more from a quotation, or to indicate an unfinished thought, e.g. I didn’t expect to see him there but when I looked across the room … EXCLAMATION MARK: this is used to indicate a command, e.g “Get out! Get out now!” or to indicate strong feelings such as surprise or fright, e.g. “Congratulations!” or “Oh no!” FULL STOP: this marks the end of a sentence except where a question mark or exclamation is used, e.g. They went to the beach to surf the big waves. HYPHEN: use a hyphen when two adjectives are joined together to form a single idea, e.g. The Great Houdini performed death-defying tricks. PARENTHESES: these are used to enclose words or figures or are used to add extra information, e.g. When he rang (after finally finding a public phone) he explained what had happened. QUESTION MARK: use a question mark when asking a direct question, e.g. Where is Sam? QUOTATION MARKS: use these to show the exact words spoken, e.g. “Where do you live?” Other punctuation must be placed inside the quotation marks.

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SEMICOLON: can be used to join related sentences that could stand alone, e.g. It was soon completely dark; he decided to stay hidden.

Grammar

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. It is important that students understand and use the correct language relating to grammar when talking about their writing. ADJECTIVE: a word that adds description to a noun. It was a clear, sunny day.

ADVERB: a word that adds to a verb, adjective or another adverb. He walked away quickly from the shop. CLAUSE: a group of words with a subject, a verb and a comment that adds to the information. The girl painted a beautiful picture. Compound and complex sentences have more than one clause. The girl painted a beautiful picture when she went to art class.

CONJUNCTION: a word that joins other words, phrases or clauses, e.g. ‘and’ or ‘but’. I saw my teacher and friends but I didn’t see my cousin. CONNECTIVE: words that connect sentences and paragraphs in logical sequence, e.g. ‘first’, ‘second’, ‘because’, ‘furthermore’, although’, ‘in fact’. First you brainstorm ideas, second you start to write notes. NOUN: a word that names a person, place, things and ideas. A proper noun refers to people, places, days, months and festivals and always starts with a capital letter, e.g. On Monday we went to Darwin. A collective noun refers to a group, e.g. a pod of whales, a mob of kangaroos. All other nouns are common nouns. NOUN GROUP: a group of words that add to a noun, e.g. Mountain biking is a tough, exciting sport. PHRASE: a group of words usually without a verb. He left the backpack on the train. PREPOSITION: a preposition is a positional word, e.g. above, near, on. A prepositional phrase contains a preposition, e.g. He ran across the road. PRONOUN: a word that stands for a noun, e.g. I, she, him, it, them. I gave the bag to Sam then he gave it to them. SENTENCE: a group of words that form a complete statement, question or exclamation. He kicked the ball. Compound and complex sentences have more than one clause. He kicked the ball when he ran past his mate who had injured his leg. VERB: a word that describes what someone or something is doing or feeling. He sat on the chair while he waited for the doctor. Verbs can be used in the past, present or future tense, e.g. I like ice cream (present tense), I liked ice cream when I was little (past tense), I will like ice cream even when I’m very old (future tense).

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This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. • Choices •

This section covers the following Australian Curriculum Links: Year 5 Language ACELA1504 ACELA 1508 ACELA1512 Literacy ACELY1701 ACELY1705

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Read the narrative text Choices. It is an imaginative story written to interest and entertain readers.

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' • Choices • book preview. Adam glanced at the old clock, groaned and pulled the blankets over his head. He hated Mondays! A moment later, he heard his mother call out, ‘Adam, it’s nearly 8 o’clock. You’ll be late if you don’t get up now!’ Reluctantly he dragged himself out of bed, dressed, then headed for the kitchen. He wolfed down his cold toast, threw his heavy backpack over his shoulder and headed out the door. For the hundredth time he wished that his family hadn’t moved interstate. He missed his friends and he could hardly believe he was thinking it but he even missed his old school. Lost in thought, he hurried along the quiet street hoping that Zak Hallam was already in school. He was a mean bully and had made life tough for Adam since day one - he was always taunting him about being the new kid and telling him that he wasn’t accepted. Zak’s 'mates' sided with him because they were afraid that Zak would turn on them and make their lives miserable. Zak often hassled Adam on the way to school but he knew that if he left home later he’d avoid the verbal abuse.

the path. As he got closer, he saw that it was a black wallet and when he picked it up its contents bulged almost forcing it open. A quick glance showed it contained a thick wad of notes, some of them fifties. Checking around to see if anyone nearby had dropped the wallet, he saw that the street was deserted except for a black labrador wandering along outside a nearby house. Adam stuffed the wallet in his backpack, then checked again to see if anyone was around perhaps looking for it. For a moment he considered what to do with it. He reckoned that there could be a couple of hundred dollars in there, maybe more. Perhaps he could … what was he thinking? Had the bullying changed him so much that he would even think of ‘buying’ friends with money that wasn’t his? With minutes to spare until the morning assembly he raced into the school grounds to the office and handed over the wallet to the secretary. ‘Zak Hallam’s elderly grandfather rang this morning to say that he’d lost his wallet containing money to pay important bills. He hoped that a student might find it. He’ll be very grateful for your honesty, Adam.’

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With his head down to avoid making eye contact with anyone, Adam noticed something just ahead on 8

• Choices •

l Examining A Narrative

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Re-read Choices and answer the questions.

LLA narrative usually has three parts: the orientation which describes the main character and the setting, the complication which describes a problem or challenges that the main character has to face, and the resolution which shows how the character solves the problem and usually learns something from the experience.

1. Who is the main character?___________________________________________________ 2. What is the setting?_________________________________________________________ 3. What is the first problem that Adam faces? _

_________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the second problem that Adam faces? _

_________________________________________________________________________

5. What action does he take to avoid the bullying? _

_________________________________________________________________________

6. Does he solve the problem?__________________________________________________ _

What action could he take?___________________________________________________

7. What action does he take when he finds the wallet? Why does he do this? _

_________________________________________________________________________

8. What do you think Adam learns from this experience? _

_________________________________________________________________________

9. How does the writer position the reader? _

_________________________________________________________________________

10. What is one main idea in the text? _

_________________________________________________________________________

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Continue the story by writing the next scene. It could begin in the following way ... Adam managed to avoid Zak Hallam all day until lunch time. He didn’t know what to expect when Zak called out to him, ‘Hey Adam, wait a minute I want to talk to you.’ 9

• Choices •

l Check The Text

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. A Read Choices on page 8 again, then answer the questions below.

LLVerbs bring a story to life, they describe the action part of a narrative. For example there is an important difference in meaning between, ‘He got out of bed’ and ‘He dragged himself out of bed.’ Have a think about the difference between, ‘He ate his toast’ and ‘He wolfed down his toast’.

The verbs in the story are written in the past tense. List ten verbs in the story and think about whether they create a strong impact on the reader.

1. _________________________________

6. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

7. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

8. _________________________________

4. _________________________________

9. _________________________________

5. _________________________________

10. _________________________________

LLNouns and noun groups provide the reader with a description of a person, place or thing. They add colour and depth to a narrative.

Complete these noun groups that are in the text. Think of other words that you might use instead.

1. ____________________ clock

6. ____________________ abuse

2. _____________________ toast

7. ____________________ wallet

3. ___________________ school

8. ___________________ glance

4. _____________________ bully

9. _______________ grandfather

5. ______________________ kid

10. _____________________ bills

LLThere are examples of direct speech in the text. It’s important when quoting direct speech to add quotation marks at the beginning and end of the words spoken and also to include any punctuation within the quotation marks.

Add punctuation and quotation marks to these sentences.

1. Adam, it’s nearly 8 o’clock, his mother called 2. Get up now, she said

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3. Where is my backpack Adam asked

4. It’s in the kitchen, his mother answered 5. Fire he yelled when he saw the smoke 10

• Choices •

l Edit And Proofread

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Read Choices on page 8 again, then answer the questions below.

LLWhen you have finished writing a draft of a narrative, it is important to edit and proofread your writing. You can do this by checking that the sentences are clear and make sense, by fixing up any spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors, and by making sure that your work is well-presented. All of this will ensure that readers will enjoy the story without being distracted by errors.

Edit then rewrite this paragraph so that it is more interesting. Change sentence beginnings, add descriptions and join sentences.

Adam woke up. He got up. He got dressed. He looked at the clock. He was late. He got his toast. He left for school. He didn’t want to meet Zak Hallam on the way. Zak was a bully. He picked on Adam. Adam was the new kid. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Now proofread this section taken from the text Choices. There are ten errors in this text. When you read it, you will notice that the text doesn’t read as well as before. Errors can take the reader’s interest away from the story. There are two spelling errors, two punctuation errors and six grammatical errors. Underline the ten errors.

Lost in thought, he hurry along the quiet street, hoping that Zak Hallam was already in school. He wos a bully and had made life tough with Adam since day one, always taunt him that he was the new kid and wasn’t accepted? Zak’s mats sided around him, afraid that he would turn on him and make their lives miserable. Zak often hassled Adam on the way to school but he knew that if he leave home later he’d avoid the verbal abuse!

This is a short story that contains ten errors. There are two spelling errors, two punctuation errors and six grammatical errors. Underline the ten errors.

Adam looked at his clok on the bedside table. It was only 5am. It was too early to get

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up? He was looking forward to go to school today because two Olympic swimmers were come to the schol. They was going to talking to the students what had competed in the state swimming titles a week ago! Adam was one of the top swimmer in the state. 11

• Choices •

l Plan A Narrative

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' � Title book preview. Create a narrative of your own. Make some notes about the characters and the plot before you start the first draft. Think about the challenges that your main character will face and how he/she will solve the challenges.

Brainstorm a few different titles before choosing the one that works best Sometimes a title isn’t decided until after the story has been written.

� Orientation � Who

� When

Main character’s name, age, description. Main character’s friend or foe.

� Where

When does the story take place? Is it now or in the past or in the future?

Describe the setting where your story takes place. Is it at school, at a beach, in a haunted house, in the desert, in another universe, etc.?

� Complication

� Resolution

List the challenges or complications that your character faces. There is often more than one and each new challenge usually gets tougher.

How did your character solve the problems or deal with the challenges or complications? What did your character learn about him/ herself?

Go to www.readyed.net Write the first draft of your narrative. You might need to write several drafts before you start the final edit and proofread. 12

• Choices •

l Review Your Writing

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Many famous writers talk about writing several drafts of scenes or chapters in their novels to get the story ‘just right’. When you have written your final draft, edited it and have done a final proofread, your work should be ready to be read and enjoyed. Check the following points and rate your writing.

Yes

Is the title interesting? Is your main character believable and described well? Have you introduced the main character and the setting in the first paragraph? Are the ideas in the story clear? Do you develop the storyline and include challenges to test the main character? Do you use descriptive language? Do you use a range of verbs in the past tense? Is the ending/resolution satisfactory and believable? Have you edited your narrative so that the information is clearly organised? Have you proofread your work so that there aren't any errors?

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Have you positioned your readers in a particular way? Do you think that the readers will enjoy your story?

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. • The Great Houdini •

This section covers the following Australian Curriculum Links: Year 5 Language ACELA1504 ACELA1505 ACELA1507 ACELA1508 ACELA 1512 Literacy ACELY1701 ACELY1704 ACELY1705

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Read the biography entitled The Great Houdini. It is an informative recount about the life of the great magician, Harry Houdini.

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' • The Great Houdini • book preview. The Great Houdini was an amazing magician who held audiences spellbound for many years. He specialised in escaping from situations that seemed impossible. Houdini used chains, handcuffs, ropes, locked boxes, gaol cells and containers filled with water in his acts. Harry Houdini was born on March 24th, 1874 in Hungary and was named Ehrich Weisz. In 1876 when the family moved to the United States they changed their family name to Weiss. Around the age of 13, Ehrich and his brother, Theo became very interested in magic tricks. By 17 Ehrich was already a performer with the stage name, Harry Houdini. The name Harry was close to his nickname, Ehrie and Houdini came from adding an i to the last name of his idol, the French magician, Robert Houdin. At age 20, Houdini was developing and perfecting his escape tricks. He also married his stage partner, Bess. By 1900, Houdini had become famous across America for his amazing escapes from all kinds of locked boxes and containers while handcuffed and tied up. In 1908 he added a very daring act to his show. After being handcuffed, he squeezed himself into a large milk can that was then filled to the top with

water. As the audience held their breath, Houdini worked to escape the handcuffs to free himself. In another famous and very dangerous trick he escaped after he was held upside down in a tank of water with padlocks around his feet. How did he perform these amazing escapes that seemed impossible to his audiences? Part of the answer is that he was doublejointed, which allowed him to bend his arms and legs at unusual angles. He also studied locks and knew how they worked; at other times he used a hidden key. In 1910 he appeared on stage in Sydney and Melbourne. In Melbourne he made a deathdefying leap from Queens Bridge into the Yarra River while chained and padlocked, as 20,000 spectators held their breath. He also made the first controlled, powered flight of an airplane in Australia. In 1926, a student who came to see Houdini after his show asked him if it was true that if he was hit in the stomach he wouldn’t get injured. When Houdini replied that it was true, the student hit him in the stomach but unfortunately Houdini was not prepared and was injured internally. He continued to travel and do his shows but the blow had damaged his appendix. As a result the great escapologist died on October 31st 1926, aged 52.

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• The Great Houdini •

l Examining A Biography

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Re-read The Great Houdini and answer the questions.

LLA biography is a recount of a person’s life. It usually has an orientation which introduces the subject of the biography to the reader. The main part tells the reader about significant events, usually in time order. The conclusion tells the reader why this person will be remembered and sometimes includes a personal opinion.

1. What does the first paragraph tell you about Houdini?

_________________________________________________________________________

2. What happened on 24th March 1874?__________________________________________ 3. When did the family change their name?_ ______________________________________ 4. What did Houdini take an interest in at age 13?_ _________________________________ 5. What did he do at age 17?_ __________________________________________________ 6. When did Houdini get married?_______________________________________________ 7. By age 26 Houdini__________________________________________________________ 8. What did he do in 1908?_____________________________________________________ 9. Where did he perform in 1910?_ ______________________________________________ 10. What feat did he perform at the Yarra River?

_________________________________________________________________________

11. How does the text position you to feel about The Great Houdini? Support your answer by quoting from the text.

_________________________________________________________________________

12. When and how did Houdini die?

_________________________________________________________________________ What is your opinion of The Great Houdini after reading his biography?

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• The Great Houdini •

l Check The Text

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. A Re-read The Great Houdini and answer the questions.

LLHoudini’s biography includes vocabulary that is connected to being a magician, e.g. audience, performer.

Find nine more words in the text that relate to Houdini’s performances.

1. ___________________

4. ___________________

7. ___________________

2. ___________________

5. ___________________

8. ___________________

3. ___________________

6. ___________________

9. ___________________

LLAdjectives add interest and give the reader a better description of people, places and events.

Check the text and add adjectives to complete these noun groups. 1. _________________ magician

6. ______________________ act

2. ________________ audiences

7. __________________ milk can

3. ____________________ tricks

8. _____________________ trick

4. __________________ escapes

9. _____________________ leap

5. ____________________ boxes

10. ____________________ flight

LLA biography is usually written in the past tense because it tells the reader about events that have already happened.

Read through Houdini’s biography again and note the verbs in each sentence. A verb is a word that describes what someone or something is doing or feeling, e.g. held, was named, worked, used. List nine verbs that describe an action in the text.

1. ___________________

4. ___________________

7. ___________________

2. ___________________

5. ___________________

8. ___________________

3. ___________________

6. ___________________

9. ___________________

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Extra! Complete in your workbooks.

Houdini’s biography is written over seven paragraphs. Look at the first sentence (the topic sentence) in each paragraph. It tells the reader what that paragraph will be about. Write a short summary of what each paragraph focuses on. 17

• The Great Houdini •

l Constructing Sentences

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Complete the tasks below.

LLTo make your writing more interesting, vary the sentence beginnings and the length of the sentences. This is a simple sentence: Houdini was a magician. A complex sentence has more than one clause, e.g. In Melbourne he made a death-defying leap from Queens Bridge into the Yarra River while chained and padlocked, as 20,000 spectators held their breath.

Check the text and complete these sentences. Note how the sentence lengths are varied with two or more clauses.

In 1876 when the family moved to the United States_____________________________ ___________________________________________. As the audience held their breath, _________________________________________________. Part of the answer is that he was double-jointed, _______________________________________________________ ______ In 1926, a student __________________________________________asked him _________________________that _____________________he wouldn’t get injured. As a result, _____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

Join these simple sentences to make more interesting complex sentences.

1. Houdini was a magician. He performed unusual tricks. _________________________________________________________________________ 2. He was handcuffed. He escaped from a locked box. _________________________________________________________________________ 3. He escaped. He was double-jointed. _________________________________________________________________________ 4. He jumped from Queens Bridge. He was handcuffed. Spectators held their breath. _________________________________________________________________________

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5. The student hit Houdini in the stomach. He was not prepared. He suffered an internal injury. _________________________________________________________________________ 18

• The Great Houdini •

l Plan A Biography

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. � Title Create your own biography. Before writing, it is important to research information about the person. After you decide who will be the subject of your biography, you can use different sources to gather information: interviews, newspaper articles, the internet, books or photographs. Make notes below.

Brainstorm a few interesting titles before choosing the one that works best. Usually a shorter title rather than a longer one works best for a biography. Make sure that the title is relevant. Change the title later if you think of a better one.

� Orientation This part introduces your subject to the reader and usually tells the reader why this person is important. This doesn’t mean that the person has to be famous or well-known. It could be someone special who isn’t well-known like a family member, a friend or a coach.

� The Main Part

� Conclusion

This section tells the reader about the person’s life, usually describing events, people and places. It is usually written in time order.

In the final statement, the writer explains why this person is important and how he/ she will be remembered. This final statement can also include your personal opinion.

Go to www.readyed.net Write the first draft of your biography. 19

• The Great Houdini •

l Review Your Writing

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Writing a biography involves careful research and presentation of information in a way that will be interesting to the reader. When you have edited your final draft and finished the proofreading, your work should be ready to be shared. Check the following points and rate your writing.

Yes

Is the title interesting? Did the opening paragraph introduce the person and explain why he/she is known? Did you use interesting vocabulary when describing people and events? Was the information relevant to the person’s life? Were events presented in chronological (time) order? Were ideas linked smoothly? Did you use time connectives to link the ideas? Did you use past tense verbs when describing past events? Did you include a closing statement about this person and perhaps add your opinion? Did you edit your biography so that it was structured well? Did you proofread your work so that there weren’t any errors?

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Did you position the readers to think about the person in a certain way? 20

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview.

• Title • Mountain • Biking •

This section covers the following Australian Curriculum Links: Year 5 Language ACELA1504 ACELA1505 ACELA1508 ACELA 1512 Literacy ACELY1701 ACELY1704 ACELY1705

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Read the explanatory text entitled Mountain Biking. It explains the sport of mountain bike riding.

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' • Mountain Biking • book preview. The sport of mountain bike riding involves riding bikes off-road over very rough terrain. In cross-country or XC competitions, the rider has to ride a course that usually includes climbs and descents on a variety of terrain including rough tracks, sand and water crossings. The rider requires endurance, strength, fitness, good balance and excellent bike handling skills. Mountain bikes differ from other bikes as they are stronger and perform better on rough surfaces. Most mountain bikes have front fork or dual suspension, larger tyres with deeper treads and wider handlebars (flat or rising) that allow the rider more control of the bike by allowing him/her to ride in an upright position. To avoid the risk of injury riders wear protective gear. The protection worn by riders depends on the environment that they will be riding in, the weather, obstacles on the track and the rider's level of experience. As riders are always out in rough terrain, they must be wellprepared. Riders usually wear helmets; the style depends on the type of riding that they do. Cross-country riders usually wear helmets that are light and comfortable enough to wear for long hours on the bike.

rider hits a rock or a fallen branch. Gloves provide protection and sometimes are padded for comfort. Glasses or goggles protect the eyes from the sun and also from flying leaves and twigs. Shoes usually have strong grip on the soles for scrambling over rocks or running through water carrying the bike. It is important when mountain bike riding to avoid damaging the environment. Riders should stay on the trail in areas where they are allowed to ride. They shouldn’t ride in areas where they do not have permission. They should always take their rubbish with them and they should never scare birds or animals that they come across. One of the toughest competitions in Australia is the Crocodile Trophy Mountain Bike Race held each year in October since 1995. It is considered one of the toughest, longest and most adventurous mountain bike races in the world. It takes place in north Queensland between Cairns and Cooktown. The nine stage race requires strength, endurance and courage as the riders cover nearly 1,000 kilometres over nine days and face a range of obstacles while riding through beautiful scenery. The male and female riders who win know that they have won a very challenging race. Mountain biking is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

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Clothing must be comfortable but tough to withstand the occasional fall if the 22

• Mountain Biking •

l Examining An Explanation

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Re-read Mountain Biking and complete the questions and tasks below.

LLAn explanation gives the reader information about a topic. It consists of an introductory statement which introduces the subject, the explanation which is an account of all aspects of the subject, and the final statement which sums up the information about the topic.

Explain what the sport of mountain bike riding involves.

___________________________________________________________________

What qualities does the rider need?

How is a mountain bike different from a road bike?

____________________________

List the protective gear that riders wear.

What kind of injuries do you think that riders might suffer?

____________________________

What rules should riders follow to care for the environment?

___________________________________________________________________

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On the back of this sheet write down your opinion of the sport of mountain bike riding. 23

• Mountain Biking •

l Check The Text 1

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. A Re-read Mountain Biking and complete the tasks below.

LLThe explanation about the sport of mountain biking has vocabulary that refers specifically to this topic.

Find words or phrases in the text that refer to:

1. The rider: _ ____________________________________________________________ 2. Protection that the rider needs: _ __________________________________________ 3. The bike:_ _____________________________________________________________ 4. The course: ____________________________________________________________ LLCompound words occur when two words join together to make a single word, e.g. lunchbox, footprint.

Underline the compound words in these sentences.

1. The bikes have wider handlebars.

4. Some riders ride by moonlight.

2. The rider rides in an upright position.

5. Riders carry supplies in a lightweight backpack.

3. It is easier to ride a tough course in the daytime.

Add a second word to these words to make a new compound word.

1. back_______________

4. week_ _____________

7. eye________________

2. grown_ ____________

5. some_ _____________

8. sand_______________

3. home______________

6. earth_ _____________

9. day________________

Use a dictionary to find the meaning of these words.

1. terrain_ ________________________________________________________________ 2. descent_ _______________________________________________________________

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3. endurance______________________________________________________________ 4. environment____________________________________________________________ 5. faint-hearted____________________________________________________________ 24

• Mountain Biking •

l Check The Text 2

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Complete the tasks below based on the text on page 22.

Synonyms and Antonyms

LLA dictionary is used to find the meaning of a word. A thesaurus is very useful when writing as it helps you to vary your vocabulary and avoid using the same word again and again. A thesaurus is useful for finding synonymns: words that have similar meanings and antonymns: words that have opposite meanings.

Example:

Synonyms for say: state, announce, remark, exclaim Antonyms for easy: difficult, hard, tough, challenging

Use a thesaurus (a book or online) to find synonymns for:

1. terrain:__________________________

4. obstacle:_ _______________________

2. descent:_________________________

5. courage:_________________________

3. endurance:_ _____________________

6. permission_______________________

Use a thesaurus (a book or online) to find antonyms for:

1. rough:_ _________________________

4. deep:___________________________

2. descent:_________________________

5. tough:_ _________________________

3. strength:_ _______________________

6. beautiful_ _______________________

When you have finished the draft of your writing, edit it to check that you have not used the same word too many times. Use another word for the words that are underlined below.

The sport of mountain biking involves riding over very rough areas in the shortest time. The rider has to complete a course that is very rough. The hills can be tough to climb and the downhill section can be very fast and tough. The rider has to be tough to complete such a rough course. Even the tyres have to be tough so they don’t puncture when they go over sharp rocks. The riders' clothing must be comfortable but

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tough enough not to rip if the riders fall. Their helmets must be comfortable too but tough enough to protect the riders. The Crocodile Trophy Race is a very tough course. The riders who win this competition know that they have won one of the toughest mountain bike races in Australia. 25

• Mountain Biking •

l Plan An Explanation

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book� preview. Title Create your own explanation. Before writing, it is important to research information about the subject. After you decide on the subject of your explanation you can use different sources to gather information, such as: the internet, newspaper items, books, diagrams or photographs. Make notes below.

Brainstorm a few interesting titles before choosing the one that works best. Usually a shorter title rather than a longer one works best for an explanation. Make sure that the title is relevant. Change the title later if you think of a better one.

� Introductory Statement This part introduces your topic to the reader.

� The Explanation This is the main part and explains your topic clearly. It usually includes technical language relevant to your subject.

� The Final Statement In the final statement, the writer sums up the information about the topic.

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Write the first draft of your explanation. 26

• Mountain Biking •

l Review Your Writing

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. Writing an explanation involves careful research and clear presentation of relevant information in a way that will be interesting to the reader. When you have edited your final draft and finished the proofreading, your work should be ready to be shared. Check the following points and rate your writing.

Yes

Was the title relevant? Did you introduce the topic clearly in the opening paragraph? Did you research your information indepth before you presented it? Did you present the information in a logical order? Did you use relevant technical language when explaining the topic? Did you use interesting verbs and strong descriptions? Were your ideas linked smoothly? Did you use verbs in the present tense? Did you include a final statement summing up the information? Did you edit your explanation so that it was well-organised? Did you proofread your work so that there weren’t any errors?

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Did you position the reader to view the topic in a particular way?

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. • T•eam V Couch Potato • TitlePlayer •

This section covers the following Australian Curriculum Links: Year 5 Language ACELA1504 ACELA1505 ACELA1512 Literacy ACELY1701 ACELY1704 ACELY1705 Literature ACELT1698

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Read Team Player V Couch Potato. It is a discursive text. It argues for and against playing sport and tries to persuade the reader to see different points of view.

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' • Team Player V Couch Potato • book preview. Parents and educators argue that it is a good thing for teenagers to be active and play sport on the weekend rather than be ‘couch potatoes’. Firstly, regular physical activity through sport is important for health. It helps to improve a person's balance, achieve a healthy weight and build strong bones and muscles. A healthy weight can mean less risk of developing medical problems such as a heart condition or Type 2 diabetes. Secondly, participating in sport can be very beneficial emotionally. Being a team member builds self-confidence and selfesteem through friendships and learning new skills. Sport is not all about winning. In fact, losing can motivate players to improve their skills and accept new challenges. Thirdly, sport has a social benefit. It gives the players a wider group of friends outside school. In addition, team sport can be beneficial in developing the skills of working together as a unit. In the work force many companies want someone who is a ‘team player’ who can work well with others. Finally, exercise can help teenagers to deal with pressure, to cope with stress and can even help to lift their mood. Some research shows that students who participate in sports also get better academic results. They believe that exercise improves memory and concentration.

In contrast, many teenagers disagree about the benefits of sport. They say that they don’t have time for sport and just aren’t interested. Firstly, they would rather spend their time on the weekend relaxing, watching TV or a movie, checking their Facebook, texting friends or playing computer games. They say that this is their way of relaxing and that they don’t want to be involved in sporting activities. Secondly, they say that they don’t like the pressure of playing competitive sport. They would feel anxious if they missed training sessions because of homework. They would also feel the pressure for their team to win. Thirdly, some teenagers believe that while there is often praise for the best performers in the team, the average players rarely get a mention. This can lead to peer pressure to ‘lift their game’. In addition, many teenagers argue that they spend so much time completing homework and studying that they don’t have time for training and competitions as well. The fact is that research shows that there is a growing number of teenagers favouring being ‘couch potatoes’ rather than sports participants. There are many benefits to playing sport: physical, mental, social and emotional. However, it is up to the individual whether he or she wants to be active and participate in sports or simply to be a ‘couch potato’.

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• Team Player V Couch Potato •

l Examining A Discussion

Reread Team Player V Couch Potato, then answer the questions and complete the tasks.

This is a Ready-Ed Publications' book preview. LLA discursive text introduces a topic then provides arguments for and against a particular point of view. It consists of an introductory statement which introduces the subject, arguments which specify different points of view and any evidence, and a final statement which sums up the information about the topic.

What does the introductory statement say about the topic?

________________________________________________________________________

List four arguments that are in favour of teenagers being involved in sport. State the arguments then add extra detail.

1. _ ____________________________________________________________________

_ ____________________________________________________________________

2. _ ____________________________________________________________________

_ ____________________________________________________________________

3. _ ____________________________________________________________________

_ ____________________________________________________________________

4. _ ____________________________________________________________________

_ ____________________________________________________________________ List four arguments that are against teenagers being involved in sport. State the arguments then add extra detail.