Yucky soup

Yucky soup

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about writing instructions for making soup.
You are to read the poem 'Yucky Soup' and use the information in the poem to write a set of instructions for making yucky soup.
  1. Read the poem.
  2. Use the sheet with the criteria for writing instructions to give you ideas about what your instructions should include and what style of writing to use.
  3. Write your set of instructions.
  4. At the end of writing and checking your instructions, you will assess your own work using the student assessment sheet.
  5. After you have completed your assessment, talk about your writing with your teacher.

Yucky soup poem

Criteria for writing instructions:

  1. Purpose - The title shows what is to be made.
  2. Equipment - All the equipment needed is listed.
  3. Ingredients - All the ingredients and the amounts of them needed are listed.
  4. Steps - All the things that have to be done are there.
  5. Steps - Each step is written on a new line.
  6. Logical sequence - The steps are in the same order as in the poem.
  7. Verbs - Each step begins with the action word that tells the reader what to do.
  8. Present tense - All instructions are written in the present tense.
  9. Illustrations could be used - Instructions can have pictures to help explain what to do, especially if it is hard to explain in words.
 
 
Student assessment sheet for writing instructions
Name:

Assessment key:   N = not often      S = sometimes      A = always

a)

The title states the purpose, what is to be made.

No

Yes

b)

The text tells the reader what equipment is needed.

N

S

A

c)

The text tells the reader what ingredients and the amounts of them thatare needed.

N

S

A

d)

All the steps are there.

N

S

A

e)

Each step is written on a new line.

N

S

A

f)

All the steps are in order.

N

S

A

g)

Verbs are used at the beginning of each instruction.

N

S

A

h)

The present tense is used.

N

S

A

i)

 If illustrations are used:
they are clear, and add to the understanding of the instructions.

No

Yes
 
 
  Student's thoughts on this pieces of writing Teacher's thoughts on this piece of writing
Positive points
 
 
 
  
Minus points
 
 
 
  
Interesting points
 
 
 
  
 
 
Next time I write instructions, I will:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Task administration: 

Read these instructions to the students.

You are to read the poem 'Yucky Soup' and use the information in the poem to write a set of instructions for making yucky soup.

  1. Read the poem.
  2. Use the sheet with the criteria for writing instructionsto give you ideas about what your instructions should include and what style of writing to use.
  3. Write your set of instructions.
  4. At the end of writing and checking your instructions, you will assess your own work using the student assessment sheet.
  5. After you have completed your assessment, we will talk about your writing.
Copyright: 
Source: Written by Phillipa Werry, Illustrations by Carol Herring. Connected, No. 1, Learning Media, 2003.
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
English, Creating meaning, Writing
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
instructions, self-assessment, checklist, comprehension, School Journal, structure and language
Description of task: 
Students write a set of instructions after reading a poem about cooking. Students self-assess their writing before conferencing with the teacher to set their next learning steps.
Curriculum Links: 
This resource can be used to help to identify students’ ability to create texts to meet the writing demands of the New Zealand Curriculum.
 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • choose effective content, language, and text structure
  • use a text structure that is appropriate to their purpose

as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.

Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Writing meaningful text: text features, set 4
within the Writing Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 

b) The equipment is identified:

  • scales
  • grater
  • cup
  • stirring spoon
  • teaspoon
  • scoop
  • knife
  • pepper shaker

c) The ingredients and their amounts are identified:

  • a chunk of butter
  • a few bits of apple
  • some sliced-up bananas
  • one cup of sultanas
  • one teapoon of coffee
  • 10 grams of spice
  • 12 shakes of pepper
  • one cup of rice
  • 2 cups of grated cheese
  • one packet of yellow split peas.

d) All the steps are recorded:

  • heat butter in the fry pan
  • add the apple and bananas
  • stir in the sultanas
  • add the coffee, spice, pepper, and rice
  • grate the cheese
  • add the cheese to the fry pan with the split peas
  • boil it all up
  • serve with a scoop.

 

Teaching and learning: 
  • This task begins with reading a poem, followed by writing a set of instructions.
  • The poem is from Connected, No 1, 2003.
  • The reading could be done as a shared reading exercise.
  • The whole task could be done by individual students or by a group of students working together.
  • If the task is being done individually, each student will need a copy of the poem, the sheet with the criteria for writing instructions, and the student assessment sheet.
  • If the task is being done in a group situation, the criteria sheet and the poem could be enlarged, and the student's assessment sheet could be done collaboratively.
  • After writing the set of instructions, students self-assess their work using their assessment sheet. They will also need a copy of the answers for b), c), and d) (below), which can be shared with the class.
Diagnostic and formative information: 
  • Answers have been given for parts b), c), and d), in which students are assessed on their ability to gather specific information from text.
  • During the follow-up conference, the writing is discussed and the next learning steps are identified and recorded.
  • The next learning steps could be cut off the student's assessment sheet and glued into their writing book, so the student is able to keep a record of future learning intentions.
  • The remainder of the student assessment sheet could be a useful addition to a student's personal profile/portfolio.