Writing meaningful text: text features resources

This punctuation resource is on the use of brackets. Students explain when brackets are used, then insert them into four sentences.

Students write both open and closed questions about the importance of smartphones to students their age.

Students first do the science activity Throwing balloons 3 or Throwing balloons 4 where they predict, observe, and explain what will happen when a balloon containing another balloon filled with water is thrown. Then the students do this resource's writing task where they describe the balloon and what happens when it is thrown, and explain why they think it moved the way it did. Six annotated exemplars of student scripts (writing) are included under the "Working with Students" tab.

This focus of this resource is punctuating direct speech. Students drag speech marks into place to show where direct speech begins and ends. The resource ends with a collaborative writing activity. Students work with a partner to create and punctuate a conversation based on the characters in a photograph.

This focus of this resource is punctuating direct speech. Students drag speech marks, commas, and full stops into place to show where direct speech begins and ends. The resource ends with a collaborative writing activity. Students work with a partner to create and punctuate a conversation based on the characters in a photograph.

Students write a report which gives details about a problem, gives reasons for the problem, and suggests how it might be fixed.

Students explore the issue of school uniforms, developing arguments around it from different points of view.

For this NEMP task students write a thank you letter to the Playground Trust. The letter is assessed on letter conventions, content, and language.

Using the whare tapawhā model of hauora (well-being), students explore the different dimensions of health, and write an explanation of how each can be cared for. The assessment focus is on the features of an explanation.

Students are provided with information about the structure of a haiku poem. They identify the syllables in another haiku poem, and then write their own.

This task is about topic, supporting, and summary sentences in paragraphs of explanation.

This task is about identifying the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and summary sentence in a paragraph of description.

This task is about topic, supporting, and summary sentences in paragraphs of persuasion.

This is a resource on sentence types. Students use four definitions of sentence types to classify six sentences.

For this NEMP task students read a poem about 'Me' and then write a poem about their own 'special self'.

Students write an advertisement to sell a kayak on a website.

For this NEMP task students look at a picture of a bicycle and write an advertisement to sell the bike in a newspaper column.

Students add commas to enclose words or phrases within sentences to show where extra information has been added.

Students choose the most appropriate topic sentence for a set of supporting sentences.

Students identify the topic sentence, supporting sentences and summary sentence in a given paragraph. They then write their own paragraph, working to include these elements.

The assessment focus is on the features of an explanation. Students explore and write an explanation of the impacts the food industry could have on improving health.

For this NEMP task students fill in a postcard about a holiday. Students' writing is assessed on postcard conventions, content, and legibility.

Students research and write a biographical recount on the life of a well-known New Zealander. Supports for this process and formative assessment points are given.