Kōkiri Learn

Week 2 of 5

Ask good questions and learn the writer's tools

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  5. 5

Session 1 · AUTHOR: Understand

From wondering to research questions

  1. 10 minQuestion storm: write as many questions about your topic as you can in five minutes.
  2. 15 minSort questions: fat questions (why, how, what if) and skinny questions (who, when, how many). You need both.
  3. 15 minChoose one big question and three or four smaller ones. These become your headings.
  4. 10 minKnow–want–learn chart: what do you already know? What do you need to find out?

Session 2 · AUTHOR: Techniques

Hooks, headings and transitions

  1. 10 minRead 'Hooks, headings and transitions'. Spot four kinds of lead in model articles.
  2. 20 minLead lab: write four different openings for your topic (question, surprising fact, scene, quote). Read them to a partner and pick the strongest.
  3. 15 minTransition relay: link pairs of fact cards using transitions such as 'however', 'as a result', 'similarly'.
  4. 5 minCollect five topic words (domain vocabulary) and write a kid-friendly definition for each.

Getting started

Use the question starter cards: How does…? Why did…? What would happen if…?

Stretch

Write a lead that starts in the middle of a scene and then zooms out to the facts.

Checkpoint

Each student has a big question, three or four sub-questions, and a draft lead.

Activities for this week

  • Lead lab: Which kind of opening makes a reader want to keep going?

Useful this week