The Barn Owl
The barn owl is a bird of prey. It is an endangered species.
Appearance
Its face is like a plate which is used as a satellite dish. The sound bounces off. It has brown speckles and a white face.
It has white feathers under the wings and a white belly. There are furry-speckled feathers on its back.
Habitat
The barn owl lives in barns and chimneys. It does not make nests.
Food
The barn owl is a carnivore and it eats mice, rats, wild gerbils and baby rabbits.
Movement
The barn owl flies fast and silent and glides and it flies low, so that its prey can’t hear it coming. It is nocturnal and usually sleeps during daytime.
The barn owl is endangered because people are moving to barns and also because mice eat chemicals and the owls eat the mice and they die.
33
Understanding the target information report genre:
Read the information report on P. 1 of the task sheet again.
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Where do we know the barn owl is a bird? (i.e.
class of the animal)
Where do we know it is
endangered? Introduction
Where do we know WHY it is endangered?
Conclusion
How many aspect(s) of the barn owl is covered in each of the middle paragraphs?
How is each middle paragraph organised?
34
Understanding the target information report genre:
So what do we know about the structure of an information report about an endangered species?
Version 1
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Section Structure
Heading Name of the animal Introduction
Sub-heading Specific features of the animal Middle
paragraphs
Class of the
animal That the animal is endangered
Conclusion That the animal
is endangered Why the animal is endangered
35
Understanding the target information report genre:
So what do we know about the structure of an information report about an endangered species?
Version 2
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Section Structure
Heading
__________________of the animal Introduction
________ of the animal __________________
Middle
paragraphs Sub-heading ________________ of the animal Conclusion
_______________ _________________________
Name
Specific features
Class That the animal is
endangered
That the animal
is endangered Why the animal is endangered
36
The Barn Owl
The barn owl is a bird of prey. It is an endangered species.
Appearance
Its face is like a plate which is used as a satellite dish. The sound bounces off. It has brown speckles and a white face.
It has white feathers under the wings and a white belly. There are furry-speckled feathers on its back.
Habitat
The barn owl lives in barns and chimneys. It does not make nests.
FoodThe barn owl is a carnivore and it eats mice, rats, wild gerbils and baby rabbits.
Movement
The barn owl flies fast and silent and glides and it flies low, so that its prey can’t hear it coming. It is nocturnal and usually sleeps during daytime.
The barn owl is endangered because people are moving to barns and also because mice eat chemicals and the owls eat the mice and they die.
(The Barn Owl, Adapted from Rees, 1996, p. 57)
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Grammar and Vocabulary Let’s underline all the verbs in the text.
37
The Barn Owl
The barn owl is a bird of prey. It is an endangered species.
Appearance
Its face is like a plate which is used as a satellite dish. The sound bounces off. It has brown speckles and a white face.
It has white feathers under the wings and a white belly. There are furry-speckled feathers on its back.
Habitat
The barn owl lives in barns and chimneys. It does not make nests.
FoodThe barn owl is a carnivore and it eats mice, rats, wild gerbils and baby rabbits.
Movement
The barn owl flies fast and silent and glides and it flies low, so that its prey can’t hear it coming. It is nocturnal and usually sleeps during daytime.
The barn owl is endangered because people are moving to barns and also because mice eat chemicals and the owls eat the mice and they die.
(The Barn Owl, Adapted from Rees, 1996, p. 57)
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Grammar and Vocabulary Let’s underline all the verbs in the text.
38
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Grammar and Vocabulary
- What tense is used in the information report? Why?
- What do the sentences usually start with (i.e. what is the subject of most of the sentences)?
- Is that subject singular or plural? What happens to the verb following it?
- Complete following table on the three common sentence patterns found in the text:
To what extent and in what aspects are these questions relevant to the
students’ literacy development in general and that of reading
proficiency in particular?
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Grammar and Vocabulary (Version 1)
Sentence Pattern
Example Sentences Function
A is B. The barn owl is a bird of prey. ___________________________
___________________________
A has B. It has brown speckles.
___________________________
___________________________
A + Action Verb (+
Adverb )
The barn owl flies fast and silent ___________________________
___________________________
To introduce the body parts of the animal
To tell what the animal does/ does not do
To tell the class of the animal and what it is like
Stage 3: Post-Reading & Pre-Writing (Product Differentiation)
Grammar and Vocabulary (Version 2)
Sentence Pattern
Example Sentences Function A is B. The barn owl is a bird of prey.
___________________________
___________________________
To tell the class of the animal and what it is like
A has B. It has brown speckles.
___________________________
___________________________
To introduce the body parts of the animal
A + Action Verb
The barn owl flies fast and silent ___________________________
___________________________
To tell what the
animal does/ does not do
41 Purpose and
organisation
• Has a general classification then description of specific aspects
• Uses sub-headings to define
paragraphs
• Each paragraph begins with a reference to the subject, e.g. 、The Barn Owl…”, “It…”
• Uses explanation appropriately to conclude the text
Language features
• Constant use of subject reference
• Use simple present tense
• Use of action verbs (eats, fly, pick up)
• Subject and verb generally agree with each other
• Use simple sentence structures, with connectives such as because, so that Ways of describing
• Use adjectives and noun, e.g. sharp claws furry-speckled feathers,
endangered species
• Use an appropriate simile, e.g. face like a plate
Materials developed by HKU CLIL Team
The Barn Owl
The barn owl is a bird of prey. It is an endangered species.
Appearance
Its face is like a plate which is used as a satellite dish. The sound bounces off. It has brown speckles and a white face.
It has white feathers under the wings and a white belly. There are furry-speckled feathers on its back.
Habitat
The barn owl lives in barns and chimneys. It does not make nests.
Food
The barn owl is a carnivore and it eats mice, rats, wild gerbils and baby rabbits.
Movement
The barn owl flies fast and silent and glides and it flies low, so that its prey can’t hear it coming. It is nocturnal and usually sleeps during daytime.
The barn owl is endangered because people are moving to barns and also because mice eat chemicals and the owls eat the mice and they die.