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Finding Tiger Snakes  | Deadly 60 | Earth Unplugged

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Dorothea Mackellar - A sunburnt country

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Official Dorothea Mackellar Website :: Poetry Archive :: My Country

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Welcome to the Official Dorothea Mackellar Website

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Australia's Remote Islands (2013) Ep 2 Macquarie Island

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Macquarie Island is located half way between Australia and Antarctica in the middle of the Southern Ocean, is home to a research base for Australias Antarctic Division. It is a World Heritage Area.

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David Attenborough Documentaries - Bing video

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PBS David Attenborough David Attenborough Ants Planet Earth TV Series David Attenborough Galapagos David Attenborough Documentaries 2015 David Attenborough Wildlife Specials David Attenborough BBC Life of Mammals David Attenborough Richard Attenborough Planet Earth ARKive David Attenborough Planet Earth Hunters and Hunted

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WRITING A HIGH-QUALITY INFORMATION REPORT

It is no surprise that information texts are given a position of primary importance in most English curricula - we are in the information age after all. From the ELA Standards of U.S. Common Core to the Literacy Requirements of the National Curriculum for England, non-fiction genres, in general, are given central positions in our teaching schedules. Acquiring the broad range of skills necessary to produce these texts competently takes time. Let's take a look at the main features and organizational aspects of information reports to help set our students on the path to writing success.

Regardless of what genre we aim to teach our students, it is crucial that they develop an awareness of the different approaches required when writing for a variety of purposes. Students need to be able to select the correct tools and structures for the job and this starts with the students defining the text's purpose.

Information reports present factual information to inform the reader about a specific topic. Examples of information reports may be found in, encyclopedias, reference books, technical texts, social studies books, science books, magazines, and even internet websites. These may all be classed as forms of information texts. Despite this very broad range, it is useful to describe information reports in relation to a number of common features. These we will explore in this article.

WHAT IS AN INFORMATION REPORT?

An information report provides readers with information on a chosen topic by providing them with facts.

Generally, an information report is written to provide facts about a living or non-living object. It can be an individual object or a group of objects. Some suggestions are.

The challenge in writing a good information report is to provide the audience with plenty of facts and evidence about a topic without providing a personal opinion. If you do include personal opinion essentially you are writing a persuasive ( also known as an expository ) text. IF you are writing about a class of objects such as sharks it is important to highlight the differences and similarities between the objects.

INFORMATION REPORTS GENERALLY FALL INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES.

Scientific Reports: Usually focuses on describing of appearance and behaviour of the subject of your report.

Technological Reports: Usually focus on two main categories of information being the components and uses of the technology.

Social Studies Reports: Usually focuses on the description of people, places, history, geography, society, culture and economy.

RESEARCHING YOUR INFORMATION REPORT

Teaching students how to write information reports offers a great opportunity to introduce research skills to your students. For more advanced students, it creates opportunities for them to hone these important skills further. There are also a number of different processes students need to develop to ensure that can filter their research for relevancy and accuracy. Let's take a look at these:

1. Define the Scope of the Topic

If the scope of the topic is not defined precisely then considerable energy can be wasted at the research stage - especially if internet research is undertaken! Undoubtedly, you will know this from your own experience. How many man and woman hours have been wasted as our own research takes us down a pesky internet cul-de-sac!

2. Uncover Important Keywords and Phrases

The importance of keywords and subject-specific vocabulary to the writing of an information report has already been mentioned. However, the generation of these keywords and phrases is also important for the researching stage when using the internet. Search engines are only as useful as the terms that are searched. The research process will help students refine and filter the concepts and vocabulary that they will use in the writing of their text.

3 Evaluate Sources

After students have selected their search terms, they will need to take a look and evaluate the returned sources. This is best achieved by the teacher going through a variety of example sources and modelling the criteria used to select the most valuable among them. At the school level, students are most often not required to cite research papers etc. But they should begin the process of ranking information in terms of its legitimacy. This is a long term objective, but the teaching of this genre of writing offers ample opportunities for introducing this complex idea. Teaching this objective may involve lessons on things like distinguishing fact from opinion, how to spot bias, detecting fake news/satire, cross-referencing sources etc.

4 Develop Note-Taking Skills

The research stage of writing an information report affords students a valuable opportunity to develop their note-taking skills. The ability to mine information for the key points is an essential skill for a student to develop. Obviously, note-taking is a complex skill and will necessarily be differentiated according to the student's age and abilities.

As an information report is a factual piece of writing with a focus on attention to detail you will need to ensure your students are provided with an opportunity to research their topic. Ensure they are using technical language when required and have a collection of useful facts to include.

Research is going to be a significant part of your lesson time so please ensure you allow this before expecting them to contribute anything worthwhile.

Although we strongly encourage the use of visuals leave this till all writing has been drafted, written and edited. It should support a strong written report first and foremost. The use of graphic organizers, planning tools and writing checklists will greatly assist the planning and editing time. We have an in-depth article on student research strategies for you to explore here.

GENERAL FEATURES OF INFORMATION REPORTS

Present Tense:

Information reports are predominantly written in the present tense. This is because the information presented on the topic will generally be considered static knowledge. However, this is not always the case for all information texts, for example, autobiographies and biographies can be considered as information texts but will more than likely be written in the past tense. For the purposes of this article, however, we will focus on the more formal genres of information texts.

Subject Specific Vocabulary:

Depending on the topic of the text, vocabulary specific to the subject will normally be used. For example, if the text is providing information on an animal it will likely utilize related words and phrases such as, 'habitat', 'species', 'offspring', 'lifespan' etc. A useful exercise for preparation to write an information report is to have students brainstorm words and phrases related to that topic. This also helps ensure the student covers all relevant related material and helps them organize their material prior to writing. It will also provide useful search terms for internet researching of the topic and provide some of the vocabulary to be contained in the glossary - more on this later!

General Nouns:

It is important for students to realize that they should use general nouns when writing on their topic. The information included in their text should be information that is true generally and this should be reflected in the use of the generic noun classifying it, for example: Bees collect nectar from flowers.

Passive Voice:

Information reports are an example of formal non-fiction writing. In common with lots of formal writing, they often apply the passive voice. It is helpful here to draw the students' attention to how this differs from other more personal genres of writing such as fiction. When teaching narrative writing we often encourage, even insist, our students name the doer of the action. In fiction writing, using the passive voice often takes the narrative drive out of a story, leaving it limp and weak in the hands of the reader. This is because the character and narrative voice are of central importance in story writing. This is not the case in information report writing. Here, the passive voice draws attention away from the doer or speaker and brings the attention firmly back on the object itself.

For example:

"Every year cars kill thousands of hedgehogs on our roads."

Here the active voice is used. Read carefully, we can note a considerable amount of our attention goes to the 'killer' in this sentence, i.e. 'cars'. This brings our attention away from what should be our main focus, and the topic of the report, 'hedgehogs'.

If we instead use the passive voice to convey this information it would look something like this:

"Every year thousands of hedgehogs are killed on our roads."

Now the same information is relayed to the reader while maintaining the focus of the sentence on the subject 'hedgehogs'.

A useful exercise to help students understand the difference between passive and active voices is to give them a list of sentences for them to identify whether the active or passive voice is being used. They can then rewrite active voice sentences as passive voice sentences and vice versa.

Information reports are also generally written in the third person for the same reason that the passive voice is used. The third-person perspective creates an impersonal tone that maintains a formal tone appropriate to the genre.

Visual Information:

Visual presentations of the information to support the text, whether in the form of diagrams, photographs, graphs, maps, pictures, or tables, are extremely helpful to the reader. They help the reader to digest large amounts of information quickly. Remember too, that pictures, photographs etc should be labelled with captions explaining what they show.

Visual presentations should reinforce points made in the text, often in a condensed way. You may remember flicking through the pages of World Book Encyclopedia or Encyclopedia Britannica as a child, and even if lacking in the necessary literacy skills to actually read the articles, you likely picked up information just by looking at the colorful and well-presented illustrations and tables. Browse any well-developed website and it will quickly become obvious the central role visual media plays in the sharing of information. Your students work should be no different in this regard. Depending on the age and ability of your students, they may wish to draw pictures or create graphs using computer software to accompany their text.
Fact vs Opinion:
As stated, the purpose of information reports is to present factual information on a topic. It is important that students are able to consistently and accurately differentiate between what constitutes fact and what can be considered as opinion. This is not always as straightforward as it may seem and will require some practice on the part of the student.

It can be helpful for students to have a number of sessions working on distinguishing fact from opinion prior to the writing of their information reports. Prepare a set of statements for the students in your class. It may be on the topic they are to write their reports on, or on an entirely unrelated topic. There should be a mixture of factual and opinion-based statements. After instructing the students on the differences between facts and opinions, have them go through each statement in their groups and discuss which they believe to be facts and which they believe to be opinions. They then categorize them accordingly.

Beyond the writing of information reports the skill of identifying opinions and facts is an invaluable skill to inculcate in our students. You may wish to encourage them to apply it when watching TV news, reading newspapers etc.

STRUCTURE OF INFORMATION TEXTS

When considering how to organize the structure of an information report, the purpose of the text must be at the forefront of the student's decision-making. The complexity of the textual organization will again depend on the student's grade level and ability, however the general structure will be as follows:

1. Table of Contents

A table of contents should be included for longer information texts. It should outline where specific information can be found in the document or the text. For longer texts, each section should correspond to a page number on the table of contents. For shorter texts, this may be numbered sections instead of page numbers. This will allow the reader to locate specific information that is being searched for without having to read through the whole text. Page numbers can be entered on the table of contents after the text is completed.

2. Introduction

As with other writing genres, information texts must first use a hook to grab the reader's attention. This hook may take the form of an interesting fact or statistic, an anecdote or a question etc. Fundamentally, the introduction to the text must orientate the reader to the topic in question. It should outline what the reader can expect to learn within the body of the text.

3. Subheadings

The main job of the student when writing an information text is to organize the information so that the reader can easily understand it. To help the reader achieve this they need to organize their ideas into paragraphs and to help the reader locate the information on each of these ideas each paragraph should contain a subheading. These subheadings can also provide titles for the table of contents.

Be sure to check out our own complete guide to writing perfect paragraphs and sentence structure.

Subheadings are necessary to help your students organize their information by focusing on various aspects of the topic as a whole. For example, if the focus of the information report is an animal, then subsequent subheadings maybe something along the lines of: appearance, habitat, diet etc. Each subheading will consist of at least one paragraph that constitutes a separate section in the body of the text.

These subheadings often emerge organically as the student undertakes their research prior to writing. Subheadings may also be accompanied by relevant drawings, maps, tables etc that summarize the information contained within.

The first sentence of each section should begin with a topic sentence expressing the main idea or topic of that paragraph. The next sentence will provide more detail on the topic sentence or main idea. The next sentence can provide an example or evidence regarding the main idea. Have your students practice this paragraph structure: Topic - Detail - Example.

4. Conclusion

The closing section of an information report can be used to summarize. The conclusion should focus on what the reader has learned in the text. It may also contain information on links or further reading the reader can undertake to find out more about the topic. For more advanced students, the opportunity to make cross-curricular links to IT skills (for example) can be taken by encouraging students to incorporate hyperlinks to further sources.

5. Glossary

The glossary will contain much of the subject-specific vocabulary identified at the prewriting stage. It will contain the words in alphabetical order accompanied by a definition that gives the word context in light of the topic. Some of the contents of the glossary will also be identified by the student reading over the body of the text they have written and selecting words that may pose difficulties for readers or need further contextualizing in terms of the topic. Sometimes, it is helpful to use bold fonts to emphasize the words in a text that will be defined in the glossary. This allows the reader to know they can turn to the glossary to find out further information on the definition of this word and its use in context. As with the other sections of an information report, illustrations, tables, photographs can be used here to visually represent related ideas and concepts and reinforce the definitions provided.

And there it is, some meat on the bones of information reports. Choosing topics for your students to write about can be generated either by the interests of students themselves, which can greatly enthuse them, or you can select topics for your students that tie into other areas of their learning thereby, killing the proverbial two birds with one stone! It is quite a complex genre, but a very important one and it is advised that students are offered ample opportunity to read lots of information reports to internalize these features and structures. The reading of information reports not only helps our students to understand how to write them but also, wonderfully, helps our students learn lots of stuff about lots of things!

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT INFORMATION REPORT

Assume your readers are not as knowledgeable on the topic as you are. This means you will have to briefly explain your topic before getting into the body.

Use the correct scientific and technical terms in your report.

Find or create some labelled diagrams if possible.

Use paragraphs effectively. Each new element of your information report should start with a new paragraph.

Information reports are always written in present tense and from a third person perspective.

You may offer some form of question or comment around your findings in the conclusion only. The rest of your report should be constructed purely of facts and evidence.

Be Technical and Descriptive

When putting together an information report you need to know your topic well so be sure to do your research beforehand. If you were writing an information report on the Titanic you might want to find out some of the following facts.

When & Where was Titanic built?

What materials was it made from?

Who was the captain and any other significant people involved?

Explain the facts around Titanic's maiden voyage such as locations and dates?

What caused the Titanic to sink ( Remember not to share opinion just facts.)

Any important dates and statistics associated with Titanic.

INFORMATION REPORT GRAPHIC ORGANIZER TEMPLATE (USE SLIDER)

Information Report Example (Student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of INFORMATION REPORTS. Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail. Please take a moment to read the information reports in detail but also the teacher and student guides which highlight some of the key elements of information report writing to consider before writing.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of information report writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above or below, as well as the grade you are currently working with to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

INFORMATION REPORT WRITING CHECKLIST

DOWNLOAD A COMPLETE INFORMATION REPORT WRITING UNIT

We pride ourselves on being the web's best resource for teaching students and teachers how to write an information report. We value the fact you have taken the time to read our comprehensive guides to understand the fundamentals of writing skills.

We also understand some of you just don't have the luxury of time, or the resources to create really engaging resources exactly when you need them.

If you are time-poor and looking for an in-depth solution that encompasses all of the concepts outlined here I strongly recommend taking a look at the "Complete information report writing unit".

Working in partnership alongside Innovative Teaching Ideas we confidently recommend this resource as an all in one solution to teach how to write an information report.

Within this unit, you will find over 60 pages of engaging and innovative teaching ideas.

INFORMATION REPORT WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

INFORMATION REPORT WRITING VIDEO TUTORIALS

Content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh. A former principal of an international school and university English lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane's latest Book the Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing can be found here. Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.

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How to write an Excellent Information Report

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It is no surprise that information texts are given a position of primary importance in most English curricula - we are in the information age after all. From the ELA Standards of U.S. Common Core to the Literacy Requirements of the National Curriculum for England, non-fiction genres, in general, are given central positions in our teaching schedules.

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Education resources for schools teachers and students - ABC Education

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ABC Education has 4000+ educational games, videos and teaching resources for schools and students. Free Primary and Secondary resources covering history, science, English, maths and more

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By Nicholas Klacsanzky

The Nile is commonly known as the longest river in the world (6,853 kilometers), and a source of sustenance for countless ancient and modern civilizations. However, not many people know a great deal about its course, mythology, and history. Therefore, I would like to explore these aspects about this famous river in detail in order to educate readers.

There is some debate about where the original source of the river is. The tributaries of Kagera River in Burundi, such as Ruvyironza or the Nyabarongo, are feeder rivers that connect near Rusumo Falls on the Rwanda-Tanzania border ( BBC News). These feeder rivers go into Lake Victoria, which is considered by many as the source of the Nile (McLeay, Cam). According to LiveScience, "Flowing northward through the tropical climate of eastern Africa and into the Mediterranean Sea, the river passes through 11 countries: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt" (Pedersen, Traci). Stretching through these nations, this great river has created and sustained civilizations for eons.

Since this river has been such a prominent part of the history of so many nations, mythology has emerged about it. Egyptians have made the most mythology about the Nile. LiveScience says that, "In some myths, the Nile was considered a manifestation of the god Hapi who blessed the land with abundance, according to the Ancient History Encyclopedia. Isis, the goddess of the Nile and the "Giver of Life," was believed to have taught the people how to farm and work the land. The water god Khnum, who ruled over all forms of water, even the lakes and rivers in the underworld, was believed to be in charge of the amount of silt that flooded the river banks every year. In later dynasties, Khnum branched out to become the god of rebirth and creation as well" (Pedersen, Traci). In each of the 11 countries that the Nile has coursed through, mythology has been created. A whole book could be written about it, and many have written books on this subject.

Now that we have gone over the mythology of the Nile, let us look into the history of the Nile. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, "Permanent settlements gradually rose along the banks of the river beginning c. 6000 BCE and this was the beginning of Egyptian civilization and culture which became the world's first recognizable nation state by c.3150 BCE" (Mark, Joshua J.). So, in a sense, the history of the Nile is the story of modern civilization. USHistory.org explains more about the beginning of this first nation, "Over time, however, despite being in the midst of desert surroundings, people discovered that the Nile River provided many sources of food. Along the river were fruit trees, and fish swam in the Nile in great numbers. Perhaps most importantly, they discovered that, at the same time each year, the Nile flooded for about six months. As the river receded, it deposited a rich, brown layer of silt that was suitable for growing wheat, beans, barley, or even cotton" ( Independence Hall Association). This gave the inhabitants near the Nile a boost in learning about agriculture and developing farming methods to create a powerful nation.

The Nile River is famous for a number of reasons. Not only did it foster many ancient civilizations, including the first developed nation, it has garnered a great many mythological stories about it and connects many cultures from 11 countries. Without the Nile, the progress of worldwide civilizations would not have been so quick and would not have developed in the way that it did. Whether or not we believe in the mythology surrounding the Nile, it has a god-like importance in the history of modern civilization.

References

"Team Reaches Nile's 'True Source."' BBC News. 31 March 2006. Archived from the original on 1 June 2013.

McLeay, Cam (2 July 2006). "The Truth About the Source of R. Nile." New Vision. Archived from the original on 9 April 2011.

Pedersen, Traci. "The Nile: Longest River in the World." LiveScience, Purch, 29 Nov. 2016, www.livescience.com/57023-nile-river-facts.html.

Mark, Joshua J. "Nile." Ancient History Encyclopedia, Ancient History Encyclopedia, 15 May 2018, www.ancient.eu/nile/.

"Life along the Nile." Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, www.ushistory.org/civ/3a.asp.

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The Nile : Expository Essay Samples | AcademicHelp.net

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By Nicholas Klacsanzky The Nile is commonly known as the longest river in the world (6,853 kilometers), and a source of sustenance for countless ancient and modern civilizations. However, not many people know a great deal about its course, mythology, and history.

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https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/au-c-204-new-written-report-rubric-year-four

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Teaching Resources - KS2, KS1, Early Years (EYFS) KS3, KS4

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information report examples - Google Search

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Department of the Environment and Energy

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Department of the Environment and Energy

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National Heritage List inscription date 15 December 2006 Australia's second-oldest national park, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and its surrounding nature reserves and islands combine areas of rich historical significance with graceful scenic beauty and high biodiversity values. The park has been a conservation area since 1894.

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There are three main types of expository essays: scholarly writing used mainly for academic purposes, which describes or examines a process in a comprehensive way; analyzing a concept, which describes and explores a written work or an event; also, expository essays can set out and explain detailed instructions or a description of a method or procedure.

It is not always easy to separate these three types. It does become clearer after one has decided on a topic and found a way to present an argument about it.

Steps for Writing an Expository Essay

1. Choose a topic in which you already have some interest. The more you know, the better, and reading about a subject that you like will ensure you remember more, make sensible notes, and enjoy the writing process. Your topic should be specific, not general, so that the essay is interesting, and the supporting references will support the argument well.

2. Appropriate material from which references can be drawn must be found. Journals, books, articles, and online materials are suitable, as long as the references are scholarly.

3. Write a thesis statement that articulates the overriding idea. This must capture all the elements of the concept you intend to express.

4. Decide on a system or style of development. You can choose among the following, making sure your method matches your topic:

Making an example

Using cause and effect

Assembling a classification

Comparing and contrasting

Analyzing a process

Defining and clarifying

5. Start drafting. Create a number of points, find research to support them, and use the source and reference as support for each point you make.

6. Write a topic sentence for each body paragraph, and provide a well-written topic sentence that directly relates to the thesis sentence. Then proceed to fill out each body paragraph with clear reasoning. After this:

Write a summarizing conclusion by making sure you mention your thesis and points.

Close the essay in an effective manner, supplying an afterthought for your readers to keep their curiosity about your chosen subject.

Make sure you do not introduce new material in the last paragraph.

7. Write the introduction last, as it must state the underlying thesis of the essay, introduce what is discussed in the body paragraphs of the essay, and interest the reader from the very first words.

Expository Essay Topics

There are actually a lot of topics you can choose from when writing an expository essay. You can pick among issues, questions, and trends that exist in such fields as politics, economics, history, culture, science, health, programming, and so on. Several possible topics for an expository essay are listed below:

Explain the requirements of an unusual major at your school (like aviation, fashion design, astrophysics, Japanese, or international studies).

What is the history of your college?

What happens to juveniles who break the law?

What is homelessness? What causes people to be homeless?

What is the Salvation Army? How do they help the needy? (Or choose another non-profit charity that helps the poor)

What are the effects on a family when a parent becomes a meth addict?

What causes teenagers to run away?

How does having a single parent affect children in the areas of education, hygiene, and nutrition?

How do people without health insurance get medical treatment?

What is it like to be an illegal alien?

The unstudied impacts of cellular phones on health

The problem of childhood obesity in Texas

Social tensions of foreigners in Japan with locals

Threats posed by countries with nuclear weapons

Bullying as a serious problem in public American schools

Key Points to Consider

1. Describing a procedure or process need not be boring. Find an interesting way to present material to the reader without overwhelming details.

2. Compare and contrast aspects of your topic in two ways: different methodology found in literature, or alternative ways used by different scholars or experts.

3. If you are using the 'cause and effect' method, ensure you match each pair correctly and support each example with a citation to demonstrate its reliability. It must also have relevance to your topic.

4. When attempting to classify, write in a clear and simple way.

5. Examples chosen to demonstrate or illustrate an argument must be suitable. A way to decide if an example is appropriate is to try to argue against it yourself. If you succeed, it was not an appropriate example.

6. Defining is not as simple as finding its definition in a dictionary and copying the description. Many authors start a book or journal article by writing a definition without resorting to dictionaries, using excellent quotes instead.

Do and Don't

Do

Do decide on your topic and method of exposition first.

Do read all your chosen sources properly.

Do use philosophical devices such as deduction, logic, and inference to support any claims you make.

Do demonstrate what you wish to explain.

Do make sure that you paraphrase precisely and efficiently when using material found in books and journals.

Do avoid using generalizations: they only serve to destroy an argument.

Don't

Don't lose track of your train of thought.

Don't actively or negatively criticize the text or event in a subjective manner.

Don't make statements without the support of referenced data and quotations.

Don't use truisms, popular rhetoric, colloquial language, magazine-style prose, or commonplace examples. Keep the argument scholarly at all times.

Don't neglect to polish your writing and check the quality of your argument.

Don't introduce new material in the concluding paragraph.

Common Mistakes

Building a whole exposition based on a single opinion: yours. You need to introduce an alternate perspective, which is well-supported by reputable references.

Styling the essay in an emotive way: all language you use needs to be as calculated and unemotional as possible, with reasoning based on research.

Using commonplace language instead of a scholarly tone.

Changing your perspective during the development of your argument. Being swayed by one piece of research, and then showing a conflicting argument in a subsequent paragraph is demonstrating a lack of mental discipline.

Lack of planning.

Use of irrelevant or inaccurate vocabulary. The vocabulary of an expository essay needs to conform to the topic and discipline.

Too few or too many references. Students must take care not to overload an essay with too many facts and quotes from literature. Short essays of less than 2000 words rarely need the support of more than four sources. By the same token, long research works of over 5000 words need the backing of more than four sources.

Now that you have acquainted yourself with the basic expository essay writing tips and rules, you can check out our expository essay samples to link theory with practice.

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There are three main types of expository essays: scholarly writing used mainly for academic purposes, which describes or examines a process in a comprehensive way; analyzing a concept, which describes and explores a written work or an event; also, expository essays can set out and explain detailed instructions or a description of a method or procedure.

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High school level?

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An information report is a factual text, which means it provides information about something. An information report is used as a way to gain a better understanding about a living or non-living subject. An information report:

uses facts to explain something

gives details about a topic

does not contain personal views

is usually written, but can also be presented orally (spoken)

For your Big Talk homework this week and next week, research some facts and information for an animal of your choice. Write your findings in dot points, so then you can explain your ideas in your own words.

The Big Write will be Thursday 28th May. Please ensure you come prepared for this!

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Information Report for the next Big Write

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An information report is a factual text, which means it provides information about something. An information report is used as a way to gain a better understanding about a living or non-living subject.

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We usually start a new writing genre with a pre-test and then deconstructing a text from that genre. This unit, we did a finding out activity with the students prior to the deconstruction. It worked exceptionally well and when we began to deconstruct an information report, students were able to use the knowledge gained from this activity to help them deconstruct. This idea was given to me by my teaching and learning coach. Check out her blog here: http://samkenely.edublogs.org/

Students were placed in mixed ability groups and given a chart. There were five different information reports floating around the room that they had to analyse. Essentially, students were trying to find similarities between the texts to identify the features and structures of an information report.

I really enjoy these types of activities, where students are finding out the information, creating links and doing their own exploring to find the answers. Rather than giving students a list of the structure and features of an information reports, students work together to create their own list. During our share time at the end of the lesson, students were able to create this list.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We usually start a new writing genre with a pre-test and then deconstructing a text from that genre. This unit, we did a finding out activity with the students prior to the deconstruction. It worked exceptionally well and when we began to deconstruct an information report, students were able to use the knowledge gained from this activity to help them deconstruct.

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Gilbert's potoroo, one of the world's most endangered mammals. Photo - DBCA

The Wildlife Conservation Act provides for species or subspecies of native animals (fauna) to be specially protected and listed as ' threatened' in Western Australia because they are:

under identifiable threat of extinction

rare

otherwise in need of special protection.

Threatened and priority fauna list

Threatened fauna listings are reviewed annually. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee reviews recommended changes. The public can submit nominations to add to (or delete from) the Specially Protected Fauna list.

Changes to the Priority Fauna List do not require a nomination form. Suggested changes can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Data for threatened and priority fauna can be requested from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. More information on data searches is available on the Threatened Species and Communities page.

Fauna may also be listed as threatened under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, the Australian Government's central piece of environmental legislation.

Animal sightings and report forms

Have you seen a threatened animal?

Report sightings of threatened and priority fauna, other specially protected animals, and migratory birds protected under international agreement by sending us an email or completing a report form.

The report form may also be used to record unusual observations of common animals, such as where an animal is found outside of its usual range.
If you are unsure if you have correctly identified an animal, take a photograph, not a specimen. Licences are required for the taking of native wildlife in Western Australia.
Submitting a fauna (animal) report form

The report form can be downloaded and then completed electronically or printed.

To submit the report form, email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Fauna sighting records can be viewed through NatureMap.

Recovery plans and interim recovery plans for Western Australian animals

Recovery plans outline the actions that we need to take to help threatened species or ecological communities survive and 'recover' to a healthy level.

Interim recovery plans are preliminary versions of recovery plans that are prepared where full information is not available.

Recovery plans and interim recovery plans are prepared for threatened species and ecological communities on a priority basis, commencing with those ranked for conservation action by the Minister for Environment as 'Critically Endangered'.

They are developed with a range of stakeholders, and are generally current for a term of 10 years, but remain in operation until revised. They are modified when changes in knowledge occur. They provide an assessment of the current status, and detailed information and guidance for the management and protection, of threatened fauna and their habitats.

Interim recovery plans are used to manage and protect threatened or harvested species, threatened ecological communities or other species in need of management where a plan is required urgently but where there are insufficient data available to prepare a full recovery plan.

Recovery plans prepared by the department may be adopted by the Australian Government, and are then referred to as national recovery plans.

The department also runs conservation programs to help threatened animals, including Western Shield, one of the biggest wildlife conservation programs ever undertaken in Australia.

Further information on recovery plans

Species name

Plan title

Year

Abrolhos painted button-quail (Turnix varius scintillans)

2018

Albatrosses
Giant petrels
National recovery plan for threatened albatrosses and giant petrels 2011-2016
2011

Antarctic tern [Indian Ocean] ( Sterna vittata vittata)
Australian lesser noddy ( Anous tenuirostris melanops)
Blue petrel ( Halobaena caerulea)
Fairy prion [southern] ( Pachyptila tutur subantarctica)
Herald petrel ( Pterodroma heraldica)
Soft-plumaged petrel ( Pterodroma mollis)
National recovery plan for ten species of seabirds
2005

Antina, Central rock rat ( Zyzomys pedunculatus)
Antina interim recovery plan873.92 KB
1996-98

Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus)

2018

Black-footed rock wallaby ( Petrogale lateralis)
Short-eared rock wallaby ( Petrogale brachyotis)
Monjon ( Petrogale burbidgei)
Nabarlek ( Petrogale concinna)
Rothschild rock wallaby ( Petrogale rothschildi)
Recovery plan for five species of rock wallabies: black-footed rock wallaby, short-eared rock wallaby, monjon, nabarlek and rothschild rock wallaby
2012

Blue, fin and sei whale recovery plan 2005-2010
2005

Camaenid land snails of the East Kimberley (includes 24 species and 2 sub species)

2005-10

Cape Range Remipede ( Kumonga exleyi (formerly Lasionectes exleyi))

Cape Range remipede community (Bundera Sinkhole) and Cape Range remipede interim recovery plan

2000-03

Carnaby's cockatoo ( Calyptorhynchus latirostris)
Carnaby's cockatoo recovery plan
2012

Camerons Cave Millipede ( Stygiochiropus peculiaris)
Camerons Cave Pseudoscorpion ( Indohya damocles (formerly Hyella sp.))

Camerons Cave troglobitic community, Camerons Cave millipede and Camerons Cave pseudoscorpion interim recovery plan

2012-17

National multi-species recovery plan for the partridge pigeon, crested shrike-tit and masked owl
2004

Djoongari or Shark Bay mouse ( Pseudomys fieldi)
Djoongari (Shark Bay Mouse) recovery plan 1992-2001 (3rd edition) 321 KB
2000

Dunsborough burrowing crayfish, Margaret River burrowing crayfish and Walpole burrowing crayfish recovery plan2.82 MB
2008

Flatback turtle ( Natator depressus)
Green turtle ( Chelonia mydas)
Hawksbill turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata)
Leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea)
Loggerhead turtle ( Caretta caretta)
Olive Ridley turtle ( Lepidochelys olivacea)
Recovery plan for marine turtles in Australia
2017

Gilbert's potoroo ( Potorous gilbertii)

2016

Great desert skink ( Liopholis kintorei (formerly Egernia kintorei))
Recovery plan for the great desert skink 2001-2011
2001

Minnivale trapdoor spider ( Teyl species "C")

1998-2000

Night parrot ( Pezoporus occidentalis)
Night parrot interim recovery plan for Western Australia 313.67 KB
1996-98

Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus)
Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) recovery plan
2017

Plains rat, Palyoora (Pseudomys australis)
National recovery plan for the plains mouse
2012

Thick-billed grasswren (western subspecies) ( Amytornis textilis textilis)
Thick-billed grasswren (western subspecies) interim recovery plan 410.9 KB
2003-08

Western barred bandicoot, burrowing bettong and banded hare-wallaby recovery plan
2012

Western ground parrot ( Pezoporus wallicus flaviventris)
Western bristlebird ( Dasyornis longirostris)
Noisy scrub-bird ( Atrichornis clamosus)
Western whipbird (western heath) ( Psophodes nigrogularis nigrogularis)
Western whipbird (western mallee) ( Psophodes nigrogularis oberon)
Rufous bristlebird (western) ( Dasyornis broadbenti litoralis)
South Coast Threatened Birds recovery plan
2014

Western ringtail possum ( Pseudocheirus occidentalis)
Western ringtail possum recovery plan
2017

Western spiny-tailed skink (Egernia stokesii)
Western spiny-tailed skink recovery plan
2012

2014

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The Wildlife Conservation Act provides for species or subspecies of native animals (fauna) to be specially protected and listed as ' threatened' in Western Australia because they are: under identifiable threat of extinction rare otherwise in need of special protection. Threatened fauna listings are reviewed annually. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee reviews recommended changes.