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Year 5 - English

Understanding the context of 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover'

'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover': reading

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore the narrative non-fiction text, 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover'. They explore the context of Mars and the rover mission and answer a range of comprehension questions. Finally, pupils identify and engage with the key themes in the text.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand the context of 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover'.

Key Notes

  • The Mars rover marked a significant development in space exploration.
  • 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover' is a narrative non-fiction book.
  • The text is told from the perspective of NASA's Mars rover, 'Curiosity'.
  • Exploring the context of Mars and the rover mission helps us understand the text better.
  • The rover set out to study Martian climate, geology and potential for life.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • non-fiction: a genre of text which presents real events, information, or knowledge
  • context: the surrounding details that help you understand what you're reading
  • NASA: stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; it oversees the Mars rover missions, advancing space exploration and scientific research
  • Mars: the fourth planet from the Sun in our solar system, often referred to as the 'Red Planet' due to its appearance
  • afterword: a concluding section providing additional insights or reflections after the main content

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Pupils may not recognise non-fiction texts in picturebook form.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The Mars rover marked a significant development in space exploration. 'Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover' is a narrative non-fiction book.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'non-fiction'

a genre of text which presents real events, information, or knowledge.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Pupils may not recognise non-fiction texts in picturebook form. Correction: Non-fiction can take many different forms. If possible, have a range of non-fiction texts accessible in the book area or school library for children to explore and compare.

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