Cover lesson · Health and Well-being · Year 2 · Intermediate

Writing instructions for brushing teeth

LNF: Literacy → Writing → Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context

Cover teacher: you need no subject knowledge

What this practises: writing for a purpose and an audience: instructions that help a younger child brush their teeth. Pupils put steps in a logical order, learn the features of instructions (title, what you need, numbered steps, bossy verbs, ordering words), and use them in their own writing.

Print: the activity sheet (page 2 of this file), one per pupil. No computers are needed. The tooth brushing advice follows the NHS: brush at least twice a day for about 2 minutes, last thing at night and one other time, with a pea-sized blob of fluoride toothpaste; spit out and do not rinse.

Run: 5 min Step 1, why we brush · 8 min Step 2, act it out · 7 min Step 3, Task 1 · 7 min Step 4, Task 2 · 23 min Step 5, Task 3 · 5 min Step 6, Task 4 · 5 min Step 7, Task 5 read back and check. Total 60 minutes.

Collect: the activity sheets. Task 3 is the main writing to look at. Quick checks: Task 1 boxes read 4, 1, 5, 3, 2 from left to right; Task 2 bossy verbs wet, put, rub, rinse, dry and ordering words First, Next, Then, After that, Finally; Task 4 2, 2, bed.

Teacher script

Read the words after Say aloud.

  1. 5 min Why we brush. Say: “Brushing our teeth keeps them strong and stops them hurting. Dentists say we should brush twice a day, for about 2 minutes, and always at night before bed.” Ask: “When do you brush your teeth?”
  2. 8 min Act it out. Say: “Hold a pretend toothbrush. Put on a blob of toothpaste the size of a pea. Brush the outsides of your teeth, gently, in small circles. Now the insides. Now the tops. Keep going for 2 minutes. Spit it out. Don’t rinse with water, because the toothpaste keeps working on your teeth.”
  3. 7 min Task 1: put the pictures in order. Hand out the sheet. Say: “These pictures are mixed up. Write 1 under the first step, 2 under the next, all the way to 5.”
  4. 7 min Task 2: what makes good instructions? Read the hand washing instructions aloud. Say: “Instructions have a title, a list of what you need, and numbered steps. Each step starts with a bossy verb, a word that tells you what to do, like wet or rub. Circle the bossy verbs. Ordering words tell you when: First, Next, Then, After that, Finally. Underline them.”
  5. 23 min Task 3: write your instructions. Say: “Now write your own instructions to help a child in Reception brush their teeth. Use your pictures from Task 1 to get the order right. Each step starts with an ordering word, then a bossy verb.” Model step 1 aloud: “First, put a blob of toothpaste on your toothbrush.” Ask as you walk round: “Would a Reception child know what to do? What is your bossy verb?”
  6. 5 min Task 4: top tip. Say: “Fill in the top tip using what we learned at the start.”
  7. 5 min Task 5: read back and check. Say: “Read your instructions to your partner. Could they follow them? Tick each thing you did.”

Activity sheet · Health and Well-being · Year 2

Writing instructions for brushing teeth

Name: Class: Date:

1. Put the pictures in order

Write 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in each box.

2. What makes good instructions?

Read these instructions with your teacher. Circle the 5 bossy verbs. Underline the 5 ordering words.

How to wash your hands

You will need: soap, water, a towel

  1. First, wet your hands under the tap.
  2. Next, put some soap on your hands.
  3. Then, rub your hands together for 20 seconds.
  4. After that, rinse off the soap.
  5. Finally, dry your hands on a towel.

3. Write your instructions

Write instructions to help a child in Reception brush their teeth.

Word bank: toothbrush toothpaste teeth 2 minutes spit rinse outsides insides tops pea

How to

You will need:

1. First,

2. Next,

3. Then,

4. After that,

5. Finally,

4. Top tip

Brush your teeth times a day, for about minutes. Always brush at night before .

5. Check my writing

Read your instructions out loud. Tick each one you did.

My instructions have a title.
I wrote what you will need.
My steps are in the right order and numbered.
I used ordering words like First and Next.
I started each step with a bossy verb like put or brush.
I used capital letters and full stops.