Deconstruction

Exercise 1: Underline the verbs in past tense form and highlight the descriptive words/phrases or figurative
language.

THE FOURTH OF JULY

This summer, I spent the Fourth of July at Gibson Park with my family. My grandpa came to visit
and celebrate the holiday with us.

At the park, we needed to find a place to sit. There were more people there than grains of sand on
a beach. We walked endlessly through a maze of blankets, picnic baskets and smells of various Fourth of
July feasts. Finally, I spotted a patch of grass in the sea of people so my brother and I quickly claimed the
spot by spreading our own oversized blanket.

My stomach rumbled, which let me know that it was time to prepare something to eat. I helped my
grandpa make his world-famous cheeseburgers on our small grill. While cooking, grandpa told me funny
stories about when my dad was little. We laughed so hard that we both forgot about the cheeseburgers,
which ended up more burned than world-famous.

Once the fireworks started, my eyes focused on the sky. The bright colours lit the dark night like a
sunny afternoon. The patterns reminded me of sprinkles on top of birthday cakes. When I realized that the
fireworks were reflected on the lake, it was like I was seeing two fireworks shows, one above and one
below.

After the fireworks finale, it was time to go home. With the fireworks and spending time with my
grandpa, it had been a great Fourth of July.

1
Page
Deconstruction
Exercise 2: Fill in the graphic organiser with the correct sentences.

GRAPHIC ORGANISER
INTRODUCTION What? Where? With whom? When?
Orientation

This summer, I spent the Fourth of July at Gibson Park with my

family. My grandpa came to visit and celebrate the holiday with us.

1. What happened? Supporting details:

BODY
(Topic Sentence)
Sequence of events in
At the park, we
chronological order  There were more people there than
needed to find a
grains of sand on a beach.
place to sit.

 We walked endlessly through a maze

of blankets, picnic baskets and smells
of various Fourth of July feasts.

 Finally, I spotted a patch of grass in the

sea of people so my brother and I quickly
claimed the spot by spreading our own
oversized blanket.

2.What happened Supporting details:

next?
(Topic Sentence)
 I helped my grandpa make his
My stomach world-famous cheeseburgers on our
rumbled, which let small grill.
me know that it
was time to
prepare something
to eat.
 While cooking, grandpa told me
2

funny stories about when my dad was

Page
 little.

 We laughed so hard that we both

forgot about the cheeseburgers, which
ended up more burned than world-
famous.

3. What happened next? Supporting details:

(Topic Sentence)
*

CONCLUSION Feeling or solution

Reorientation

Language focus: Past tense, descriptive words/ phrases / figurative language

Joint Construction

Exercise 3: Can you write your notes in the graphic organiser? (CONCERT)

INTRODUCTION What? Where? With whom? When?

3

Orientation
Page
 1. What happened? Supporting details:
BODY
(Topic Sentence)
Sequence of events in
chronological order *

2.What happened Supporting details:

next?
(Topic Sentence)
*

3. What happened next? Supporting details:

(Topic Sentence)
*

*
4
Page
 *

CONCLUSION Feeling or solution

Reorientation

Language focus: Past tense, descriptive words/ phrases / figurative language

5
Page
Individual Construction
Exercise 4: You and your friend had gone to see your favourite band in a concert. Write a
recount about the concert using the notes below
as a guide.
_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________