Y07W07WR What Is Bioluminescence?

Part 1

How to Write

Informative – Informative explanation

An informative explanation breaks down a concept, process or phenomenon so that a reader can understand it clearly for the first time. It is written for someone with no prior knowledge of the topic. The tone should be confident and clear, building understanding step by step without assuming familiarity.

  • Ideas & content: Select the most important information needed to understand the concept. Focus on how things work or why they happen — explanation is about understanding, not just description.
  • Structure & cohesion: Move from the general to the specific — introduce the concept, then explain how or why it works, then give an example. Use linking words to show cause and effect.
  • Voice & audience: Write as a knowledgeable guide. Avoid unexplained technical jargon. The reader should feel helped, not confused.
  • Language choices: Define key terms as you introduce them. Use the present tense and active sentences. Vary length — shorter sentences help when the idea is complex.
  • Conventions: Spell technical vocabulary accurately. Use commas and semicolons to manage complex information clearly.

Common pitfalls: Describing what something is without explaining how or why it works — tell the reader what is happening, not just what can be observed. Including too many facts without connecting them into a clear explanation.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write a two- to three-paragraph explanation of bioluminescence for a Year 7 science class newsletter. Your explanation should make the concept clear to someone who has never heard of it. Select the most useful information from the facts below, organise it logically and write it in your own words.

Stimulus: The following facts about bioluminescence have been collected from science sources. They are not presented in any logical sequence.

- Bioluminescence is produced through a chemical reaction involving luciferin and luciferase
- More than 76 percent of deep-sea creatures are estimated to be bioluminescent
- Fireflies use light to attract mates — each species has a distinct flashing pattern
- The deep sea receives no sunlight below around 200 metres
- The anglerfish uses a glowing lure to attract prey in the darkness
- Bioluminescence is almost entirely absent in freshwater animals but common in marine species
- Some species of squid can control the pattern and intensity of their bioluminescence
- Certain jellyfish use light flashes as a warning signal to deter predators
- The chemical reaction releases almost no heat — sometimes called ‘cold light’
- Some bioluminescent plankton cause ocean waves to glow blue at night when disturbed
- Scientists have used bioluminescent genes from jellyfish as markers in medical research
- Bioluminescence has evolved independently in at least 40 separate groups of organisms

Task Analysis: This task asks you to take a list of unorganised facts and turn them into a clear, logical explanation for a Year 7 audience. You need to define the concept, explain how it works and show why it matters — all in your own words. A strong response will not include every fact, but will choose the ones that best build understanding and sequence them logically.

Quick Plan

Plan your two or three paragraphs:

  • Paragraph 1: What bioluminescence is and how it is produced
  • Paragraph 2: How different organisms use it (choose 2-3 examples from the stimulus)
  • Paragraph 3 (optional): Why it matters or what makes it remarkable
  • Decide which facts to use and which to leave out.

Define the key concept

Open your explanation by defining bioluminescence clearly in your own words. Your reader has never heard of it — make sure they know exactly what it is before you add any detail.

Background / context

After defining the concept, give your reader just enough context to understand why it is significant — for example, the environment where it is most common and why light matters there.

Tone & voice

Write for a Year 7 science newsletter — engaged and curious, but clear and factual. Avoid jargon without explanation. Sound like someone who finds this topic genuinely interesting.