National Writing Day Activities: Year 4 Writing Activities

Hippo and barbel fish

Hippos are the third-largest land mammals on earth; only elephants and rhinoceroses are bigger. Although hippos are called land mammals (because they can walk on land) they actually spend their days in lakes and rivers. In fact the word ‘hippopotamus’ comes from the ancient Greek for ‘river horse’. Despite this name, hippos are more closely-related to whales and dolphins than they are to horses.

In this clip, we see how barbel fish help hippos by cleaning their skin, removing scraps of food from the hippos’ teeth and even eating their poo!

Writing Idea

✍️ Write a persuasive advert to persuade hippos to come for a day at the Barbel Fish Spa.

What treatments are on offer and how do they help a hippo?

Top Tip!

Try to use rhetorical questions.

Example:

‘Do you want to feel amazing?’ or ‘Are you tired of having to clean your own teeth?’

Take it Further!

✍️ Write a haiku poem that captures the imagery of a barbel fish cleaning the skin of a hippo.

Example:

Hippo skin glistens,
Tiny fish nip and nibble,
Nature’s cleaning crew