Stage 4 Year 7 ­ Persuasion Program

Rationale Possible Text Selection

The purpose of this unit of work is to compel the students to become involved in the local,                                 national and global debate about environmental sustainability. The students will engage                   with non­fiction texts that seek to persuade responders to become advocates and active                       citizens for sustainability. Through the study and implementation of persuasive devices                   students will become competent in using these to become participants in the                     sustainability conversation. Students will also create textual representations, which seek                 to convince the local, national and global citizens to make active choices in sustaining life                           on this beautiful planet, Earth.

Documentaries ­ Whale Wars, The End of the line: imagine a world without fishNon­fiction text ­ World Without FishDavid Attenborough Planet Earth DocumentariesNational Geographic magazines and websiteEnvironmental Posters and propaganda by Greenpeace, Clean up Australia, RSPCA,                 Friends of Australia.Girls Gone Green (non­fiction text)

OutcomesEN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding, interpretation,critical analysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

● recognise, reflect on, interpret and explain the connections between their own experiences and the world in texts● consider and analyse the ways their own experience affects their responses to texts● explore and appreciate the aesthetic qualities in their own and other texts and the power of language to communicate information, ideas, feelings and viewpoints● experiment with language forms and features to compose texts for pleasure and enjoyment

● apply increasing knowledge of vocabulary, text structures and language features to understand the content of texts(ACELY1733) ● recognise that vocabulary choices contribute to the specificity, abstraction and style of texts (ACELA1547)● analyse how the text structures and language features of persuasive texts, including media texts, vary according to the medium and mode of communication

(ACELA1543) ● understand and explain how the text structures and language features of texts become more complex in informative and persuasive texts and identify underlying

structures such as taxonomies, cause and effect, and extended metaphors (ACELA1531) ● use increasingly sophisticated verbal, aural, visual and/or written techniques, eg imagery, figures of speech, selective choice of vocabulary, rhythm, sound effects,

colour and design, to compose imaginative texts for pleasure● recognise when information is presented objectively and subjectively by examining the language of opinion, including modality, bias, personal pronouns and other

semantic cues ● respond to and compose imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different audiences, purposes and contexts for understanding, interpretation, critical

analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure● identify and discuss main ideas, concepts and points of view in spoken texts to evaluate qualities, for example the strength of an argument or the lyrical power of

a poetic rendition (ACELY1719) 

EN4­ 2A Effectively uses awidening range of processes,skills, strategies, and knowledgefor responding to and composingtexts in different media andtechnologies.

● recognise and practise responsible and ethical digital communication 

● consider and apply a range of strategies to improve their texts, including editing by rereading and peer editing, checking accuracy of paragraphing, grammar,

spelling and punctuation, and considering relevance for purpose, audience and context

● edit for meaning by removing repetition, refining ideas, reordering sentences and adding or substituting words for impact (ACELY1726) 

● understand and use the terminology associated with responding to and composing digital texts 

● use a range of software, including word processing programs, to create, edit and publish texts imaginatively(ACELY1728, ACELY1738) 

● use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in

the text for the author's point of view (ACELY1723, ACELY1734) 

● use a widening range of processes of composing and publishing sustained texts, including planning, drafting, rehearsing and editing 

● use a range of effective strategies for organising information, ideas and arguments, eg clustering, listing, compare and contrast, semantic chains, graphic and

diagram outlines, and mind maps

● consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods(ACELY1727)

EN4­ 3B Uses and describeslanguage forms, features andstructures of texts appropriate toa range of purposes, audiencesand contexts.

● engage with the language and structures of texts in meaningful, contextualised and authentic ways

● identify, discuss and reflect on the ideas and information in a range of texts

● describe and analyse the purpose, audience and context of texts

● recognise and use appropriate metalanguage in discussing a range of language forms, features and structures

● analyse and examine how effective authors control and use a variety of clause structures, including clauses embedded within the structure of a noun group/phrase

or clause (ACELA1534, ACELA1545) 

● understand the effect of nominalisation in the writing of informative and persuasive texts (ACELA1546) 

● understand how rhetorical devices are used to persuade and how different layers of meaning are developed through the use of metaphor, irony and parody

(ACELA1542) 

● understand how modality is achieved through discriminating choices in modal verbs, adverbs, adjectives and nouns(ACELA1536)

● understand how coherence is created in complex texts through devices like lexical cohesion, ellipsis, grammatical theme and text connectives (ACELA1809)

EN4­4B Makes effective languagechoices to creatively shapemeaning with accuracy, clarityand coherence.

● recognise and appreciate the ways a wide range of texts communicate by using effective language choices

● explore and analyse the ways purpose, audience and context affect a composer's choices of content, language forms and features and structures of texts to

creatively shape meaning 

● analyse how point of view is generated in visual texts by means of choices, for example gaze, angle and social distance (ACELA1764) 

● create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and

including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736) 

● plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to

convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)

● plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content, including multimodal elements, to reflect a diversity of viewpoints

(ACELY1720, ACELY1731) 

Key Concept Essential Question

Persuasion Why should we advocate for the environment?How can we promote advocacy for environmental sustainability?

Assessment for learning Assessment of learning Assessment as learning

Promotional Campaign (informal task):Students to select an environmental issue they feelpassionate about (could be linked to an issue experiencedin our school) and they are to design a short videoadvocating and persuading responders on this issue.They can also design a poster to match this videocampaign.

Formal Assessment Task:In­class assessment. Students write a persuasive letter           based on a contextual issue (environmental issue relevant             to their local context??) (could be a local issue).Students are to address this letter to a political party /                   government body persuading them to change / redesign a               policy in order (to improve this issue).

Persuasive Impromptu SpeechSee details below

Pre­Assessment: Post­Assessment: Learning Intentions:

Aim of pre assessment is to determine student             understandings of poetic devices, environmental issues         and active citizenship. Pre assessment could also allow             for insight into level of student empathy about their world                 and role in changing it for the future. Options for pre                   assessment as followsUse of the PRES technique: Students to work in groups offour to create a persuasive impromptu speech.Big Brother diary cam tasks

Editing and rewriting of the in­class persuasive letter. This               letter can then be finalised and sent to the political party if                     based on a real life contextual issue.Self and Individual review in the editing process.

Students determine Learning Intentions for the unitbased on pre tests.

Language Associated with the Unit

Technical Language: Essential Language Features: Language of strengthen

PunRepetitionImageryRhetorical QuestionsComparisonsAlliterationAnecdotesPositively or negatively loaded languageModalityInclusive wordsList of threeStrong verbsMetaphorEmotive wordsImperativesExaggeration

Persuasion/Exposition/Inclusivitynowwe shouldmustcertainsimilardifferentargueadvancechallengedistinguishdominateexemplifyconfirmshighlightignorecontrol

supportsustainneglectviolatemost certainlydefinitelynecessityprobableabsoluteessentialreinforcesparallelsmirrorsobjectivitysubjectivity

General Capabilities Cross­Curriculum Priorities Sense of the Sacred

Information and communication technology capability 

Personal and social capability 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and

cultures 

Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia 

Sustainability 

Other learning across the curriculum areas ­Civics and citizenship 

Difference and diversity 

SS1 ­ Past present and FutureSS2 ­ The Sacramentality of all CreationSS3 ­ Cultural TransformationSS4 ­ Dignity of the Human PersonSS5 ­ Reconciliation and Hope

Modes of Study Areas of Assessment Registration

● Spoken texts● Print texts● Visual texts● Media, multimedia and digital texts

Reading, listening, viewingWriting, speaking, representingCommunicating and contextAnalysing languageInterpretive, imaginative and critical thinkingExpressing views

7.1 ­7.2 ­7.3 ­ KKH7.4 ­7.5 ­EAG7.6 ­7.7­ JMC / AKI REGO7.8 ­

Outcomes T&L

Teaching and Learning Activities Assessment for, of and asLearning

Resources

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­ 2A Effectively uses awidening range ofprocesses, skills,strategies, and knowledgefor responding to andcomposing texts indifferent media andtechnologies.

EN4­ 3B Uses anddescribes language forms,features and structures oftexts appropriate to arange of purposes,audiences and contexts.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Pre­AssessmentAim of pre assessment is to determine student understandings of poeticdevices and language of persuasion, environmental issues and activecitizenship. Pre assessment could also allow for insight into level of studentempathy about their world and role in changing it for the future. Options for preassessment as follows:

1. Focus: PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE. 4Students are to be introduced to the PRES Persuasive Impromptu Speechstructure.Students to work in groups of four to create a persuasive impromptu speech.P ­ Point ­ I think/ believe / feelR ­ Reason ­This is because...E ­ Example ­ Why just the other day...S ­ Summary ­ So that’s why I said...

2. Focus: USING PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE.Big Brother Diary Cam (record verbal responses to questions/stimulus to expresstheir understandings)a) Using as many persuasive language devices students know/and arecomfortable with, they are to discuss an environmental issue they are passionateabout and convince Big Brother to support their cause and solutions for change..

3. Focus: PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE DEVICESA word wall is to be constructed using the Technical and Essential Language                       lists. Students can work in teams to define each word and use it effectively in                           a sentence.Teacher can introduce each of the persuasive techniques every lesson (a few                     each time) and give students practice in using these techniques in oral and                       written compositions. Context (purpose and audience) must be detailed so                 that students know how to address their content.Processes/Product for using the poetic devices include Rapid Think Write,                 Video diary cam, Role play.

4. Focus: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND NARRATIVE WRITING           Empathy/Persuasive Writing tasks(Stimulus topics to be issued (linked to NAPLAN topics):

Teacher determines studentsknowledge of the language ofpersuasion/techniques based on Pretest.

Assessment As Learning (pretesting and learning intentions)

Assessment For learningActivities to be conducted in flexiblegrouping (groups designed viastudent performance in pretesting,mentor/buddy or randomorganisation to promotecollaboration skills (building studentability to work with their peers incomposing a promotional campaigndesigned to encourage advocacy).

PRES ImpromptuSpeech instructionsand prompts(student worksheet)

NAPLAN Stimulussheets

Possible stimulus topics for narratives or persuasive pieces could include:* Why everyone should recycle...* Why should we care about the environment...* An environmental adventure / discovery...* The day I found an extinct baby animal...This is to be done regularly throughout the unit to prepare students for                       the NAPLAN tests.

Assessment of and as learningdepending on the time throughoutthe unit. Student skills based onquality of writing tasks.Intermittently teacher should collectstudent writing samples forfeedback to the students but alsoto validate and guide their teachingand learning strategies.

EN4­ 2A Effectively uses awidening range ofprocesses, skills,strategies, and knowledgefor responding to andcomposing texts indifferent media andtechnologies.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Introduction into Environmental Issues/Strategies that our world is             facing.

Class brainstorm about current issues and plans for action:

ISSUES­ Global warming­ Whaling­ Deforestation­ Overpopulation­ Pollution­ Overfishing­ Animal extinction­ Land use­ Waste

PLAN OF ACTION/STRATEGY­ Conservation of plants and animals in controlled/protected sites­ Using Sustainable energy sources­ Legislation­ Protests/Campaigns

Students to work in small groups to research an issue (define, impacts to the                         natural and physical environment, predictions for the future) and a suitable                   plan of action (local and world level) They are to present their information to                         the class in a multimedia or craft based composition (picture                 book/storyboard) OR use a graphic organiser to collate information (fishbone,                 lotus map)

Provide students with an information sheet (National Geographic, Green               

Student engagement in discussionQuality of student responses.

Student computers,internet

Peace excerpt from website). Each student reads the information sheet and                   writes THREE questions (Literal, Inferential and Applied) on coloured pieces                 of paper. Place questions in a box and ask students to select questions at                         random and answer these questions.

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­ 3B Uses anddescribes language forms,features and structures oftexts appropriate to arange of purposes,audiences and contexts.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Viewing of The End of the line: imagine a world without fish

Pre viewing activity: Prediction exercise. What would a world without fish be?                     How would an absence of fish impact the natural environment and humans?                     Complete using a problem solving/graphic organiser tool POOCH (Problem,               positive outcome, negative outcomes, choice, How did the choice impact?)

Teacher led deconstruction of the opening of the documentary. Teacher to                   focus on techniques employed by the composer. Focus on the language used                     by the composer.ObjectivitySubjectivityLanguage of opinionPoint of view (whose view is privileged or foregrounded?)Social distance (How close are we to this issue? How have choices been                       made to make us feel compelled to be active in this issue?)Gaze ­ whose eyes do we see this issue through? How does this change the                           meaning derived from the program? Does this gaze change throughout the                   documentary?

Quality of student contributions toclass activity (spokenand writtenlanguage focus)

Ability of students to select textualfeatures to guide the supportrequired from the teacher.

Insightfulness of student questionsand responses in discussion andanalysis of the text.

End of the Line:Imagine a worldwithout fish DVDcopy

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­ 2A Effectively uses awidening range ofprocesses, skills,strategies, and knowledgefor responding to andcomposing texts indifferent media andtechnologies.

EN4­ 3B Uses anddescribes language forms,features and structures of

Environmental Propaganda:Environmental Posters and propaganda by Greenpeace, Clean up Australia,               RSPCA, Friends of Australia. Students can do this in common interest                   groupings.

https://www.greenpeace.org.au/action/?cid=38&src=GP5 (online video ad     about Coca Cola’s impact on the environment)

Quality of student contributions tothe group research task.

Student engagement with thepropaganda materials.

Students’ ability to transform theirknowledge into a realistic andmeaningful context. Students’ skillin problem solving theenvironmental issues (in responses). Students making these relevantand realistic for our schoolcommunity.

InternetPrinted colouredcopies ofenvironmentalpropaganda(classroom displaycopies)

Poster makingmaterials

texts appropriate to arange of purposes,audiences and contexts

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence..

https://www.greenpeace.org.au/action/?cid=44&src=GP5

http://www.savethearctic.org/

Exploration of the RSPCA website:http://www.rspca.org.au/our­campaignsReviewing the campaigns that the RSPCA are involved in. Students to be                     provided with an authentic involvement with the issue. They are to find a                       campaign they feel passionate about and find a means by which they can                       contribute. They can view the site and any promotional material associated                   with it.

Complete a venn diagram based on TWO pieces of promotional material.                   Identify the similarities and differences in purpose and audience of                 Environmental Campaigning.

Students to design their own poster promoting their chosen campaign. They                   can print these out and put them around the class or even around the school                           to involve the wider school body.

EN4­1A Responds to and     composes texts for   understanding,interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure.

EN4­ 3B Uses and     describes language forms,   features and structures of     texts appropriate to a     range of purposes,   audiences and contexts.

Extract Study from a non­fiction text ­ World Without Fish.Students to read through the opening pages and chapter two. Joint                   deconstruction of the visual and language features used to promote advocacy                   and environmental sustainability. Students to read a comic strip within the                   text. They are then to design their own comic strip about the fishing issue and                           the impact of overfishing on the environment.

Quality of student comic strips(ability to be creative yetpersuasive).

World without fishcopies (or copiedextracts)

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­ 3B Uses anddescribes language forms,features and structures oftexts appropriate to arange of purposes,audiences and contexts.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Whale Wars:Students to view the first few episodes of this documentary.Class discussion on the use of music, onscreen text, narration and                   celebrities creates suspense and atmosphere.Discussion / student exploration into the creation of the hero and the villain.Students to find quotes from the documentary which enforce notions of the                     hero and the villain.

Whaling in Asia­ Research this issue. Discuss the world viewpoints about                   whaling and fishing practices in Asia. Locate a media article to support this                       inquiry/response.

Quality of class discussioncontributions.

Insightfulness of the quotessourced from the documentary.

Quality of student contributions asto textual features and languageforms.

Whale Wars DVD ­Season 1 (copy)

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

Newspaper articles ­ environmental issuesStudents to examine newspaper articles about environmental issues. The               following websites can be used to resource these activities. Comprehension                 activities similar to NAPLAN questions to be used with the articles used in                       class.http://www.abc.net.au/environment/?type=newshttp://news.nationalgeographic.com.au/news/archives/environment/http://www.news.com.au/features/environment

Quality of student comprehensionwork ­ ability to meet NAPLANrequirements.

InternetPrinted newspaperarticlesComprehensionquestionsworksheets

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­ 2A Effectively uses awidening range ofprocesses, skills,strategies, and knowledgefor responding to andcomposing texts indifferent media andtechnologies.

EN4­ 3B Uses and

Persuasive Letter WritingResearching a localised environmental issue ­ writing a letter to a political                     party in response to the issue.Students to be led by teacher about the letter writing text type. Students to                         research an environmental issue from their local community.Possible issues               can include:Cooper’s Paddock rezoning in Moorebankhttp://savecooperspaddock.com/traffic­implications­of­the­development/Issues raised by Liverpool councilhttp://www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/environment/pollutionPollution in Georges Riverhttp://www.georgesriver.org.au/Estuary­Management­Plan.htmlhttp://www.georgesriver.org.au/local­government.htmlAir pollution in Liverpoolhttp://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/aqms/sites/liverpool.htm

Quality of student persuasiveletters.

Ability of students to problem solveand write persuasively.

Insightfulness of local environmentalissues discovered and researched.

Ability of students to collaboratebased on shared interests.

Letter writingscaffold

Persuasivelanguage word bank

Internet

describes language forms,features and structures oftexts appropriate to arange of purposes,audiences and contexts.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Other environmental issues:http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/environmentalissues.htmStudents are then to write a letter to a member of parliament raising their                         concern about the issue and suggesting some possible strategies about                 resolution.KLA Coordinator to be sought for permission to send any letters (including                     emails) about any environmental issue.

Environmentalists of the World. Conduct research a significant individual in                 the world who has made positive contributions to the promotion and                   implementation of ecologically sustainable practices for the environment.             Write a persuasive piece for the Times magazine as part of an edition titled                         ‘50 Most Influential People of the World’.

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­ 2A Effectively uses awidening range ofprocesses, skills,strategies, and knowledgefor responding to andcomposing texts indifferent media andtechnologies.

EN4­ 3B Uses anddescribes language forms,features and structures oftexts appropriate to arange of purposes,audiences and contexts.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Making a Promotional Campaign Video in groups on an environmental issueDesigning of the poster to match this video.

Assessment for learningQuality of student promotionalvideos.Ability of students to persuadethrough language and visualtechniques.

Cameras (bloggiesor laptops or ipads)

Editing software

Poster makingmaterials.

EN4­1A Responds to andcomposes texts forunderstanding,interpretation, criticalanalysis, imaginativeexpression and pleasure.

EN4­4B Makes effectivelanguage choices tocreatively shape meaningwith accuracy, clarity andcoherence.

Using Girls Gone Green ­ use comprehension strategies to interpret and                   evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of                       sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author's point of view

Strategies and processes by which readers bring meaning to and extract                   meaning from texts. Key comprehension strategies include:

● activating and using prior knowledge● identifying literal information explicitly stated in the text● making inferences based on information in the text and their own prior

knowledge● predicting likely future events in a text● visualising by creating mental images of elements in a text● summarising and organising information from a text● integrating ideas and information in texts● critically reflecting on content, structure, language and images used

to construct meaning in a text.

Assessment of learning ­ability of students to completeNAPLAN style comprehensionquestions.

Assessment of learning ­ability of students to completeNAPLAN style comprehensionquestions.

Girls Gone Green(copies of extracts)

Comprehensionworksheets