Evidence (2) of Meeting Focus Area 3.

2 – Overview and lesson sequence for

persuasive writing in Stage 3 created for the subject EML306 English Curriculum –
Primary

Unit Overview Duration

In this unit, students will write their own persuasive letter about 3 weeks
water conservation in Australia. By learning about water (15
conservation, students will also gain the understanding and abilities lessons)
needed to behave ethically and create texts that enlighten and
encourage others to take action for sustainable futures (ACARA,
2021). Students will read "One Well, The Story of Water on Earth" by
Rochelle Strauss and Rosemary Woods and discuss the many
viewpoints on the water cycle and water usage by all living things.

Students  will watch “What we can all do to help save water in

Australia” (Finish Australia, 2019) and compare this to the strategies
explored in the following website: Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation,
identifying different strategies and perspectives on water
conservation. Students will then contribute critically (ACARA, 2021)
by articulating their own perspective on water conservation in
Australia, and then creatively to 'determining more sustainable ways
of living' (ACARA, 2021, para. 2) by creating their own persuasive
letter that explores the impact of various water conservation
strategies. They will read the text "Geography - Persuasive Letter" to
learn how to use fascinating views and various persuasive writing
strategies to accomplish their goals.
 
 
Scope and Sequence  Catering for learner diversity

During building knowledge of the *Catering for learning diversity are

field students will be introduced to
the topic. A brainstorming activity
will allow students to consider their
personal uses of water. A visitor
from the local council will come in
to discuss and answer any
questions regarding the local
town’s strategies for conserving
water.
During supported reading students
will be engaged with a variety of
texts including a book, a video, and
a website. Over these lessons
students will be engaged with new
additionally highlighted in the lesson
overviews 
Throughout the lessons content and
activities are delivered in multiple modes to
cater to all learning styles. The main mode of
learning is discussion which helps with
student understanding and developing
student ideas (Tomlinson, 2014, p. 148).
Along with this there are visual and auditory
assisters throughout each activity. For
instance, when going through the persuasive
letter as a class it is displayed on the board,
with the teacher reading aloud, whilst
students have a hard copy in front of them.
vocabulary and be presented with There are numerous times throughout the
new strategies to consider unit when checklists and visual cues are
conserving water at a personal and available to the students to support those
global level. struggling to understand the task. Having
these multiple modes of learning available
During modelling and for students caters to all learning needs and
deconstruction students will be student abilities. 
introduced to a persuasive letter
text that they will be required to There are also many contract-like strategies
create at the end of this unit. As a that are used where students take
class the text will be read and responsibility for their own learning
deconstructed to highlight the (Tomlinson, 2014, p. 139). The students
structural and language features of always had the option of using laptops to
this genre. complete their letter is thet were unable to
write. Withinin this there is the option of voice
During joint construction the typing for students who struggle immensely
teacher will lead the construction of with spelling or writing; this helps them keep
a persuasive letter with the class. pace with the rest of the class and avoids
With a focus on the features student frustration when they are falling
highlighted in the previous stage, behind. Students are also given the option
the letter will be collaboratively during brainstorming activities to write,
planned and drafted. Once verbalise or draw their ideas. 
completed, the letter will be
compared to an editing checklist to The unit also offers a mix between teacher
ensure all elements of a persuasive supported, individual and group work; this
letter are covered. creates community learning experiences that
help attend to all student needs (Tomlinson,
During independent use of genre 2014, p. 130). Explicit teaching is utilised
students will begin by choosing within the unit during the
who to address their letter to and modelling/deconstruction and joint
aspects of water conservation they construction stages. The learning mode of
want to focus on. They will plan whole group discussions brings in student
and draft their letter. Students will input and ideas which is evident during the
swap with a partner to have their knowledge of the field and supported reading
work edited, referring to the stages. The individual and partner work such
checklist previously introduced. as the editing checklist activities, then allow
Students will publish their students to further refine and demonstrate
completed text and present it to the their individual knowledge.
class.

Outcomes Assessment overview

EN3-2A:  composes, Diagnostic 

edits and presents Brainstorming activity: Allows students to share what they
well-structured and know already about the topic. Demonstrates their use of
coherent texts vocabulary around this topic. 

EN3-3A: Uses an Class Discussion: Students' contribution to the discussion

integrated range of regarding water use at personal, local and national level.
skills, strategies and Their use of vocabulary and demonstration of
knowledge to read, understanding. 
view and
comprehend a wide Formative 
range of texts in
different media and Joint construction of text: students' contribution to the
technologies.  construction of the persuasive letter. Their understanding
of language and structural features of this text type. 
EN3-5B: discusses
how language is used Peer editing: Students being able to recognise what is
to achieve a widening expected of this text type and making changes to ensure it
range of purposes for suits the criteria. 
a widening range of
audiences and Summative
contexts
Students completed persuasive letters. An aspect of water
conservation is clearly presented and addressed to an
individual or group. Their application of elements of a
persuasive letter. 

Syllabus Teaching, learning and assessment

content

  Lesson 1 (Building knowledge of the field)

 Students will be introduced to the topic ‘Conservation of Water’.
As a class, using visuals or words brainstorm their use of water
daily and actions they do to help limit or conserve water.
Students will be encouraged to consider this not only at a
personal level, but local and global contexts. Teacher will lead a
discussion about how these actions could be changed or
improved. 

Lesson 2 (Building knowledge of the field)

A local council member will visit the class and disucss the towns
attempts to conserve water. They will look at videos, photos and
statistics surrounding the towns conservation strategies and
discuss what and why certain processes are in place within the
local area and how these steps help conserve water. 

Lesson 3 (Support reading)

 Pre read - Individually, students will create a personal
water use chart on how each student uses water (i.e. we
 drink water, we shower in water, we feed our plants with
water - tally this in the chart). Using the provided chart as
a template (excluding the columns about gallons).
 During read - Teacher will read aloud to the class ‘One
Well, The story of water on Earth’. Teacher will stop and
re-read any parts of the text with unfamiliar words, adding
them to the class word wall.
 After read - In pairs, students will come up with 3
strategies on how they can personally preserve water use
based on their individual charts of water usage.

Students Lesson 4 (Supported reading)

navigate and  Pre read: In pairs, students predict what the video will be
read texts for about on a Post It Note. Drawing on knowledge from
specific previous lessons. As a class, share each idea and stick
purposes these on the whiteboard.
applying  During reading: Stop the video throughout to allow time for
appropriate students to write down any interesting findings or
text processing unfamiliar words on a Post It Note.
strategies, for  After reading:  Students share what they wrote. Adding to
example the collection from pre reading. Discuss the unfamiliar
predicting and words found, rewatch these sections of the video to
confirming, ensure student understanding.
monitoring
meaning,
skimming and
scanning (EN3-
3A)

EN3-3A: Uses Lesson 5 (Supported reading) 

an integrated
range of skills, The teacher will gather the class together and briefly summaries
strategies and the two texts the class has focused on so far. After doing so, the
knowledge to class will split into pairs, and access the website link provided 
read, view and (hardcopies also available). The students will read through all the
comprehend a information on the website and use the website as a guide to
wide range of create an A4 poster centred around the title ‘Clean Water and
texts in Sanitation’. The class will come back together to discuss and
different media present the main ideas or features of their poster to the group. 
and
technologies.

Students Lesson 6 (Modelling/ deconstruction)

identify and The teacher will introduce the topic of writing a persuasive letter
explain by reading through the focus text with the class. Students will
characteristic then be Introduced to the vocabulary that will be referred to and
text structures add these to the word wall. These terms will include sequencing
and language words, modality and paragraphing. 
features used
in imaginative,
informative and
persuasive
texts to meet
the purpose of
the text (EN3-
5B). 

Students Lesson 7 (Modelling/ deconstruction) 

identify Teacher will reread the text twice. Students can have a hard
characteristic copy of the text if they prefer. Referring to the elements of a
text structures persuasive text introduced last lesson, deconstruct the text and
and language highlight these features. In small groupings, students are to list
features used other phrases they could use in their own text. 
in persuasive
texts to meet
the purpose of
the text (EN3-
5B). 

Lesson 8 (Joint construction)

In a class discussion, students will pick a topic as a class - that is
not water conservation, but a topic they already know (i.e.
School). Teachers and students will brainstorm ideas as a class
and write these down on a big piece of butcher's paper, which is
to be displayed in the classroom for everyone to refer back to
later. Once the class has agreed upon a topic, they will now
begin considering the main ideas that will be argued within their
persuasive letter. These ideas will too be added to the butcher's
paper for everyone to see.

Lesson 9 (Joint construction)

As a class, review and summaries the arguments made by the

class in the previous lesson. The teacher will lead a guided
lesson in writing a persuasive letter with an emphasis on using
open ended questioning to prompt student engagement and
participation. 

Students Lesson 10 (Joint construction)

reread and edit A persuasive letter marking checklist will be created with the
students' own students, this checklist will be displayed on the front wall of the
and others' classroom for students to refer back to. The joint letter will be
work using edited and refined to completion. They will then go through their
agreed criteria joint piece of writing and check off any correct steps they have
and explaining done from the marking checklist and add in any steps they have
editing choices
(EN3-2A). missed. 

EN3-2A:  Lesson 11 (Independent use of genre)

composes, This lesson will introduce the topic for their own persuasive letter.
edits and The teacher will lead a discussion and brainstorm ideas on water
presents well- conservation drawing on texts used in previous lessons to create
structured and a mindmap as a class. The students will work together to decide
coherent texts on a central argument or topic for their persuasive letters,
students will then work individually to decide on who they want to
address their letters to. 

Lesson 12 (Independent use of genre)

Students will revisit their ideas and arguments they wish to
discuss in their letters and share with the class who they have
picked to address their letter to. Students will be invited to use
the class checklist used in previous lessons which is now
displayed on the walls as a reminder of the steps they need to
take while writing their persuasive letter. Students will then begin
writing out a plan for their letters. The plan will include; the
central argument, who the letter is being addressed to, students
ideas on water conservation and where they will fit into their
letter. 

Lesson 13 (Independent use of genre)

Students will use their individual plans to continue writing their
persuasive letters. Students will format their writing into a
persuasive letter in their workbooks. Students will be reminded to
refer back to the class checklist displayed in the front of the room
while they continue to and finish off their persuasive writing. 

Students Lesson 14 (Independent use of genre)

reread and edit Students will receive a hard copy of the editing checklist they
students' own used as a class in a previous lesson. They will swap their work
and others' with a partner and they are to mark their partners work using the
work using checklist making notes when something needs changing. They
agreed criteria will then use their partners comments to refine and edit their own
and explaining work. 
editing choices
(EN3-2A).

Students Lesson 15 (Independent use of genre)

compose texts Students will write their final letter on their laptops or by hand.
that include They will print their letter out and publish it on a coloured piece of
sustained and cardboard. At the end of the lesson, students will have the
effective use of opportunity to present and read their letters to the class. 
persuasive
devices (EN3-
2A).