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Icon for 2019 Live Wires: Persuasive and Information Texts

2019 Live Wires: Persuasive and Information Texts

Years 5-6 Writing Camp

Learning Module

Abstract

Students in years 5 and 6 learn about persuasive writing and how to use persuasive devices to strengthen their arguments. They use a rubric to write with and then participate in peer review and the publication process.

Keywords

Opinion, Argument, Persuasive Techniques, Peer Review

Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards Productive Modes (speaking, writing and creating)

YEAR 5

Students use language features to show how ideas can be extended. They develop and explain a point of view about a text, selecting information, ideas and images from a range of resources.

Students create persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences. They make presentations which include multimodal elements for defined purposes. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, taking into account other perspectives. When writing, they demonstrate understanding of grammar using a variety of sentence types. They select specific vocabulary and use accurate spelling and punctuation. They edit their work for cohesive structure and meaning.

YEAR 6

Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis. They show how specific details can be used to support a point of view. They explain how their choices of language features and images are used.

Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect. They demonstrate an understanding of grammar, and make considered vocabulary choices to enhance cohesion and structure in their writing. They use accurate spelling and punctuation for clarity and make and explain editorial choices based on criteria.

English Textual Concepts STAGE 2 : Years 5-6

ARGUMENT

Students understand that an argument takes into account audience, form and purpose. They learn that:

  • arguments can be objectively or subjectively presented
  • language choices (visual, spoken and written) can strengthen arguments
  • an argument may provide an informed assessment of a range of opinions.

GENRE

Students understand that texts may be categorised into genres. They learn that:

  • texts in the same genre have similar functions and ideas, forms and conventions and give rise to particular expectations
  • genres are not fixed categories but may be adapted for interesting effects.

CODE and CONVENTION

Students understand that codes and conventions of each mode provide the foundation for innovation. They learn that:

  • knowledge of codes and conventions helps finding meaning in and through texts
  • codes and conventions vary for different audiences and purposes
  • choices of language and design have subtle differences and effects
  • opportunities for innovation occur at all levels e.g. word, sentence, paragraph and whole text levels.

1. Ban it!

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how to use reasons and examples (evidence) to persuade someone of your opinion.

Success Criteria:

  • Listen to a video.
  • Brainstorm ideas for your persuasive text.
  • Write 2 sentences that include a reason and an example.
  • Comment on other students' comments (as many as possible).
  • Start your Scholar writing project.
  • Add ideas to your draft in Creator.
Media embedded January 31, 2019

Molly Steer is only 9 but she can persuade you to stop using single-use plastic drinking straws. Listen to her TED talk in Cairns in 2017.

Here is Molly's opinion. Note there is a reason (because they hurt marine animals) followed by an example (plastic straw in turtle's nose). An example is EVIDENCE to back up your opinion.

Plastic drinking straws should be banned because they hurt marine animals. For example, a plastic straw has been found in a turtle's nose and it was very painful to remove it.

Let's make a class list of things that you think should be banned. 

Comment: QUICK WRITE: Choose one of the topics and write 2 sentences. Include a reason and an example. Use Molly's sentence as a model for your sentence.

Then read other students' sentences and comment on as many as you can by providing other reasons and/or examples. Start with "Another reason is......" or "Another example is......"

For the Teacher

 Purpose:

This update has 2 main purposes. One is to introduce the topic of students' persuasive texts on banning something. This is done through viewing a TED talk and brainstorming possible topics. The other is to share ideas in a collaborative discussion, focusing on providing reasons and examples (evidence) on the topic they select. Students may use these in their writing projects.

Timetable for Persuasive Text Project:

Day Updates CGScholar
Day 1: Tuesday

1. Ban it!

Students interact in Community, writing sentences and commenting on other students' comments.

Start project - students  will receive a "Work Request" in their Notifications. They can start project by adding their sentence,listing some dot points, changing title and adding an icon.

Day 2: Wednesday

2. Ban Plastic Straws Mentor Text

3. Persuasive Techniques and Language

After analysing the mentor text, students plan by reorganising dot points based on mentor text.

Students start writing by elaborating on dot points. Save as Version 2.

If time, start one section of Persuasive Techniques.

Day 3: Thursday

3. Persuasive Techniques and Language (con't)

Students continue working on drafts.

Complete last section of Persuasive Techniques.

Day 4: Friday Peer Review and Revision Phases

Students submit draft at beginning of lesson.

Students receive a "Feedback Request" and complete one peer review. Assign extra reviews to individual students as extension.

Students revise and submit revisions.

Day 5:

Peer Review and Revision Phases (con't)

4: Reflect

Students revise and submit revisions (con't).

Teacher publishes works to community and students' personal profiles.

Students read other students' works and comment.

Write reflections.

Teaching Tips:

  • Persuasive texts are opinions and arguments. Draw students' attention to the fact that opinions and arguments may be expressed in magazine and newspaper articles, online in websites, advertisements, speeches, posters, narratives, editorials, and letters to the editor etc.
  • Start the writing project once all students have logged in. Students can then click on the "Work Request" in their Notifications. This will take them to Creator to start their work. The project is:

Ban it!

What do you think should be banned? Write a persuasive text where you give reasons and evidence with examples for your opinion. Include persuasive techniques and an image to make your writing even more persuasive and interesting.

Ban it! Rubric
  • When students start their projects, get them to look around the Toolbar, especially "About this Work" and also the rubric in "Feedback".
  • They should add a brainstorm of ideas in response to the stimulus.
  • Students should save this plan as a new version. Then they can expand on their dot points in the next version.
  • In preparation for the next lesson, print a hard copy of the mentor text so students can annotate it. The handout will also be used in Update 3 (Persuasive Techniques).
Plastic Straws Suck Mentor Text Years 5-6

2. Ban Plastic Straws Mentor Text

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand the structure of persuasive texts and how to write a paragraph that presents an opinion supported by reasons and examples.

Success Criteria:

  • Read and discuss a persuasive mentor text.
  • Annotate the PEC structure of a persuasive text.
  • Analyse a paragraph of a persuasive text.
  • Comment on what you know about persuasive texts.

Let's read "Plastic Straws Suck". Then in a Think-Pair-Share, discuss:

  • What is the author's opinion?
  • Do you agree with the author?
  • Why/Why not?
  • Is the text persuasive?

Look at "Plastic Straws Suck" again. Let's annotate it. In the margins, write P for the Point Paragraph, E 1, E2, E3 and EO (opposing opinion) for the Evidence/Example Paragraphs and C for the Conclusion paragraph. 

Now look at all the connectives at the beginning of the paragraphs and also in the middle of paragraphs. Put a circle around them all - they have been italicised so they are easy to find.

Check to see that each paragraph is doing its job!

Does the P paragraph:

  • clearly state the opinion of the writer?
  • include at least 3 main reasons and one opposing reason?

Do the E1, E2, E3 and EO paragraphs present arguments with reasons and examples?

Does the C paragraph:

  • summarise the main points/reason?
  • have a strong concluding statement (e.g., comment on why the topic is important, ask a question, comment on the future, or have a call for action)?

2. How to write an E paragraph

Now let's look at the fourth paragraph more closely. This paragraph is an E paragraph.

Another reason for banning plastic straws is because it would definitely protect wildlife. Over one million marine animals such as seals, dolphins, fish, sharks, turtles, and birds, die each year because of plastic in the ocean. For example, plastic straws have been found in the noses of turtles, causing terrible pain and sometimes death to these poor, hungry, harmless animals. Further, birds have eaten plastic straws that fill their stomachs so that they are unable to eat. Then they starve. Say no to plastic straws.

With a partner, discuss the following questions:

  • What words in the first sentence tell you the writer’s opinion? 
  • What words in the first sentence tell you the main reason to support the writer’s opinion?
  • What are some examples that the writer provides?
  • What transition words and conjunctions does the writer use to connect ideas in this paragraph?

Comment: What do you think is important to include in persuasive texts? Write down as many ideas as you can in the time limit. Add a new comment for every new idea. Let's see how much our community already knows about writing persuasive texts.

Fig. 2: Plastic Sea

 

For the Teacher

Purpose: In this update, students identify the structure of persuasive texts and analyse a paragraph. 

Using a single paragraph is useful to focus students’ attention on the links among points, reasoning and evidence. 

Teaching Tips:

Notes on the Structure of Persuasive Texts

A text is organised into paragraphs. The length of a paragraph ranges from one sentence to many sentences (e.g. 3-10). Note the PEC structure.

Paragraph 1

P

 

Point Paragraph

Clearly states the opinion of the writer

Includes at least 3 main reasons and one opposing reason

Paragraphs

2, 3 and 4

E1

E2

E3

E Paragraphs with Reasons, Examples /Evidence

P Sentence:

States the opinion of the writer so the reader knows what this paragraph is mainly about

States the main reason to support the author’s opinion 

E Sentences:

Provide examples or evidence to support the point sentence. Examples and evidence are facts, statistics, quotations, graphics (charts, tables) and multimedia (images, videoclips)

C Sentence:

Restates the author's opinion.

Paragraph 5 EO E paragraph with an opposing opinion Same as E1, E2 and E3
Paragraph 6 C Conclusion

Summarises the main points/reasons

Has a strong concluding statement (e.g., comment on why the topic is important, ask a question, comment on the future, or have a call for action)

Connectives

and Conjunctions

    Words such as because, as, and since can be used to combine opinions with reasons in a sentence. Phases such as for example, for instance, in order to, in fact, in addition, consequently and specifically also link opinions and reasons with examples/evidence.

 

Analytics

If the analytics have been set up, encourage students to check them to see how they are going and to support them to self-regulate their learning.

3. Persuasive Techniques and Language

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand language choices that can make my opinion more persuasive.

Success Criteria:

  • Watch some videoclips about persuasive techniques.
  • Identify persuasive techniques in a text.
  • Incorporate at least 3 persuasive techniques in my writing project.
  • Comment.

We are going to investigate what persuasive techniques are used in "Plastic Straws Suck" to get the author's points across to the reader.

1. Watch the video about rhetorical questions. Then look at the first paragraph and second paragraphs in "Plastic Straws Suck" and identify the rhetorical questions. Then add at least one rhetorical question to your writing project (if you don't already have one).

Media embedded February 14, 2018

2. Repetition is a way that you can emphasise a point. Repetition is a word or a phrase used 2 or more times close together or following a pattern such as the sentence at the end of each E paragraph. Find the examples in the mentor text, "Plastic Straws Suck". Then add repetition to your writing project to emphasise an important point. If you want to find out more, here is a short videoclip about repetition.

Media embedded March 21, 2018

3. Another persuasive technique is modality. This is how you show whether you are certain or unsure about your opinion. To be really persuasive, you need to show certainty and that you really believe in your opinion. Look at the 2 lists below. Which list shows high modality (certainty) and which list shows low modality (uncertainty ).

may

could

might

sometimes

perhaps

maybe

probably

possibly

occasionally

rarely

must

would

will

can

should

always

without a doubt

positively

certainly

definitely

Fig.10: High and Low Modality

 ​4. Yet another persuasive technique is where you speak directly to your reader and use a direct verb (also called the imperative). There are many examples in "Plastic Straws Suck". One example is in the third paragraph:

Go on! Make a difference by using a reusable drink bottle, a juice box where both the straw and the box are made from one piece of paper or ask for a paper straw instead. Without a doubt, this would reduce pollution. Say no to plastic straws.

Place a double line under all the examples of speaking directly to the reader that you find. (Hint: look at the end of all the E paragraphs). 

5. Exclamations: "Go on!" uses an exclamation point which is another persuasive technique. There are three other uses of exclamation points. Can you find them? Put a hash symbol (#) in the margin next to them. Add an exclamation to your persuasive text.

6. Using emotional language is also a powerful persuasive technique. Look at paragraph E3 and highlight all the emotional language. Note also that emotional language is not used to describe the people with disabilities in paragraph EO. Why do you think the author has decided to do this?

7. Extension (optional): Discuss persuasive techniques such as anecdotes and triples (there is a triple in the conclusion and in "poor, hungry, harmless animals"). Here is an anecdote: 

When I was in kindergarten, I loved packing a juice box in my school lunch. I didn’t know that the straws and the wrappers would become such a litter problem.

 Watch this short video if you want to find out more.

Media embedded March 21, 2018

Comment: What is your favourite persuasive device? Give an example of that persuasive device.

For the Teacher

Purpose: Once students have decided on the focus of their writing project and started writing, they can work on refining and improving their paragraphs by focusing on persuasive techniques.

Teaching Tips:

  • Some students will be able to work independently through the activities. Others can work in a group with the teacher guiding them. They move back and forth between the update and their writing projects so that by the end, they have at least three persuasive techniques in their writing projects.
  • Extension: Students incorporate all of the persuasive techniques.

4. Same and Different

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how persuasive and information texts are the same and different.

Success Criteria:

  • Highlight sentences that are the same in the two texts on plastic straws.
  • Start project.
  • Comment.

1. Think-Pair-Share: What are some of the important things you remember about persuasive writing?

2. Now listen to a new text about plastic straws.

Think-Pair-Share: What do you notice about it?

In pairs highlight the words and sentences in the information text that are the same as the words in the persuasive text.

Comment: Let's make a class list of how information texts and persuasive texts are the same and different. Keep adding ideas until we have the longest class list ever!

Fig. 4: Ban Plastic Straws

 

For the Teacher

Purpose: By exploring genre, this update connects students' learning about persuasive writing to information writing.

Timetable for Information Text Project:

Day Updates CGScholar

Day 1

Monday

Information text on Banning Plastic Straws

Students add comment in Community

Start project - students will receive a "Work Request" in their Notifications. They can start project by copying and pasting their persuasive text into the new work.

In the Structure Tool, they can add sections, including a reference section.

Day 2

Tuesday

Analysing an Information Text -Techniques and Language After analysing the mentor text, students work on changing their persuasive texts.

Day 3

Wednesday

  Students continue working on drafts.

Day 4

Thursday

  Peer Review and Revision Phases

Day 5

Friday

Students read other students' works and comment.

Write reflections.

Students revise and submit revisions.

Teacher publishes works to community and students' personal profiles.

Teaching Tips:

In preparation, photocopy a persuasive text and information text for each pair of students. Photocopy a second information text for each student for analysing the text in the next update.

Students highlight the information text.

After commenting, have a whole class discussion, sharing ideas on a Venn Diagram.

Students can then add more comments to the discussion forum.

Fig. 4a: Venn Diagram on Persuasive and Information Texts
Straws Suck Information Text Years 5-6
Straws Suck Persuasive Text Years 5-6
Information Text Rubric Years 5-6

Start the project so students can copy their persuasive texts into the new project. They can then work on this text, changing and elaborating the text, based on the rubric and what they have learnt in this activity.

5. Analysing a Mentor Text

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand and use the features of an information text.

Success Criteria:

  • Annotate the mentor information text.
  • Continue work on your information writing project.
  • Comment.

As a whole class, we will annotate the mentor information text. Remember that the mentor text is your best friend!

In the margins, select and write P, E and C for each paragraph.
Put a squiggly line under the headings - there are 6.
Underline the connectives - there are 10.
Tick the 3 images. Note that you can choose to use a very short youtube video too.
Highlight the quote and the  name of the person who said it.

Now let's look at the P paragraph.

Underline the hook - it's a rhetorical question. You could also turn this into a statement.
Are there any other rhetorical questions in the mentor text?
Number 1-4, the four ideas that will be covered. These help the reader as they now know what the text will be about. They are like signposts. They also create text cohesion.

Now let's look at the E Paragraphs.

Use a different colour to highlight all the facts and examples There are 2 or 3 in each paragraph.
What to you notice about the final sentence in each E paragraph. Hint: It's got something to do with "alternatives to plastic straws".

Now let's look at the C paragraph.

Number the 4 main ideas that are covered in the text.
Underline the final sentence. It's about the future!

Let's make a list of all the verbs. Call them out and we will write them on the board. What do you notice about the tense? Is it mainly present, past or future? Are there modal verbs?

Finally, look at the reference section. You should include at least one reference. Include the author, year, title and link.

Comment: What changes will you make to your persuasive text when you turn it into an information text? Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2.

Fig. 5: Did you know that alternatives to plastic straws could be bamboo, paper, metal, silicone and glass? Some straws are even edible!

 

For the Teacher

Purpose: Once students have strated their issues information text project, they can work on refining and improving their paragraphs by focusing on the features of an information text.

Teaching Tips:

Some students will be able to work independently through the activities. Others can work in a group with the teacher guiding them. They move back and forth between the update and their writing projects so that by the end, they have incorporated all of the techniques in their writing projects. The rubric will also be a guide to what must be included.

Extension: Students incorporate all of the persuasive techniques.

6. Reflect

For the Student

Learning Intention: To reflect on what you have learnt about persuasive writing.

Success Criteria:

  • Comment on what you have learnt.
  • Read 2-3 published arguments.

Comment: What have you learnt about writing persuasive texts? Keep adding comments until you run out of ideas. Then read  two - three other people’s published persuasive texts. Add any other ideas after reading them.

Fig. 6: Yes, you have persuaded me!

For the Teacher

Purpose: This reflection activity promotes student metacognition about what makes quality writing by reflecting and by reading and commenting on other students’ writing.

Teaching Tips:

Refer to the Analytics to see how students have performed.

Acknowledgements

Title: (Source); Fig. 2: Plastic Sea (Source); Fig. 4: (Source); Fig. 4a: Venn Diagram developed by Rita van Haren; Fig. 5: (Source); Fig 6: Birds (Source).