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2018 Bright Sparks: Narrative and Persuasive Writing

Years 3 and 4 Writing Camp

Learning Module

Abstract

Students in years 3 and 4 learn about narrative writing - hooking the reader, narrative structure, character, narrative techniques and language features. They also learn about persuasive writing, reasons, evidence, text structure and persuasive devices. They complete two writing projects that are submitted for peer review, revision and publication.

Keywords

Narrative, Structure, Character, Narrative Techniques, Language Features, Argument, Reasons, Evidence, Persuasive Devices

Australian Curriculum

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

YEAR 3

Students understand how language features are used to link and sequence ideas. They understand how language can be used to express feelings and opinions on topics. Their texts include writing and images to express and develop, in some detail, experiences, events, information, ideas and characters.

Students create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions, providing useful feedback and making presentations. They demonstrate understanding of grammar and choose vocabulary and punctuation appropriate to the purpose and context of their writing. They use knowledge of letter-sound relationships including consonant and vowel clusters and high-frequency words to spell words accurately. They re-read and edit their writing, checking their work for appropriate vocabulary, structure and meaning. They write using joined letters that are accurately formed and consistent in size.

YEAR 4

Students use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts. They understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text. They create texts that show understanding of how images and detail can be used to extend key ideas.

Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, varying language according to context. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary from a range of resources and use accurate spelling and punctuation, re-reading and editing their work to improve meaning.

English Textual Concepts STAGE 2 : Years 3-4

NARRATIVE 

Students understand that narratives may be interpreted in various ways. They learn that

  • characters and events may be drawn differently for different purposes audiences, modes and media
  • stories may be interpreted through action, character and setting
  • stories present a view of the world.

ARGUMENT

Students understand that opinions should be supported by information and ideas presented in a structured way. They learn that

  • opinions can be refined through negotiation with others.
  • paragraphs contain a single idea
  • paragraphs are made up of topic sentences and evidence
  • certain language (eg. description, modality, aspects of images) carries a persuasive force.

CODE and CONVENTION

Students appreciate that codes of communication are rules which provide access to information and ideas as well as opportunities for expression. Students learn that:

  • there are choices of language and structure for expressing information and ideas
  • codes and conventions vary according to mode, medium and type of text.
  • all texts go through stages of refinement of language and structure for accuracy and effectiveness.

1. Great Narratives

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand what makes a great narrative.

Success Criteria:

  • Listen to a reading of a narrative.
  • Think-Pair-Share discussion with a partner.
  • 3 Comments.
  • 2 comments on other students' comments.

1. After listening to a reading of Mutt Dog, with a partner discuss what makes it a great narrative. Think about the action, characters and setting. Write down one idea from your discussion in the comment box. 

2. . Find your own great narrative and write the title and author. It could be the book you are reading now or your favourite book of all time. Explain what makes it a great narrative. Read other students' comments and comment on one that you agree is a great narrative.

3. QUICK WRITE: Look at the image below. Describe what you see, hear, think and feel. Include at least three interesting "wow" words - words that make your writing more interesting and make the reader go WOW! Read other students' descriptions and comment on one that you like, explaining why.

Fig.1: Quick Write: What do you see? What do you hear? What do you think? What do you feel?

For the Teacher

Purpose: This learning module incorporates blended learning where students interact face-to-face as well as in the online forum. It also involves a writing project where students give and receive feedback using a structured rubric.

This initial update aims to engage students through listening to and responding to a great narrative. It also focuses students on what makes an effective narrative and extends their thinking beyond typical beginnings such as "One day...". They are active knowledge makers as they add examples of other great narratives to the discussion forum. They also start writing short descriptions.

Resource:

Mutt Dog by Stephen Michael King. Scholastic, Sydney, 2004.

Timetable

Day Updates Scholar
Day 1: Monday
  1. Great Narratives
  2. The Structure of Narratives
  3. Planning your Narrative Writing Project

Start project - students will receive a "Work Request" in their Notifications.

Students start plan with dot points in Version 1.
Day 2: Tuesday
  1. Characters in Narratives
 Students start writing by elaborating on dot points. Save as Version 2.
Day 3: Thursday
  1. Narrative Techniques and Language
 Students continue working on drafts.
Day 4: Friday Peer Review and Revision Phases

Students submit draft before lesson.

Students receive a"Feedback Request" and complete one peer review.

Students revise and submit revision.
Following Week Publication Phase: Teacher publishes works to community and students' personal profiles. Students read other students' works and comment.

Teaching Tips:

Mutt Dog

  • Engage students through a prediction - some students may already know the story so they shouldn't reveal the storyline.
  • After reading the narrative, students discuss their reactions - prompt students to discuss their emotional reaction to the story (identification, empathy, antipathy). Then they should focus on what makes this narrative a good/great one. They move from a Think-Pair-Share to a Think-Pair-Square so they report on their discussion. Key ideas can then be shared with the whole class by recording one idea in the comment box in Scholar. One finding may be that the narrative does evoke a strong emotional reaction and this adds to its success. Another may be that stories present real problems in the world such as homelessness and loneliness and make readers think.
  • As students discuss, rove and where appropriate, prompt students to focus on how the author hooks the reader, variety in sentences and interesting language (wow words - Cameron, S. & Dempsey, L. (2013). The Writing Book: A Practical Guide for Teachers. Auckland: S&Lpublishing, p. 70).

Finding a Great Opening Paragraph

  • Students can then look for their own great narratives. Prepare a collection beforehand so students select quickly or they may also use the book they are currently reading. They can discuss why they think it is a great narrative with their partner before recording the title and explaining why it is a good narrative in Scholar.

  • Model what to write by posting an example:​

The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious BOX by Frances Watts and David Legge. "No one saw  This is a great narrative as there is a lot of suspense and action as the characters try to work out what is inside a mysterious box.

Quick Write

  • Use post it notes to brainstorm what students see and hear in the image before they start writing. These can be stuck on desk/sheet of paper/books and shared with partner.

Commenting on a Comment

  • When students are commenting on each other's comments, remind them to enter the @ symbol and the names of students who they can respond to will come up. They then select one name.

​

2. The Structure of Narratives

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how narratives are structured.

Success Criteria:

  • Identify the structure of a narrative on a handout.
  • Write 2 orientations.
  • 2 comments on other students' orientations.
Fig. 2: Narrative Structure
Orientation Introduces who, where and when and hooks the reader.
Complication A problem - there can be more than one complication.
Resolution The problem is solved.
Coda The moral, lesson or message of the story.

Look at the story of Mutt Dog by Stephen Michael King again. In the margins of the handout, write down what part of the narrative it is. You can work with a partner.

Now look at the orientation again where the writer introduces the main character, Matt Dog, and the problem or complication that he is facing. Note it covers where and who.

In the city lived a dog who belonged to no-one. 

Let's try some orientations that follow this pattern.

  • In the dilapidated house on the corner lived a girl who loved to write.
  • Along the winding road was a truck that had swerved into a tree.
  • On a ladder stood a brave firefighter who rescued people trapped by the red hot flames.

Comment: QUICK WRITE: Write an orientation using this pattern. Make sure you include 1-2 interesting "wow" words. Read other students' orientations and comment on one that you like.

QUICK WRITE: Write down the title and opening sentences/orientation of the book you wrote about in Update 1. Underneath, create your own sentences, following the same pattern as the book. Read other students' sentences/orientations and comment on one that you like.

For the Teacher

Purpose: Here students identify the structure of the narrative of the text they read in the initial activity as a model for their own narratives. Students also start writing  orientations using Mutt Dog as a model and the opening paragraphs they added to update 1.They can use these when they start their writing projects in the next update. By sharing these in the Community discussion forum, they are seeing other student models of orientations which they can use to improve their own.

Teaching Tips:

  • Students can work in pairs to annotate the handout. Print the handout before the lesson.
Mutt Dog Handouts pp.1-6

The handouts include three copies of the narrative to use for:

Page 1: Annotating the narrative structure

Page 1: Showing not telling (verbs) for Update 4

Page 2: Analysing dialogue for Update 5

Pages 3-6: Analysing sentences for Update 5

  • Model what to write by posting an example:​

The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious BOX by Frances Watts and David Legge. "No one saw it arrive. No one knew where it came from. No one knew what was inside."  

No one spoke. No one knew where the sound had come from. No one knew what would happen next.

3. Planning your Narrative Writing Project

For the Student

Learning Intention: To brainstorm and record ideas for my own narrative.

Success Criteria:

  • Brainstorm ideas that you could write about in your narrative.
  • Read what other students write.
  • Start your Scholar writing project.
  • Add ideas to your draft in Creator.

Brainstorming ideas

 Look at the images below. What ideas do you think of as you look at the images? Talk to your partner.

Fig. 3: What do you think?

After you have recorded ideas in the comment box, click on your "Work Request" in your Notifications in Scholar. This will take you to Creator where you can start your writing project. 

Comment: Record any ideas here. Keep adding ideas until you run out. Look at what other students write as this may help you to think of more ideas. Add ideas for:

  • orientation - who and where
  • complications - problems faced by the characters
  • resolutions - how will things turn out
  • coda - what will they learn or what will the message of the story be

For the Teacher

Purpose: To firstly brainstorm possible ideas and then select ideas to include in a plan when students start their writing projects in Scholar.

Teaching Tips:

  • Start the writing project before the lesson. Students can then log into Scholar and click on the "Work Request" in their Notifications. This will take them to Creator to start their work.
  • They should add a brainstorm of ideas in response to the stimulus under the headings of Orientation, Complication, Resolution and Coda.
  • Students should save this plan as a new version. Then they can expand on their dot points in the next version.
  • When students start their projects, get them to look around the Toolbar, especially "About this Work" and also the rubric in "Feedback".

4. Characters in Narratives

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how characters are created in a narrative.

Success Criteria:

  • Discuss "Mutt Dog" Y-Chart.
  • Complete and share own Y-Chart.
  • Add ideas to draft.
  • Quick Write.
  • Comment on another student's paragraph.

Now that you have some ideas to write about, think about your main character. Let's look at "Mutt Dog" first.

Fig. 4: Mutt Dog Y-Chart

While the author of "Mutt Dog" tells us that Mutt Dog is brave, fast and smart, we can also work out that he has other characteristics through his actions and how he reacts to events in the narrative.

With a partner, discuss what other characteristics you can infer from the following two sentences from "Mutt Dog"

And looked for a new place to sleep every night. 

and

A lady who worked there tried to put him outside but the scruffy dog wriggled free and hid in a corner.

These sentences "show" what the character is like rather than "tell" us. 

Now complete a Y-chart for the main character in your narrative. You can draw it or use this attachment.

Smart Art Y-Chart

Show it to your partner and tell them about your character. They may give you more ideas. Then listen as they show you their Y-chart. Give them any ideas you can think of.

Add ideas to your draft in Creator in Scholar.

Comment: QUICK WRITE - Write a short description (2-3 sentences) of your main character. Use action verbs to "show" rather then "tell" how the character reacts to events, situations and other characters. Read other students' paragraphs and comment on one that you think is good, explaining why. 

For the Teacher

Purpose: In this update students understand that  "showing" and not just telling is useful in describing characters. They apply this knowledge in developing a Y-Chart for the character in their narrative and writing a short paragraph.

Further, the activities provide scaffolding to further develop their narratives and to write a short excerpt that may be included in their drafts. Seeing the paragraphs of other students will also support and extend their thinking.

Teaching Tips:

Developing a Character

  • Encourage students to refer to the text as they discuss the Y-Chart on the model text.
  • Print the Y-Charts beforehand if you prefer a hard copy. This might be useful as students can then refer to the paper version when working on their drafts in Creator. The electronic version is included on the student side for students to download and complete if they prefer.
Smart Art Y-Chart - Print Version
  • Rove as students discuss each other's Y-Charts and prompt them to "show" rather than "tell".
  • Encourage students to add their Quick Write paragraphs to their drafts in Creator.

Showing NOT Telling

  • Verbs are more powerful than adjectives in description plus they "show" rather then "tell" information about a character.
  • Here are some examples: moved-wriggled; walked-waddled; called-bellowed; beat-pounded; shine-shimmer; run-scurry; jumps-lunges; grab-snatch. What would the verbs tell us about the characters?
  • The model text could include more exciting verbs - let students suggest ones to include such as looked-searched; found-discovered; felt empty-grumbled; asked-inquired. Reuse page 1 of handouts.
  • Note that this activity reinforces the comprehension strategy of inferring - through showing rather than telling, the writer is asking the reader to infer character traits.
  • Students are then given time to work on their narratives and use more interesting verbs. Provide support to students who need it.

5. Narrative Techniques and Language

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how narrative techniques can improve my writing.

Success Criteria:

  • Identify rules for dialogue.
  • Include dialogue in my narrative.
  • Identify types of sentences.
  • Include varied sentences in my narrative.

Also watch this video to learn 6 ways to start your sentences. Another way that you can write complex sentences if you start your sentences with "ing", "ed" and "ly" words.

Media embedded January 1, 2018

Comment: QUICK WRITE: Share a "Wow" sentence from your narrative here. Read other students' sentences and comment on any that you think are good.

Fig. 5: Dialogue can describe character, show action and make your narrative more interesting.

For the Teacher

Purpose: As students work on their narratives, they learn more about narrative techniques, including description, dialogue and writing varied sentences.

Teaching Tips:

1. Dialogue (page 2 of handout)

  • Focus on the narrative technique of using dialogue as a tool to show character and to advance the sequence of events.
  • As a whole class, discuss how the dialogue shows the woman at the half way house to be a kind person. The author does this through showing not telling us. So dialogue can be used for description.
  • Then ask students to look at the dialogue in the handout and work out the punctuation rules - capital letters, speech marks, full stops, commas and question marks, and new lines/paragraphs.
  • Students are then given time to work on their narratives and include dialogue for description and to show characterisation.

2. Sentences (pages 3-6 of handout)

  • Look at the use of conjunctions in the "Sentences" handout (page 3). These are highlighted in red. These show compound sentences joined by conjunctions such as and, but, because and or.
  • Compare these to simple sentences such as "One evening he found a half way house (subject, verb, object).
  • Practise writing compound sentences. 
  • Then go back to the mentor text (page 3) and look at the underlined relative pronouns (who, and that). These create complex sentences and enable the author to include more description.
  • Note how the writer users a mixture of simple, compound and complex sentences.
  • Students are then given time to work on their narratives and vary sentences. Provide support to students who need it.

3. Varying Sentence Openings

  • The videoclip also shows other ways to write more varied sentence openings. After watching it, students can make changes tot heir narratives.
  • Also see mini-lesson 11: Using an "ing" or "ed" verb to build a complex sentence (p.80 in The Writing Book by Cameron and Dempsey).

 

6. You're Published!

For the Student

Learning Intention: To identify what is successful narrative writing.

Success Criteria:

  • Read 2-3 published narratives.
  • Comment.

Congratulations - your narrative has been published to your profile in Scholar and to our community.

Comment: Read two - three other people’s published narrative texts. Write a comment about the most interesting thing you learned from reading them. Also comment about one thing you have learned about writing narratives.

Fig. 6: Reading great narratives is fun!

 

For the Teacher

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

Teaching Tips:

Refer to the Analytics to see how students have performed.

7. Great Persuasive Writing

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand what makes a great persuasive text.

Success Criteria:

  • Read, annotate and discuss a persuasive text.
  • Write a three sentence paragraph.
  • Read and comment on 1-2 others.

Read "Bicycle Riding: A Great Pastime".

After reading it,  discuss whether you agree with the opinions of the author.

TEXT ANNOTATION STRATEGY

Read the persuasive text again and annotate it. You may have to read it a couple of times and don’t worry if you don’t annotate every single thing! Do this by yourself first and then share your annotations in your group.

Symbol Your Annotations
? In the margins record a question mark (?) for any questions you have about vocabulary or anything you didn't understand or want the author to add more information.
Underline Underline aspects of the writing style. This could be an interesting word or line/phrase/sentence that you think is well written or makes you think. Put a double line under what you think is the most persuasive sentence.
R In the margins, record an R for reasons the author gives to support her opinion. You can record as many Rs as you like.
E In the margins, record an E for examples or evidence that you think is good and supports the opinions of the author. You can record as many Es as you like.
Circle  Circle any words that connect paragraphs and ideas in sentences.

 Comment: QUICK WRITE -  Write a three sentence paragraph about a great pastime. Include a point sentence, an example and a concluding sentence. Read other students' paragraphs and comment on 1-2 that you think are well written, explaining why.

Fig. 7: Here are some great pastimes. What is your favourite pastime?

 

For the Teacher

Purpose: This update introduces a model of a persuasive text so that students respond, discuss and identify key features.

Timetable

Day Updates Scholar

Day 1

Monday

7. Great Persuasive Writing
8. The Structure of Arguments

9. Planning your Persuasive Writing Project

Start project - students will receive a "Work Request" in their Notifications.

Students start plan with dot points in Version 1.

Day 2

Tuesday

10. Persuasive Techniques and Language

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

If time, start one section of Persuasive Techniques.

Day 3

Wednesday

 10. Persuasive Techniques and Language (con't)

Students continue working on drafts.

Complete last section of Persuasive Techniques

Day 4

Thursday

Peer Review and Revision Phases

Students submit draft before lesson.

Students receive a "Feedback Request" and complete one peer review.

Students revise and submit revision.
After writing camp 

Publication Phase

11. You're Published Again

12. Narrative and Persuasive Writing Venn Diagram

13. Final Reflections

Teacher publishes works to community and students' personal profiles.

Students read other students' works and comment.

Final 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.
  • Support students to move between working in a group of 3-4 and independently throughout this update.
  • Print a hard copy of the text so students can annotate it.
  • Students can use the paragraphs in the mentor texts as models for the paragraphs they write in the QUICK WRITE.
Mentor Text: Great Pastime

 

8. The Structure of Arguments

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how to write a paragraphs in a persuasive text.

Success Criteria:

  • Read about PEC structure and label a text.
  • Reread and discuss a paragraph from a persuasive text.
  • Write your own paragraph.
  • Read and comment on 1-2 other students' paragraphs

1. How to structure of a persuasive text

A text is organised into paragraphs following a PEC structure. The length of a paragraph ranges from one sentence to many sentences (e.g. 3-10). Look at the table below to know what PEC stands for. 

Paragraph 1

 P

Point 

Clearly states the opinion of the writer

Has 3 main reasons

Has one opposing reason
Paragraphs 2 - 4

E

Evidence and Examples

States reason

Gives evidence or an example
Paragraph 5

E

Evidence and Examples

States an opposing argument

Gives an example

Says why it is not a good argument
Paragraph 6

C

Conclusion

Summarises the reasons

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

Look at "Bicycle Riding: A Great Pastime" again. In the margins, write P for the Point Paragraph, E for the E Paragraphs and C for the C paragraphs. Write an O for the E paragraph that has an opposing opinion. Check to see that each paragraph is doing its job!

2. How to write an E Paragraph

Read the following paragraph from "Bicycle Riding: A Great Pastime".

Another reason why I believe bicycle riding is a great pastime is because it is good for the environment. I ride my bicycle to school each day so my mum does not have to drive me. Cars cause more than half of the air pollution in Australia while bicycles do not cause any air pollution. As a result, bicycles are very good for the environment.

With a partner, discuss the following questions:

  • What is the writer’s opinion? This is in the first sentence which is called the P or Point sentence.
  • What is the example? This is the E (evidence, examples) sentence.
  • What is the concluding sentence and what does it do?
  • What transition words and conjunctions does the writer use?

Comment:  QUICK WRITE - Write a another paragraph about your favourite pastime to add to the one that you wrote in the last update. Make sure it includes a point (opinion and reason), an example/evidence to support your opinion, and a concluding sentence. Comment on at least one other student’s comment. Do you agree or disagree? Provide a reason for your opinion.

Fig. 8: More great pastimes!

For the Teacher

Purpose: In this activity students focus on the structure of persuasive/opinion texts by analysing the whole text and a specific paragraph.

Using a single paragraph is useful to focus students’ attention on the links among opinions, reasoning and evidence. The conjunctions that create the relationship between opinion and reasons are also identified in this activity.

The comment enables students to practise writing a paragraph that they can include in their writing project, building on the paragraph they wrote in Update 7. 

Teaching Tips:

  • Work through this activity with the group. Students can follow the update on the SmartBoard and discuss in pairs. 

9. Planning your Persuasive Writing Project

For the Student

Learning Intention: To brainstorm and record ideas for my own persuasive text.

Success Criteria:

  • Brainstorm ideas that you could write about in your persuasive text.
  • Read what other students write.
  • Start your Scholar writing project.
  • Add ideas to your draft in Creator.

Brainstorming ideas

Look at the images below. What ideas do you think of as you look at the images and images in earlier updates? Talk to your partner.

Comment: Record any ideas here. Keep adding ideas until you run out. Look at what other students write as this may help you to think of more ideas. Add ideas for:

  • Points (reasons)
  • Evidence
  • Conclusion
Fig. 9: And even more great pastimes!

For the Teacher

Purpose: To firstly brainstorm possible ideas and then select ideas to include in a plan when students start their persuasive writing projects in Scholar.

Teaching Tips:

  • Start the writing project before the lesson. Students can then log into Scholar and click on the "Work Request" in their Notifications. This will take them to Creator to start their work.
  • They should add a brainstorm of ideas in response to the stimulus. For each argument they should follow a PEC structure Point/Evidence/Conclusion.
  • Students should save this plan as a new version. Then they can expand on their dot points in the next version.
  • When students start their projects, get them to look around the Toolbar, especially "About this Work" and also the rubric in "Feedback".
Persuasive Text Rubric

10. Persuasive Devices and Language

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand persuasive techniques 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.
  • Share an example of a persuasive technique in the comment box and comment on another student's comment

We are going to investigate what rhetorical techniques are used in two paragraphs "Bicycle Riding: A Great Pastime".

Another reason why I believe bicycle riding is a great pastime is because it is good for the environment. I ride my bicycle to school each day so my mum does not have to drive me. Cars cause more than half of the air pollution in Australia while bicycles do not cause any air pollution. Who wants cleaner air to breathe? You should definitely ride your bicycle if you can and look after the environment.

In conclusion, while cycling can sometimes be dangerous, it is still a great pastime for everyone. I would recommend bicycle riding to everyone as it has many advantages. Cycling is good for you. Cycling is good for me. Cycling is good for everyone. Cycling is good for the environment.

1.  Watch the video about rhetorical questions. Then look at the paragraph and identify the rhetorical question. There are also a rhetorical question in the opening paragraph. Then add at least one rhetorical question to your writing project.

Media embedded March 21, 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. Here are some examples:

  • Learning new things is fun, fun, fun!
  • A good teacher is friendly. A good teacher is strict. A good teacher helps you to learn.

Identify the repetition in the concluding paragraph from "Bicycle Riding: A Great Pastime" and then add repetition to your writing project to emphasise a point.

3. Another rhetorical 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: Low and high modality

Comment: Share one or two sentences with a persuasive technique that you have now included in your writing project. Read other students' comment and comment on one that you think is good.

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. The focus will be on three persuasive techniques - rhetorical questions, modality and repetition.

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.
  • The paragraphs are included in the handout from Update 7.
  • FYI: Here is a great summary of other persuasive techniques. The videoclip is probably too sophisticated for year 3-4 students.
Media embedded March 21, 2018

 

11. You're Published Again!

For the Student

Learning Intention: To identify what is successful persuasive writing.

Success Criteria:

  • Read 2-3 published arguments.
  • Comment.

Congratulations - your persuasive text has been published to your profile in Scholar and to our community.

Comment: Read two - three other people’s published persuasive texts. Write a comment about the most interesting thing you learned from reading them. Also comment about one thing you have learned about writing arguments.

Fig. 11: Did you agree or disagree with the argument?

For the Teacher

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

Teaching Tips:

Refer to the Analytics to see how students have performed.

12. Narrative and Persuasive Writing Venn Diagram

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how narratives and persuasive texts are the same and different and to reflect on your learning.

Success Criteria:

  • Complete a Venn Diagram.
  • Add comments.

Firstly, let's revise what makes a great narrative. Discuss this in a group of 3 of 4 and build on each other's ideas as you record your ideas in the first circle of a Venn Diagram. Think about what you have learnt already from reading and writing narratives.

Then repeat the process for persuasive texts. Record your ideas in the third circle of the Venn Diagram.

Then in the centre circle, record what is the same in a narrative and a persuasive text.

Comment: Write a comment explaining one way that narrative and persuasive writing are the same and one way they are different. Read other students' comments and comment on one that you think is interesting or included an idea that you had not thought of. 

Fig 12: Venn Diagram

 

 

For the Teacher

Purpose: This update enables students to think critically about what they have learnt about narrative and persuasive texts, and how they are the same and different. This supports them to transfer learning from one set of learning activities to another set of learning activities.

Teaching Tips:

  • Students work in groups to complete the Venn Diagram.
  • Print a hard copy of the blank Venn Diagram for students to complete in their groups. They can add more ideas to it at any time.
  • The activity could also be completed after the set of activities on writing narratives and before students start the persuasive writing activities.
Venn Diagram Template - Narrative and Persuasive Texts

Some possible responses to the Venn Diagram:

13. Final Reflections

For the Student

Learning Intention: To identify the most important things I have learnt in this course.

Success Criteria:

  • Discuss.
  • Comment.
  • Comment on 1-2 comments of other students.

In a group of 3-4, use the 6 Hats Thinking framework to reflect on the course. 

  Think about Your Reflections
White Hat What information or knowledge helped you in this course?  
Yellow Hat What were the activities that you enjoyed the most?  
Black Hat What were the difficulties or hard things that you faced in this course?  
Red Hat How did you feel when you were doing this course?  
Green Hat What improvements would you make to this course?  
Blue Hat Why is it important to reflect on your learning?  


Comment: Share ideas from your group's discussion. Keep adding ideas until you can't think of any more. Read what other students write and try not to repeat any that are already recorded.

Fig. 12: Six Thinking Hats Framework

For the Teacher

Purpose: As well as focusing on student metacognition of their learning, this activity will also provide useful feedback to the teacher on what the students valued most.

Teaching Tips:

  • Rove as students discuss each thinking hat, prompting them to consider different aspects of the course as they might tend to focus on most recent activities.
  • After the discussion, they record ideas in the community forum. encourage them to read what other students' write before adding more comments. The comments will provide a useful record.

Acknowledgements

Title: (Source); Fig. 1: Boy on Train (Source); Fig. 3a:(Source); Fig. 3b:(Source); Fig. 3c:(Source); Fig. 3d:(Source); Fig. 3e:(Source); Fig. 3f:(Source); Fig. 4: Y-Chart by Rita van Haren; Fig. 5: Dialogue (Source); Fig. 6: Teddy Bear (Source); Fig. 7a: Minecraft with thanks to Jo Kay; Fig. 7b: Guitar (Source); Fig. 7c: Soccer (Source);  Fig. 7d: Chess (Source); Fig. 8a: Video Games (Source); Fig. 8b: Reading (Source); Fig. 8c: Swimming (Source); Fig.9a: Listening to Music (Source); Fig.9b: Fishing (Source); Fig.9c: Basketball (Source); Fig.9d: Table Tennis (Source); Fig.10: Low and high modality (Source); Fig. 11: Agree Potato (Source); Fig. 12: Venn Diagram by Rita van Haren; 13: Six Thinking Hats (Source).