Excerpt from Lesson Plan - Developing and Assessing Text Construction

Syllabus Outcomes and Indicators:

English K-10 Syllabus (Board of Studies NSW, 2012)
EN2-7B - A student identifies and uses language forms and features in their own writing appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences, and contexts.

Students understand how a range of language features can shape readers and viewers understanding of subject matter.

EN2-10C - A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, and interpretively about information, ideas, and texts when responding to and composing texts.

Students use visual representations, including those digitally produced, to represent ideas, experience, and information for different purposes
and audiences.

HSIE K-6 Syllabus (Board of Studies NSW, 2006)

SSS2.7 - A student describes how and why people and technologies interact to meet needs and explains the effects of these interactions on people and
the environment.

Students examine the goods and services provided within the community and by community organisations to meet needs.

Students describe ways in which people cooperate with and depend on one another in their work.

Learning Intentions

Time

Teaching and Learning Experiences

Assessment

Introduction:
Students examine

5 min.

As an introductory activity, instruct students to silently write down one thing they have

Formative - Observe

their personal

discovered about possibilities for becoming involved in the local community on a small scrap of

and make anecdotal

experiences to

paper. Collect these from each student and mix them up in a container. Individually draw out

notes regarding

understand how

four or five of them, discussing the potential benefits they may produce and any practical

students ongoing

members of a

implications. Following this, show students the YouTube video The Power of Volunteering

involvement in the

community can

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS-mAz34NA0). This connects their individual experiences

local community.

cooperate.

with a broader societal context.

5 min.

Remind students of the focus on the argument text type, and ask them to recall what they have
learnt about its characteristics in terms of structure and language. At this point, students should

be able to respond with reference to the need for an opening statement, sequenced
paragraphs for each point being made, an appropriate conclusion, connectives, persuasive
modal verbs, and supporting facts or opinions.
Body:
Students use

20

Inform students that they will be independently constructing their own argument in this lesson.

Summative - Using a

digitally produced

min.

On the Smartboard, project the title Why is it important to become involved and volunteer in

checklist (Appendix

visual

your local community? Before students begin planning their writing, model the use of the

C), assess students

representations to

Persuasion Map interactive online tool on the Smartboard

capacity to

plan for the

(http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/persuasion_map/). This allows

successfully plan for

construction of a text

students to map out their opening statement, arguments and associated reasons/justifications,

the construction of a

type with a

and conclusion. As they do so, the website provides explanations and hints regarding what

piece of writing.

designated purpose.

should be included in each section. Using the class set of computers or laptops, give students
some time to navigate this tool and plan their responses. When completed, these plans can be
printed and referenced in the following activity.

Students construct a

25

Using the printed plans, ask students to move to their desks to independently construct their

Summative - Using a

high quality

min.

arguments. These should initially be completed as a handwritten draft, and can be published as

checklist (Appendix

persuasive

a final typed product in later lessons. As students work on their arguments, move throughout

C), assess students

argument that shows

the classroom. Observe and internally assess their attempts, making suggestions only when

ability to use language

an awareness of

completely necessary.

successfully and

how language

purposefully in a

choices can impact

persuasive argument.

upon their readers.

Closure:
5 min.

To conclude the overall learning sequence, instruct students to sit in a large circle on the floor

Formative - Student

and conduct a brief Socratic Seminar as a means of reflection. They may highlight anything

reflection on

they believe they have learnt throughout the sequence, in relation to both communities and the

progression of

construction of a persuasive argument. Students need to be aware that it is not necessary to

learning.

raise hands throughout this discussion, but also that one person should be able to speak at any
given moment without interruption.

Appendix C
Syllabus outcomes being assessed:

EN2-7B - A student identifies and uses language forms and features in their own writing appropriate to a range of purposes, audiences, and contexts.

EN2-9B - A student uses effective and accurate sentence structure, grammatical features, punctuation conventions, and vocabulary relevant to the
type of text when responding to and composing texts.

EN2-10C - A student thinks imaginatively, creatively, and interpretively about information, ideas, and texts when responding to and composing texts.

Student Name

Uses the

Includes the

Uses language

Understands the

Presents a clear

interactive tool to

paragraphed

features to

purpose and

and visually

create an

structure required

enhance the

audience of the

appealing final

appropriate plan

by the text type of

pieces overall

text type.

copy of the

for an argument.

an argument.

persuasiveness.

GB

GB

WT

WT

GB

WT

argument.
GB

WT

GB

Student A
Student B
Student C
Student D
Student E
Student F
Can be extended to assess all students.

GB - Going Beyond, A - Achieved, WT - Working Towards.

WT

General Comments