Name: Unit

7 - English Year 5/6

Duration : 5 weeks

Learning area: English

Unit outline
Comparing texts
In this unit, students listen to, read, view and analyse literary and informative texts on the same topic. They identify the author's message and compare the effects
of language, structural and visual creatures on the audience. They compare selected texts persuading others to a particular point of view during a debate.

Year level descriptions

Year Level Description
The English curriculum is built around the three interrelated strands of Language, Literature and Literacy. Teaching and learning programs should balance and
integrate all three strands. Together the strands focus on developing students knowledge, understanding and skills in listening, reading, viewing, speaking,
writing and creating. Learning in English builds on concepts, skills and processes developed in earlier years, and teachers will revisit and strengthen these as
needed. In Years 5 and 6, students communicate with peers and teachers from other classes and schools, community members, and individuals and groups, in a
range of face-to-face and online/virtual environments. Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read, view, interpret and evaluate
spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and persuade. These include various types of
media texts including newspapers, film and digital texts, junior and early adolescent novels, poetry, non-fiction and dramatic performances. Students develop
their understanding of how texts, including media texts, are influenced by context, purpose and audience.
The range of literary texts for Foundation to Year 10 comprises Australian literature, including the oral narrative traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples, as well as the contemporary literature of these two cultural groups, and classic and contemporary world literature, including texts from and about Asia.
Literary texts that support and extend students in Years 5 and 6 as independent readers describe complex sequences, a range of non-stereotypical characters
and elaborated events including flashbacks and shifts in time. These texts explore themes of interpersonal relationships and ethical dilemmas within real-world
and fantasy settings. Informative texts supply technical and content information about a wide range of topics of interest as well as topics being studied in other
areas of the curriculum. Text structures include chapters, headings and subheadings, tables of contents, indexes and glossaries. Language features include
complex sentences, unfamiliar technical vocabulary, figurative language, and information presented in various types of graphics. Students create a range of
imaginative, informative and persuasive types of texts such as narratives, procedures, performances, reports, reviews, explanations and discussions
Literacy
Literature
Expressing and developing ideas
Identify and explain how analytical images like
Creating texts
Examining literature
figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs
. Develop a handwriting style that is legible, fluent
Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and
contribute to our understanding of verbal
and automatic and varies according to audience
differences between texts, including those by the
information in factual and persuasive texts
and purpose (ACELY1716)
same author or illustrator, and evaluate
(ACELA1524)
Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and
characteristics that define an authors individual
Investigate how clauses can be combined in a
persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with
style (ACELT1616)
variety of ways to elaborate, extend or explain ideas text structures, language features, images and
Literature and context
(ACELA1522)
digital resources appropriate to purpose and
Make connections between students own

 Investigate how vocabulary choices, including

evaluative language can express shades of
meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)
Understand how ideas can be expanded and
sharpened through careful choice of verbs,
elaborated tenses and a range of adverbials
(ACELA1523)
Understand how to use banks of known words,
word origins, base words, suffixes and prefixes,
morphemes, spelling patterns and generalisations
to learn and spell new words, for example technical
words and words adopted from other languages
(ACELA1526)
Language for interaction
Understand that strategies for interaction become
more complex and demanding as levels of formality
and social distance increase (ACELA1516)
Understand the uses of objective and subjective
language and bias (ACELA1517)
Text structure and organisation
Understand how authors often innovate on text
structures and play with language features to
achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and
persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)
Understand that cohesive links can be made in
texts by omitting or replacing words (ACELA1520)
Understand the uses of commas to separate
clauses
(ACELA1521)

audience (ACELY1714)
. Reread and edit students own and others work
using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices
(ACELY1715)
Interacting with others
. Participate in and contribute to discussions,
clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and
supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating
information, experiences and opinions
(ACELY1709)
. Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations,
selecting and sequencing appropriate content and
multimodal elements for defined audiences and
purposes, making appropriate choices for modality
and emphasis (ACELY1710)
. Use interaction skills, varying conventions of
spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone,
pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of
interaction and needs and expertise of the audience
(ACELY1816)
Interpreting, analysing, evaluating . Analyse how
text structures and language features work together
to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711)
. Analyse strategies authors use to influence
readers (ACELY1801)
. Select, navigate and read texts for a range of
purposes, applying appropriate text processing
strategies and interpreting structural features, for
example table of contents, glossary, chapters,
headings and subheadings (ACELY1712)
Use comprehension strategies to interpret and
analyse information and ideas, comparing content
from a variety of textual sources including media
and digital texts (ACELY1713)
Texts in context
. Compare texts including media texts that
represent
ideas and events in different ways, explaining the
effects of the different approaches (ACELY1708)

experiences and those of characters and events

represented in texts drawn from different historical,
social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613)
Responding to literature
Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences
in texts on similar topics, themes or plots
(ACELT1614)
Identify and explain how choices in language, for
example modality, emphasis, repetition and
metaphor, influence personal response to different
texts (ACELT1615)

Year 6 achievement standard

By the end of Year 6 students explore connections between their own experiences and those of characters in a variety of contexts in literature. In discussion and
in writing they share key characteristics of texts by different authors, and the variations in ways authors represent ideas, characters and events. They analyse
and explain how specific structures, language features, and simple literary devices contribute to the main purposes of texts and their effects on readers and
viewers. They identify and record key points to clarify meaning, and distinguish between relevant and irrelevant supporting detail. They listen to and respond
constructively to others opinions by offering alternative viewpoints and information. They select relevant evidence from texts to support personal responses and
to develop reasoned viewpoints. They compare and accurately summarise information on a particular topic from different texts, and make well-supported
generalisations about the topic. Students create well-structured written, spoken and multimodal texts for a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive
purposes, for a broadening number of audiences. They make considered choices in spoken and written texts from an expanding vocabulary, and growing
knowledge of grammatical patterns, complex sentence structures, cohesive links, and literary devices. They use some complex sentences to connect and
develop ideas in written texts. They select specific details to sustain a point of view. They organise longer written texts by using paragraphs on particular aspects
of the topic. They clarify and explain how choices of language and literary features were designed to influence the meaning communicated in their texts. They
plan and deliver presentations, considering the needs and interests of intended audiences and purposes. They collaborate with others to share and evaluate
ideas and opinions, and to develop different points of view. They discuss and compare personal opinions about literary texts, and respond constructively to
others opinions.

Dimensions of teaching and learning

Curriculum intent
What do my students need to learn?
Curriculum is the planned learning that a school
offers and enacts.
Curriculum intent is what we want students to
learn from the mandated curriculum.
Teachers decide how best to plan and deliver the
curriculum to ensure all students have
opportunities to engage in meaningful learning.

General capabilities
Literacy
Students will:
comprehend texts through listening, viewing and reading
compose texts through speaking, writing and creating
understand, read or view a range of texts with different structures for varying purposes
understand and create texts using text features and grammar
understand and apply word knowledge
understand and interpret visual knowledge.
ICT competence
Students will have opportunities to demonstrate Student ICT Expectations in:
Ethics, Issues and ICT

 comply with school expectations and protocols when using ICT.

Critical and creative thinking
Students will:
inquire through identifying, exploring and clarifying information
generate and develop ideas and possibilities
analyse, evaluate and synthesise information
reflect on thinking, actions and processes.
Ethical behaviour
Students will:
know and understand accepted values and ethical principles. Personal and social competence
Students will:
recognise and understand own emotions, values, strengths and capabilities when reflecting
manage and regulate emotions and behaviour when working collaboratively
understand and empathise with others' emotions and viewpoints
cooperate and communicate effectively with others.
Intercultural understanding
Students will:
understand that people have many ways of knowing and being in the world
think critically about their point of view and the point of view of others to facilitate shared understanding to
cultivate values and the dispositions of empathy, respect and responsibility.

Cross-curriculum priorities
Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia
Students will:
explore and appreciate the rich tradition of texts from and about the peoples and countries of Asia,
including
texts written by Asian Australians.
Sustainability
Students will:
investigate and understand issues of environmental sustainability
communicate information about sustainability
advocate action to improve sustainability.

Relevant prior curriculum

Students:
present a point of view about particular literary texts using appropriate metalanguage, and reflecting on
the viewpoints of others
show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including
idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context

 clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to
students 'own experiences and present and justify a point of view
plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and
sequenced content and multimodal elements.
Curriculum working towards
The teaching and learning in this unit works towards the following in Year 7:
reflect on ideas and opinions about characters, settings and events in literary texts, identifying areas of
agreement and difference with others and justifying a point of view
plan, rehearse and deliver presentations selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal
elements to influence a course of action
analyse and explain the ways text
Feedback
What do my students already know? What do my
students need to learn?
How do I teach it?
Feedback is information and advice provided by
a teacher, peer, parent or self about aspects of
someone's performance. The aim of feedback is
to improve learning and is used to plan what to
teach next and how to teach it.
Teachers and students use feedback to close the
gap between where students are and where they
aim to be.

Supportive learning environment

Differentiation
What do your students already know and what do your students need to learn? Consider the individual needs
of your
students - including ESL, gifted and talented and students requiring additional support.
Start where students are at and differentiate teaching and learning to support the learning needs of all
students. Plan
and document how you will cater for individual learning needs.
The learning experiences within this unit can be differentiated by increasing:
the frequency of exposure for some students
the intensity of teaching by adjusting the group size
the duration needed to complete tasks and assessment.
For guided and/or independent practice tasks:
student groupings will offer tasks with a range of complexities to cater for individual learning needs
rotational groupings allow for more or less scaffolding of student learning.
Feedback to students
Establish active feedback partnerships between students, teachers and parents to find out:
what each student already knows and can do how each student is going
where each student needs to go next.
Ensure feedback is timely, ongoing, instructive and purposeful.
Feedback may relate to reading, writing and speaking. In this unit this may include:
text processing and comprehension strategies to analyse language and structural features of literary and
informative texts
speaking through exploration and communication of ideas through discussion
draft plans of students' speeches for debate.
Use feedback to inform future teaching and learning.

Reflection on the unit plan

Identify what worked well during and at the end of the unit for future planning. Reflection may include:
activities that worked well and why
activities that could be improved and how
monitoring and assessment that worked well and why
monitoring and assessment that could be improved and how
common student misconceptions that need, or needed, to be
differentiation and future student learning needs.
Assessment
What do my students understand and can do?
How
well do they know and do it?
Assessment is the purposeful, systematic and
ongoing collection of information as evidence for
use in making judgments about student learning.
Principals, teachers and students use
assessment information to support improving
student learning.
Feedback from evaluation of assessment data
helps to determine strengths

Monitoring student learning

Student learning should be monitored throughout the teaching and learning process to determine student
progress
and learning needs.
Each lesson provides opportunities to gather evidence about how students are progressing and what they
need to
learn next.
Specific monitoring opportunities in this unit may include:
Spoken presentation peer assessment on spoken presentation delivery.
Records of student work Collect student work samples to monitor student understanding of:
text processing strategies to comprehend literary texts and informative texts
notes comparing similarities and differences between literary and informative texts
analysis of language and text features of literary and informative texts
roles of speakers and developing an argument
text structures and language features of a debate.

Assessing student learning

Assessment - Debate
Students present a convincing argument in a debate.
This assessment provides opportunities to gather evidence of student learning in:
Language
Expressing and developing ideas
Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language and vocabulary can express shades of
meaning, feeling and opinion.
Responding to literature
Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots.
Literacy
Texts in context

 Compare texts including media texts that represent ideas and events in different ways, explaining the
effects of
the different approaches.
Interacting with others
Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting
arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions.
Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and
pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience.
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal
elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis.
Sequencing teaching and learning
What do my students already know and can do?
What do my students need to learn? How do I
teach it? The relationship between what is taught
and how it is taught is critical in maximising
student learning. Start with what your students
already know and set goals for the next steps for
learning. Decide how to provide multiple
opportunities for all students to explore and
consolidate ideas, skills and concepts by
considering how students learn best and by using
a variety of teaching strategies.

Teaching strategies and learning experiences

A suggested teaching and learning sequence is outlined below. For further information about learning
focuses and
teaching strategies, refer to the lesson overview and lesson plans.
Examine features of texts
Comprehend a literary text.
Analyse features of literary text.
Comprehend an informative text.
Analyse features of an informative text.
Compare features of texts.
Examine features of a debate
Examine structure of a debate.
View a model debate.
Analyse structure and language of debate.
Analyse language of a speech.
Revise, reinforce and extend learning.
Examine language of argument.
Examine language of rebuttal.
Analyse and compare texts
Analyse a literary text.
Analyse an informative text.
Review, revise and extend learning.
Compare features of texts.
Prepare arguments
Prepare argument.
Plan argument and speech. Review, revise and extend learning.
Present arguments

 Practise debate.
Assessment: Debate.
Review, revise and extend learning. Review, revise and extend learning.
Present arguments
Practise debate.
Assessment: Debate.
Review, revise and extend learning.
Making judgments
How do I know how well my students have
learned? Teachers and students use standards
to judge the quality of learning based on the
available evidence. The process of judging and
evaluating the quality of performance and depth
of learning is important to promoting learning.
Teachers identify the task-specific assessable
elements to make judgments against specified
standards on evidence.

Achievement standard
In this unit, assessment of student learning aligns to the following components of the Achievement standard.
By the end of Year 6 students explore connections between their own experiences and those of characters in
a variety of contexts in literature. In discussion and in writing they share key characteristics of texts by
different authors, and the variations in ways authors represent ideas, characters and events. They analyse
and explain how specific structures, language features, and simple literary devices contribute to the main
purposes of texts and their effects on readers and viewers. They identify and record key points to clarify
meaning, and distinguish between relevant and irrelevant supporting detail. They listen to and respond
constructively to others' opinions by offering alternative viewpoints and information. They select relevant
evidence from texts to support personal responses and to develop reasoned viewpoints. They compare and
accurately summarise information on a particular topic from different texts, and make well-supported
generalisations about the topic. Students create well-structured written, spoken and multimodal texts for a
range of imaginative, informative and persuasive purposes, for a broadening number of audiences. They
make considered choices in spoken and written texts from an expanding vocabulary, and growing knowledge
of grammatical patterns, complex sentence structures, cohesive links, and literary devices. They use some
complex sentences to connect and develop ideas in written texts. They select specific details to sustain a
point of view. They organise longer written texts by using paragraphs on particular aspects of the topic. They
clarify and explain how choices of language and literary features were designed to influence the meaning
communicated in their texts. They plan and deliver presentations, considering the needs and interests of
intended audiences and purposes. They collaborate with others to share and evaluate ideas and opinions,
and to develop different points of view. They discuss and compare personal opinions about literary texts, and
respond constructively to others' opinions.

Curriculum Plan Topics

5 Lessons

Duration

Topic
Examine features of texts

7 lessons

Examine features of a debate

4 Lessons

Analyse and compare texts

4 Lessons

Prepare arguments

5 lessons

Present argument

Teaching Sequence
Topic
Overview

Examine features of texts

Duration 6 lessons

In this unit, students listen to, read, view and analyse literary and informative texts on the same topic.

Lesson
Lesson 1

Teachng and learning sequence

Resources

Comprehend a literary text (1 of 5)

Introduce unit
Discuss context of a literary text
Discuss purpose, audience and context
Read and comprehend a literary text
Determine the author's message
Understand the effect of visual images on the reader
Discuss message of the text

Text
Dale, K 2006, Moon bear rescue, Time
Warner, South
Melbourne (Note: prior to using this text review
the text to ensure suitability for your school
context and class)
Find and prepare
Sheet - Comparing texts

Lesson 2

Analyse features of literary text (2 of 5)

Review literary text
Examine sentence structures
Examine language features (noun groups, verbs,
adverbials)
Identify and compare emotive language
Analyse how text features and language structures
work together
Discuss how language achieves particular effects

Text
Dale, K 2006, Moon bear rescue, Time
Warner, South
Melbourne (Note: prior to using this text review
the text to ensure suitability for your school
context and class)
Find and prepare
Sheet - Comparing texts
Sheet - Extracts from 'Moon bear rescue'

Lesson 3

Comprehend an informative text (3 of 5)

Examine text features of an informative text on the
same topic as literary text
Discuss purpose, audience and context
Read and comprehend informative text
Determine the author's message
Understand effect of images on reader
Discuss the message of the text

Digital
Website - Moon bears: for the kids! (Animals
Asia)
(Note: prior to using this website review the
website to ensure suitability for your school
context and class)
Find and prepare
Sheet - Comparing texts

Differentiation

Lesson 4

Analyse features of an informative text (4 of 5)

Review the informative text
Examine sentence structures
Examine language features (noun groups, verbs,
adverbials)
Analyse how text structures and language features
work together
Discuss how language achieves particular effect

Digital
Website - Moon bears: for the kids! (Animals
Asia)
(Note: prior to using this website review the
website to ensure suitability for your school
context and class)
Find and prepare
Sheet - Comparing texts

Lesson 5

Compare features of texts (5 of 5)

Review knowledge of topic
Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences
between features of literary and informative texts
Write complex sentences comparing features
Give opinion and justification of which text portrays the
message in a more powerful way
Compare opinions

Text
Dale, K 2006, Moon bear rescue, Time
Warner, South
Melbourne (Note: prior to using this text review
the text to ensure suitability for your school
context and class)
Digital
Website - Moon bears: for the kids! (Animals
Asia)
(Note: prior to using this website review the
website to ensure suitability for your school
context and class)
Find and prepare
Sheet - Comparing texts completed during
previous lessons

Topic
Lesson 1

Examine features of a debate

Examine structure of a debate (1 of 7)
Discuss purpose and audience of a debate
Examine the structure of a debate
Examine and compare speakers' roles
Lesson reflection 3:2:1

Find and prepare

Cards - teacher-generated speaker cards
numbered 1, 2, 3 (two sets, preferably one in
green and one in red to indicate affirmative and
negative teams)
Coloured highlighter pens (four different
colours: green, pink, red, blue)
Assessment task booklet - Debate for each
student

Lesson 2

View extracts from a model debate (2 of 7)

Warm-up speaking activity - Show me the evidence
Discuss the model debate
View and analyse the structure of the debate
Discuss the merits of school debating

Lesson 3

Analyse structure and language of debate (3 of 7)

Warm-up speaking activity: Show me the evidence
Analyse structure
Explore the use of rebuttal
Monitoring and reflection

Lesson 4

Analyse language of a speech (4 of 7)

Warm-up speaking activity
Analyse a debating speech
Record text and language features
Reflect on persuasive purposes and effects

Digital
Film clip - Use a search engine to find a
suitable model debate.
Find and prepare
Game cards - Warm-up speaking activity:
teacher-generated double-sided cards with an
example of each type of evidence: example or
anecdote; common sense; 'expert' opinion;
statistics or quotes. To be used in the warm-up
activity Show me the evidence.
Poster - 'Four types of evidence'. Teachergenerated classroom poster with the four types
of evidence: example or anecdote; common
sense; 'expert' opinion; statistics or quotes.
Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lesson)
Text
Text excerpts - Honey, E 1996, Don't pat the
wombat!, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards (first four
chapters)
Find and prepare
Poster - 'Four types of evidence' (teachergenerated classroom resource from earlier
lesson)
Sheet - 'Show me the evidence' planning
sheet
Sheet - Language of debate
Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lessons)
Find and prepare
Game cards - teacher-generated phrase
cards (3 types) for the warm-up game Phrase
finder. Type 1: opinions/preferences.
Type 2: disagreeing.
Type 3: Giving reasons and offering
explanations (See helpful information)
Game cards - teacher-generated topic cards

for the warm-up game Phrase finder (10 cards,

1 topic per card. See helpful information).
Sheet - Modelled speech: paragraphs
Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lesson)
Text - Bear, DR, Invernizzi, M, Templeton, S
and Johnston,

Lesson 5 - 6

Examine language of argument (5 and 6 of 7)

Warm-up speaking activity - Phrase finder
Examine use of objective language and bias to
persuade
Construct arguments with assertion, reason and
evidence (A.R.E.)
Reflection

Lesson 7

Examine language of rebuttal (7 of 7)

Warm-up speaking activity - Phrase finder
Examine effective rebuttal
Practise rebuttal
Reflection 3:2:1

Topic

Analyse and compare texts

Lesson 1

Analyse a literary text (1 of 4)

Explain assessment task
Read, view or listen to and understand a chosen

Find and prepare

Sheet - A.R.E. you arguing effectively?
Game cards - teacher-generated phrase
cards (3 types) for the warm-up game Phrase
finder.
Type 1: opinions/preferences.
Type 2: disagreeing.
Type 3: Giving reasons and offering
explanations
Game cards - teacher-generated topic cards
for the warm-up game Phrase finder (10 cards,
1 topic per
card. See helpful information.)
Website - Curriculum into the classroom
Find and prepare
Poster - teacher-generated classroom display
poster with four prompts for effective rebuttal. (1.
'They say'2. 'But' 3. 'Because' 4.
'Therefore')
Topic cards - teacher-generated cards with
simple topics for rebuttal practice. For example:
Oranges are better than apples; dogs are
smarter than cats; music lessons should be
compulsory; Halloween should become an
Australian tradition.
Find and prepare
Suggested texts (Note: Prior to using these
texts,

literary text
Discuss purpose, audience and message of text
Analyse and record language features, text structures
and images
Discuss how author conveys message

review the texts to ensure suitability for your

school context and class]
Baker, J 1995, The story of rosy dock,
Random House, Melbourne
Baker, J 1988, Where the forest meets the
sea, Walker Books, London
Baker, J 1991, Window, Random, London
French, J 2010, The tomorrow book, Harper
Collins, Australia
Hill, A 1994, The Burnt Stick, Penguin,
Camberwell, Vic
Matthews, P 2009, Something about water,
Scholastic, Gosford, NSW
Norman, M 2009, The Great Barrier Reef
Book:
solar powered, Black Dog Books, Fitzroy, Vic
Stanley, E 1994, The deliverance of dancing
bears, Cygnet Books, Nedlands, WA
Toft, KM 2004, The world that we want, UQ
Press, Brisbane, Qld
Wild, M. & Brooks, R 2011, The dream of the
Thylacine, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW
Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous
lesson)

Lesson 2

Analyse an informative text (2 of 4)

Review assessment task
Read, view or listen to and understand a chosen
informative text
Discuss purpose, audience and message of text
Analyse and record language features, text structures
and images
Discuss how author conveys message

Find and prepare

Use an internet search engine to find
information about issues of sustainability related
to the topics of the chosen literary texts from
previous lesson, such as:
Deforestation
Treatment of bears
Protection of habitats in North Qld
Protecting the environment
For example:

 Website - Department of agriculture and food:

Docks (Rumix sp.) (Government of Western
Australia)
Website - Behind the news: Stolen
generations
Website - Caring for our catchments: Water
quality (reefED)
(Note: Prior to using these websites, review
them to ensure suitability for your school context
and class)
Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lessons)
Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lessons)

Lesson 3 -4

Compare features of texts (3 and 4 of 4)

Compare purpose, audience and message of texts
Compare similarities and differences between features
of literary and informative texts
Write complex sentences comparing features
Compare how authors construct messages
Discuss which text delivers the more powerful
message and why

Topic

Prepare arguments

Lesson 1

Prepare argument (1 of 4)
Introduce and discuss topic, 'That a good literary text
can deliver a more powerful message than a good
informative text'
Define the topic
Record ideas for and against topic
Prepare arguments with evidence from texts
Discuss arguments for and against the topic

Find and prepare

Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lessons)
Chart paper
Texts - class dictionaries or online resources
Helpful information
Text - Bear, DR, Invernizzi, M, Templeton, S
and Johnston,

Lesson 2 - 4

Plan argument and speech (2 and 3 of 4)

Understand assessment task
Assign affirmative and negative teams
Structure team debate
Draft individual speeches from template
Give peer feedback

Find and prepare

Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous
lessons)

Topic

Present arguments

Lesson 1 - 5

Practise debate (1 of 5)
Discuss interaction skills used in debating
Rehearse speeches using interaction skills
Offer peer feedback
Reflect on speech

Find and prepare

Assessment task booklet - Debate (from
previous lessons)
Sheet - Peer feedback of speech

Resources
Analyse and compare texts - Text - Bear, DR, Invernizzi, M, Templeton, S and
Johnston,
Honey, E 1996, Don't pat the wombat!, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards (first four chapters)
Baker, J 1995, The story of rosy dock, Random House, Melbourne
Baker, J 1988, Where the forest meets the sea, Walker Books, London
Baker, J 1991, Window, Random, London
French, J 2010, The tomorrow book, Harper Collins, Australia
Hill, A 1994, The Burnt Stick, Penguin, Camberwell, Vic
Matthews, P 2009, Something about water, Scholastic, Gosford, NSW
Norman, M 2009, The Great Barrier Reef Book: solar powered, Black Dog
Books, Fitzroy, Vic
Stanley, E 1994, The deliverance of dancing bears, Cygnet Books, Nedlands,
WA
Toft, K.M 2004, The world that we want, UQ Press, Brisbane, Qld
Wild, M. & Brooks, R 2011, The dream of the Thylacine, Allen and Unwin,
Crows Nest, NSW
Examine features of a debate - Website - Mrs. Sunda's gifted resource class:
Debate forum (Ruth Sunda, Kyrene de las Brisas Elementary school)

Assessment
Debate

Type
Oral

Learning area
English

Assessment Task 1 Criteria Sheet

Description
Students present a convincing argument in a debate
Criteria
A
B
C
Knowledge and
understanding
Presents and responds to
points of view about the
messages in literary and
informative texts.

Selects deliberate
language choices and
literary devices to
persuade audience
against opposing
viewpoints.

Constructing texts
Presents a convincing
argument.

Varies voice effects such

as tone, volume, pitch and
pace purposefully to
engage and persuade the
audience.

Challenges opposing
points of view drawing on
evidence from texts and
own and others
information. Synthesises
information from texts to
draw reasoned

Selects relevant evidence

from texts to support
arguments and to develop
reasoned viewpoints.
Listens to and responds
constructively to others
opinions by offering
alternative viewpoints and
information. Collaborates
with others to share and
evaluate ideas and
opinions, and to develop
different points of view.
Delivers a presentation,
considering the needs and
interests of intended
audiences and purposes.
Constructs a coherent
argument including
complex sentence
structures, cohesive links
and expanding
vocabulary.

Provides some evidence

to support an argument.

Identifies main ideas and

states facts.

Selects and uses some

voice elements (volume,
tone, pace, pitch, pausing,
enunciation) and some
body language (stance,
gestures, eye contact).

Reads notes from palm

cards.