Blue - Using Persuasive Language to Create Change

Australian Curriculum content descriptions:

Year 9 English:

• Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects (ACELA1553)
• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing and evaluating representations of an event, issue, situation or character in different texts (ACELY1744)
• Explain how authors creatively use the structures of sentences and clauses for particular effects (ACELA1557)

General Capabilities: Literacy, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.

Syllabus outcomes: EN5-2A, EN5-3B

Relevant parts of Year 9 English achievement standards: Students analyse the ways that text structures can be manipulated for effect. They analyse and explain how images, vocabulary choices and language features distinguish the work of individual authors. Students select evidence from texts to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence an audience. They listen for ways texts position an audience. Students understand how to use a variety of language features to create different levels of meaning. They demonstrate how manipulating language features and images can create innovative texts. Students create texts that respond to issues, interpreting and integrating ideas from other texts. They edit for effect, selecting vocabulary and grammar that contribute to the precision and persuasiveness of texts and using accurate spelling and punctuation.

Unit of work: Blue The Film – English – Year 9&10.

Time required: 90 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: High – facilitate class discussion and assess student work.

• Student Worksheet – one per student
• Device capable of presenting a website to the class
• Persuasive Language Factsheet (one per student). Rhetorical Devices Factsheet (optional)
• Corporate Responsibility – Transcript (optional – one per student)
• How Do We Combat Our Plastic Addiction – Transcript

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Social skills
• Global citizenship

Blue is a feature documentary film charting the drastic decline in the health of our oceans. With more than half of all marine life lost and the expansion of the industrialization of the seas, the film sets out the challenges we are facing and the opportunities for positive change. Blue changes the way we think about our liquid world and inspires the audience to action. Find out how to screen or download the film here. Along with the film is an ambitious global campaign to create advocacy and behaviour change through the #oceanguardian movement. To become an ocean guardian, see the website.