National Recycling Week - Write a Short Story

Australian curriculum content descriptions: 

Year 3 English:

• Understand how different types of texts vary in use of language choices, depending on their purpose and context (for example, tense and types of sentences) (ACELA1478)
• Understand that paragraphs are a key organisational feature of written texts (ACELA1479)  
• Create imaginative texts based on characters, settings and events from students’ own and other cultures using visual features, for example perspective, distance and angle (ACELT1601) 
• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features and selecting print, and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose (ACELY1682)  
• Re-read and edit texts for meaning, appropriate structure, grammatical choices and punctuation (ACELY1683)  
• Write using joined letters that are clearly formed and consistent in size (ACELY1684)  

Year 4 English:

• Understand differences between the language of opinion and feeling and the language of factual reporting or recording (ACELA1489) 
• Incorporate new vocabulary from a range of sources into students’ own texts including vocabulary encountered in research (ACELA1498)  
• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)  
• Re-read and edit for meaning by adding, deleting or moving words or word groups to improve content and structure (ACELY1695)  
• Write using clearly-formed joined letters, and develop increased fluency and automaticity (ACELY1696) 

Year 3 Achievement Standards: Students understand how content can be organised using different text structures depending on the purpose of the text. They understand how language features, images and vocabulary choices are used for different effects. They understand how language can be used to express feelings and opinions on topics. Students create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions, providing useful feedback. 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 Achievement Standards: Students understand that texts have different text structures depending on purpose and context. They explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used to engage the interest of audiences. 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. Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. 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.

Syllabus Outcomes: EN2-2A, EN2-3A, EN2-8B, EN2-9B, EN2-11D  

Time required: 90 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activities, facilitate discussion

• Internet access
• Student Worksheet (one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet)
• Pen and paper for story writing
• Projector and speakers
• Optional – Short and long term effects – bubble chart

Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week started in 1996 to bring a national focus to the environmental benefits of recycling. This highly regarded annual campaign continues to educate and stimulate behaviour change by promoting kerbside, industrial and community recycling initiative. It also gives people the tools to minimise waste and manage material resources responsibly at home, work and school. In partnership with Planet Ark, we have developed lessons from early learning through to year 10 to help educators bring these important topics into the classroom.

National Recycling Week is held in the second week of November each year but you can recycle all year-round with these lessons which were designed to be used at any time. Click here to find out more about National Recycling Week and the Schools Recycle Right Challenge.