Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

5 minutes

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

35 minutes

Part B: Exploring the Paper Recycling Loop

15 minutes

Part C: Structuring a Persuasive Text

40 minutes

Part D: Writing a Persuasive Text

20 minutes

Part E: Feedback

5 minutes

Reflection

Part A: Activating Prior Knowledge

Step 1

Begin this lesson by providing students with the opportunity to activate prior knowledge relating to the recycling process and its relevance to sustainability. Stimulating recall of relevant knowledge supports students to connect new learning to existing understandings, enabling them to understand new content in greater detail. It can also increase engagement in the lesson.

Step 2

Write the question: "Why is recycling important?" on the whiteboard, and ask students to read it out loud. Invite students to respond to the question, and write their responses on the whiteboard. Discuss student responses using the question “What makes you say that?” to prompt further detail.

Part B: Exploring the Paper Recycling Loop

Step 1

Project the Recycling Loop Diagram as shown below.

Invite students to respond to the following questions on the Student Worksheet:

How does purchasing recycled toilet paper help to close the recycling loop?
What would the impact be if no one purchased recycled paper products?
What would the impact be if we all purchased recycled paper products?

Encourage students to share their responses in a quick discussion about the recycling loop. In the discussion, emphasise the importance of "The Part You Play."

Step 2

Project the following video for the class to view.

We All Do It - Close the Recycle Cycle with Planet Ark and Naturale (https://youtu.be/61tP9zWFNsY)

Step 3

Invite students to discuss the content and purpose of the video, asking questions such as:

What type of text is this?
What was it trying to persuade us to do?
What are the benefits of using recycled toilet paper?
Who are those benefits relevant to?

Step 4

Invite students to form pairs and view the Recycling Loop Diagram on the Student Worksheet. Encourage pairs to imagine what the world looks like with and without a closed recycling loop.

Students should then illustrate what they imagine - one partner could sketch the world in which the recycling loop is closed. The other could sketch a world without a closed recycling loop.

Part C: Structuring a Persuasive Text

Step 1

Refer to the learning intentions and success criteria for the lesson (if you haven't already done so, write them on the whiteboard). Encourage students to read them out replacing "Students can..." with 'I can...' so that they internalise the learning goals.

Explain to students that they will be writing a persuasive text aimed at convincing others to purchase recycled toilet paper. They should focus on ensuring their text follows a suitable structure for persuasive writing.

Step 2

Read through the Structuring a Persuasive Text table on the Student Worksheet. Discuss the structure of persuasive writing, referring to the table. Read the example text aloud, focusing on what each part of the text is by referring to the annotation.

Part D: Writing a Persuasive Text

Step 1

Ask students to complete a Persuasive Writing Plan using the space provided on the Student Worksheet. Explain that they will need to select an audience (a person or group of people they are trying to convince) and write to convince them that they should purchase recycled toilet paper. Reinforce that the writing plan should only include dot points to show their ideas for writing.

Support: Invite students who have difficulty completing writing tasks at standard Year 3 and 4 level into a focus group. Discuss the Persuasive Writing Plan with them and complete together.

Step 2

Explain to students that they will need to write their persuasive piece based on the ideas they have recorded in their plan. Provide students with time to complete their persuasive writing.

Support: Students in the focus group can take the plans they developed in the group and use these to direct their writing.

Part E: Feedback

Step 1

Invite students to form pairs. These pairs could be of similar ability so that students receive feedback suited to their level of capability.

Ask students to complete peer feedback using the guides on the Student Worksheet. Encourage students to read their partner’s writing, use the template as a guide to help them to comment, then deliver their feedback to their partner verbally.

Step 2

Provide time for students to make changes to their writing based on feedback provided.

Reflection

Provide students with time to consider and respond to the following questions (they can respond in writing on the Student Worksheet or in their workbooks):

1. What did I learn about the recycling loop today?
2. What will I do to improve my recycling habits?
3. What did I improve in my writing today?
4. What will I change in my next persuasive writing piece?

Differentiated Learning

Extension: Students who confidently write with suitable structure for a persuasive text can be encouraged to ensure they are using linking terms at the beginning of each paragraph.

Provisions for Learning Support: Students challenged by the writing task are brought together in a group to develop their plan before working independently on the writing task.

Considering Social Action

It's always a good time of year to challenge your students to recycle right!

Planet Ark provides free recycling activity guides and Australian school event ideas designed to engage students and teachers to learn by doing and having fun! The Getting Started Guide will help you plan and promote your Schools Recycle Right Challenge activities.

Teacher Reflection

National Recycling Week - Closing the Paper Recycling Loop (NAPLAN Writing Practice)

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Summary

Learning intentions:

Students will...

Success criteria:

Students can...

Lesson Guides and Printables

Lesson Details

Skills

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

Additional Info

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