War On Waste - Plastic Waste In The News

Australian curriculum content descriptions: 

Year 4 English:

• Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning to expand content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas and analysing and evaluating texts (ACELY1692)
• Understand differences between the language of opinion and feeling and the language of factual reporting or recording (ACELA1489)
• Recognise how quotation marks are used in texts to signal dialogue, titles and quoted (direct) speech (ACELA1492)
• Explore the effect of choices when framing an image, placement of elements in the image, and salience on composition of still and moving images in a range of types of texts (ACELA1496)
• Use interaction skills such as acknowledging another’s point of view and linking students’ response to the topic, using familiar and new vocabulary and a range of vocal effects such as tone, pace, pitch and volume to speak clearly and coherently (ACELY1688)
• 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)

Year 5 English:

• Understand how to move beyond making bare assertions and take account of differing perspectives and points of view (ACELA1502)
• Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriate for different audiences and purposes (ACELY1796)
• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)
• Re-read and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)

Year 6 English:

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)
• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)
• Understand the uses of commas to separate clauses (ACELA1521)
• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)
• Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)
• Compare texts including media texts that represent ideas and events in different ways, explaining the effects of the different approaches (ACELY1708)
• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)
• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)
• Re-read and edit students’ own and others’ work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices (ACELY1715)

Syllabus outcomes: EN2-4A, EN2-11D, EN2-8B, EN2-1A, EN2-2A, EN3-8D, EN3-1A, EN3-2A, EN3-3A

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.7

Relevant parts of Year 4 English 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 create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions. 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.

Relevant parts of Year 5 English achievement standards: Students understand how language features, images and vocabulary influence interpretations of characters, settings and events. They describe how events, characters and settings in texts are depicted. Students create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions. When writing, they demonstrate understanding of grammar using a variety of sentence types. They edit their work for cohesive structure and meaning.

Relevant parts of Year 6 English achievement standards: Students understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects. They analyse and explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used by different authors to represent ideas, characters and events. Students compare and analyse information in different and complex texts. Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. They contribute actively to class and group discussions. They use accurate spelling and punctuation for clarity and make and explain editorial choices based on criteria.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work: War On Waste – Years 4-6

Time required: 120 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – facilitate guided discussion and lead students in activities

• Device capable of presenting an online clip to the class.
• News Article – Annotated
• News Article
• Student Worksheet – one copy per student

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

• Communication
• Creativity
• Collaboration
• Critical thinking

Cool Australia’s War On Waste lessons have been developed in partnership with Lune Media and with support from the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network. These lessons have been designed to lead students through a deeper understanding of some of the big issues relating to waste in Australia and to support them to take action to reduce the impact of waste on our environment.