War On Waste - The News About Plastic Waste

Australian curriculum content descriptions: 

Year 7 English:

• Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and meaning (ACELY1804)
• Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements to promote a point of view or enable a new way of seeing (ACELY1720)
• Analyse and explain the ways text structures and language features shape meaning and vary according to audience and purpose (ACELY1721)
• Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues from a variety of textual sources (ACELY1723)

Year 8 English:

• Understand how rhetorical devices are used to persuade and how different layers of meaning are developed through the use of metaphor, irony and parody (ACELA1542)
• Use interaction skills for identified purposes, using voice and language conventions to suit different situations, selecting vocabulary, modulating voice and using elements such as music, images and sound for specific effects (ACELY1808)
• Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content, including multimodal elements, to reflect a diversity of viewpoints (ACELY1731)
• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and evaluate texts by reflecting on the validity of content and the credibility of sources, including finding evidence in the text for the author’s point of view (ACELY1734)

Year 9 English:

• Use interaction skills to present and discuss an idea and to influence and engage an audience by selecting persuasive language, varying voice tone, pitch, and pace, and using elements such as music and sound effects (ACELY1811)
• Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for aesthetic and playful purposes (ACELY1741)
• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing and evaluating representations of an event, issue, situation or character in different texts (ACELY1744)

Year 10 English:

• Use organisation patterns, voice and language conventions to present a point of view on a subject, speaking clearly, coherently and with effect, using logic, imagery and rhetorical devices to engage audiences (ACELY1813)
• Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements to influence a course of action (ACELY1751)
• Use comprehension strategies to compare and contrast information within and between texts, identifying and analysing embedded perspectives, and evaluating supporting evidence (ACELY1754)

Syllabus outcomes: EN4-3B, EN4-4B, EN4-2A, EN5-3B, EN5-2A

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.6

Relevant parts of Year 7 English achievement standards: Students understand how to draw on personal knowledge, textual analysis and other sources to express or challenge a point of view. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using language features to engage the audience.

Relevant parts of Year 8 English achievement standards: Students understand how the selection of language features can be used for particular purposes and effects. They explain the effectiveness of language choices they make to influence the audience. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using language patterns for effect.

Relevant parts of Year 9 English achievement standards: Students understand how to use a variety of language features to create different levels of meaning. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, comparing and evaluating responses to ideas and issues.

Relevant parts of Year 10 English achievement standards: Students develop and justify their own interpretations of texts. They evaluate other interpretations, analysing the evidence used to support them. They explain different viewpoints, attitudes and perspectives through the development of cohesive and logical arguments. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, building on others’ ideas, solving problems, justifying opinions and developing and expanding arguments.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work: War On Waste – Years 7-10

Time required: 60 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – lead students in debate

• Debate Assessment Rubric
• Debate Guidelines
• Device capable of presenting an online clip to the class
• Generating Questions Factsheet
• News Article (use this or another news article)
• Persuasive Language Handout
• Online Search Strategies
• Student Worksheet – one copy per student

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

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Creativity
• 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.