Arguments, Persuasive & Biographies

Teachers: Brooke Webster & Tyla Milich

Rationale for unit: Assessment:

According to the ACARA achievement standard children in year 4 and 5
need to know how to express an opinion in their writing. This is conducted
in both year levels through language choices that influence the reader’s
opinion on what is occurring in the piece.
Students engage with a variety of texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read,
view and interpret spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the
primary purpose is aesthetic, as well as texts designed to inform and
persuade.
Formative:
Children will be monitored throughout the unit to ensure they are meeting
the requirements of the achievement standard.
Summative:
- Students will engage with a persuasive text to infer meaning (logical
and opinion).
- Students will publish a biography on an influential person in their
lives, developing inquiry questions and using key researching
techniques.

Students create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive types Persuasive:

of texts including narratives, procedures, performances, reports, reviews, Children will publish a persuasive piece that visually represents a

poetry and expositions. newspaper article that persuades the reader to take on their point of view.

Biography:
Students will publish a biography on an influential person in their lives.

Achievement standards:
YEAR 4:

Students understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text, and 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.
Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group
discussions, varying language according to context. 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.

YEAR 5:

They develop and explain a point of view about a text, selecting information, ideas and images from a range of resources. Students create imaginative,
informative and persuasive texts for different purposes and audiences. When writing, they demonstrate understanding of grammar using a variety
of sentence types. They select specific vocabulary and use accurate spelling and punctuation. They edit their work for cohesive structure and meaning.

Students use language features to show how ideas can be extended. They develop and explain a point of view about a text, selecting information, ideas
and images from a range of resources.

UNIT SEQUENCE

Teaching focus: Learning activity: Assessment: Resources:

BROOKE PLACEMENT

LESSON 1

Language features of a persuasive Students will look at a piece of text Formative  Worksheet 1 x per child
text to highlight the emotive language.
Students will then engage in a
whole class discussion about what
 does this language tell us / how it
makes us feel etc

LESSON 2

Responding to a persuasive Students will respond to a letter. Formative  Literacy book

Students will be encouraged to use
Homework: students to complete
emotive language that portrays if
unfinished work, 15 minutes
they are for or against the opinion
reading otherwise to be recorded in
being posed in the letter
reading log.

LESSON 3

Creating a persuasive piece Students will have the opportunity Summative  Literacy book
to pick or create their own topic to
persuade an audience about what
they believe is right or wrong. E.g.
school should start at 10:30am and
finish at 2:00pm with no homework

LESSON 4

Creating a persuasive piece Students will continue working on Summative  Literacy book
their persuasive piece
Homework: students to spend 15
minutes on their persuasive piece.
Teacher to mark where children are
up to prior to leaving the class to
ensure homework has been
completed.

LESSON 5
 Publishing a persuasive piece Students will publish their Summative  Laptop 1 x per child
persuasive piece to replicate a letter
to the council or school principle

LESSON 6

Class debate Students will be divided into 2 Formative  Discussion points

teams to undertake a debate.  Hat
Students will have a panel of 5
judges which will rotate each round.
Students will pick out a topic from
the hat (creating excitement /
engagement). Students will rotate
being for and against in debate

TYLA PLACEMENT

LESSON 7

Introduction to a biography Students will be introduced to the Formative  Biography PowerPoint

biography assessment that will  Written biography of Steve
Write a short bio (biography) of a
explore influential people in their Irwin for students to analyse
family member that includes at
life. Students choose someone who
least 4 elements that are included
is influential to them, and then
in biographies
begin identifying inquiry questions
that will fit into the table that
breaks down the key concepts they
need in a biography

LESSON 8

Add questions into table - Drafting Students will respond to inquiry Formative  Biography PowerPoint
in table of points to cover questions regarding the elements  Biography Elements
within a biography. They will use Template
brainstorming techniques to find an
If not complete in class, they are to
choose ONE influential person in
their life
Start researching the background of
the chosen person and start filling in
the biography elements template
The first column of the task needs
to be complete before next lesson
Add questions into table - Drafting
in table of points to cover
Find 1x portrait photo of the
influential person
Fill in the homework sheet –
How/why are they influential to
you?
Begin writing biography
Write an additional 2x sentences of
the biography of the influential
person they have chosen
array of ideas to compare and
contrast the elements in a
biography. They will identify the key
elements of a biography and
practice sorting/classifying
information into each category of
their biographies
LESSON 9
Students will form cohesive rapport Summative  Biography PowerPoint
with their table partners when  Biography Elements
discussing the details of their Template
biography. Students will use
research techniques to locate
relevant information that will be
used in their biography writing
LESSON 10
Students will form cohesive rapport Formative  Biography PowerPoint
with their shoulder partners when  Biography Elements
discussing the structure of a Template
biography. Students in interpret  Homework Sheet –
biographies to determine the key
How/why are they
elements that need to be included
influential to you?
in a biography. Students will start
writing their biographies, keeping in
mind language techniques such as
third person tense and correct
pronouns
 LESSON 11

Finish with sentences and images
Complete their biography writing
Complete personality traits task
Write down one question they
would like to ask their influential
person if they see/meet them
Students will finish Formative  Biography PowerPoint
planning/drafting/writing their  Homework Sheet –
biographies on an influential person How/why are they
in their life. Students look at the influential to you?
characteristics of personality traits
 Written biography of Steve
to determine which ones are the
Irwin for students to analyse
best fit for their influential person
 biography elements
template

LESSON 12

Present their biography to the class

Evaluation of their poster
presentation needs to be completed information they have collected to
Students will design and create their Summative  Biography PowerPoint
poster presentation on a person  Biography Elements
who is influential to them, using the Template
 Craft Supplies (card paper,
write their biographies. Use a range
pencils, pens, scissors, glue
of materials to create their poster
etc)
presentations to ensure they are
engaging