Duration

~3 x 45 minute lessons

Students will explore the features for an exposition and create a persuasive poster for a particular marine species or habitat.

Preparation

This lesson is part of a unit of work on the text Blueback. It assumes some previous study of the text has already been completed. View the full Unit here.

Students will each require a copy of Student worksheet: Exposition planner and Student resource sheet: Exposition example. Students will revisit Student resource sheet: Exposition example in the Lesson: Debate

Students may require access to the library, internet or reference books to plan and complete their persuasive poster.

Fact sheets on marine species found in Western Australia may be found here. Information on marine habitats found in Western Australia may be found here.

 

Western Australian curriculum

LEARNING AREA STRAND SUB-STRAND CODES
English Language Text structure and organisation ACELA1531
English Language Expressing and developing ideas ACELA1512
English Literature Literature and context ACELT1619
English Literature Responding to literature ACELT1621
English Literacy Interpreting, analysing, evaluating ACELY1721
Science Science as a human endeavour Use and influence of science ACSHE100

Steps

  1. Engage students in a whole class shared reading of Chapter 7. Discuss Costello’s attitude towards the ocean, compared with Abel’s.
  2. Introduce (revise) and discuss what an exposition is – a persuasive text.
  3. Provide students with Student resource sheet: Exposition example. Read as a class and discuss the elements of a persuasive text in the context of the example provided (you may wish to use Student worksheet: Exposition planner to assist in breaking down the text):
    • an introduction that provides background information on the topic and gives an opinion on the statement.
    • three paragraphs that each contain an argument about the topic.
    • a rebuttal to acknowledge the other side of the argument.
    • a conclusion to summarise the arguments.
  4. Discuss the language used in creating a persuasive text – connectives, low and high modality word choice – and how text is arranged.
  5. Students will now conduct some research to create a persuasive poster to save a marine species. You could ask all students to create a ‘Save the Western blue groper’ poster, or you could allow them to choose a species (or marine habitat – seagrass, mangroves, coral reef) that interests them.
  6. Provide students with a copy of Student worksheet: Exposition planner to plan the text for their poster.

Keywords

exposition, persuasive text, persuasive, argument, opinion, connectives, low modality, high modality, poster, marine species, protect