Backward Design - UNIT PLAN

Title: Can you persuade me? Think for the trees! - Developing persuasive writing
Year Level: 4

Teacher: Miss Fucile

Focus Curriculum Area (s): English, Humanities and Social Science (HASS)

Duration: 4 weeks

STAGE 1: Curriculum Links

General
Capabilities
(GP)

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

ICT
Intercultural

Crosscurriculum
Priorities
(CCP)

Aboriginal and TSI

Asia and Australias

Sustainability

Year Level
Content
Descriptors

Literacy
Identify characteristic features used in
imaginative, informative and persuasive texts
to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1690)
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)
Discuss literary experiences with others,
sharing responses and expressing a point of
view (ACELT1603)
Humanities and Social Science
The importance of environments to animals and
people, and different views on how they can be
protected (ACHGK022)
The Arts
Selection of materials based on their properties
and qualities to create specific artworks
(ACAVAM111)
Presentation and display of artworks to enhance

Literacy

Histories and
Culture

Numeracy

Engagement with Asia

Critical and Creative Thinking

Understanding

Year Level
Achievement
Standards

Literacy
RECEPTIVE MODES (LISTENING,
READING AND VIEWING)
By the end of Year 4, 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. They describe literal
and implied meaning
connecting ideas in different
texts
They fluently read texts that
include
varied sentence structures,
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meaning (ACAVAM112)
Drama
Improvisation skills (working with
complications) to develop drama (ACADRM032)

unfamiliar vocabulary including

multisyllabic words. They
express preferences for
particular types of texts, and
respond to others viewpoints.
They listen for and share key
points in discussions.
PRODUCTIVE MODES
(SPEAKING, WRITING AND
CREATING)
Students use language
features to create coherence
and add detail to their texts.
They understand how to express
an opinion based on information
in a text. They create texts that
show understanding of how
images and detail can be used
to extend key ideas.
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.

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Knowledge: At the end of the unit students are expected

to:

Plan, draft and edit a persuasive text

Use specific language features and text structure to

persuade a specific audience

Explore the importance of the environment to animals and

people, as well as ways they can be protected

Skills: Students need to be able to do:

Create structured texts using appropriate grammar

Research and take notes on the importance of environment to

animals and people using ICT skills

Contribute actively to class and group discussions

Use improvisation skills to develop drama in a debate

Use materials to create specific artworks

Present artworks so that the meaning is enhanced

LEARNING OUTCOMES: What relevant goals will this unit of work address? Draw these out of the content descriptors and the
achievement standards.
Students will be able to......
Plan, draft and publish a persuasive text using gathered information on the importance of the environment to animals and people
Create a persuasive letter using appropriate language features and text structure in order to persuade the audience in a certain
way
Express opinions on the topic of protecting the environment in order to persuade the audience

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

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Task description:
At the end of this unit, students will participate in a summative assessment to demonstrate what they have learnt throughout the unit of
work. It is through a diagnostic task to determine what the students already know about persuasive texts, and a number of formative
assessments, that students will demonstrate the unit outcomes.
Throughout this unit of work, students will read, discuss and explore the implications and importance of the environment and animals
when cutting down trees within the book, The Lorax by Dr Seuss as a class.
Within the summative assessment students will be expected to plan, edit and publish a persuasive letter written to the character, the
Once-ler within the book, demonstrating an understanding and opinion of what has been learnt and researched about the environment,
animals and people and ways in which they can be protected. Once the letter has been published and marked against a rubric it will be
published at the City of Wanneroo in the Environmental Department.
This assessment piece is completed individually, although students of lower ability may require assistance throughout the process. In
order to cater to these students the teacher will model a persuasive letter to the class in which the students who require extra
assistance can retain a copy to refer to and guide them whilst writing their own letter. These students may also need extra time to create
their persuasive letter, such as more time during the editing and researching process. Students at a higher ability level are also catered
to, as they are not limited with their thinking when creating their persuasive text. Questions will be posed to all students throughout the
unit of work, and some high order thinking questions will be asked in order to facilitate deeper thinking for those students who may want
to be challenged
The summative assessment task at the end of the unit is a rich and creative assessment as it allows students to use what they have
learnt from the engaging imaginative book, The Lorax, whilst conducting research on the environment we live and the impact it has on
animals and people. This enables students to connect and apply their knowledge from the book and class discussions and formative
assessments, and apply it to the real world in authentic ways as they can compare the real world to what happened within the story. As
mentioned after the letter is created, it will be published at the City of Wanneroo in the Environmental Department, which also
demonstrates students applying their learning to the real world. This also gives students a motivation and sense of being as their letters
are published for the public to see and to try and make a difference in our environment.
Assessment Criteria:
The summative assessment at the end of the unit will assess students on the following:
Students will

Create a well structured text

Use persuasive language features that clearly demonstrates a point of view and adds detail to their letter
Express a point of view within their persuasive letter (at least three facts or opinions to persuade the audience)
Use research on the importance of the environment to add detail to the letter
Use appropriate spelling, grammar and punctuation

Assessment recording template:

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Throughout the unit of work a number assessment tasks will be recorded and completed. Some of these include, diagnostic, formative
and a summative assessment. All of these assessment tasks enable students to be able to connect and apply their learning and
understanding to the real world in authentic ways. Within this unit students make connections from the book to the environment we live
in. The diagnostic assessment will be recorded through observations and anecdotal notes, which can be seen in Appendix 1. This will
give an insight to the educator as to what the students already know about the topic.
Throughout the unit formative assessments will also be evident, whether they are formal or informal. Students work is constantly and
consistently marked, checked, edited with instant feedback to guide students to further their learning and make modifications to
teaching strategies if need be. Anecdotal notes and checklists as seen in Appendix 2-4 are also used within the unit in order to be able to
determine which students may need extra attention or challenged. The anecdotal notes shown in Appendix 4 are designed for the
teacher to write notes on the learning outcomes for that specific learning experience. The checklists in Appendix 2 and 3 allows the
teacher to determine which students can demonstrate certain criteria within the specific learning experience. Students who may not
have a full understanding of the criteria can be marked with a dot and notes can be written if needed.
Appendix 5 depicts a peer and self-assessment in one whereby students will use it to assess their draft letter as well as mark one of their
peers. This allows students to reflect on their learning, as well as gain feedback from peers. Appendix 6 portrays the last summative
assessment. This assessment is in the format of a rubric where students have the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt in
all aspects of the unit of work and learning objectives evident. All of these can be found within the criteria of the rubric shown in
Appendix 6.
Feedback:
In terms of students receiving feedback, it is through formal, informal, peer-assessment, self-assessment and summative assessment
that students will be able to reflect on their learning.

Formal: Students work will be marked consistently throughout the unit of work with feedback that can assist students in enhancing
their learning
Informal: Through observations and class discussions students will be constantly given critical and valuable feedback
Peer-Assessment: Students work in groups where feedback will be given, students also mark another students work at the end of
the unit
Self-Assessment: Through thinking strategies such as a KWL chart students are able to self assess and reflect on their learning.
Students are also given the opportunity to self-assess during week five where they rate themselves against criteria
Summative assessment: The final mark of the unit will be given with an adequate amount of valuable feedback

Self-assessment:
Students will be given opportunities throughout the unit of work to reflect upon and self-assess their own learning. This will be done
through a KWL chart where students can add to the What Ive Learnt section at any time they want. They are able to reflect on their
learning through writing down ideas of what I want to know whereby they reflect on what they dont know yet. As mentioned,
students also reflect on their own learning through using self-assessment tool (Appendix 5) whereby they colour in which level they
think they may be at against criteria.
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Reporting to parents:
Online Portfolio: SEESAW
All of the students work throughout the unit will be displayed in an online portfolio as a recording tool, using the See Saw
application. This allows parents/carers to be able to access their childs work in their own time, at any time. Parents/carers are also
able to comment on their childs work for the teacher to see and respond to.
Interviews and Meetings
Interviews and meetings can be arranged with parents/carers in order to report on student learning. This allows parents/carers to be
involved in the assessment process. Teacher and parents/carers are able to discuss the students achievements and what may need
developing. Students work should be easily accessible at the time so that it can be shown and discussed providing clear evidence of
what their child does and their progress throughout the year/unit.
Communication book/ Homework diary
Using a communication book or homework diary is a reporting tool that students can take home every day and provide
parents/carers and teachers with instant daily communication. This allows the teacher to make any specific comments on the childs
learning and behaviour, giving parents/carers the opportunity to communicate back and forward with the teacher. The parents/carers
are able to gain awareness of how the student is progressing within the homework diary as well as make comments for the teacher
to check and reply to.

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION

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Learning Experiences
1

During the first week of the unit students will be engaged in a

series of diagnostic tasks whereby the teacher can gain a
perspective of what the students may already know about
persuasive writing.
Lesson 1: Literacy
Are dogs better than cats?
Students will be given sticky notes whereby they will write their
name and place them on the board as to whether they agree or
disagree with the statement on the board dogs are better than
cats. The teacher will discuss to the students what an opinion is
and how sometimes you may want others to believe the same
thing as you.
Lesson 2: Literacy
Persuasive game- My group is the best because?
Engage students in a game to help them understand what and
how persuasive arguments work by giving getting them to work in
groups and provide them with a scenario again. Students will
present their arguments to the class and judge which group
persuaded the class the most effectively.
Lesson 3: Literacy
Can you convince me?
Provide students with various multimodal examples of persuasive
texts such as newspaper articles, opinion pieces, magazines,
advertisements, television ads, images etc. Students will discuss
in groups the similarities they find to help persuade the audience,
which will be brainstormed as a class. Such as language features
and text structure. Students create a KWL chart to reflect on their
learning.

Assessment For/As Learning

(Formative Assessment)
Diagnostic Assessment:
Observations accompanied by
anecdotal notes will be utilised
throughout the first week. The
anecdotal notes will include
criteria to assist the teacher in
what they are specifically looking
for when observing and taking
notes on finding out what the
students already know. The
teacher will also pose a number
of questions to the class to find
out what they already know and
making notes of this.

Resources

Sticky notes
Whiteboard
Persuasive writing
examples:
newspapers,
magazines,
advertisements,
videos, images
etc.
Team role cards

Self-Assessment:
Students complete the what I
know section of a KWL chart
which is collected by the teacher.
Notes can be made on the
anecdotal notes records from
this. This allows children to
reflect on what they have learnt
during week one.

Key Questions:
How can we persuade people?
What does persuade mean?
What language features are used in these texts?
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What is your opinion?

What type of structure is used?
Why is it important to identify different points of view?
What is your point of view?
What impacts a point of view?
What types of language persuades us to think a certain
way?

Differentiation: Team role cards will be used within the group

activities to ensure that all students have a role. Students that
may need extra support can be agreed to have a certain role that
will ensure all students are included. Working in mixed ability
groups will cater to the diverse learning needs within the
classroom.
During this week students will be introduced to a book by Dr
Seuss called The Lorax. They will explore what the book is about
and reflect on the main ideas within the story. The students
should be reminded throughout the story to look for connections
between characters, the events In the story and our environment.
Lesson 4: Literacy
The Lorax by Dr Seuss
The students will engage in and listen to the online book, The
Lorax. Throughout this lesson the teacher poses questions to the
students to guide their thinking. Some examples include:
Why do you think the Once-ler is cutting the trees?
Who do you think the Lorax is?
What do you think is happening here?
What is the Lorax inferring here?
After reading the book students will get into discussion groups
and be given question cards where they will discuss in groups and
share as a class. A brainstorm will be created on butcher paper
for students to refer to throughout the unit of work. *See Key
questions. OR. If access to iPads is available a trello board will be
created for groups of students to answer questions that can be
discussed and referred to as a class.
Lesson 5: Literacy

Formative Assessment:
An informal formative
assessment will be carried out
using observations and the
anecdotal notes used in week
one to ensure that each group
has answered their questions
correctly.
A checklist will be used to ensure
that all students have completed
a compare and contrast of the
environment within the book.
Shown in Appendix 2. It will
ensure that students have
analysed the book and made
connections directly from the
book; used descriptive language;
and demonstrated an
understanding of the main ideas
within the book.

The Lorax eBook:

https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?
v=aKmbSJjXzFk
iPads
Trello board with
prepared
questions
Butchers paper
Coloured Crepe
paper
Colouring in
materials
Glue/scissors
Truffula tree
template

A checklist will also be used to

formatively assess students on
their artwork. This checklist will
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Before and After

Students will complete a compare and contrast of the
environment within the story before the Truffula trees were cut
down, and after the Once-ler arrived. Students should be
encouraged to use language features that can clearly describe to
the reader what the environment was like in the book. Students
are also encouraged to draw pictures.

ensure that the students have

shown good presentation,
creativity, used materials
correctly, understood new
concepts and demonstrated a
connection to real life. This is
shown in Appendix 3

Lesson 6: Visual Art

Planting the seed
Students will create a Truffula tree using bright coloured paper
demonstrating the beauty of them before the Once-ler cut them
down. Students will fill the trunk with words using fancy font to
describe what our environment is like with trees to enhance
meaning and allow for connections to be made to real life.
Students will participate in a gallery walk to share their artworks
with the class. These will be hung up around the school during
Earth day, week to encourage people to be conservative and
environmental friendly.
Key Questions:
What was the land like before the Once-ler appeared?
Why was he cutting the Truffula trees?
What were the consequences for cutting down all of the
trees?
What did the Lorax mean by saying I speak for the trees
From reading the book how have you learnt trees help the
environment, people and animals?
What could the Once-ler have done differently
Do you think the Once-ler is proud of what he had done?
What happened to the animals?
Differentiation: Within lesson two, encourage students to draw
pictures for those students who have trouble writing their ideas.
Explain to the students that pictures also helps the reader
visualise what the environment was like before and after the
Truffula trees were cut down. Diversity was addressed in lesson
one, as students were able to work in groups. Therefore students
that need extra support were able to base their thinking of other
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ideas that may spark ideas for them. Higher ability students were
not limited by their thinking. Extension questions could also be
posed after completing the
3

The third week of the unit will involve analysing the book in terms
of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) learning area.
Students will participate in activities that relate to the importance
of the environment to animals and people.
Lesson 7: Literacy and HASS
If the trees could speak!
Within this lesson students will analyse and discuss the cause and
effects of cutting down the Truffula trees on the animals. Five A2
sized papers will be passed around and students will work in
groups to discuss and record ideas on certain questions to do with
the importance of the environment on animals and people as well
as pollution and conservation. *See key questions
Students will be given a set amount of time before they pass the
poster onto the next group?

Formative Assessment:
Observations as well as
anecdotal notes will be
completed assessing students on
what they know about the
environment through use of
improvisation skills to create a
drama, specifically when the
students who are for the trees
getting cut down have to
improvise to create the debate
more realistic. This will also
assess the students on what they
know about how to persuade an
audience.

A2 sized paper
Marker pens
Team Role cards

Lesson 8:
Drama, HASS
Students will get into groups of 4 and be given a role of either the
Once-ler (supporting the cutting down of the trees) or the Lorax
(believes cutting down trees is bad for the environment). Each
group must come up with a debate and present it to the class.
Key Questions:
What do you think the environment would be like and what
would happen if all of the trees were cut down?
Can you cut down trees but still leave enough in the
environment for animals?
How could the Once-ler have used the Truffula tree without
cutting it down?
What are some ways you can impact the environment in a
positive way?
What kinds of effects does the Once-lers factory have on
the animals within the story? What similarities can you
make with Once-lers business and the animals in our
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environment?
Differentiation: Students can be given the choice to work
individually or in groups when conducting the online research.
Students that may need extra support are encouraged to work
with a partner and may need extra time researching.
4

This week will comprise of the students conducting research using

the internet. Obtaining information to use in their persuasive
letter in the following week.

Lesson 9 and 10: Literacy/HASS

Finding out further
As a class the teacher will go through the note-taking book for
students to use whilst conducting research. The teacher will
model how to take dot-points and take notes effectively. Each
student will be given a device where they will visit a particular
website to get information
(http://www.seussville.com/loraxproject/) on the importance of the
environment on animals and people.

Laptops/iPads/co
mputers
Note-taking
template
Draft template
Persuasive writing
rubric
Power Point on
Persuasive
language and
structure

The research undertaken by the students will most likely go over

two lessons. *See differentiation for students who finish early
Lesson 11: Literacy
Structuring the letter
Within this lesson the teacher will discuss with the class how to
structure a persuasive letter and the types of language features
to use. This can be done using a Power Point presentation. The
teacher will model to the students how to write a short letter on
the board. Students will be given a template whereby they will
write notes on what they are going to include in their persuasive
letter, which will be the start of their draft ready for the next
lesson. Such as using at least three pieces of evidence/facts to
support their opinion and help persuade their audience, being
people like the Once-ler.
Differentiation: Students who do not need more than one lesson
to find information on the importance of the environment can add
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pictures to their comparison drawing that they did in lesson 5.

Here they will add new information from what they have learnt
through research and draw pictures to represent it.
5

Students will construct their letter to the Once-ler this week. The
letters will then be published at the City of Wanneroo
Environment Department where students and their parents can
visit and view all the letters. Students will participate in the
editing process by completing a peer and self-assessment task. A
summative assessment will be conducted at the end of the unit
on each childs persuasive letter including reasons as to why the
Once-ler should stop cutting down the trees.
Lesson 12 and 13: Literacy
Developing the persuasive letter
Students will begin writing their draft, which may go over two
lessons. After students have finished their draft they will reflect on
their learning by participating in a self-assessment where they will
rate what they have done and edit their work. After this, they will
complete the marking task on someone else in the class as a
peer-assessment. The teacher will observe and walk around
assisting in the editing process.

Formative Assessment:
Students will assess themselves
and another person in the class
using a checklist, rating tool. This
will give students the opportunity
to make any modifications
necessary before creating and
publishing their good copy. This
can be seen in Appendix 5.

Computer/laptop
Rubric
Peer/selfassessment
marking key

Summative:
As a final rich task, the teacher
will use a rubric to assess each
student on the persuasive letter
they created. The teacher will
give students the rubric prior to
week 5 for students to
understand what they are
required to do.

Lesson 14: Literacy

Final Copy
Students will be encouraged to complete their final copy of the
letter using a computer or laptop. Students are encouraged to
work neatly and are able to add a picture on the bottom of their
letter to be published to the City of Wanneroo Environment
Department.
Differentiation: Students who finish their drafts early are
encouraged to reflect on their learning by filling in their KWL chart
in the what I have learnt column.

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Written Explanation
This unit of work is based on a year four classroom in Wanneroo. It carries
over five weeks and integrated four learning areas, Literacy, Humanities and
Social Science (HASS), Drama and Visual Arts. The central focus of the unit or
the key concept studied across the five weeks is to develop persuasive text
and is based on the importance of the environment.
There are different aspects within the content descriptors that are evident
throughout the learning plan. For example in relation to literacy, students will
plan, edit and publish a persuasive letter to a character within the explored
storybook, The Lorax. Students will identify characteristic features within
persuasive texts such as language and text structure to assist them in
creating their own persuasive text expressing their point of view. In relation to
the HASS learning area, students will integrate and base their persuasive text
on the importance of the environment to animals and people through
research and class discussions. Students will develop these persuasive writing
skills through learning how to create an argument and point of view within the
drama learning area. Here, students improvised to create a debate, which will
assist them in expressing their point of view within the letter. Students will
also participate in a visual arts lesson where they will use a selection of
materials to create specific artworks as well as present them in a certain way
to enhance the meaning and demonstrate their learning.
The Understanding by Design (UbD) or Backward design approach is what is
used to inform the instructional design for developing students learning,
abilities and knowledge during the 5 weeks. As Readman and Allen (2013
p.71) suggests, the approach allows for constructive learning where students
build on their own knowledge and understandings towards certain goals or
objectives that are clear and achievable. Students demonstrate this learning
by applying their knowledge and skills that they have obtained. There are
many benefits for the reason in which the UbD has been implemented. Firstly,
as McTighe and Wiggins (2011, p. 3) suggest, it allows educators to think
about planning in relation to the curriculum whereby content descriptors and
achievement standards are unpacked, and big ideas are taught, developed
and transferred to create new deeper learning experiences. The design
requires effective curriculum to be planned backward from a long-term
desired outcome whereby learning experiences and assessments are planned
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around ensuring all students are gaining understanding and making meaning.
This unit has been designed using the UbD to ensure learners have been
given multiple opportunities to demonstrate and apply what they have learnt
in meaningful and authentic ways. Other models can also be used to ensure
that all students are engaged in learning experiences to develop effective
student success. Another learning model is an Inquiry model such as the five
Es and Kath Murdochs model of Inquiry through which students are at the
centre of their learning. Within this approach as well as others teachers aim at
creating and integrating teaching programs as well as learning areas that
assist in the goal that all students have to learn and create deep
understanding of how the world works (Murdoch, 2015, p. 14).
Many different assessment types and recording formats are used within the
unit of work in order to improve teaching practices and students learning and
outcomes. Assessment tasks such as diagnostic, formative and summative
are used to assess, provide feedback and report on students learning
(AITSL, 2014). The way in which the assessments will be recorded is through
different types of recording formats such as, observations and anecdotal
notes, checklists, a self and peer-assessment, and a rubric. The anecdotal
notes and checklists will be used to assess students in relation to what they
have learnt during certain learning experiences based on the Australian
Curriculum achievement standards. Some students will be assessed in relation
to their individual learning goals (Australian Curriculum and Reporting
Authority, 2013, p.6) using these formats also, such as by adding extra notes
or changing the criteria and learning outcomes within the anecdotal notes.
Each assessment within the unit of work relates closely with the content
descriptors from the Australian Curriculum as well as ways in which help
develop the learning outcomes. Anecdotal notes are used within the
diagnostic and formative assessments to ensure students are on the right
track therefore learning objectives were identified as the criteria (Appendix 1
and 4) in which notes can be taken underneath, relating to what students may
already know about persuasive texts. Checklists are used for the formative
assessments and the criteria (Appendix 2 and 3) is used to relate to ACARA,
as well as the specific objectives within those particular lessons. As for the
summative assessment a rubric is used to assess students on the learning
objectives (Appendix 6). Students participated in learning experiences leading
up to the summative assessment such as exploring the importance of the
environment and analysing the book, The Lorax. Students are given the
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opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt through creating a

persuasive letter to a character within the book who does not seem to
understand the importance of the environment. The criteria can be seen in
Appendix 6, and closely relates to the ACARA content descriptors for literacy
and HASS as an overall outcome for the unit.
Ethical considerations are also made throughout the unit of work, as all
students are encouraged to participate in all learning experiences with
modifications of lessons and assessment in order to cater to the diverse
needs. ACARA promotes, excellence and equity in education for all students
(ACARA, 2013) therefore this unit of work closely aligns with this ensuring
assessment is done with fairness and equity.
The way in which both the formative and summative assessment allows
students to connect and apply their knowledge to the real world is through
doing assessment tasks relating to the book and then connecting those ideas
to the real world by exploring and researching why the environment in the
world we live in today is important. The students are then able to apply this
knowledge by persuading the character within the book as to why the
environment is so important for animals and people.
Constant feedback will be given to students throughout the unit of work in
order to support further learning. This unit of work does this through using
formal and informal formative assessment tasks, diagnostic assessments and
peer and self-assessment tasks. By giving students feedback orally or through
rubrics, observations and marked work that is consistent and effective, allows
students to become engaged learners through which they can identify
processes and actions to connect and apply in future learning (Queensland
Studies Authority, n.d.). An example of oral and written feedback students will
give and receive is within week five. During this final week the students will
have finished their draft in which they will self-assess against the assessment
tool shown in Appendix 5. Students will not only self-assess their work, but
they will also participate in a peer-assessment where they will use the same
tool in Appendix 5 to assess another student. This guides and supports
students further learning, as they are able to reflect on their own learning
and move from the dependency on feedback from the teacher and more
towards developing internal feedback which is typically more motivational
(Queensland Studies Authority, n.d.).
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Each learning task within the unit of work is aimed at developing the desired
outcomes and goals. Therefore, each lesson is planned around the
achievement standards for year four Literacy and content descriptors from
ACARA in order to support each students conceptual understanding of the
environment as well as the language features and text structures that are
used to create an effective persuasive text that can be published for the
public to see. This is a way in which deep learning was promoted within the
plan. As students explore the text, The Lorax, they gain deep understanding
through activities, that they can then make connections with the real world
through research and class discussions. The first week was designed to gage
and validate students prior knowledge on persuasive texts. During week two
The Lorax was read to the students where activities were planned to explore
the text and develop a deeper understanding through literacy and visual art.
Week three and four focused on the importance of the environment within the
story as well as in the world we live it. This incorporated both ICT skills as
students researched as well as the subject of sustainability. The way in which
persuasive texts are structured and the language used was also discussed
further during these weeks. This demonstrates the fact that the learning
experiences build on each other to develop a more conceptual understanding
of the environment as well as how to incorporate this into a persuasive text.
Week five allows students demonstrate their conceptual understanding of how
to create a persuasive letter in which they include language features to add
detail to their texts as well as express an opinion based on information they
have researched within their text, aligning with the achievement standard for
year four, literacy and learning tasks experienced previous to week five.
Within this unit there are many ways in which the collected information can
be reported to parents acknowledging the achievement of the students. In
order to effectively report to parents/carers, information should be provided to
carers about their students progress towards learning outcomes as well as
provide evidence of the progress or absence of it (Readman & Allen, 2013, p.
159). In this case, within each learning experience, tasks will be marked and
instant feedback comments will be given. These artefacts will all be collected
and put into a portfolio such as SeeSaw so that parents and carers can
comment and communicate with the educator at all times. The benefit of
using this ePortfolio is that it has the functionality to link comments and
grades. It also allows the students, teachers and parents to be able to see the
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development of learning over time. The rubrics and other assessment tools
should also be available at all times for parents to view in interviews and
meetings that may be arranged. Using ICT to report to parents also allows for
continuous, ongoing and immediate reporting whereby continuous
communication can be the resolution for remedial action to be aken in a more
efficient way (Readman & Allen, 2013, p. 166).

References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2013).
Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/home/australiancurriculum-overview
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2014).
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Providing Feedback. Retrieved
from
http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-forteachers/illustrations-of-practice/detail?id=IOP00237
Murdoch, K. (2015). The Power of Inquiry. Northcote, VIC: Seastar.

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Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. The understanding by design guide to creating

high-quality units.
Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au
Queensland Studies Authority. (n.d.). Seeking and Providing Feedback.
https://lms.curtin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-4298902-dt-content-rid24281077_1/xid-24281077_1

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