Blue - Seabird Poetry

Australian curriculum content (8.4) descriptions:

Year 7 English:

• Understand, interpret and discuss how language is compressed to produce a dramatic effect in film or drama, and to create layers of meaning in poetry, for example haiku, tankas, couplets, free verse and verse novels (ACELT1623).
• Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using rhythm, sound effects, monologue, layout, navigation and colour (ACELT1805).

Syllabus outcomes: EN4-1A, EN4-4B

General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 7 English achievement standards: Students demonstrate understanding of how the choice of language features, images and vocabulary affects meaning. They understand how the selection of a variety of language features can influence an audience. Students create texts showing how language features and images from other texts can be combined for effect. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using language features to engage the audience.

Unit of work: Blue The Film: Our Oceans and Our Future

Time required: 90 mins.

• Student Worksheet – one per student
• Device capable of presenting a clip to the class
• Lesson Presentation
• Seabirds Stimulus Images sheet
• Poetic Devices Glossary, Ode to Seabirds Poem
• Marine Debris Factsheet
• Found Poem Example, Found Poem Instructions
• Shorebirds Factsheet

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

• Communication
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Social skills
• Global citizenship

Level of teacher scaffolding: Low – lead students in discussion.

Blue is a feature documentary film charting the drastic decline in the health of our oceans. With more than half of all marine life lost and the expansion of the industrialization of the seas, the film sets out the challenges we are facing and the opportunities for positive change. Blue changes the way we think about our liquid world and inspires the audience to action. Find out how to screen or download the film here. Along with the film is an ambitious global campaign to create advocacy and behaviour change through the #oceanguardian movement. To become an ocean guardian, see the website.