Activity Introduction
Quick Summary: This lesson incorporates clips from Blue The Film as learning inspiration. In this lesson, students will consider persuasive language and how it influences the audience. They will watch a short clip that features perspectives about the role and uses of plastic. Students will enhance their understanding of using language to persuade by studying the devices used by an environmentalist and campaigner. They then apply this knowledge to create their own persuasive speech that addresses the issue of plastic pollution, ocean health and marine ecosystems.
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. Along with the film is an ambitious global campaign to create advocacy and behaviour change through the #oceanguardian movement. Find out how to screen or download the film here. To become an ocean guardian, see the website.
Learning intentions:
- Students will understand that there are a variety of persuasive devices and structural choices that authors use to influence audiences about significant issues.
- Students will develop, enhance and apply their critical thinking skills to analyse and evaluate how language can be used to position audiences about environmental issues.
21st century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions:
Year 9 English
- Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects (ACELA1553)
- Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing and evaluating representations of an event, issue, situation or character in different texts (ACELY1744)
- Explain how authors creatively use the structures of sentences and clauses for particular effects (ACELA1557)
General Capabilities: Literacy, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Understanding.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.
Syllabus outcomes: EN5-2A, EN5-3B
Relevant parts of Year 9 English achievement standards: Students analyse the ways that text structures can be manipulated for effect. They analyse and explain how images, vocabulary choices and language features distinguish the work of individual authors. Students select evidence from texts to analyse and explain how language choices and conventions are used to influence an audience. They listen for ways texts position an audience. Students understand how to use a variety of language features to create different levels of meaning. They demonstrate how manipulating language features and images can create innovative texts. Students create texts that respond to issues, interpreting and integrating ideas from other texts. They edit for effect, selecting vocabulary and grammar that contribute to the precision and persuasiveness of texts and using accurate spelling and punctuation.
Topic: Blue The film, Ocean conservation, Water, Sustainability.
Unit of work: Blue The Film – English – Year 9&10.
Time required: 90 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High – facilitate class discussion and assess student work.
Resources required: Student Worksheet – one per student. Device capable of presenting a website to the class. Persuasive Language Factsheet (one per student). Rhetorical Devices Factsheet (optional). Corporate Responsibility – Transcript (optional – one per student). How Do We Combat Our Plastic Addiction – Transcript.
Keywords: Blue The Film, ocean conservation, marine ecosystems, rhetoric, plastic pollution, persuasive writing.
Cool Australia and Northern Pictures would like to acknowledge the generous contributions of GoodPitch² Australia, Shark Island Institute, Documentary Australia Foundation, The Caledonia Foundation and Screen Australia in the development of these teaching resources.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
© 2017 Northern Pictures and Cool Australia
Teacher preparation
