Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students brainstorm energy issues then use the ‘Ranking Ladder’ thinking tool to assist in organising their ideas. Students are asked to create a persuasive letter to a politician using deliberate language techniques.

Learning goals for this activity include:

  • Students will apply their prior knowledge about energy issues to a letter writing activity.
  • It will enable students to value the knowledge they already have and enable teachers to find out what their students know and what their misconceptions might be. 

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions: 

Year 7 English

  • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)

Year 7 Science

  • Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, but others are non-renewable (ACSSU116)
  • Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE120)

Year 8 English

  • Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)

Year 8 Science

  • Science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range of contemporary issues; these solutions may impact on other areas of society and involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135)
  • Create imaginative, informative and persuasive texts that raise issues, report events and advance opinions, using deliberate language and textual choices, and including digital elements as appropriate (ACELY1736)

Syllabus Outcomes: SC4-11PW, SC4-12ES, EN4-4B. 

General capabilities: Literacy, critical and creative thinking.

Topic: Energy

Year levels: 7 and 8

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor

Time required: 45 mins

Learning areas addressed: English, Geography, Science.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Assist students in letter writing.

Resources required: Letter writing materials and digital worksheet

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goals: Students learn persuasive letter writing skills through using language techniques to write a letter to a politician. 

Teacher content: How do you and your students feel about the usage of energy in Australia and the impacts it is having on the environment? 

Electrical energy is part of our everyday lives at home, at work and at school. Most of our energy is produced by burning fossil fuels and this has a range of environmental, social and economic impacts. One of the most significant impacts is the release of greenhouse gases. A solution is a transition to clean energy sources. Another solution is to think about our personal energy footprint and reduce the amount of energy we use.

All electrical appliances in your school or office use energy and create greenhouse gases. These gases enter the atmosphere and add to the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change. Counting the number of appliances (light fittings, Smartboards, comput

...
 
- or - to view worksheets

Student Worksheet

Thought Starter: What would happen if we had no electricity? 

Part 1. On a scrap bit of paper brainstorm a list of energy issues that exist in your school. Next, order your ideas in the 'Ranking Ladder' below from the most important to the least important and explain why they are ranked the way they are.

Most important

 

Least important

Part 2: A politician is visiting your school to find out what kind of future you think is important when it comes to energy. The politician’s findings will go back to Canberra.

Your job is to write a persuasive letter to the politician outlining the energy concerns you have for the future and convincing them to make some changes.

From the list of persuasive language techniques, which ones would be appropriate for writing a formal letter to a politician.  

PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES

Example issue - why teachers shouldn’t give students homework

Techni

...
 
- or - to view worksheets

Leave your Feedback

We appreciate your feedback. Let us know what you like or don't like about this activity:

Sorry. You must be logged in to view this form.