Activity Introduction
Quick summary: Students will analyse a persuasive visual text as practice for the writing component of the NAPLAN* literacy test on the topic ‘Working with Hydro Tasmania’. Students will identify relevant information from a video and revise the features of persuasive visual texts to complete an extended analysis activity.
Activity developed in partnership with 
Hydro Tasmania has been at the forefront of clean energy innovation for one hundred years. It is Australia’s largest producer of clean energy – generating hydro and wind power – and the largest water manager. Hydro Tasmania has 55 major dams, operates 30 hydropower stations and has built some of Australia’s largest wind farms.
Hydro Tasmania also sells energy in the National Electricity Market through its retail business Momentum Energy, and sells its expertise internationally through its consulting business Entura. Visit the Hydro Tasmania website to learn how the business is working towards Australia’s clean energy future.
Learning goals: This lesson is designed to provide valuable practice for NAPLAN*, the national literacy test held in Years 7 and 9. Students identify the features of persuasive visual texts, evaluate them by writing an extended response, and gain valuable literacy skills, revision and practice for the NAPLAN language and writing tasks.
General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Literacy.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.6.
Australian Curriculum content description:
Year 9 English
- Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes in texts (ACELY1742).
- Analyse how the construction and interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by cultural perspectives and other texts (ACELY1739).
- Listen to spoken texts constructed for different purposes, for example to entertain and to persuade, and analyse how language features of these texts position listeners to respond in particular ways (ACELY1740).
- Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language for specific purposes and effects (ACELA1553).
Syllabus Outcomes: EN5-1A, EN5-2A, EN5-8D.
Topic: Hydro Tasmania, energy.
Time required: 60 mins.
Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee activity.
Resources required: Access to a device on which to screen a short video, Student Worksheet (one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet), device capable of presenting a website to the class.
Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.
Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for homework and extension.
Keywords: Hydro Tasmania, careers, NAPLAN.
* This lesson plan is not an officially endorsed publication of NAPLAN’s creators and administrators – the ACARA body – but is designed to provide practice for the Australian Curriculum’s compulsory NAPLAN testing scheme.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
Teacher Preparation