Lesson plan includes...
Lesson Plan
Lesson 2: For or Against?
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate reasons for and against a situation or topic.
This lesson plan includes the following resources:
Lesson Plan
Tuning In
- Read the narrative text, Hey, Little Ant by Phillip M. Hoose and Hannah Hoose,
- What is the boy in the story thinking about doing?
- What does the ant think and feel about this?
- How is the point of view of the boy different from the point of view of the ant?
- Discuss how, at the end of the story, the boy has not yet decided whether or not he is going to squish the ant. Ask the students:
- What reasons did the ant use to try and convince the boy to save his life?
- What do you think the boy will decide to do?
- Do you think the boy should squish the ant? Why or why not?
- Remind the class about point of view, explored in the previous lesson. Explain to the students that the ant is trying to persuade the boy to agree with his point of view. He uses a series of reasons to try and convince the boy that his life is important and that he should not be squished.
Teacher Instruction
- Introduce the terms ‘for’ and ‘against’, as outlined on slide 11 on the Exploring Persuasive Texts PowerPoint. On the board, write the following statement: The Boy Should Squish the Ant. Use a t-chart to record the reasons included in the story that are for and against this statement. Encourage the students to add their own reasons to each list.
- Complete the whole class activity, as outlined on slide 12. After each statement has been read and the students have chosen their point of view, ask particular students to explain and justify their opinion using reasons.
Guided/Independent Learning
- Display slide 13. Provide the students with a copy of one of the For and Against Sorting Activities (teachers may wish to select a particular topic themselves, or they may allow the students to vote on which topic they would like to complete). Alternatively, place the students into small groups and provide each group with a different topic.
- Allow the students to work on the sorting activity in small groups or individually. Monitor and support the students as required.
- Once the students have finished, discuss the answers as a class. Ask the students:
- Can you think of any more reasons that could go in the ‘for’ column?
- Can you think of any more reasons that could go in the ‘against’ column?
- Which do you find more convincing, the ‘for’ reasons or the ‘against’ reasons? Why?
Wrapping Up
- Revisit the reasons listed on the t-chart created earlier in the lesson. Ask the students to write their name on a post-it note. One at a time, ask each student to come up to the board to attach their post-it note on the side of the t-chart that they agree with e.g. that the ant should be squished, or that the ant should not be squished. After all of the students have added their names, ask the class:
- As a group, are we for or against the ant being squished? How do you know this?
Differentiation
Extending Students
- Allow more confident students to select their own sorting activity from the choices available.
Supporting Students
- Allow students will lower literacy levels to complete the independent activity in a small group with the assistance of a teacher or teacher aide.
Assessment Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- used strategic whole class or individual questioning
- observed student participation during learning activities
- recorded student progress on a checklist
- annotated student work samples
- collected and reviewed student work samples
- facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
- encouraged student self-reflection
- administered formal assessment tasks.
NSW Curriculum alignment
Victorian Curriculum alignment
Australian Curriculum alignment
- ACELA1447
Understand that the purposes texts serve shape their structure in predictable waysElaborationsdiscussing and comparing the purposes of familiar texts drawn from local contexts and interests (Skills: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking)becoming f...
- ACELY1658
Describe some differences between imaginative informative and persuasive textsElaborationscomparing and discussing texts identifying some features that distinguish those that âtell storiesâ from those that âgive opinionsâ (Skills...
- ACELA1463
Understand that different types of texts have identifiable text structures and language features that help the text serve its purposeElaborationsidentifying the topic and type of a text through its visual presentation, for example cover design, packa...
- ACELY1668
Identify the audience of imaginative, informative and persuasive textsElaborationsidentifying the main purpose of a text, including whether the author wants to entertain, explain or persuade and considering how audiences might respond to those texts ...
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An error on the youtube video recording. this video is no longer available.
Rachael Jacks · Apr 6th, 2020
Hi Rachael,
This video has now been updated. Thank you for letting us know!
Paul (Teach Starter) · Apr 6th, 2020