Upper

Primary

Merryn Whitfield

Integrating English with Society and Environment/Science

© 2001 Blake Education
ISBN 1 86509 752 9
Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary

Blake Education
Locked Bag 2022
Glebe NSW 2037
www.askblake.com.au

Publisher: Sharon Dalgleish

Editors: Maureen O’Keefe and Nick Szentkuti
Design and illustration by Jane Cameron, Fisheye Design
Printed by McPherson’s Printing Group

Copying for educational purposes

The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10% of this book, whichever is the
greater, to be copied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that that educational
institution (or the body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)
under the Act.

For details of the CAL licence for educational institutions contact:

Copyright Agency Limited
Level 19, 157 Liverpool Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone: (02) 9394 7600
Facsimile: (02) 9394 7601
Email: info@copyright.com.au

Copying for other purposes

Except as permitted under the Act (for example, any fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or
review) no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above.

Copying of the blackline master pages

The purchasing educational institution and its staff are permitted to make copies of the pages marked as blackline
master pages, beyond their rights under the Act, provided that:
1. the number of copies does not exceed the number reasonably required by the educational institution to
satisfy its teaching purposes;
2. copies are made only by reprographic means (photocopying), not by electronic, digital means, and not
stored or transmitted;
3. copies are not sold or lent;
4. every copy made clearly shows the footnote (eg ‘Blake Education 2000. This sheet may
be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use’).
For those pages not marked as blackline master pages the normal copying limits in the Act,
as described above, apply.
Contents
The Principles Underlying this Book 4

The Structure of this Book 5

Teaching Text Types 6

Text Types in this Series 7

Useful Resources 11

Student Assessment 13

Record Sheets
BLM 1 Term Planner 14

BLM 2 English Outcomes: National Level 4 15

BLM 3 English Outcomes: NSW Stage 3 16

BLM 4 Society and Environment Outcomes 17

BLM 5 Science Outcomes 18

BLM 6 English Skills Checklist 19

BLM 7 Society and Environment Skills Checklist 20

BLM 8 Science Skills Checklist 21

BLM 9 Cross-Curriculum Checklist 22

Units Linked with Society and Environment

Unit 1 Gold: Description and Response 24

Unit 2 Antarctica: Recount and Exposition (Argument) 37

Unit 3 Australian Government: Discussion and Exposition (Persuasion) 50

Unit 4 Global Connections: Information Report and Discussion 63

Units Linked with Science

Unit 5 Out in Space: Information Report and Exposition 77
(Argument)

Unit 6 Electricity: Procedure and Explanation 90

Unit 7 Sailing, Sinking, Soaring: Explanation and Description 103

Unit 8 Animal Environments: Information Report and Discussion 116

The Principles Underlying this Book
Teaching time with a class is always at a premium
in an increasingly crowded curriculum. To
maximise student learning potential, teachers can
integrate Learning Areas. Targeting Writing
provides a wide variety of activities that ensure
students have the opportunity to achieve
outcomes in English with either Science or
Studies of Society and Environment (SOSE).
Certain skills are an integral part of all Learning
Areas and K-12 syllabuses. By working to develop
these skills, the integrity of each Learning Area is
maintained while still allowing connections to be
made in terms of content knowledge, values and
attitudes, and life-long learning skills.
The following nine skills have been identified as
common to all curriculum areas. Not all of these
skills need to be incorporated into every teaching
and learning unit. However, it is important that,
throughout the year, students are provided with
opportunities to develop and enhance them all.
Targeting Writing provides opportunities
throughout the program for students to develop
these skills. A photocopiable record sheet
(BLM 9) will assist teachers in assessing
students’ development.
1 Information skills
Students develop the ability to locate, select and
evaluate information from people, books,
pictures, computer technology and a variety of
other resources for a particular purpose.
2 Communicating
Students learn about how different audiences,
contexts and purposes affect the way in which
gathered information is presented to others. They
are involved in discussing and analysing their
own and others’ information so that it is
meaningful and concise.
3 Working cooperatively
This does not simply mean group work. It
includes the ability to work independently on a
particular task, as well as during whole-class
experiences. Students develop interpersonal and
work skills for learning in a variety of situations.
4
4 Social Responsibility
This takes place at a variety of levels. As students
journey through their school lives, they will
develop an awareness of personal, local and
national roles and responsibilities as well as the
roles and responsibilities of global citizenship.
5 Creativity
In all subject areas, students are required to
respond to their own learning and the learning of
others in a variety of ways – including through
activities which can be creative or expressive.
6 Creating solutions
Students learn the skills and strategies for solving
problems in different situations. The main aim is
to find a mutually acceptable result that is
positive rather than negative.
7 Applying technology
Technology is an integral part of everyone’s
learning. Students encounter many kinds of
technology and need to learn to discriminate
between a range of possibilities to choose the one
which will best meet their needs for a particular
task.
8 Decision making
All students are thinkers and are involved in
making decisions every day. Their personal
judgements need to be informed and based on
sound principles of learning and personal
reflection.
9 Task management
Students learn how to manage their time,
resources and working relationships in an
effective manner so as to complete a set task or to
actively participate in an activity.
The Structure of this Book

The Units lessons, it should be noted that students need

time every week for free choice writing – both to
This book consists of eight units, each with two
practise writing and to enjoy the writing
text-type writing programs. Teachers can choose
experience.
the text type most appropriate for their
particular class, based on their needs as The final activity for each text type acts as
individuals and as a group, or they can choose to culmination of the learning that has taken place.
work through the activities for both text types. It is an excellent opportunity for teachers to
Four units are linked to Studies of Society and undergo some summative assessment of the
Environment (SOSE) topics and four are linked to students’ level of understandings of both the
Science topics. integrated topic and the text type.
Each unit consists of Teaching Notes and
The Blackline Masters
photocopiable blackline masters for students’ use.
The first page of each unit identifies the focus of The units in Targeting Writing contain
the unit in terms of: • Two text models for the featured text types
• Topic • Four text type blackline masters (BLMs), to
• Text types be used during the writing component
• Cross-curriculum skills
The Teacher’s Record Sheets
• Activities from the English syllabus and other
Pages 14-22 comprise photocopiable BLM record
focus learning area (SOSE or Science) together
sheets for the following:
with further possible activities from other
key Learning Areas. • Student outcomes for both the National and
New South Wales English syllabus (BLM 2 & 3)
The second and third pages of each unit list the
National and New South Wales syllabus outcomes • Student outcomes for the Learning Areas of
and indicators for the three strands of English SOSE and Science (BLM 4 & 5)
and either SOSE or Science, depending on the • Skills checklist for English, SOSE and Science
focus of the integration. (BLM 6-8)
• Cross-curriculum skills (BLM 9)
The Teaching Notes There is also a blank term planner (BLM 1).
The teaching notes for the unit are set out in two
columns. The first column gives step-by-step
instructions for teaching the unit while the
second column highlights the writing modelling
focus of each activity so that teachers can see the
target area at a glance.
Each unit contains a wide variety of stimulating
and challenging activities for each focus text
type. These activities aim to develop awareness of
the particular text type as well as develop skills,
knowledge and understandings of the integrated
Learning Area. Not all activities will be
completed in a single lesson. Some may take
several, depending on the abilities and prior
experiences of the students. In addition to these

5
Teaching Text Types
Each unit in Targeting Writing focuses on two
text types that are compatible with the topic
or theme of the unit. Teachers can choose to
work on one or both of these text types. Each
unit takes the students through a series of stages
which build on their understanding of and
skills in the focus text type. Students will gain
a thorough understanding of text types and
develop the skills necessary for producing their
own texts.
The Five Teaching Stages in the
Targeting Writing Program
1 Building the Field
Before attempting any form of writing, students
need to know about the topic. This stage allows
them time to develop their topic knowledge and
vocabulary, usually through class discussion and
group activities. This is where appropriate
resourcing of the topic is crucial. Depending on
the prior experiences of the students, this may
take any number of lessons, the key being variety
and relevance.
2 Deconstruction/Modelled Writing
This phase relies on teacher guidance and input
to assist students in examining the structure,
features and purposes of a particular text type
and how it can be used for a topic or context.
It is best achieved in small groups to maximise
student input and allow time for adequate
questioning.
6
3 Joint Construction
During this phase, the teacher gradually
withdraws some of the direct assistance and
begins to involve the students in more concrete
writing experiences. Teachers guide students
through the necessary methods of collecting,
categorising and organising the stages of the
particular text type. Again this stage is enhanced
by opportunities for writing in small, teacher-led
or student-led groups.
4 Independent Construction
This phase provides students with the
opportunity to experiment with the text type
and to put into practice their understandings of
its structure, features and purpose. To begin
with, students may use a scaffold to assist their
understanding of the organisational structures
and features.
5 Editing and Publishing
Either by themselves, with a peer, teacher or
other adult, the students evaluate their text by
checking the application of common writing
conventions and the organisational features of the
text type. They then make revisions if necessary
and publish their text for a particular audience.
The use of computer technology can easily be
incorporated into this stage.
 BLM 34 Name ____________________________________________ Date ___________________

N R E P ORT
F O R M ATIO l
IN ode
Text M

New P la ne t
Discov ere d
v io u sl y b ec au se it had been
our solar pre ck
new planet in is ta k en fo r a piece of ro
m

A just been belt

system has d eb ri s in the asteroid
reliminary n the
discovered. P w h ic h o ccurs betwee
t
een carried ou of Xap and Zet
a.
research has b o rb it s a
sp ac e p ro bes. The n ew
P la n et Y ap pears to have
b y ment to
as Planet Y, is hysical environ
planet, known a. sim il ar p
colour
n Xap and Zet et Y is orange in
located betwee X ap . P la n s,
, th er efo re , th e fifth planet is co v ered by rock
It is an d e
o rb it ar o u n d the sun.
ca n y on s an d volcanoes. Thes
in atmosphere e was
Planet Y’s ca n y o n s in dicate that ther
ly of carbo
n net Y
consists main ru n n in g water on Pla r
l ago. It has pola
x id e (9 5 p er cent), and smal illi o n s o f y ears
dio b during
er gases. Oxygen which grow
amounts of oth e ic e- ca p s
er cent of th Planet Y’s winte
r.
comprises 3 p
h ere. S u rf ace te m per a-
h er e is no evidence of
atmo sp d T Y.
re s ra n ge b et ween -113°C an rr en t li fe forms on Planet
tu cu isolated
0°C. H ow ev er , only one
ur planets in mpled.
Like the first fo lo ca ti o n has been sa
, Planet Y is a ng will need to
our solar system not a very Further sampli
p la n et . It is p er fo rm ed to establish
ro ck y m b e fe on
only 4,900 k there was li
large planet— at w h et h er
sts believe th Planet Y in the
past.
across. Scienti isco v er ed
not d
Planet Y was

84 © Blake Education Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary This page may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use.
 BLM 35
Name ____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Brainstorming Chart
INFORMAT
ION REPOR
T
Location

Origin

TOPIC

Appearance

Unique features

NAT ENG RV 4.5 RV 4.7 RV 4.8a W 4.9 W 4.12a NAT SCIENCE E&B 4.1 E&B 4.3 WS 4.14 NSW ENG RS 3.5 RS 3.8 WS 3.9 WS 3.13 NSW SCIENCE INV 3.7 UT 3.9

© Blake Education Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary This page may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use.
85
 BLM 36 Name ____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Scaffold
I O N REP ORT
FO R M A T
IN
Topic ____________________________________________________________________

General statement ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Location _________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Description _______________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Special features ___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Human impact or exploration ________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Other interesting information_________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Concluding statement ______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

NAT ENG RV 4.5 RV 4.8a W 4.9 W 4.11 W 4.12a NSW ENG RS 3.5 RS 3.8 WS 3.9 WS 3.13 NAT SCIENCE EB 4.1 EB 4.3 WS 4.14 NSW SCIENCE INV S 3.7 UT 3.9

86 © Blake Education Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary This page may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use.
 BLM 37
Name ____________________________________________ Date ___________________

ARGUMEN
Text ModeT
l
Memo
To: Chairperson, Exploration Committee
From: Team Leader, Mars Project Committee
Subject: Ongoing exploration of Mars

Recently a group of scientists has proposed a change to our current focus of

exploration. They believe that we should concentrate our exploration efforts on
Venus, and scale down the Mars Project. This proposal is ridiculous considering that
we have accumulated many years of research about Mars, and taking into account
the physical difficulties of exploring Venus.

We know very little about the surface of Venus because of its dense, permanent
cloud cover (of sulfuric acid). What we have established, however, is that Venus has a
surface temperature of over 450°C, which is high enough to melt lead. Even if an
exploratory craft were able to survive the temperature, it would be crushed by the
atmosphere (which is approximately 90 times heavier than our own).

Regardless of whether Mars will ever be suitable for human habitation, at least its
environment is less hostile to exploration than that of Venus. Mars’ atmosphere is 95
per cent carbon dioxide, but also contains 0.15 per cent oxygen and 0.03 per cent
water. Mars has two polar ice caps which are made up of both water ice and carbon
dioxide ice.

On Mars, we have been able to land several probes and record visual images of the
planet’s surface. Although Mars is smaller than Earth, it has about the same surface
area of land. We have clear evidence of erosion occurring on Mars. Mars is probably
the only planet in our solar system which bears any resemblance to Earth—this is
where we should concentrate our resources.

Therefore, due to the amount of effort already expended upon exploring Mars, and
the hostile conditions on Venus, NASA should continue with its program for future
probes and spacecraft to Mars. Any other decision will mean that all our efforts until
now were wasted.

© Blake Education Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary This page may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use.
87
 BLM 38 Name ____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Planner
NT
ARGUME
Topic/Point of view _______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Statement ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Supporting evidence _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Statement ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Supporting evidence _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Statement ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Supporting evidence _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Reinforcing point of view __________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

NAT ENG W 4.9 W 4.11 W 4.12a NSW ENG WS 3.9 WS 3.13 NAT SCIENCE EB 4.3 WS 4.14 NSW SCIENCE INV S 3.7 UT 3.9

88 © Blake Education Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary This page may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use.
 BLM 39
Name ____________________________________________ Date ___________________

Assessment
ARGUMENT

Did you find the opening statement both clear and forceful?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Was the arrangement of the arguments logical?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Were the facts relevant and convincing?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

What audience would find this argument interesting?

_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Can you suggest any improvements to the language used?

__________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

NAT ENG SL 4.1 SL 4.4 W 4.9 W 4.11 W 4.12a NSW ENG TS 3.1 TS 3.2 WS 3.9 WS 3.13 NAT SCIENCE WS 4.14 EB 4.3 NSW SCIENCE INV 3.7 UT 3.9

© Blake Education Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum Upper Primary This page may be photocopied for non-commercial classroom use.
89
Targeting Writing
Across the Curriculum
In an increasingly crowded curriculum, teaching time is
always at a premium. The Targeting Writing Across the
Curriculum series will help you to maximise student learning
potential by giving students the opportunity to achieve
outcomes in English while working with the subject matter and
skills of other important curriculum areas.

The author has chosen popular themes in both the Science

and the Society and Environment Learning Areas. Each theme
is linked to a writing unit that focuses on two appropriate text
types. These writing units contain a wide range of stimulating
and challenging activities, and can stand alone or be
expanded into a full integrated unit.

Here at last is a series that addresses the language demands

of the different Learning Areas. Students will improve the
structure and quality of their writing in all factual text types.
And they will transfer their knowledge and skills from
curriculum area to curriculum area.

Also available
Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum
Lower Primary
Targeting Writing Across the Curriculum
Middle Primary

Companion series
Targeting Text
Targeting Society and Environment

ISBN 1-86509-752-7

9 781865 097527