English
Persuasive Writing
Both Year 3/4 and 5/6 classes have covered the writing theme of Persuasive Writing this term. This is also a text type that is sometimes found on the yearly NAPLAN assessment.
The goal of persuasive writing is, of course, to persuade! With students learning how to argue a point of view with clear and structured ideas.
A big focus has been on structuring paragraphs in persuasive writing so that they raise a seperate element or idea. Students reflected on how if a persuasive argument repeats itself, people start to wonder about what they are reading.
An example of this that resonates with the students is the persuasive nature of property listings! The aim of these is to persuade people to rent or purchase a property. If a listing speaks on and on about the rooms inside the house, but doesn't at all mention the backyard, prospective bidders might start to wonder!
Students also learnt about elements of persuasive language such as alliteration, emotive language and exaggeration. Students discussed how lying is not permitted when trying to persuade people, but omitting details and extenuating the positives at all times is absolutely ok!
Here are some of the persuasive topics our students wrote about this term!
Why Australia Day should change dates!
Why there should be free honey buns at school!
Why everyone should learn how to swim!
Why we should have a school canteen!
Why morning fitness should be every day!
Why every class should have a class pet!
Why school students should get to chose their daily activities!
Why the school year should have only three terms!
Students have brought forth a variety of ideas and presented them in a very well structured way.
Perspective Writing
Through our Integrated Unit this term classes across the school have learnt about History, whether that be their own family history or the history of Australia as a nation.
Year Three to Six students in particular have closely studied the lives of those who lived through important events in Australian history such as Settlement, the Gold Rush, Federation and the Journey of Captain James Cook.
Perspective is when students are able to imagine themselves in the shoes of others and think creatively and critically about how others would be feeling and thinking. A very easy take away is that life hundreds of years ago was very different to now, but we have asked our students to delve even deeper than this.
Year 5/6 students have created magazines to represent events such as the Gold Rush and Eureka stockade. They have thought about how it would feel to mine for Gold each day, including the rush of finding something and the frustration at finding nothing but rock. As seen at their beautifully hosted assembly, these students were able to speak to the anger felt by miners who were unjustly taxed on the Gold Fields.
Year 3/4 students have written letters to represent the perspective of the Indigenous Australian people through such events as colonisation. Learning about how native people were treated poorly can be a sad experience, although a very necessary element of History. Learning from the mistakes of those who have come before us we hope to grow from and never repeat them.The students have strived to celebrate indigenous culture, including the brilliant and respectful ways indigenous groups treated the land they lived on.
Finally the Year 3/4 students put themselves in the shoes of those travelling on the First Fleet, writing reviews of the journey aiming to incorporate what they had learnt combined with a splash of creativity. Please have a read through of some below, there were not many 5 star reviews!
Premier's Reading Challenge
The Premier's reading Challenge has officially started, with a welcome letter found here.
We encourage all our students to take part in this reading challenge, especially with the holidays coming up and plenty of opportunity to nestle in with a good book!
The list of titles included in the challenge for 2023 can be found here.
Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions about this challenge.
Happy reading everyone!
Tim O'Mahoney
English Leader
tomahoney@santglen.catholic.edu.au