Literacy News 

This term in writing, the Year 5 students have explored persuasive writing. We looked at the structure of a persuasive text and examined the language features used to persuade our readers of our opinions.

We covered lots of persuasive topics so we can we can build up our knowledge of the 4 big ideas for constructing strong arguments. The big 4 ideas are emotional, environmental, financial and medical reasons.

When writing our arguments, we used OREO to construct our paragraphs. This means we give our opinion (or arguments) and a reason for the argument, provide an example or evidence to support the argument and summarise the paragraph by restating the opinion but with new vocabulary.

We explored persuasive techniques such as alliteration, facts, opinions, rhetorical questions, exaggeration, statistics and the rule of three. We remembered these techniques using the acronym AFOREST. We also looked at using high modal verbs and emotive language to ensure that our reader agreed with our opinion.

Here are some excerpts of some wonderfully persuasive paragraphs written the topic of whether we should keep animals in cages. I wonder if they will persuade you?

Screech! Roar! Have you ever heard these sounds? You probably have, but where? At the zoo of course. Did you know that these are the sounds of unhappy animals? These screeches and roars are the sounds of dreadful memories these animals have of being taken and put into a cage.  

Of course this is cruel. Firstly, these poor animals are taken from their families to be in an exhibition for the zoo. Can you just imagine what the animal would feel like? These animals will lose their social skills and become very lonely. The animals will also feel sad, stained for their entire lives.  - Aashritha

It is obvious that cages abuse the animals. This is because when animals are crammed in a miniscule, congested space, such as a cage, they start feeling sad and lonely. Professor Schiano and Professor Remfry have proven in their latest research article, Sun Times, that 80% of animals in cages have died of depression and this mental abuse. We must stop this atrocious doing immediately!  - Sanchitha

Poor animals are losing their families! How dare you take them from away from their mum and dad. Every single day animals lose their family and get put up in cages. Then they are raised by our own kind, who force them to become show animals. Are you really that cruel to just stand there and watch them suffer? Scientists have shown that 76% of animals are becoming extinct because of this nightmare! That is why it is obvious that we should put an end to this crime! – Tran

Tell me, how would you like it if you were taken away when you were just a little baby and put into a small, smelly and claustrophobic cage? I have seen this at the zoo. A three day old monkey being yelled at and put into a tiny cage. How you could separate animals from their parents at such a young age?  - Woody

Year 5 Literacy News written by Holly and Lara.