Junior School Literacy – Big Write – Under the Sea

Junior School students were transported under the sea for their Big Write last week. As they walked amongst the seaweed and sea creatures, they began to see what else was around them. A fish caught in a net, a turtle with rubbish growing in its shell, rubbish floating, and a seahorse caught in a plastic bag. Students reflected on what they felt and saw, and what they could write to demonstrate their thinking. Some students wrote persuasive pieces where they used emotive language to persuade people to look after the ocean. Other students wrote recounts of times they had visited an ocean and seen rubbish firsthand. Narratives were also written with sea animals as colourful characters going on adventures. Students used their knowledge of VCOP to write their texts, thinking about what Vocabulary, Connectives, Openers and Punctuation they could use to grab the reader’s attention.

Examples of Student's Writing

When I was at the ocean, I saw jellyfish. I played in the ocean. When I was playing, I saw rubbish and jellyfish in the rubbish. I took the jellyfish in the ocean, and I found more and I took each one in the ocean. I felt happy. The waves are really fun. The waves took me up. The ocean was cold, the sand was hot. I laid on the sand.

Zoey Kyaw (1JB)

“Why are we throwing rubbish in the sea, Mum?” STOP! Say no more. We cannot pollute the ocean any more or the world itself will cease to exist! Just imagine your own house, except everywhere was filled with rubbish. You will not feel good. Same with marine life!

One reason I say this is because of turtles, whom usually have jellyfish on their menu, mistake plastic bags for food. Here’s the question: do you really think the plastic bags should be there? Imagine you’re eating lunch, except all you have is a plastic bag!

To follow that up, pollution gathering in a large area will block out the way to mating areas. That is scientifically proven by the Great Pacific Garbage catch, a huge area of rubbish in the Pacific Ocean. Fish like swordfish have specified mating areas. If there is rubbish in their path, they will not be able to get access to their area. That is considerably similar to you – yes, you, not being able to be access to your house. Not fun!

To finish this off, I want you, reader, to imagine dolphins. What wonderous creatures! But then again, relate back to plastic. If that plastic was stuck in your throat, it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience. Same with dolphins. But plastic does not get stuck in their throats, it gets stuck in their airholes. That way these mammals cannot spew the water out of its lungs. Moreover, they cannot take in the oxygen they require when they float back up to the surface.

In conclusion, we should stop putting marine life at stake because of our own decisions. Action starts with us! It is up to us to change this disastrous event.