Literacy Activity 1 – Compose An Exposition

Compose an Exposition - Nuclear Energy [Stage 5]

 * Main focus: CW1e. evaluate the benefits and problems associated with medical and industrial uses of nuclear energy
 * Additional outcomes and content statements:
 * CW1 Scientific understanding changes and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community.
 * WS7.1 Students process data and information by
 * e. identifying data which supports or discounts a question or hypothesis being investigated or a proposed solution to a problem
 * WS8 Students solve problems by:
 * b. assessing strategies that have been identified as possible solutions to an identified problem
 * f. applying critical thinking in considering suggested proposals, solutions and conclusions, including a consideration of risk
 * WS9 Students communicate by:
 * a. selecting and using in presentations, for different purposes and contexts, appropriate text types including discussions, explanations, expositions, procedures, recounts or reports

Lesson Outline
In this activity, students will be given the task of writing an argument either for or against the use of nuclear energy within society. This argument will be presented in the form of an exposition. However, rather than choosing which side or the argument they stand on, students will be randomly allocated to be either on the ‘for’ team or the ‘against’ team (a la debate style).

Following a lesson on nuclear energy, students will be given this activity, and half a lesson will be dedicated to reviewing what elements are needed in writing an exposition. The teacher and students will annotate a short exposition and note what elements make a good argument. This review will also be linked and contextualized to real life applications, such as: The second half of the lesson will be used for students to begin work on their exposition. After drawing from a hat to determine their side of the argument, students will be given a sheet that will assist them in scaffolding and structuring their argument (See PDF.*) Using this sheet, coupled with an informational digital hand out on nuclear energy pros and cons (See link ), students will spend the remainder of the lesson developing 3 arguments.
 * Writing letters to the editor
 * Expressing concern within retail/industry
 * Voicing opinions in public forums
 * Providing feedback or suggestions in a workplace.

In the next lesson, students will spend allocated time to convert their scaffold arguments into a properly structured exposition. This exposition will be handed up at the end of the lesson and serve as a formative assessment for the teacher to take note of. After expositions are completed, students are to pair up with another student from the other side of the argument. They must read each other’s exposition and give constructive feedback. They will then, as a pair, decide which side of the argument they agree with, based off the information each student provided.

Differentiation and considerations

 * For students who excel in English and literacy, the teacher may ask them to either:
 * a) Create 4 arguments instead of 3 OR
 * b) Consider more abstract considerations toward the cause e.g. economic effects, social views, how media skews perception etc.


 * For students less confident with their writing abilities (e.g. ESL or students from non-English speaking backgrounds), allow them to focus more on their arguments for/against rather than their ability to communicate/articulate those arguments.

NB:
* PDF is designed for an explanation, not an exposition. The 4 boxes (how it starts, what happens next etc.) should be replaced with Argument 1, Argument 2 etc.