Should Lakeview Zoo be Closed? Discussion Text Planning for Year 5/6

About this unit:

This is a fifteen-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of a discussion. It is intended for Upper Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.

The fifteen lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand writing based on a discussion text. During the first week children will prepare and participate in a debate. A petition has been submitted to Lakeview Council which was organised by animal welfare officers. Children discuss and take part in hot seating activities to understand the viewpoints of different stakeholders. After these activities children prepare and participate in a debate on whether or not to close the zoo permanently.

In the second week, children will discuss, plan and write a discussion based on the outcome of the debate. An e-mail has been sent from Lakeview Council informing Lakeview Zoo of its decision. Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features appropriate to a discussion text.
In the third week, children will write another discussion text based on the arguments for and against eating meat. Children will then apply what they have learned in the second week to plan, write and edit a discussion based on the arguments for and against eating meat and children will write this discussion independently.