Through our ongoing inquiry we are exploring the elements of persuasive writing and the way letters can be used to share an opinion on topics that are important to us. The students are writing to inform and persuade their readers on issues related to the environment, aboriginal culture, and education. The letters have been addressed to the PHPS Junior School council, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and the Federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham. We were prompted to write these letters based on the three open questions:
- Why might schools want to have strict ‘nude food’ policies?
- Should we change the name or date of Australia Day?
- Will kids still come to school in the future?
Now that our letters have been drafted, we are working towards publishing these so that they can be sent to their intended recipients. Because we want their letters to be as impactful as possible, the students are revising and editing to be sure they have strong introductions and conclusion, and paragraphed arguments that are supported by relevant details and facts.