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Objectives
In this activity you will be required to summarise different points of view. Using the stimulus material you will write a formal letter in standard English expressing a particular viewpoint. Finally, you will create an official report which includes an analysis of a range of opinions.
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Outcomes
By working through this activity you will:
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create storyboards that show you can summarise different views
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write a letter that demonstrates your understanding of how spoken English is different from written English
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make notes on which to base a formal report
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write a report in clear, standard English
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evaluate a partner’s work.
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Resources
To complete the activity you will need:
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Sheet 5.1 Maps
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Sheet 5.2 Letter Checklist
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Sheet 5.3 Audience Checklist
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Sheet 5.4 Report Plan
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Sheet 5.5 Report
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Sheet 5.6 Exemplar Report
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Sheet 5.7 Evaluating a Report
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Sheet 5.8 Self-Evaluation
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Copies of newspaper articles on local planning issues and copies of council reports (optional)
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1. Watch the New Development storyboard to find out where the Wrappit supermarket chain wants to build their next store.
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to open the New Development storyboard
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2. Describe how the land is used now and how the developers plan to change that use.
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3. Looking at the maps, work out how you think local people might feel about the development. Record what you think the plus and negative points might be on Sheet 5.1 Maps.
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4. Working with a partner, you need to open either the Residents’ Views storyboard or the Local Concern storyboard. Your teacher will tell you which.
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to open the Residents' Views storyboard
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to open the Local Concern storyboard
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5. Choose one of the characters and write a letter to the council expressing their views about the development. You heard what they had to say about the development, but the letter should be quite different. When you speak, you tend to be quite informal, but an official letter needs to be clear, to the point and polite. You need to present your evidence in a reasoned and persuasive way. To help you think about the appropriate tone, look at Sheet 5.3 Audience Checklist.
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6. If you need some help getting started on your letter, look at Sheet 5.2 Letter Checklist and/or the writing scaffold in the Letter Template storyboard.
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to open the Letter Template storyboard
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7. Watch the Open Meeting storyboard. Here more local characters and the developers express their opinions.
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to open the Open Meeting storyboard
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8. How much of what the different people say is relevant to the plans? Highlight the sections of the text that are most relevant to the plans. You can do this by highlighting the words, right clicking on them and then changing the colour of the font.
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9. Imagine you are the chair of the planning committee. Using the Report Plan storyboard and Sheet 5.4 Report Plan, match each character with their opinion and then work out the main points of what they are saying. Some are for the proposal, others are against. Organise the various opinions that should eventually go into your report.
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to open the Report Plan storyboard
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10. Working on your own, use the notes you make, along with Sheet 5.3 Audience Checklist and 5.5 Report, to create the planning committee’s final report. This should recommend either accepting the scheme (possibly with certain conditions) or refusing permission. If you want to see what a report looks like, ask your teacher for Sheet 5.6 Exemplar Report.
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11. Swap your report with a partner. Use Sheet 5.7 Evaluating a Report to help you work out what is good and what needs improving. In particular you will look at:
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how your partner’s written report differs from the spoken objections
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how your partner created a balanced account.
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12. If there is time, complete Sheet 5.8 Self-Evaluation to record what you have learned during this activity.
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13. Hold a class vote to decide whether the development should go ahead or not.
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14. Research a local issue and find out how local people feel about it. You may need to refer to local news broadcasts, newspaper articles and council reports. Extract all the positive and negative points and then produce a summary report.
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15. Read a real local council report.
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Summarise the main points.
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Comment on the language used.
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Evaluate how fair you think it is in its presentation of the main facts.
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