Determination in Texts

Overview

Today students explore how determination is represented in advertising and literature. They will analyse a short ad (still or video) using a clear process: observe, identify, infer, analyse, explain.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• WALT describe how determination is represented through language, images, and narrative choices in an ad and a text extract.
• WALT analyse texts by using the steps observe, identify, infer, analyse, explain.
• WALT write a clear explanation linking evidence to meaning about determination.

Success criteria

• I can identify specific features (words, camera angles, sounds, character actions) that suggest determination.
• I can infer what the text is trying to make the audience think or feel.
• I can analyse how evidence creates meaning about determination.
• I can explain my ideas using a short, structured paragraph (claim + evidence + explanation).

Curriculum links

• Year 8 English: analysing how texts use language, structure and visual choices to represent ideas and perspectives.
• Reading and viewing: making inferences, interpreting evidence, and explaining how meaning is constructed.
• Writing: producing explanations and paragraphs that use evidence and clear reasoning.
• Speaking/listening: contributing ideas during guided analysis and using appropriate language.

Lesson structure ({total minutes})

1. 0–5 min | WALT warm vocab + recall

• Teacher introduces today’s focus: determination. Students do a quick vocab warm-up: “Which word matches the meaning?” using a word bank (e.g., persistence, grit, resilient, refusal to quit, stubbornness).
• Students pair-share one sentence starter: “The person is determined because…”

2. 5–13 min | Ad hook (still or video)

• Show a short, age-appropriate advertisement that includes a clear “keep going” message (30–45 seconds for video, or a single still with text and a visible action).
• Students do a silent first look, then answer: “What actions show determination?” and “What details make you think that?”

3. 13–24 min | Guided step analysis (observe → identify)

• Teacher models the analysis steps on the board with simple prompts and stems.
• Students copy the framework headings into books:
• Observe: list what you see/hear (facts only).
• Identify: label features (e.g., repeated effort, brave facial expression, bold slogan, music rising, close-up).

4. 24–35 min | Second pass (infer → analyse)

• In pairs, students complete the next two steps:
• Infer: what does the audience learn about determination from these features?
• Analyse: how do the features produce that meaning?
• Teacher circulates with a “no-wild-answers” rule: every inference must connect to at least one observed feature.

5. 35–48 min | Literature link mini-task

• Teacher provides a short Year 8-appropriate literature excerpt (or a second visual/text card) where determination is central (e.g., character practice, comeback after failure).
• Students complete a quick comparison using a sentence frame:
• “In the ad/literature, determination is shown when… This matters because…”
• Teacher checks for lazy habits: they must underline evidence in the text and highlight at least one device/choice.

6. 48–62 min | Write a paragraph: explain

• Students write one strong paragraph using the structure:
• Claim (about determination)
• Evidence (quote/describe)
• Explain (how/why it creates the idea of determination)
• Teacher gives a model “good explanation” and a short checklist for focus and clarity. Students revise once for clarity (not rewriting everything).

7. 62–70 min | Share + exit ticket

• 3–4 students share their paragraphs (or teacher selects excerpts). Class offers one “Glow” (what worked) and one “Grow” (next step).
• Exit ticket (1 minute writing): “One way determination is represented is… Evidence is… Because…”

Resources

• Short advertisement clip (30–45 seconds) or a high-quality still image with minimal clutter
• Printed or projected ad still/video screenshot(s)
• Teacher model paragraph with highlighted structure (claim/evidence/explanation)
• Year 8-appropriate literature excerpt (approx. 1/2 to 1 page)
• Student analysis template with headings: Observe, Identify, Infer, Analyse, Explain
• Sentence stems and word bank for determination
• Highlighters (optional) or underlining guide
• Timer and slide/whiteboard with step prompts
• Dyslexia-friendly option: audio read-aloud of the literature excerpt and simplified text version on a separate sheet

Assessment

• Formative: teacher checks completed observe/identify/infer/analyse on templates for evidence-based thinking.
• Formative writing: paragraph assessed against the success criteria (claim clarity, evidence selection, explanation reasoning).
• Exit ticket confirms individual understanding of how determination is represented and evidenced.

Differentiation

• Support: provide a partially completed analysis template for the ad (teacher fills observe/identify examples). Students then complete infer/analyse with guided prompts.
• Support for writing: provide sentence frames and a word bank; allow students to describe evidence instead of quoting if needed.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading: offer an audio read-aloud of the literature excerpt; use a simplified print version with larger font and fewer lines.
• Extension: students add a “so what?” line—how determination might influence an audience’s choices or values, and identify one additional technique (e.g., contrast, symbolism, sound, pacing) and explain its effect.

Assessment notes (for teacher)

• If students struggle to move beyond “what happened” to “what it means,” pause and re-teach: evidence first, then inference. Provide two example evidence → inference connections before restarting pair work.