Crafting a Discursive Draft

Overview

In lesson 8 of 10 in Voices for a Changing Climate, students turn their planning into a discursive draft about a selected climate-change issue. They develop a clear line of thought while incorporating multiple perspectives, relevant evidence, cohesive devices, and purposeful paragraphing. The teacher conferences with students during sustained writing.

Learning intentions

• WALT structure a discursive text around a clear line of development.
• WALT represent more than one perspective fairly and accurately.
• WALT integrate evidence and explain its relevance.
• WALT use cohesive devices to connect ideas and guide the reader.

Success criteria

• I can introduce a climate-change issue and establish a clear focus.
• I can develop connected paragraphs that consider different viewpoints.
• I can use evidence and explain how it supports or complicates a point.
• I can use linking words, referencing and repetition to create cohesion.

Curriculum links

• Example non-fiction texts: arguments with a clear, straightforward rationale.
• Example non-fiction texts: collections that provide opportunities to engage with multiple perspectives on a theme.
• Example non-fiction texts: texts that broaden students’ worldviews.
• Student-read texts for the third year at school: ideas and information organised in paragraphs, encouraging critical analysis and questions within and across texts.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Reconnect and focus. Teacher displays the learning intentions and asks students to reread their issue, audience, purpose and viewpoint notes from the previous lesson using the opening and learning-intentions slides. Students write one sentence completing: “The key question my text will explore is …”

2. 5–13 min · Model the craft. Teacher displays a short model paragraph on a climate issue and annotates its topic sentence, evidence, explanation, contrasting perspective and cohesive devices using the model-paragraph slides. Students identify the paragraph’s line of development and suggest one improvement to its balance or clarity.

Suggested model: “Some communities support expanding public transport because it may reduce private-car use and emissions. For example, reliable buses can make lower-carbon travel more practical for workers and students. However, transport changes may not benefit people in rural areas unless services are frequent and affordable. Therefore, investment needs to consider both environmental gains and the different needs of communities.”

3. 13–20 min · Plan the route. Teacher distributes the discursive drafting organiser and explains that students may use their existing research notes, but must check that each claim is supported and attributed. Students map their introduction, two or three body paragraphs, alternative perspective, evidence and conclusion; they also select cohesive devices such as however, similarly, in contrast, as a result and this suggests.

4. 20–45 min · Sustained drafting. Teacher sets the expectation of quiet, purposeful writing, circulates, and holds brief conferences with students. Students draft independently, aiming for an engaging opening, a clear line of development, balanced perspectives, integrated evidence and a conclusion that returns to the central issue; they record questions or gaps on the organiser rather than stopping their writing.

Conference prompts:

• What is the main idea you want the reader to follow?
• Whose perspective is represented here, and whose may be missing?
• What does this evidence show?
• How does this paragraph connect to the one before it?
• Is this a fact, interpretation or opinion, and is it clear to the reader?

5. 45–53 min · Structured peer response. Teacher displays the peer-response process and criteria using the peer-feedback slides. Students exchange drafts with a trusted partner and complete the feedback boxes on the discursive drafting organiser: identify the clearest line of development, underline one effective cohesive device, note where evidence is explained, and ask one respectful question about balance or clarity. Writers then choose one suggested revision.

6. 53–60 min · Revise and exit reflection. Teacher displays the final checklist and exit prompt using the revision and plenary slides. Students revise one paragraph or transition, then submit a brief response: “My strongest feature is …; my next drafting priority is … because …” Teacher collects organisers or photographs selected drafts to inform lesson 9 editing and publishing.

Resources

• the complete drafting and feedback slide deck
• the discursive drafting organiser
• Students’ climate-change research notes and planning from lesson 7
• Exercise books or devices
• Highlighters or coloured pens
• Timer
• Board or display screen

Assessment

• During modelling, listen for students’ ability to identify topic sentences, evidence, explanation, perspectives and cohesive links.
• During conferences, check that each draft has a clear issue, a developing rationale, more than one perspective and evidence that is explained rather than simply inserted.
• Use peer feedback and the exit reflection to group students for targeted support in lesson 9, such as evidence integration, paragraph sequencing or sentence cohesion.

Differentiation

• Provide a paragraph frame for students who need support: “One perspective is … This is supported by … This suggests … However, … Therefore, …”
• Allow students to use a speech-to-text tool, a typed draft, or a reduced target of two fully developed body paragraphs while maintaining the same success criteria.
• Pre-select accessible evidence and clarify unfamiliar climate, scientific and civic vocabulary for EAL learners; permit students to discuss ideas orally before drafting.
• Challenge confident writers to qualify claims, acknowledge limitations in evidence, and develop a nuanced conclusion rather than choosing a simplistic “for” or “against” position.
• During conferences, give one precise next step at a time and check understanding by asking students to explain how they will apply it.