# Lesson 14 - Adapted Pathway: Reef Evidence Detectives ## Purpose Students learn that persuasive writing is stronger when a reason is supported by a fact from a text. They read an accessible one-page article about the Great Barrier Reef, locate evidence, explain what the evidence shows and use it in a short persuasive paragraph. This pathway teaches the same central concept as the Great Barrier Reef Lesson 14 alternative: find accurate evidence, avoid an overclaim and use evidence to support a recommendation. It reduces reading load, vocabulary load and writing length without changing that destination. ## Learning intention We are learning to find facts in a text and use them as evidence. ## Success criteria - I can find a fact that matches my claim. - I can explain what the fact shows. - I can use two facts in a persuasive paragraph. - I can check that I have not made the evidence sound bigger than it is. ## Final product A five-to-six-sentence paragraph that asks Australian decision-makers to protect the Great Barrier Reef. The paragraph includes: 1. a clear claim; 2. one fact about the Reef or bleaching; 3. an explanation of what that fact shows; 4. one fact about an action that can help; 5. a clear call to action. ## Key knowledge - The Great Barrier Reef is a large living system made of many reefs and habitats. - Scientists found living coral in all three monitored regions in 2024-25, but coral cover fell after heat and other pressures. - Very warm water can cause coral bleaching. - Bleached coral is stressed, not automatically dead. - Local action can reduce pressure and support recovery. - Climate action is also needed because local projects cannot cool the whole ocean. ## Core lesson sequence - approximately 50 minutes ### 1. Hold two true ideas - 3 minutes Display: > The Reef is alive. > > The Reef is under pressure. Students decide whether both statements can be true and explain their thinking. ### 2. Name the evidence mission - 3 minutes Introduce the learning intention, success criteria and final paragraph. ### 3. Unlock four words - 4 minutes Preteach: - evidence - a fact that helps prove an idea; - bleaching - coral turning pale or white when it is stressed; - local action - help in or near the Reef; - climate action - action that reduces the warming of Earth and the ocean. ### 4. Read and mark the article - 10 minutes Read the article once for meaning. Reread and: - underline two facts; - circle one action; - box the sentence that says bleached coral is not always dead. ### 5. Match evidence to a claim - 7 minutes Students complete the evidence hunt on page 2 of the pack. They copy or paraphrase one fact, then finish: > This evidence shows ... ### 6. Model a strong reason - 7 minutes Model: > **Claim:** We should protect the Great Barrier Reef. > > **Evidence:** Scientists found living coral in all three monitored regions, but coral cover fell. > > **Explain:** This shows that the Reef is alive and needs help. Think aloud about why the fact matches the claim and why “the whole Reef is dead” would be an inaccurate overclaim. ### 7. Plan and write - 11 minutes Students plan and write a five-to-six-sentence paragraph on page 3. They may use the optional sentence starters but must select evidence from the article. ### 8. Evidence partner check - 3 minutes Partners use: > Your evidence matches your claim because ... > > One sentence you could make clearer is ... Students revise one sentence. ### 9. Exit evidence - 2 minutes Students complete: > We should __________ because the article says __________. This shows __________. ## Formative assessment - Opening discussion reveals whether students can hold two ideas together. - Article marking shows whether students can distinguish facts from actions. - “This evidence shows ...” reveals copying without understanding. - Evidence matching reveals whether a fact is relevant to a claim. - The final paragraph shows whether students can transfer evidence into persuasive writing. - The revision shows whether students can improve accuracy or clarity. ## Support - Read the article aloud while students track the print. - Pause after each section for an oral retell. - Provide the highlighted reading option described in the teacher guide. - Allow oral rehearsal before writing. - Accept scribing, speech-to-text or a teacher-recorded response. - Use the sentence starters without requiring every student to use the same wording. - Reduce the final paragraph to four sentences only if the student still includes a claim, evidence, explanation and action. ## Extension - Ask students to use one direct fact and one paraphrased fact. - Ask students to explain why “the whole Reef is dead” is not supported. - Ask students to add a fair “although” sentence: > Although local action helps the Reef now, climate action is also needed because ... ## Source and accuracy boundary All facts are simplified from the source trail in the original Lesson 14 Great Barrier Reef alternative. Do not teach the generated classroom images as survey evidence. Do not state that the whole Reef is dead, that bleaching always kills coral or that local action can stop ocean warming by itself.