YEAR 9 PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT 2020-2021
Updated: Jun 11, 2025
Year 9 Practical Assessments January 2020
In the first semester, students had learnt how to write a rationale justifying and explaining their poetry videos for Literacy Week. At the beginning of the first semester, they were told about the upcoming practical that would be coming up at the end of the first semester leading into the second semester. This was done to give students time to think about what they would like to do, for those student show chose to journal write to begin their process. During that first semester, I had students regularly sending me their journals and thoughts and reflections on living through the pandemic and responding to the weekly questions. This activity was inspired by the New York Time Article “Writing through the Pandemic.” The students had free range on what they could do for their English practical with the grade parts being planning and their rationale. As experienced with the poetry videos a teaching opportunity presented itself - that even though the product is not graded, it needs to be work that one believed in and was committed to in order to write a great rationale. Initially, it was meant to be only writing but later I gave the students much more freedom to express themselves.
Prior to the school break, the assessment was given again. Discussed and this time we watched excerpts from the Four Corners report The Class of 2020. Here we used the source material to launch into compare and contrast. The point of this was to show that they too had stories that were relevant, that needed to be documented for future reference by historians. I also worked with a few students in helping them decide what they would do for the assessment during the school holidays and how to plan to discuss the pro and cons of different types of tasks.
On return to school, students began work if they had not on their assessments. They were taking through different mind mapping and brainstorming activities as well as individualized tutoring and mentoring. I monitored their progress and identified when and where I thought they were leaving time a bit short. The projects ranged from service announcements regarding safety, video recaps of the year, poems, artworks, short stories, health brochures, cooking diaries through the pandemic.
I was so incredibly impressed by the quality of students' work and what they were revealing about their experiences that I held a special assembly where they could share their work with their parents, other teachers, and their peers in school.
Learning Goals
(ENG) 4.13 Able to write a variety of texts appropriate to audience and structure (paragraph, essay/short story structure, word choice) required of texts; short story, report, rationale, biography, argumentative essay)
(ENG) 3.1 Knows rules for grammatical construction and usage
(ENG) 3.2 Knows rules for punctuation, spelling and capitalization
(ENG) 4.4 Able to clarify and elaborate with relevant evidence in both written and spoken tasks(ENG) 4.6 Able to use a range of strategies and tools for planning, drafting and revising their writing
Attached is the file that describes the details and possibilities for your practical assessment.
You will need to make wise use of your time and it will almost certainly require you to spend time on the weekends.
Please read the file below asap and watch the Four Corners.
Questions to think about as you watch Four Corners 'Class of 2020'
How has the pandemic affected you and your family’s lives? (Go beyond the not going to school, not seeing friends)
What positives do you see in your community/family around you?
What have you had to learn to do on your own?
What dreams have changed for you? What realizations you have had?( One student has talked about how she found her own interests.)
What have you struggled with?
In the future looking back at the past , what advice would your 80 year old self give to young people living through the pandemic.
Your Practical
Your practical may take any form you suggest including a vlog like the
ones on Four Corners. It could be talking about the bigger issues in the world, or focus on smaller personal issues.
Some examples could include a dance video, a song, a vlog, a letter to the editor, a short story, a diary with visuals, a painting.
There are three parts.
1. Evidence of preparation: Keep every note, sketch, mind map, graph and photograph it.
2. The work
3. Rationale: A short written rationale explaining and justifying the work you are presenting.
I would like you to enjoy doing this work and really make it mean something to you personally,
Samples of students' work
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