Edexcel – Animal welfare
‘Choose Life – Go Veggie’ leaflet
Contents sheet and teacher’s notes
The following workpack includes activities and teaching notes for the ‘Choose Life –
Go Veggie’ leaflet. We’ve specified whether an activity was designed for higher or
lower ability students in order to try and help you with your planning/differentiation.
Activity 1 (Higher and lower ability) – What can you infer …?
Making inferences about intended audience. Analysis of the language on page 1 and what
it tells us about the audience. (Includes extension questions for higher ability students.)
Activity 2 (Higher and lower ability) – How is the leaflet structured?
Tasks to explore the links between the two pages of the leaflet (designed to be done
before reading page 2). Task 1 – all abilities, tasks 2 and 3 will suit lower ability students
whereas extension tasks 4 and 5 have been tailored towards higher ability students.
Activity 3 (Higher and lower ability) – What’s it all about?
Some questions about the information and arguments put forward on page 2. (Most
questions accessible to all abilities; extension question 8 for higher ability students.)
Activity 4 (Higher and lower ability) – Evaluating presentational devices
Tasks are suitable for all abilities although teachers may want to differentiate Task 2 by
allocating particular examples to individuals or groups according to ability. With regard to
Task 3, teachers may wish to specify (and model) a PEE paragraph before students write
their own.
Activity 5 (Higher and lower ability) – A closer look at language
A matching task to revise types of persuasive techniques and their meanings. Students
should find examples of those used in the Animal Aid leaflet. The extension task requires
students to rewrite a paragraph using a different technique and evaluate the effect of this.
This activity is suitable for all abilities but teachers may want to adapt the table to give
their least able students fewer choices of persuasive technique, e.g., statistics, emotive
language, 2nd person pronouns and imperative verbs only.
Activity 6 (Higher ability) – First steps towards comparing two texts
Activities to help students begin their comparison of the two texts (comparing this leaflet
with the Defra webpage ‘Animal Welfare: Transporting animals during hot weather’). The
writing task could lead to some peer assessment.
Extra teaching ideas/approaches
A range of additional/alternative ideas for introducing your students to the ‘Choose Life –
Go Veggie’ leaflet and getting them to focus on various aspects of content and language.
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Activity 1 – What can you infer about the intended audience?
Look closely at the six statements which appear on the first page.
a) YOU can make a difference
b) You’ll help feed the world
c) You’ll help reduce pollution
d) You’ll improve your health
e) You’ll save animals’ lives
f) You’ll stay slimmer Answer these questions in full sentences.
1. What sort of people would be persuaded by (d)?
2. Would any other of the statements above be likely to influence the same people as
(d)?
3. What sort of person is likely to be influenced by (e)?
4. What sort of person would be persuaded by (c)?
5. What sort of person would be influenced by (b)?
Extension
6. In what way, or ways, is (a) not like the other five statements?
7. For any differences you identify, can you suggest a reason why the writers might have
wanted to do this and/or suggest how readers might respond to the statement?
8. Why is it the final statement on the leaflet?
9. Use your answers to the questions above to write a paragraph about the target
audience of the leaflet. Try to include brief quotations and explanations to show …

HOW you know the writer is aiming it at such people
or …

WHY the writer has used these statements on the front of the leaflet.
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Activity 2 – How is the leaflet structured?
Task 1
On page 2 of the leaflet, there are four subheadings numbered 1 to 4, which have been
copied into the table below. They are similar to the statements you read on page 1. Can
you match them up?
p.2
subheading
1. Save lives
2. Improve your
health
3. Protect our
planet
4. Feed the
world
p.1
statement
a) YOU can make a difference
c) You’ll help reduce pollution
e) You’ll save animals’ lives
b) You’ll help feed the world
d) You’ll improve your health
f) You’ll stay slimmer
Task 2
On page 2, however, the subheadings introduce some extra information. Without looking
at the leaflet, can you work out which information goes with which subheading? Write the
correct number into the space next to each paragraph.
Subheading
number
Extra information
In the UK, around 2 1/2 million animals are slaughtered every single
day to satisfy the public’s meat habit. Most are reared in overcrowded factory farms where they are denied fresh air and exercise.
Their short lives are filled with pain and suffering.
Animal farming is one of the biggest causes of water pollution in the
UK. Plant-based diets use nearly 100 times less water than it takes to
produce the equivalent amount of meat. Farmed animals produce
enormous amounts of methane gas, the second biggest cause of
global warming.
According to a detailed report by the World Cancer Research Fund
and the American Institute for Cancer Research, ‘Vegetarian Groups
have been shown to have lower risk of cardiovascular disease, lower
rates of obesity and longer life expectancy than general population
comparison groups.’
Rearing animals for meat is a massively inefficient way of producing
food for people. This is because animals use up most of the value of
the crops they are fed in the day-to-day workings of their bodies. We
can feed up to 10 times as many people on a vegetarian diet by
growing crops directly for human consumption.
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Task 3
Tick any of these statements that you agree with:

The writer has emphasised the key points of his message by repeating them on page 2
so that people will remember them.

The writer builds ideas up gradually from page 1 to page 2 so that people will be able
to understand them more easily.

The writer has made his assertions on page 1 stronger by adding examples or
supporting information on page 2 so that people will be more likely to believe them.
Task 4
For each statement you have ticked, give an example or quotation from the text.
Task 5
Can you use what you have learned in this activity to write an explanation of how the
leaflet tries to persuade the reader?
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Activity 3 – What’s it all about?
Read page 2 of the leaflet and answer these questions in your own words.
1. Who has produced this leaflet?
2. Can you explain what this organisation does?
3. Approximately how many animals per day are killed for food in the UK?
4. How does the leaflet describe the lives of most of the animals that we eat?
5.
a) What does the leaflet tell us are the advantages for our health of eating a
vegetarian diet?
b) What basis does the writer of the leaflet have for saying this?
6. Find the three examples the leaflet gives of animal farming being bad for the
environment.
7. By feeding crops directly to people, rather than first to the animals which are then
killed for food, how many more people can be fed?
Extension
8. Can you explain why a vegetarian diet can ‘feed the world’?
9. Comment on/discuss the ideas and perspectives you encountered in the leaflet.
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Activity 4 – Evaluating presentational devices
Task 1
Look at the examples of presentational devices below and circle any that have been used
in this leaflet.
varied font style
large font
bold/underline/italic
subheadings
text boxes
pictures or photographs
hyperlinks
logo
charts, diagrams, graphs, tables
headings
bulleted or numbered lists
paragraphs
columns
colour
uppercase text
Task 2
Copy out a table like the one below.
Use column 1 of the table below to list any aspects of the presentation of this leaflet which
you think will help it to do its job well. In Column 2, briefly explain how your example
might affect the reader.
Presentation
Example – uneven font
and yellow colour for subheadings.
Explanation
Example – yellow is eye-catching; uneven font seems
casual and informal – perhaps suggesting to the reader
that the message is friendly. Also creates a ‘fun’ mood,
suggesting that being ‘veggie’ is fun.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Word bank
Task 3
alternatives to ‘suggests’
Choose one row from your table and
write a developed paragraph exploring
how the writer of the leaflet has
successfully used presentational devices
to persuade the reader.
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Choose carefully from some of
these to add variety to your
writing:
creates reflects indicates
gives rise to conveys
implies shows
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Activity 5 – A closer look at language
Task 1
The common features of persuasive language have become jumbled below – can you
match them to the correct meaning?
Feature of
persuasive writing
Meaning
a) Imperative
(bossy) verbs
1. Facts that use numbers or
percentages
b) Addressing the
reader directly
2. Quotations of an expert or an
official organisation to support the
writer’s point of view
c) Statistics
3. Stating something as if it were a
fact but without any evidence to
back it up
d) Emotive language
4. Words or phrases used more than
once
e) Expert opinion
5. Using patterns of three – either
individual types of words or similar
sentence structures
f) Repetition
6. Memorable saying or phrase to
sum up the message or enable
people to recognise the brand
g) Hyperbole
7. Questions that are not meant to
be answered – they are there to
make you agree with the writer.
h) Assertion
8. Exaggerating through choosing
particular words or saying
something is the best or the worst
i) Triples
9. Words and phrases meant to
arouse strong feelings such as
shock, pity or fear
j) Rhetorical
questions
10. Verbs used at the beginning of a
sentence to give a command
k) Slogan or
catchphrase
11. Using the pronoun ‘you’ or ‘we’ to
involve the reader
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Used in
leaflet?
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Task 2
How many of these can you find in the Animal Aid persuasive leaflet? Place a tick in the
third column beside the ones you’ve found.
Task 3
On your copy of the leaflet, annotate each example you have found with the name of the
technique.
Task 4
From page 2, choose any one of the four paragraphs under the subheadings. Then,
choose one of the features of persuasive writing from the above list that has not
been used in that paragraph.
Rewrite it to replace one of its techniques with a different one. (For example, you
may choose to delete all the emotive language and instead include a rhetorical
question.)
Compare the original with your new version. Which one works best and why?
Alternatively, swap with a partner and give them some feedback on how effective
their new paragraph is.
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Activity 6 – First steps towards comparing two texts
Task 1
This is based on comparing the Animal Aid leaflet with the webpage on the Defra site.
You will need to familiarize yourself with the Defra webpage before attempting the
following task.
Sort these features of the two texts into two categories – those that refer to the Animal
Aid one and those that refer to the Defra one. You should use the blank boxes to add
your own ideas (make some more if you need them) or to make a copy of any statement
you think belongs in both categories.
Hyperlinks are included
to make it easy for
readers to find more
information.
The purpose of this text
is to give advice.
The producers of this
text want to protect
animals.
A slogan is repeated.
The producers of this
text want people to
comply with the law.
Images are used to have
a persuasive effect on
the reader.
Official language and
technical vocabulary is
used in this text.
In some places, the
language is colloquial.
Headings and
subheadings help make
the text clear and easy
to read.
This text is trying to
persuade people.
This text makes use of
imperative verbs.
The writers have used
modal verbs.
Coloured text helps to
emphasise the most
important ideas.
The producers of this
text want people to
donate money.
A range of connectives
for different purposes is
used.
Bullet points in lists help
make advice clearer and
easier to follow.
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Task 2
Colour code or sort these statements further to group together those that refer to ideas
and perspectives, those which are about how language is used and finally any which
are about how ideas are presented.
Task 3
Find at least one piece of evidence or example to support each statement.
Task 4
The focus of your controlled assessment essay is to ‘Compare material from two texts on
animal welfare’. In this comparison, you must:

explore how the writers communicate their ideas and perspectives

comment on how the writers use presentation and language

include examples to illustrate the points you make. Firstly, highlight the key words in this title and then choose any one statement from your
chart above. Use this as the starting point for some preliminary notes in which you:

compare this aspect of the two texts

select details (evidence) to support your views and

comment on the significance or effect of the aspect of the text you have chosen.
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Extra teaching ideas/approaches
1. Pre-reading task exploring use of images
Divide class into four sections (cows, pigs, hens + chickens, sheep + lambs) and ask
each group to find a picture or two of ‘their’ animal which could be used in a leaflet
promoting vegetarianism. (NOTE: set this as preparatory HW if class doesn’t have
access to the internet).
Once they have their picture, subdivide the main groups into smaller groups of three or
four and get students to explain to their group why ‘their’ picture would be appropriate
for the leaflet. Group members then discuss all the ideas, choose one ‘best’ image and
present it to the whole class.
This can lead into an evaluation of the effects of the pictures across the top of the
leaflet. (Focus: how writers use presentation to communicate ideas.) Students might
need prompting to explore the effects of the individual pictures as well as the collective
impact and their position within the leaflet. More able students might want to consider
what sorts of pictures have not been included and what can be inferred about the
writer’s intentions from this.
A written outcome could be annotations on the leaflet or a paragraph on how the
writer of the leaflet has used images of animals to affect the reader (although this
latter might require a closer look at the leaflet as a whole so that students can reflect
on audience and purpose).
2. First reading
Combine a first reading to develop students’ understanding and personal response with
an exploration of the use of colour for effect:
Give students a black and white copy of the leaflet and briefly read/discuss the
purpose of the leaflet. Tell them they are going to use colour to make the leaflet more
effective – how would they do it? Get them to colour it in.
Once they have done this, put them in small groups and ask each student to explain
briefly to the others why they chose the colours they did for the different elements of
the leaflet – what effects, emotions or ideas were they trying to create? Were they
trying to make particular words and phrases stand out? Why?
The teacher could select a few interesting examples and use these to initiate a
discussion amongst the whole class. (This step would support lower ability students in
developing their ideas about how writers use presentational devices, and in formulating
sentences to express their ideas.) Then the students could look at the original version
of the Animal Aid text and write a paragraph about how colour has been used to make
the text more effective.
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3. Unleash their creative talents
Using the ideas in the leaflet, design a TV advert to persuade people to switch to a
vegetarian diet. (A low-tech storyboard, a medium-tech PowerPoint or a high-tech
photomovie … or plain old drama.)
4. Using ICT
Use Teachit’s Cruncher, or a word-processing package such as Word, to collapse each
of the ten sentences below the subheadings on page 2 and allocate them to pairs or
groups, according to ability, to reconstruct as much of the sentence as they can. Or
ask all groups to work on one sentence against the clock. What aspects helped?
(Done as a pre-reading activity, this could be a way in to the text for more able
students, or perhaps would be useful to draw attention to grammatical structures,
collocations, technical language, powerful adjectives, etc. or just to review the
structure and punctuation of complex sentences.)
5. Try this!
Use the individual elements of the leaflet (attached to the end of this pack), either cut
up and distributed or accessed on screen. Get students working in small groups to
design either (a) a persuasive leaflet – obviously, before seeing the original leaflet – or
(b) a website – either before or after they have studied the printed leaflet. You could
decide that elements can be copied and used more than once, or not.
Or this: For (a) they could annotate their designs with the reasons why they assembled
the elements the way they have (including referring to its function as a persuasive
text) and for (b) they could assemble a ‘home page’ in the middle of an A3 sheet and
then using an ‘exploded diagram’ format to show where they would insert hyperlinks
and what page a user would be taken to at each click. For (b) too, they should justify
their decisions referring to purpose and impact on reader.
Or this: As a further challenge, you could give students the text without any formatting
so that they also have to make decisions about which text is most important and how
they want to reflect that in the presentation and design.
6. Stick it!
Print the persuasive techniques on sticky labels. As students find one, they tick it off
the list and stick the label on the leaflet as an annotation.
7. Investigation
To challenge the more able, put them in pairs and allocate an aspect of language (see
Resource 2 below) for independent investigation. Get them to:

define it

find examples

analyse the example(s)

present their findings to the class.
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Resource 2: Aspects of language (for use with additional activity 7)
Imperative verbs
Pronouns (1st and 2nd person)
Facts and Statistics
Emotive language
Expert opinion
Repetition
Hyperbole
Assertion
Slogan or catchphrase
Colloquial language
Connectives
Simple sentences
Complex sentences
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