STAGE 3 WRITING PROGRAM: Fantasy Narratives and Vocabulary

Basic Questions:
What are the main features of a narrative text?

Core Questions:
What makes a successful imaginative text?

Extension Questions:
Are some criteria more important than others when judging a text? How are plot and character development important for engaging a reader in a text? How can you evaluate an imaginative text? How can an established narrative be expressed in a different form? How can imagery be used to enhance descriptions in an imaginative text?

How can visual and auditory texts support written narratives? Why are some words better than others for providing a fuller description of a person, place, thing or idea?

What are the different forms an imaginative text can take? How do creators of narratives use vocabulary to create greater precision of meaning?

Outcomes EN3-2A: Composes, edits and presents well-structured and coherent texts

EN3-3A: Uses an integrated range of skills, strategies and knowledge to read, view and comprehend a wide range of texts in different media and technologies

Content Understand and appreciate the way texts are shaped through exploring a range of language forms and features and ideas Experiment and use aspects of composing that enhance learning and enjoyment Identify and explore underlying themes and central storylines in imaginative texts Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures,language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience Reread and edit students' own and others' work using agreed criteria and explaining editing choices Appreciate how demanding texts such as extended narratives contain increasing levels of complexity and abstraction to enhance enjoyment Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text Recognise how grammatical features help to build meaning in texts, including adverbial and adjectival phrases Understand, interpret and experiment with sound devices and imagery Discuss aspects of literature that influence personal choice in reading

Learning Sequence 1- EXPLORE

Duration: Wk 1-4

Writing Workshops
Learning Intentions: To identify the key features of a narrative. To understand the elements of the fantasy genre. To identify what makes an effective introduction/complication/resolution To write a detailed description that suits the fantasy genre.

Vocabulary Workshops
Learning Intentions: To learn new words for commonly overused words. To identify how authors use vocabulary to express meaning. To use imagery to improve descriptions.

Reading Showcase
Learning Intentions: To explore the elements of the fantasy genre. To identify what makes a successful fantasy text. To critique and review narratives.

Learning Sequences: Pre test- narrative writing with prompt about finding a mysterious box on doorstep.

What is a narrative?

-Explicit instruction about what the basic expectations are of narratives: orientation, complication and resolution. -Discussion about what also makes a narrative entertaining e.g. interesting characters or settings, effective word choice, not predictable etc. -Labelling of features in short narratives.

Learning Sequences: Pre test- 20 core vocab words listed for students to identify as many synonyms as they can for each. Focus on 20 core overused words using variety of vocabulary tools. Basic sequence: -In groups, students create vocabulary cluster on one of the core words, coming up with as many synonyms as possible. -Group findings brought back to whole class discussion of synonyms and in what contexts

The fantasy genre -Discussion of what the main components are of the
fantasy genre as expressed effectively at: http://childliterature.net/childlit/fantasy/ -Brainstorming of fantasy books, plays, tv shows,

Learning Sequences: -Every day, expose students to a chapter of a fantasy novel or a picture book or poem or song etc that fits the fantasy genre. -Have students respond to the text e.g. + discussion of why the author chose certain words (link with vocabulary focus at the time) at first teacher modelled, then as a student written response to read texts +use the fantasy chart to identify fantasy elements +Discussion of what makes the text enjoyable or not etc followed by writing a review of

movies etc the students are aware of and what they have in common. -Use The Fantasy Chart to plot the fantasy elements of books read in the Reading Showcase (fantasy chart modified based on http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com/)

they are better used. -Where relevant, clines created from two antonym vocab words e.g. happy and sad / big and small

Other vocabulary workshop Effective Orientations ideas: -Explicitly teach what is expected in an orientation -Synonym cloze e.g. eliminate (introducing the who, what, where and when) the overused words worksheet -Use Effective orientations- trapped in a lift -snap or memory using (Stanger, 2012) to model potential ways a narrative vocabulary cards: matching can begin and use texts in the class or online to see words that mean the same how many different styles of orientation they can find. thing -Choose a familiar text to rewrite the orientation in -Taboo: students have to get different ways (First as class and then pair or peers to guess what is on their independent practice). card without using listed overused words. Useful poster: -Words for old/new: Use 10 http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/3579_post images of telephones over time er_stories02_orientation.pdf and ask students to sort and rank them, giving reasons why. Creative Complications Provide students with 10 -Explicitly teach what a complication is (events or old/new words and ask them to action that makes the story exciting/scary/sad) and match them to images. how it is necessary for engaging an audience.

the text (model as whole class first, provide scaffolding for guided practice using templates, provide option for free form reviewing without templates for independent writing. Simple book review templates available at: http://www.readwritethink.org/f iles/resources/printouts/BookRe view.pdf or http://pinterest.com/vrpelfrey/ book-report-templates/ Online text with response template: http://www.ereadingworksheets. com/reading-worksheets/piercethe-spaceman.pdf Students are given narratives to assess against given criteria. Criteria differentiated to suit student needs -identification of orientation,

Poster: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/3579_post er_stories03_complication.pdf -Use the introduction to a well-known text e.g. the three little pigs as visually modelled in poster above to think about potential alternative complications and how that would change the effectiveness of the narrative as a whole. -Think, pair share of potential creative complications that could follow orientations read from books in the classroom.

In addition to core words, look at the use of imagery in particular similes and metaphors for enhancing descriptions.

Satisfying Resolutions

complication, resolution / identifying synonyms (stage 3 words) -identifying the type of complication/evaluating if effective descriptive language is chosen e.g. using interesting adjectives -evaluating whether or not there is successful use of similes/metaphors/hyperbole/pe rsonification

-Explicit teaching of expectations of a resolution: the how or why the complication is resolved but with an explanation not just a one sentence I woke up and it was a dream Poster: http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/3579_post er_stories04_resolution.pdf -Use the example stories without endings at http://www.stuartstories.com/activities/finishme.html to practice as a class then as pairs/independently, ways to find an ending to stories.

-Reflect on chosen endings as a class, which are more entertaining and why? What ending did lots of students find? is it too predictable? Extension: Ask some students to identify the success criteria they now consider to be most important for a narrative.

Detailed Descriptions

-Read examples of descriptions in famous narratives and identify these as a key part of the success of these narratives. -Revise term 1 work on descriptive writing and the success criteria of effective descriptions -Link with vocabulary work and refresh the use of similes and metaphors -Using the IWB, play guess who with images of people, animals, settings and objects to practice using descriptive language.

Creating Characters

-Discuss the need for at least the main character to have a lot of depth and for the reader to be able to understand who they are and why they do things in order to feel an attachment to the plot. -Model ways to plan characters

e.g. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lessonplan/collateral_resources/pdf/i/inkheart_characterbu ilder.pdf http://www.capstonekids.com/contests/sikids/pdf/les son_plans.pdf In computers students can create a character for future narrative use using http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/scrapbook/

Planning Plots

Explicitly teach the need to plan all of the elements of your story (orientation, complication, resolution, characters, setting) Use the templates provided at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/southernadelaide/files/link s/NAPLaN_narratives_resource.pdf on p9 to as a class plan a fantasy genre narrative. Students can then use this format for their experiment and expanding phases planning.

Learning Sequence 2- EXPERIMENT

Duration: Wk 5-6

Writing and Vocabulary Experimentation

Learning Intentions: To experiment with different vocabulary when writing narratives. To use aural, visual and written stimuli to produce narrative texts

Reading Showcase

Learning Sequences:

Responding to written, aural and visual stimuli

-Fantasy based readers theatre

During this 2 week period, students will be engaged in creating short fiction texts each day responding to different stimuli. These will be just a draft form which will be used for peer assessment and feedback using the 2 ticks and a target protocol. Possible Written stimuli:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/story-starters/fantasy-writing-prompts/ http://www.fantasyscroll.com/category/featured/better-writing/writing-prompts/ https://mrspowell.wikispaces.com/Fantasy+Writing+Prompts

You have to write from the point of view of an object (use railing example from youngest writer write on competition 2012) Possible Visual Stimuli: http://visualwritingprompts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/chalk-001.png http://visualwritingprompts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/etch-a-sketch-001.png http://visualwritingprompts.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/tellthisstory.png?w=584&h=438 http://www.feath.com/images/CD-cover2-sm.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l4vd4_3b3Kg/UV89GH7SNhI/AAAAAAAACO0/l0WryYLLt8/s1600/fantasy.jpg http://www.wallpapermint.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Fantasy-World-pack1-30.jpg http://www.wallpapermint.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Fantasy-World-Pack2-17.jpg Possible Aural stimuli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uWWnR5KGOk (trance song inspired by Blade Runner / futuristic world) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNpUnUBhURY (Game of thrones theme song) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-koZBg0iOrw (or any part of Fantasia) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMInqyumZ3I (Lord of the rings theme) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCNHVMIYqiA (harry potter theme)

Drafting and Editing

To show the importance of reflecting and editing after drafting, students will pick one of their drafts from Mon-Thurs each week to on Friday, edit and improve based on their peer feedback. The draft, 2 ticks and a target feedback and edited version will then go to the teacher for teacher feedback.

Learning Sequence 3- EXPAND

Duration: Wk 7-9

CREATING THE CLASS FANTASY COLLECTION

Learning intentions: To plan, draft and publish a Fantasy genre narrative To read, evaluate and provide feedback about a peers narrative.

Create, evaluate and publish

During these final weeks, students are to decide on one final narrative and engage in the planning, drafting, editing and publishing process using the support of their vocabulary and writing group for peer editing and feedback as well as teacher feedback. Class should come up with success criteria for final product together but with the final goal of all the texts being able to be combined to form a class fantasy collection. Discuss with class how they may choose to produce a variety of different narrative texts as long as they meet the criteria - traditional written narrative novella, a short story / picture book, an extended fantasy poem, a play or some students can be given the option of using technology to create a multimedia narrative e.g. using puppet pals on ipad or storybird on computer. Extension- Some students may be chosen to be part of the Editing team who will be responsible for acting as the chief editors and providers of feedback prior to the teacher.

Learning Sequences: