LITERACY / UNIT PLANNER

Topic: My Place: Lilly 1988 Episode 3: First Day

Year Level: 5

GRAMMAR FOCUS: (levels)

Text type and mode

Listened to

Spoken

Read

Written

Viewed

Produced

Fictional textinformation
narrative

Language features for the text-type:

Word level:
Adverbs- words that add extra information to verbs.
Verbs- Action and mental (thinking/feeling) verbs
Word group level:
Adverbial phrases- add information about the verb, telling us how,
when, where or why something happens.
(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 236-237).
1. Whole text structure of an information narrative
Orientation (introduction)
Complication (middle)
Resolution (ending)
CONTEXT: Overview of series of lessons and background information in your own words. What
are you planning to do?

- Distinguishing between fact and fiction and exploring how people migrated to
Australia and why they did, through identifying facts and forming ideas, in and from
clips and research.
-Distinguishing the difference between a general narrative and an information
narrative through comparing and contrasting extracts of these, recognizing what
information narratives contain that general narratives do not.
-Through a number of oral language activities, students will be identifying and
discussing key language features within texts/written pieces. From this, they will
practice writing the language features focused on verbs and adverbs.
-Building up vocabulary through interpreting visual images that relate to the
vocabulary.
- Finally, a couple of sessions will be spent modelling and having students
practicing how to form an information narrative, before they go off to independently
write one.

Term: 4 Weeks: 1-3

Date: 5/10/15-23/10/15

Steps in Teaching and Learning Cycle: (adapted Derewianka, 1990/2007)

1. Building topic knowledge
2. Building text knowledge/Model the genre
3. Guided activities to develop vocabulary and text knowledge
4. Joint construction of text
5. Independent construction of text
6. Reflecting on language choices
WITH THIS SECTION HIGHLIGHT THE ONES YOU ARE USING
Frequently used Literacy Instructional Strategies: Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
Language Experience Approach (R/W)
Picture Chat Read to Shared R/W
Guided R/W
Modelled writing Interactive writing Independent R/W Literature Circles Reciprocal Teaching
Mini lesson Roving conferences
Teaching techniques: Think Aloud, Text analysis, Cloze exercises, Note-taking,
Graphic Organisers: T-chart, Y-chart; Venn diagram, Data grid, Sunshine wheel, KWL chart,
Flow chart, Story map= template for text-type planning.

I am aware that students have prior knowledge of the structure of a narrative.

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Pre-assessment of students skills and knowledge:

Standardized tests for reading/writing/ NAPLAN
Profile of Data Progression of Reading Development
Conferences/interviews
Student written work samples
Self-assessments
INTENTION FOR THE UNIT Literacy Learning intention: We are learning
to write an information narrative.
Learning behaviours: I need to listen attentively to each other to build my text
and topic knowledge.

Four resource model (Freebody & Luke, 1990/1999): Code Breaker; Text Participant/Meaning
Maker; Text User; Text Analyst
Comprehension Strategies: Predicting; Visualising; Making connections; Questioning; Inferring;
Determining important ideas; Summarising; Finding evidence in the text; Understanding new
vocabulary; Synthesising; Comparing and contrasting; Paraphrasing; Recognising cause and effect;
Skimming and scanning; Five semiotic systems: linguistics, visual, auditory, spatial, gestural.
Question types: self-questioning; 3 levels; (literal, inferential, evaluative); QAR
Thinking Routines: See, Think, Wonder; Headlines; +1, Three word summary, 5VIPs, Give One,
Get One (refer Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & amp; Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible:
How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. eBook online)

Success criteria: I know Im doing well if I can produce an informative and

engaging narrative.

Topic-specific vocabulary for the unit of work:

boat people, stereotype, treatment, refugees, escape, arrival,
multiculturalism, social order, education, overseas, country, pirates,
attack, migration, settlement, Australia, convicts, bicentenary, first
fleet, voyage, refugee camp.

Resources:

Orientation, complication, resolution, adverbial phrases, adverbs,

adjectives.

Video clip Episode 3 | 1988; ABC3 MyPlace

http://www.myplace.edu.au/teaching_activities/1988/3/the_bicentenary.html

Wing Jan, L. (2009). Write ways. South Melbourne. Vic.: Oxford University Press.
EPISODE 3 | 1988 English teaching resources downloaded on 11/9 from www.myplace.edu.au/.
My Place website www.myplace.edu.au
http://www.myplace.edu.au/teaching_activities/1988/1/first_day.html

Do, A., Do, S. and Whatley, B. (2011). The little refugee. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin.

Highlight ANY OF THESE

STUDENTS ARE ENGAGING IN

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Cooperating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising

Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable

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TEACHING &
LEARNING CYCLE

WHOLE CLASS
Hook or Tuning In

MINI LESSON

INDEPENDENT
LEARNING

SHARE TIME AND

TEACHER SUMMARY

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES

Learning goals
We are learning to ...
1.Building topic
knowledge

Instructional
strategy: Shared
viewing

Lilly 1988: First day

We are learning to ...
notice the difference
between a fact and an
idea (fiction).

TUNING IN
Display a few images
of different modes of
transport as a prompt
for discussion and
ideas (Appendix A).
Focus questions?
What do we think was
the most common
mode of transport that
refugees took to get to
Australia?
What makes you say
that?
How about convicts?

Viewing clips and T-chart

template
Instructional strategy:
Shared viewing
Viewing video clip Lilly:
1988- First day and The
Bicentenary.
Display T-chart template
(Appendix B) to the class and
use this to brainstorm a couple
of fiction ideas and facts
about people migrating to
Australia- particularly
refugees and convicts. Model
an example of recording a fact
and an idea into the t-chart.

Highlight the difference

between a fact and an idea.

Prompt students to think about

ideas about why people may
have fled their countries and
chosen to come to Australia.

Think- Pair - Share

Whole class reflection

Fact or fiction? Wing Jan,

2009, pp. 260)
In pairs at laptops, students
re-watch the two clips, to
think about and record facts
and ideas about people
migrating to Australia and
how they arrived. In mixed
ability pairs, students record
facts acquired and ideas they
have formed, into the t-chart
template. Students
collaborate with another pair,
to share their recorded facts
and ideas and to compare
similarities and differences.

Compare the two clips,

asking a few students to
share the facts and ideas
they brainstormed for each
clip. Add responses to the
T-chart completed in the
mini lesson. Reflect on
facts in relation to people
migrating to Australia and
how they arrived and
students ideas about why
people may have migrated
and fled to Australia.

Assess focus group

-Anecdotal notes of
students verbal
responses, being at least 1
fact and 1 idea about
Australia.
Analyse the facts and
ideas students contributed
to the t-chart and shared
and whether they have
been able to distinguish
between a fact and an
idea.

What is the difference

between a fact and an idea?

Early finishers will go on

categorising a number of
statements as either fact or
fiction.
Focus group:
Guided writing
4 students, low level.
We are looking at
distinguishing between facts
and ideas. Draw up a T-chart
on butchers paper, one side

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stating fact and the other

stating idea. With this, give
an example of both and ask
students to record and share
one idea and one fact on the
butchers paper that they
know about Australia. Initial
students recordings for
assessment purposes.
2. Build topic
knowledge
We are learning to
uncover why people
migrated to Australia
and how they arrived.
3.Building text
knowledge/Model the
genre
We are learning to
identify the difference
between a general
narrative and
information narrative,
by comparing and
contrasting.

In this lesson, students will extend on the recordings they formed in lesson 1, in relation to the facts of how people migrated to Australia and why
they did. They will do so by doing some research in pairs, particularly to extend on their ideas as to why people migrated to Australia. Thinking
routine for this session: Give one, get one- sharing of one idea or fact with another peer and receiving a new fact or idea or elaboration in return.
Reflect on additional information students have gathered.
Fact or fiction? (adapted
Assessing the 4 students
Instructional
Instructional strategy:
Whole class reflection
strategy: shared
Read to
from Wing Jan, 2009, pp.
in the focus group.
reading.
Have a few pairs sharing the
Adaption of story grammar 260)
(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 244)
differences that they
Assess that they have
Adaptation of think- pairRead
three
parts
from
The
initially
identified
between
correctly identified and
TUNING IN:
share.
To elicit students prior Little Refugee picture book
In mixed ability pairs,
the two narratives, which
highlighted at least 4
knowledge of
(Appendix D) and have
students will compare and
they had prior to
adverbs and 4 verbs, and
narratives, pin to the
students identify which
contrast between a few
collaborating with another
that these have been
board the key words
section belongs under each of general and information
pair and those that they
colour coded or labelled,
that relate to the text
the headings- orientation,
narrative extracts. Firstly,
acquired from sharing with
in the given text on the
structure (orientation, complication and resolution.
they will determine which is another pair.
page.
complication and
the general narrative and
resolution), in a
which the information
jumbled order.
narrative is.
(Appendix C)
Then they will think about
Probing question: What
Think aloud
the possible differences first were some differences we
Shared reading
Model how to identify a
by themselves and determine found before we discussed
Focus question: Put
couple of differences between whether what is stated is fact with another pair?
your hand up if you
two different narratives,
or fiction. Following this
What were some differences
can remember the
through comparing and
step, students will share their we noticed from sharing our
structure of a
contrasting.
thinking and inferences with findings with a partner?
narrative?
Display on the smart board, an the other person they are
Nominate a student
extract of a general narrative
working with and justify
So how is an information
with their hand up to
and an extract of an
their decisions. Students are
narrative different to a

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pin the key words in

the correct order.
Which word relates to
the beginning?
Middle? End?

information narrative.
Focus question: Which one
sounds like an information
narrative?
Does anyone have any ideas
of how an information
narrative may be different to a
general narrative? Explain the
difference in a nutshell.
Underline examples of
differences for students to
observe, for example; facts in
the information narrative.

4.Building text
knowledge/Model the
genre

Instructional
strategy: Shared
reading

We are learning to
identify adverbial
phrases in an
information narrative.

TUNING IN:
Finding verbs and
adverbs, within an
information narrative
extract.
State what a verb and
an adverb are. Give a
few examples.

Instructional strategy:
Shared writing

Cloze exercise preparation.

Text analysis
Introduce students to the
language features: adverbial
phrase.
Firstly, gather some examples

to highlight the differencesbeing the facts and ideas.

general narrative?

Small teaching group:

2 students at low level 2 at
mid-high level.
Guided instruction
This group will be guided in
identifying verbs and
adverbs within a part of the
text from The Little
Refugee book. Elicit their
prior knowledge of what a
verb and adverb are. Firstly,
give them a couple of
examples of each and then
have them identify and
highlight as many adverbs
and verbs that they can find
within the given text, making
clear the distinction between
the two- eg. Using a colour
code.

Cloze exercise (Hertzberg,

2011)

Whole class reflection:

Students in mixed ability

pairs, work together and
attempt to identify possible
adverbial phrases, verbs
and adverbs, within a given
part of a text, covering these
up. Once each pair has
identified a few of each, they
will pass on their page to
another pair, whose role is to

Display on the smart board

some examples of
adverbial phrases,
adverbs and verbs, as
possibly determined from
the given text students
worked on.

Collect a few students

matching sheets, as
completed in the whole
class reflection. Assess
whether they have been
able to correctly match up
the stated phrase, verb
and adverb to its language
feature name, with at least
4 of 6 correct
links/matches evident.

Focus question:
Which example is an

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Display the extract

information narrative
on the smart board.
Focus question:
What are some verbs
and adverbs in this
piece of writing?

of verbs and adverbs that

students identified in tuning
in. Model how these can be
used to form adverbial
phrases.

identify whether the covered

text is an adverbial phrase,
verb or adverb, justifying
their decisions.

Explain what these language

feature adverbial phrase is
and then underline examples
of this, in an extract from
The little refugee, displaying
on the smart board.

Small teaching group:

Hint to students what to look

out for, in order to identify
verbs and adverbs which
make up adverbial phrases, in
preparation for the Cloze
exercise.

adverbial phrase?
Which example is an
adverb? Which example is a
verb?
How did you decide? What
helped you to work it out?

Instructional strategy:
Shared reading/writing
Working with the focus
group from the previous
session, where these students
practiced identifying adverbs
and adjectives, recap these
language features, addressing
the words that students may
have incorrectly identified as
an adverb or verb.
Guided writing
Following this, extend
students by demonstrating a
couple of examples of how
these words can be applied to
form adverbial phrases.

5.Guided activities to
develop vocabulary or
specific language
feature
We are learning to
build up our

Instructional
strategy:
Shared viewing
TUNING IN:
To build up
vocabulary,

Instructional Strategy:
Shared viewing/writing
Interpreting an image
(Appendix E) and note
taking interpretations in
relation to see, think,

Working in mixed ability

pairs, students are to create
and contribute at least one
example of an adverbial
phrase. Record pairs
responses.
See think wonder (Ritchhart
et al., 2011)
In a mixed ability triad,
students discuss what they
see, think and wonder
about a given image. Each
member needs to fill in at

Whole class reflection

Initiate discussion of the
see, think and wonder
responses that triads have
recorded.

Assess that students have

completed at least 2 see
responses, 1 think and
wondering by themselves
and that a sense of
vocabulary development
is evident.

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vocabulary by
describing pictures and
what we see, think
and wonder.

re-watch the my place

clips, as viewed in
session 1.
On butchers paper,
begin to form a
vocabulary list.

Focus questions:
What are some words
used to describe the
people? (boat
people/person,
convicts)
What happened to
Lillys cousin when
she was on the boat to
Australia?
What are some key
words mentioned in
the video?

6.Joint construction
We are learning to
plan an information
narrative.

wonder
Model how to note take
interpretations for a given
image. Fill in the see, think,
wonder table, to give
students an example, using
key vocabulary.
Thinking Tool/Routine:
See, think, wonder (Ritchhart,
Church & Morrison, 2011)

least 2 see and 1 think and

wonder responses to the
image, recording these in a
see, think, wonder table
(Appendix F)

Select a few triads to share.

Focus question: What did
you see in the picture? What
did it make you think and
wonder?

In another colour, they can

also add to the table, any
differences of what the other
group members see, think
and wonder.
Students share responses
with another triad.

Add to the vocabulary list as

started in tuning in, any
new vocabulary terms that
students mention.

Small teaching group:

4 students at a high level
Instructional strategy:
Picture chat
Display the picture collage to
the group, as shown in
tuning in. Teacher will
initiate the picture chat
discussion about images
within the collage, using
descriptive language; such as
verbs, adverbs and
adjectives. Students will
match up phrases to the
corresponding image,
identifying a verb and adverb
in the phrase.

In this session, an example information narrative about refugees fleeing their country and migrating to Australia will be modelled to students. The
teacher will encourage students to share their ideas and also will elicit their prior knowledge of facts, as acquired in previous sessions (session 1, 2
and 5), that could be incorporated into the piece. This session will begin with planning and setting out the piece, following the story map template
(Appendix G). Activity: Story maps (Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 247) Students will practice filling in a story map, from an example information narrative
which is read aloud.

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7.Joint construction
We are learning to
write a practice
information narrative,
identifying key
features.
8.Independent
construction
We are learning to
write our own
information narrative.
(Planning)
9.Independent
construction of text
We are learning to
write our own
information narrative.
10.Independent
construction of text
We are learning to
write our own
information narrative.
(Drafting)
11. Independent
construction of text
We are learning to
write our own
information narrative
(Editing and
publishing)
12. Independent
construction of text

13.Reflecting on
language choices
We are learning to
Reflect on our

This session is a continuation of the previous session. The teacher will continue modelling how to write the information narrative, involving
students by incorporating their ideas where possible. Students will be given the opportunity to write a practice information narrative, using the story
maps created in the previous session, to guide them. Once the written example is complete, have students identify the text structure and key
language features within the piece, as covered in previous sessions.

In this session, students will commence planning for writing their individual information narratives. They will be given a story map template to
plan an outline. The narrative is to be based on Migration to Australia in the 1980s, focussing on refugees. This plan is to be sighted by the teacher,
to ensure students are on track to drafting their information narrative.

The class will be going on with drafting their information narratives. During this time, the teacher will be working with a small focus group at low
level and assisting them with drafting their information narratives.

Students will continue drafting their information narratives and it is expected that some students may commence editing their work. Instead of the
teacher reading each narrative and editing, students will have one of their peers proof-read their work and provide feedback for improvement.
Once editing is completed and has been sighted by the teacher, students will commence publishing.

By this session, all students are expected to be at the editing stage for their information narrative. Once work is edited, students will then commence
publishing their information narrative.

This will be the final lesson that students work on their information narratives, where final touches are to be made to students work. In the
reflection part of this session, select a few students to share their information narratives. For summative assessment, the teacher will collect the
students plan, draft and final copy of their information narrative. The teacher will assess for correct and clear text structure and inclusion of the
language features covered.
In reflective circles, students share and reflect on the language choices they utilised within their written piece.
They will also reflect on what they learnt overall from the unit. Quiz students by asking questions about the information narrative text structure and
key language features focused on, asking students to provide some examples.

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language choices and

what we have learnt
overall about
information narratives.

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