English / Year 6 / Literature / Examining literature / ACELT1616 Content Description: Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an authors individual style. Elaboration: exploring two or more texts by the same author, drawing out the similarities, for example subject or theme, characterisation, text structure, plot development, tone, vocabulary, sense of voice, narrative point of view, favoured grammatical structures and visual techniques in sophisticated picture books English / Year 6 / Literacy / Interpreting, analysing, evaluating / ACELY1801 Content Description: Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers Elaboration: identify how authors use language to position the reader and give reasons
Humanities and Social Sciences / History / Year 6 / Historical Knowledge and Understanding / Australia as a nation / ACHHK116 Content Description: The contribution of individuals and groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and migrants, to the development of Australian society, for example in areas such as the economy, education, science, the arts, sport. Elaboration: considering notable individuals in Australian public life across a range of fields (for example the arts, science, sport, education), including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a range of cultural and social groups, and women and men drawn from the Australian Living Treasures list or from the Australian Dictionary of Biography)
QCAA:
Use text-processing strategies when viewing and reading, including: connecting to prior knowledge about the author and specific learning area content questioning, crosschecking and reviewing texts to identify point of view using literal and inferred information to draw conclusions about significant concepts, arguments or descriptions (VR6 iii)
Use interaction and communication skills to contribute to informal debates and discussions by: interrogating and analysing ideas evaluating information and comparing solutions repairing breakdowns in discussion offering explanations and describing processes (LS6 v)
Identify the purpose, content, context, text structure and writer reader relationships when writing and creating learning area texts (WC6 i)
Classroom Organisation Whole class, teacher led Individual work
Resources 27 x Culture Journal (Blank, lined workbooks) 28 x Jirrbal, Rainforest Dreamtime Stories (27 student copies, 1 teacher copy) Cardboard pieces for word wall
Learning Experiences 1. Begin lesson by acknowledging traditional owners of the land. 2. Discuss text Jirrbal, Rainforest Dreamtime Stories (Barlow, 2012). What text did we examine last lesson? What phenomena was the text attempting to explain? What strategies did the author use to maintain reader interest? 3. Read third and final dreamtime story of the book, Fishing Story About Us. 4. Revisit text structures. Identify features of a narrative e.g. orientation, complication, resolution. 5. Examine what strategies the author used to gain readers interest. 6. Add to word wall based on words from the text. Teacher to write words selected by class onto separate pieces of cardboard. Discuss meaning and origin of these words. 7. In a group discussion, discuss meaning of text. Determine why the author wrote the text. Identifying the important message/s or theme/s in the extract. What can we learn from this? What lessons might Dreamtime stories teach us about? What might they teach us about creation? 8. Students to record personal reflection the questions in their Culture Journal.