Learning Experience Plan - Model Review Lesson

Year Level: 6 Duration: 45 minutes

General Outcome/s: Students will deconstruct the structure and understand the purpose of a picture book review. Students will also be able to identify the main features including the plot, theme and language of a review. Students will then be able to analyse the different visual and verbal language the author has used to engage and persuade the reader. Year 6 Content Descriptions: Language - Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517) - Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524) Literature - Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) - Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615) Literacy - Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

Steps Orientation

Teaching & Learning Activities Have the students sitting in a circle on the carpet and read the picture book The Red Tree by Shaun Tan, allowing time for students to clearly see the illustrations on each page. While reading the book focus their attention on the language used, the images and the interaction between the two. Get students to briefly reflect on how the picture book made them feel by using the drama activity conscience ally. Students stand in two lines facing each other and a nominated student slowly walks through the two lines. When the person walks past each student they are to whisper (loud enough for everyone to hear) one word which describes the feeling they got from it. This activity positions the person walking through to feel the emotions expressed in the book. Explain to the class that we will be using a review to deconstruct the text today. Ask the following questions to get the students to remember and understand information about a review. What is a review? What its purpose? (personal response, critique) What types of reviews have you seen before? (Movies, books etc.) Next provide each student with a copy of the example book review (see appendix A) and ask the students to follow along while the teacher reads it aloud from the SMART board. Ask students to be mindful of the language or layout used that they find engaging while the review is being read, as they will be discussing this later on. After the review has been read ask the students questions such as; how did the review make you feel? Did it capture your attention? Did it make you want to go read the book? What did or didnt you like about the example review? Do you have a similar or different opinion about the book?

Resources Picture book

Assessment

SMART Board, Example review photocopied for the class.

Formatively assessing students prior knowledge on reviews.

Enhancing

Show the review leaf (see appendix B) on the SMART Board and explain to students that the layout of a review is very important as there is a structure to follow. Point to the first point of the leaf and explain that we start by exploring the context; here we include background information including the title of the book and the author, synopsis and state your personal opinion. Then move down to explore the plot of the book, then explore the theme in relation to the plot then exploring the visual and written language choices. Then moving to the point of the leaf we state our judgement and evaluation of the book as well as give recommendations. Draw students attention to the example review as it has been colour coded to help understand the different parts of a review. Point out that the context is purple text, the text descriptions are in blue text and the final judgement is in red text. Explain to the students that the plot briefly goes through the main events that occur in the story while introducing characters and their relationships along the way. It is important to remember that it is only

SMART Board, example review

(ACELY1801)

Picture book

brief, you dont want to give too much information away because you want the viewer to want to know more and go and read the book. In the example review the writer has mentioned that the theme of the story is hope and it is symbolised by the red leaf. Teacher flips through the pages of the picture book again, drawing the students attention to the red leaf on each page. Do you agree with this review? Do you think there could be a different theme? If so how is this represented? Explain to the students that the main idea of a review is giving an opinion on the book which is from personal judgement. On the SMART board highlight the first sentence that says The Red Tree by the exceptionally talented author Shaun Tan, is an incredible book.. to provide the class with an example. This also shows appreciation of the book. Then ask the students to work in partners to go through the rest of the review highlighting any opinion and personal judgement they come across. Explain to the students that judgement is also used throughout the review as a way to position the reader. This can be done by the language choice such as using mode, modality and metaphors. Ask students in their pairs to circle any intensifiers and high modal verbs they find in the example review (e.g. so, should). Next split the students up into groups of four and asks them to go through the review and identify the use of statements, commands and questions. These sentence types allow the reader to interact with the text differently as it could be giving or asking for information or for goods and services (Humphrey et al, 2012). Students are to then select a few questions or commands in the text and have a go at reading that section again but as a statement this time (Will sound less appealing / boring). This activity will show how important it is to have different sentence types in the review as the emphasis draws in the reader. While students are doing this the teacher walks around to each group providing assistance and feedback. Attention is then brought to the metaphor draw you in like bees to a honey pot. Ask students what do you think this means? What is another metaphor we could say for this? Bring the students back together and express the importance of the words and types of sentences we use as authors strategically use this technique to attract an audience. Next ask the students to read the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs in blue on the example review and express that it is important to be able to recognise how the illustrations work alongside with the text. In the review it talks about how the colours used link to the emotion the author wants you to feel. Ask students; Can you recall any other parts in the picture book where the pictures work in with written text? To provide students with an opportunity to show their understanding show students an illustration from another one of Shaun Tans books Rules of Summer (see appendix D). Ask students to analyse this page and write down why they think the author used those certain colours? What kind of shot is this? Social distance? What is the interaction between the characters / viewer? Ask students for their responses and initiate class discussion about how SMART board, example review, high lighters, Formally assess students ability to recall what these language feature are and identify them in the given text. (ACELT1615)

we interpret images. This activity will help students advance their critical multiliteracies practices as it helps them understand that language and images can be positioned independently and interactively to construct different kinds of meaning (Unsworth, 2006). Students work in groups of four to make a writing chain link (see appendix C) where students write the different parts of the review structure on individual pieces of paper and link them together. For students who finish this quickly they can add more links that are any of the review components we have looked at today. This is a good way for the students to remember what was taught in the lesson and encourages the students recall as much information as they can because they will want to make their chain longer. Synthesising Bring students together on the floor and recap what they have learnt over the lesson. Start by asking students; So class what makes a good book review? (e.g. layout, language, mode, modality). Teacher draws a mind map on the white board, writing down all the answers and examples the students have. Teacher fills in any gaps the students may have missed and takes of photo of the mind map to blow up and laminate to have as a learning resource when it comes to writing their own review next lesson. Ask students to write a short feedback comment on a sticky note about the lesson, either something they really enjoyed or something they would like to do next time etc. and stick it on the classroom pin board for the teacher to refer back to for future lessons.

Cut up pieces of coloured paper, sticky tape SMART board, pin board, sticky notes.

Teacher is able to formatively gauge whether the class has understood the deconstruction of a review.

Feedback / Follow up: During the lesson it is important that the teacher provides individual and class feedback to the students to let them know what they are doing well and where they need to concentrate on. The follow up lesson will require students to deeply explore the different aspects of a book review by breaking up the different parts and practicing writing themselves. Then the students will begin to write their own book review on the novel they read at the beginning of the term Mahtabs Story. References Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2013). Year 6 Content Descriptions. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English/Curriculum/F-10#level=6 Humphrey, S., Droga, L. & Feez, S. (2012). Grammar and Meaning. Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA). Tan, S. (2001). The Red Tree. Australia: Lothian Children's Books. Unsworth,L. ( e-literature for children: enhancing digital literacy learning (2006). London and New York: Routledge/Falmer

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D