Assignment 1: Tiered Lesson

Name & Student Number: Aimee Eberhard (2135166)

Curriculum (Learning) Area of Lesson: English
Specific Topic of Lesson: Narrative: Descriptive Language
Year Level/s: 6

Lesson Context
This lesson will be a part of a 6 week narrative unit, with two lessons a week. This lesson will occur in week 4
and be the second lesson of the week. Prior to this lesson students have had the opportunity to:
Complete a unit preassessment which included answering some questions about a narrative and having a
go at writing one.
Explore the meaning of field, tenor and mode in relation to writing a narrative.
Explore the purpose of a narrative.
The writing structure unique to a narrative.
How to brainstorm ideas for their writing.
Students are now moving on to breaking each part of the narrative structure down and focusing on how to
enhance their writing through language choices. Lesson one of week 4 students had the opportunity to examine
some short narratives and discuss in groups the types of language techniques used to engage them as the
audience, and why this was effective. The class then constructed a detailed introduction together. This lesson
will continue this theme as students move to creating their own texts, focusing on creating a setting in this
lesson.
The summative assessment piece for the overall unit will see students produce their own narrative using any
medium of their choice (eg. Video, audio, writing, etc.), so each lesson works towards providing students with
the necessary skills to do so.

Learning Objectives
This lesson is part of a unit that is working towards the curriculum content descriptor of 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 (ACELY1714) and
achievement standard objectives of:
By the end of Year 6, students understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects.
They analyse and explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used by different authors
to represent ideas, characters and events.
Students understand how language features and language patterns can be used for emphasis.
They explain how their choices of language features and images are used.
Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences (ACARA,
2017).

As a result of engaging with the lesson, students will:

understand that
Students will understand that writing is an important form of communication that can convey a concept
or idea, using language for a specific purpose and audience.
Students will understand how the use of text structures can achieve particular effects and language
features and language patterns can be used for emphasis (ACARA, 2017).
know be able to (do)
Students will know how to effectively use Students will be able to write an introduction to a
descriptive language (verbs and adjectives) narrative using descriptive and emotive language.
in their writing.
Students will know what setting the scene
means in relation to narrative writing.

Essential Questions
What makes narratives engaging for you as a reader?

Preassessment of Individual Student Readiness

This preassessment will be completed by students at the end of the previous lesson, so the teacher has
adequate time to evaluate answers. The preassessment task involves students answering the following
questions:
1. What are some different types of descriptive language techniques you can use in your writing?
2. How does using descriptive language help your writing?
3. Can you make this sentence more engaging by rewriting it using descriptive language?:
I ran to the dog that was lying still on the ground.
These questions reflect content taught in the previous lesson and will show their understanding of the concept.
Student readiness will then be determined from this preassessment and observations by the teacher during
the previous lesson, so students can be placed to work across 3 tiers for the lesson. These questions are
important for determining readiness as their understanding of descriptive language can be identified and then
students can be placed in tiers that will allow them to work at an appropriate level of challenge.

Lesson Plan
Lesson Sequence Explanatory notes

1. Recap learning activities from previous lesson. 1. Recapping the previous lesson allows students to put
Discussion as whole class. on their English hats and become orientated within
Guiding questions: the topic. Going over previous learning is helpful for
o What information can be included student memory, and also for any students who may
whilst setting the scene? have missed the previous lesson. There is also the
o What type of language is useful to opportunity to ask any clarifying questions regarding
create descriptive writing? (nouns, previous content so they can be answered before
adjectives, figurative language, verbs) moving on.

Introduction:
Introduce to students the learning goal for the 2. By participating in a drama activity it allows students
lesson so they know what they are working towards. to explore the concept in a different format. This
2. Drama setting scene activity: What can you activity allows students to visualise and verbalise
see? (appendix 1) their thoughts before attempting to write. There is
o Draw attention to the fact your partner the opportunity for students to prompt each other
is going to be your audience, how will so they can realise what kind of detail is needed so
that effect what you say? that others can imagine what they are trying to
3. Discuss with students what they found positive describe.
about the activity and how they think they can 3. Discussion allows the students to bounce ideas off
use it with their writing. one another and learn from one another.
Tiered Activity: 4. The tired activities see all students be given choice
4. For this activity students will be working in and access to different cards, but the structure
tiered groups to produce a piece of writing that provided by each card is tiered to readiness. Tiers
reflects setting the scene for a narrative. one and two are turning words into words, whereas
Students will be able to work with their peers tier 3 is turning pictures into words, which is more
this lesson so they can discuss ideas, whilst abstract. With each activity revolving around the
producing individual pieces. different cards, it means that no activity is more
All students will be producing a piece of exciting than another, and unless explained to
writing. students in an appropriate manner as
All students will have access to class Ipads necessary/needed, tiering may not be obvious to
and may choose to write on there or use pen them. Students will be able to produce their work on
and paper. either an Ipad or paper, so they feel comfortable
working. It is of no concern the medium they use as
Tier 1: Students will be given the choice of a few their writing formation is not an assessment focus of
different introductions to a narrative that lacks this lesson.
descriptive language and depth. Students will need
to choose a paragraph that interests them and
rewrite the paragraph adding detail to make the
writing more engaging. They are able to take it in
their own direction as they see fit. (appendix 2)
Tier 2: Students will be given an array of scenario
cards that give insight into a setting. Students can
choose a card that interests them to write their
setting. (appendix 3)
Tier 3: Students will be given an array of picture
cards to base their setting off of. (appendix 4)

While students are working in their tiered groups it

is important that the teacher floats around to
conduct some note taking formative assessment
and check in with students to see how they are
going. Providing opportunities for guiding questions
is important to encourage deeper thinking by
students.

Anchor Activity:
5. The anchor activity is accessible to students 5. The anchor activity means that students are able to
throughout the entirety of the narrative unit. work independently once they have finished the set
The attached PDF document shows the Scootle work for this lesson. Promoting independence is
learning pathway that students will be given. It important for students and it also allows the teacher
allows for them to further explore and work to spend more time working with students who may
with concepts being covered throughout the be struggling. The set task has meaning behind it as
unit so that students can cement their it allows students to practice concepts learnt and put
knowledge in these areas and refer back to them these concepts to practical use. It is important that
as needed. They are interactive and get students anchor activities do not just make students do more
thinking. For example the activity that correlates work or busy work as learning time is valuable.
with this lesson allows students to further Throughout the unit all students will have the
explore using detail through selecting the best opportunity to practice these skills as it is important
 sentences that describe a setting or character that not only high achievers or fast finishers have
using detail, identifying language features, and these opportunities (School of Education, 2017).
creating a storyline that uses detail to enhance
their narrative. Once these activities have been
completed students know they can go on with
their final assessment piece.

Lesson Closure/ Check for Understanding

Students will have the opportunity to mix groups and share their paragraph within the group and gain
feedback from peers around the descriptive language used in their writing.
Students will then be able to write on a sticky note, one thing they learnt from the lesson today and place
it on the classroom learning board so the teacher can see how students are reflecting on their own
learning. provide students with guidance on how to objectively reflect on what they may have learnt.
Teacher will collect all paragraphs, or have them emailed, so that student progress and understanding
can be monitored. These paragraphs can be used as formative assessment.

Explanation:
Differentiation is an important teaching tool as it allows for a common goal to be reached by all students,
however the path to get to the goal may look different for each student. The common goal for this lesson is that
all students are able to produce an introduction to a narrative that uses descriptive language. This paragraph
may not look the same for each student and that is okay as they all come to the lesson with a different level of
readiness. This lesson supports differentiating for student readiness because I have specifically formed an
assessment to test for readiness in relation to this task as readiness is about a particular point in time and can
differ from lesson to lesson or skill to skill for students (Doubet & Hockett, 2015, p. 177).

The main learning task for the lesson has been tiered and this means that different learning levels have been
provided, however they still use the same key concept and idea (Doubet & Hockett, 2015, p. 180). The tiered
task also reflects a respectful task in that they are all working towards a common learning goal, each task is
equally appealing as they all visually look the same, they all provide appropriate challenge for students within
their zone of proximal development and each task has meaning in that it is allowing students to explore language
use which they can use in their final summative assessment (Doubet & Hockett, 2015, p. 184-185).

I have already completed my narrative unit assessment task with my placement class, and it is evident that
across the class there are different levels of readiness. It is clear that some students writing is at a basic level
and other students writing shows attention to detail therefore making it engaging. It is important through
differentiating tasks by readiness that students writing at a basic level are given the opportunity to learn how
they can add depth and interest to their writing, whereas students who show understanding of this already
need to be given a challenge to add complexity to their writing and in this lesson that begins with drawing
inspiration from something more abstract as a picture.

Following the teaching and learning cycle allows for structure to the teaching and learning process and supports
students so they can work independently with the genre (Derewianka & Jones, 2016, p.52). In the previous
lesson students worked with the teacher and peers to construct an introduction and then this lesson moved to
students beginning to construct their own introduction, however still with structure provided by tiers.

References
ACARA. (2017). The Australian Curriculum. Retrieved 4 March 2017, from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.
Crown Media. (2017). Garage Sale Mystery Movies. Retrieved 14 March 2017, from
http://www.hallmarkmoviesandmysteries.com/garage-sale-mystery-movies/about-the-movies.
Derewianka, B. & Jones, P. (2015). Teaching Language in Context 2nd Edition. South Melbourne, Australia:
Oxford University Press.
Doubet, K. J., & Hockett, J. A. (2015). Differentiating according to student readiness. Chapter 7 in
Differentiation in middle and high school: Strategies to engage all learners (pp. 173-206). Alexandria, Virginia;
ASCD.
School of Education, Flinders University (2017). Workshop Materials Differentiation for Diverse Learners, Non-
Semester 1. [EDUC4721]. Adelaide: Flinders University.

APPENDICES
Appendix 1: What can you see? activity explanation provided to students along with verbal instructions.

What can you see?

In a pair sit across from each other, choose who will be person A and who will be person B.
Person B gives person A a location or place, for example a railway station, person A must agree they are
familiar with the location or place.
Person A then closes their eyes & imagines being in this place. Person A may keep their eyes closed or open
for the next part.
Person B asks person A what they can see:
In front close
In front to the distance
To one side close
To the side in the distance
To the other side close
To the other side in the distance
Behind
What can you hear?
What can you smell?
What can you feel?

Remember to use figurative language in your description so the other person is able to imagine the location
or place in their head.
Switch roles when person A has finished.
Appendix 2: Tier 1 example provided introductory paragraph

I sat on the beach and looked at the ocean. The sun was setting and it was making the air cold. In the distance
I saw an object approaching and I couldnt make out what it could be. It was getting closer and I could start
to see it was a boat. Men started getting off the boat and I could see one of them was my brother. I ran
towards him and gave him a big hug. I had not seen him in a very long time and it was good to see him.

Appendix 3: Tier 2 example setting scenario card

Your family has planned a surprise vacation to your favourite destination for your birthday. When you
arrive you are excited to see all of your friends, except you realise your best friend is not there

Appendix 4: Tier 3 example picture card

(Crown Media, 2017)