English Unit Plan
English Unit Plan
English Unit Plan
COVER PAGE
Unit theme:
Cultural Study
Year 5
Key Texts
Novel: My Girragundji (Meme McDonald & Boori Pryor)
Film: Dust Echoes The Curse (ABC)
Picture Book: You and Me: Our Place (Leonie Norrington & Dee Huxley)
Poem: The Hairy Toe
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UNIT OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This unit of work has been designed to teach a cultural study, with a focus on Indigenous
culture, identity and the power of spirituality in their stories. The unit will address the nature of
culture and identity, how these are portrayed in the various texts, and how the students cultural
identities may be similar or different from these.
Students will develop skills in analysing and implementing grammatical skills relating to
adverb groups/phrases, prepositional phrases, noun groups/phrases and verb groups/phrases.
Students will develop an understanding that these skills help to develop characterisation and also
help set the place and time of the narrative.
Students will also critically analyse how images can be used in multimodal texts to develop
power relationships and give meaning to the reader/viewer.
These understandings and skills will be assessed formatively during the unit and
summatively at the conclusion of lesson 10, where a multimodal narrative will be created that will
assess English learning outcomes introduced during the unit.
LESSON SEQUENCE
Lesson
1
Outcomes
Make connections between
the ways different authors
may represent similar
storylines, ideas and
relationships (ACELT1602)
How a persons identity can
be shaped by the different
cultural, religious and/or
social groups to which they
may belong. (ACHCK014)
Focus: Recognising that
the identity of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples in Australia is
shaped by Country/Place,
Lesson Details
Focus question: What spiritual connections are depicted
in the texts?
The class will be introduced to the theme of Aboriginal
culture and their links to spirituality.
You and me: Our place will be read to the class.
The class will discuss the spiritual connection that
Indigenous people have with the land and their
ancestors, and how this is shown in My Girragundji and
You and me: Our place.
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Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Outcomes
Draw connections
between personal
experiences and
the worlds of texts,
and share
responses with
others
(ACELT1596)
Reflect on their
cultural identity
and how it might
be similar and
different from
others
(ACHCS021)
Lesson Details
Focus question: How is your cultural identity similar or
different to the characters in My Girragundji and You and Me:
Our place?
Outcomes
Understand how
adverb
groups/phrases and
prepositional
phrases work in
different ways to
provide
circumstantial
details about an
activity
(ACELA1495)
Lesson Details
Outcomes
Understand that
the meaning of
sentences can be
enriched through
the use of noun
groups/phrases and
verb
groups/phrases and
Lesson Details
Focus question: How can noun groups create a richer narrative
in a written text?
prepositional
phrases
(ACELA1493)
Lesson 5
Outcomes
Lesson Details
Explore the effect
of choices when
See detailed visual language lesson below.
framing an image,
placement of
elements in the
image, and
salience on
composition of still
and moving
images in a range
of types of texts
(ACELA1496)
Lesson 6
Outcomes
Shape and perform
dramatic action
using narrative
structures and
tension in devised
and scripted drama,
including
exploration of
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander drama
(ACADRM033)
Focus: Exploring
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander stories and
how they are
dramatically
portrayed as a
reference for
shaping their own
drama
Lesson 7
Outcomes
Use
Lesson Details
Focus question: What literary structures and tensions exist in
these two texts?
Students will read the poem The hairy toe as a group.
Students will then read pages 24-29 from My Girragundji as
a group. A discussion of the similarities between the language
and tension in these two texts will follow.
Which language is similar? What are the similar structures?
Can the selected excerpt from the novel be considered poetry
since it is so similar? Why/Why not?
The class will now work in pairs to rehearse and perform a
dramatic action using similar narrative structures and tensions
as used in the poem and the novel excerpt.
Lesson Details
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Lesson 8
Lesson 9
comprehension
strategies to build
literal and inferred
meaning to expand
content
knowledge,
integrating and
linking ideas and
analysing and
evaluating texts
(ACELY1692)
Focus: Creating
mental images.
Outcomes
Make connections
between the ways
different authors
may represent
similar storylines,
ideas and
relationships
(ACELT1602)
(ACHCS021)
(ACELT1602)
Lesson Details
Outcomes
Identify
characteristic
features used in
imaginative,
informative and
persuasive texts to
meet the purpose
of the text
(ACELY1690)
Focus: Describing
the language which
authors use to
create imaginary
worlds; how
textual features
such as headings,
subheadings, bold
type and graphic
organisers are used
to order and
present
Lesson Details
Focus question: What special features and language are used by
the author to present information to the reader?
This lesson will outline an activity where the class will review
the poem which was read in the previous lesson. The teacher
will lead a discussion, asking each student what they think the
poem would look like if it was an image. The teacher will wait
to see if any students successfully consider the storyboard
activity from lesson 5 and the power relationships and social
distances before answering.
Students will create six storyboard images showing the key
moments in the poem.
Read pages 24-29 as a whole class. Ask the class to consider the
colour of the pages and writing which is used. What do they
think is the authors intention? Guide students to notice the
varying size of the text, the black pages to convey the scene.
Chapter beginnings are also shown by the emblem of the frog at
the top of the page.
Ask the class to write a single page narrative scene which
depicts emotion through the size and structure of the text,
complemented by the use of adverbs in properly conveying
expression.
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information, and
how visual codes
are used, for
example those
used in advertising
to represent
children and
families so that
viewers identify
with them
Lesson 10
Outcomes
Create literary
texts by
developing
storylines,
characters and
settings
(ACELT1794)
(ACELY1690)
(ACELT1602)
(ACELY1692)
(ACELA1496)
(ACELA1495)
(ACHCS021)
(ACHCK014)
Lesson Details
See assessment below.
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Lesso
Lesson Details
nESH310
3
Focus
Question: How can adverb groups modify and enhance AT2
a narrative
and
SettingApproaches
the
Critical
to
English
Unit Design
Rhys David Tegg - 127605
context/buildin provide improved characterization?
g the field
This lesson will develop an understanding of analysing adverb groups and
their function when forming a sentence. The interchangeable nature of adverb
groups/phrases in modifying verbs will be discussed and demonstrated by
the teacher during the deconstruction phase.
The class will then work together to look at selected pages from My
Girragundji to find adverb groups/phrases.
The teacher will ask the class what they currently understand about adverb
groups and what their role is in constructing characterization in a narrative.
Deconstruction
Selected sentences will be used by the teacher from page 10 and page 41 that
not only demonstrate adverb groups, but also demonstrate characterisation
and the power of spirituality in changing the narrators identity in a positive
way.
I
participan
t
never
sleep
adverb of verb
frequenc
y
with
prepositio
n
Q: What word is used to show how often the boy sleeps with his head up
there?
A: Never
TR: Correct. This is an adverb of frequency. They tell the reader how often
something occurs.
my
possessive
determine
r
head
main
noun
up there
adverb of
place
Q: Where does the boy never put his head when he sleeps?
A: Up There
TR: Very good. This is an adverb of place. It tells the reader where something
is or is not happening
T: But after the boy meets his Girragundji and is protected by the powerful
spirits, he realises he can now:
up the louvre end all the time
adverb of place
adverb
of
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frequency
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Lesson 5
Deconstruction
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Lesson 8.
Disrupting
assumptions race
Focus Question: What similar ideas and viewpoints exist between the two
texts discussed in this lesson? How do these texts critically analyse themes of
spirituality, cultural identity and power?
Teacher reads excerpts from the novel My Girragundji and the video Dust
Echoes The curse (excerpt and screenshot in appendices below).
Begin with a discussion of the cultural identity of the narrator in the early
stages of the novel.
- What are the main roles of the main characters in the two texts?
- In the novel, how would you describe the position of the boy in his local
community?
- What is the major influence that creates change for the boy?
- Why do you think the boy is excluded and bullied by some of the other boys
in the community?
This lesson will be comparing viewpoints and plots used by the authors in the
texts, including themes of power and spirituality in these texts. It will also
challenge the issue of racism which is left largely unresolved at the end of
My Girragundji.
Interrogating
viewpoints in
the text(s)
- Can you see any characters in these two texts which share roles in their
stories?
- What does the author of the novel want to convey to the reader about
Indigenous culture?
- What does the author of the video want to convey to the viewer regarding
indigenous culture?
- What role does the power of spirituality play in each of the texts?
- How is this portrayed?
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Thinking
about power
Taking
Action
- Students will assume the point of view of a witness to the racially motivated
bullying that takes place in the novel.
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- What would you say to the bully to inform him of the ways that he is
blocking the narrator from belonging in regards to his cultural identity?
- Tell the bully what you think of cultural diversity, particularly the value that
should be given to Indigenous spiritual beliefs.
- What suggestions would you make for the bully to consider adopting in
order to change his identity, so he can be more accepting of other cultures?
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ASSESSMENT
1. Description of Final Assessment Task
Focus question: How would finding your own Girragundji help you to overcome your own fears
or insecurities in relation to your personal or cultural identity?
Students will now draw upon what they have learned during this unit in order to create a
multimodal text that is underpinned by the power of Indigenous spirituality and aspects of
cultural and personal identity.
The class will be introduced to the lesson by recapping on the novel My Girragundji, with a
discussion relating to what identity issues the boy overcame after the Girragundji helped him to
develop courage and confidence. They will then be asked to think back to the start of the unit when
they were asked to discuss their identity and what was unique about them. With this in mind the
class will now write three things which they fear or are not confident about ie. Things they would
like to overcome.
T: I want you to think in your minds for a moment, and then write your response down quietly... If
you had your very own Indigenous spiritual protector, which native Australian animal would it be?
Students will now be informed that this animal will now be their protector in their very own
multimodal narrative, and that their story will depict their individual journey towards facing their
fear/s or identity issue/s that they have outlined above.
The main character does not have to be the student, but this character should reflect something
about their own identity that a spiritual protector could help them with.
Students should be advised that they can present this text in a number of ways, whether a filmed
narrative, picture story book, completed on a computer etc. However, evidence of grammatical
understanding and appropriate use of images and angles should be demonstrated to reflect
learning completed in this unit.
Students should also focus on the importance of Indigenous culture and the power of their
spiritual and cultural identities in their narrative.
This is a large assessment task and will take several weeks to complete, but can be used as a
summative assessment tool of all of the English learning outcomes which are addressed
throughout the unit.
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2. Rubric
Established
Draft has been approved by
the teacher.
Change seen in the main
character towards the issues
shown in the multimodal text.
Use of Indigenous words to
describe places and animals.
Inclusion of indigenous
culture and the power of
spirituality in the multimodal
text.
Use of headings, page colours,
text sizes and styles in the
story.
Use of adverbs
groups/phrases to enhance
the narrative.
Use of noun and verb groups
to enhance description of
characters and events in the
narrative.
Use of social distance and
angle to set the scene and
demonstrate character power
or weakness in the images.
Use of still or moving images
to show what is happening in
the written or spoken text.
Consolidating
Beginning
NO
No evidence of research.
YES
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REFERENCES
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) (2010). The Australian Curriculum:
English (English, all curriculum elements, all curriculum dimensions). Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/f10
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) (2014). The Australian Curriculum:
The Arts (Version 7.0). (The Arts, all curriculum elements, all curriculum dimensions). Retrieved
from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/f10
Harrison, M., & Stuart-Clark, C. (2007). The Oxford book of childrens poetry. Oxford, OX2 6DP: Oxford
University Press.
Knight, M. J. (2015). Camera shots, angle and movement [image]. The Intergenerational Foundation.
Retrieved online from http://www.if.org.uk/filmcompetition/10-step-guide
Jurevicius, L. (2007). Dust Echoes: The Curse. ABC. Retrieved online from
http://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/dustEchoesFlash.htm
McDonald, M., & Pryor, B. (1998). My Girragundji. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin.
Norrington, L., & Huxley, D. (2007). You and me: Our place. Kingswood, SA: Working Title Press.
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APPENDICES
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Criterion 1: Design an overview of a unit of work with lessons that are sequenced to teach students creative, comparative and cumulative knowledge about literature (20%)
HD
DN
CR
PP
NN
You:
You:
You:
You:
You:
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Briefly explained the key concepts and outcomes for the unit, and what you want student to learn, and what evidence you will collect to determine that
learning
Skillfully sequenced your lessons,
Effectively sequenced your lessons
Sequenced your lessons, by:
Sequenced your lessons, by:
by:
by:
Ensuring that most outcomes,
Ensuring that some outcomes,
Ensuring that all outcomes,
Ensuring that most outcomes,
essential content, learning
essential content, learning
essential content, learning
essential content, learning
experiences and assessment
experiences and assessment
experiences and assessment
experiences and assessment
are linked
are linked
are linked
are linked
providing opportunities for
providing an opportunity for
providing opportunities for
providing opportunities for
cumulative learning about
cumulative learning about
creative, cumulative and
creative and cumulative learning
literature.
literature.
comparative learning about
about literature.
literature
Skillfully designed each lesson, by:
Effectively designed each lesson, by:
Designed your lessons, by:
Designed your lessons, by:
Including a clear description
Including a clear description
Including a clear description
Including a clear description
of all teaching and learning
of most teaching and learning
of most teaching and learning
of most teaching and learning
strategies to be used
strategies to be used
strategies to be used
strategies to be used
Providing engaging and
Providing engaging and
For most lessons, providing
For most lessons, providing
stimulating opportunities for
stimulating opportunities for
engaging and stimulating
engaging and stimulating
deep learning to occur.
deep learning to occur.
opportunities for deep
opportunities for deep
learning to occur.
learning to occur.
Criterion 2a: Design a detailed lesson which teaches critical approaches to literature (20%)
HD
DN
CR
You:
You:
You:
The detailed critical literacy lesson clearly focuses on either an aspect of the construction of gender or race.
Demonstrated evidence of
thoughtful sorting and selection of
relevant novel/picture book/film
excerpts to teach an aspect of
critical literacy
Demonstrated thorough knowledge
of critical literacy theory
NN
You:
Designed a lesson which covered
limited essential elements
Demonstrated evidence of selection
of limited relevant novel/picture
book/film excerpts to teach an
aspect of critical literacy
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PP
You:
Criterion 2b: Design a detailed lesson which teaches visual language (20%)
HD
DN
CR
PP
You:
You:
You:
You:
Designed a lesson which explored the themes of the text, with respect to how visual language is used, using any of the following visual elements: contact,
social distance, power, salience, narrative processes, with relevant excerpt(s) from either the film or the picture book. You used either 3 double page
spreads (picture book) or 6 screenshots (film) and an attempt at analysis of each image is embedded into the lesson.
Demonstrated evidence of critical
Demonstrated evidence of
Demonstrated evidence of selection
Demonstrated evidence of selection
and thoughtful sorting and selection of
thoughtful sorting and selection of
of relevant picture book/film
of mostly relevant selection picture
relevant picture book/film excerpts
relevant picture book/film excerpts
excerpts and related images to
book/film excerpts and related
and related images to teach the
and related images to teach the
teach the theme of the selected text.
images to teach the theme of the
theme of the selected text.
theme of the selected text.
selected text.
Analysed all of the selected images
Analysed most of the selected
Analysed at least two thirds of the
Analysed at least half of the selected
accurately.
images accurately.
selected images accurately.
images accurately.
Staged the lesson to accurately
include deconstruction, joint &
independent constriction.
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NN
You:
Designed a lesson which covered
some of the essential elements
Demonstrated evidence of selection
of limited relevant selection picture
book/film excerpts and related
images to teach the theme of the
selected text.
Analysed less than half of the
selected images accurately.
Staged the lesson without the
necessary and accurate steps from
the teaching learning cycle
Criterion 2c: Design a detailed lesson which teaches written language (20%)
HD
DN
CR
PP
You:
You:
You:
You:
Designed a lesson which explored characterisation, with respect to how written language is used, using relevant excerpt(s) from the novel.
Demonstrated evidence of critical
and thoughtful sorting and selection of
relevant excerpts to teach
characterisation.
Taught all of the written language
accurately.
Demonstrated evidence of
thoughtful sorting and selection of
relevant excerpts to teach
characterisation.
Taught most of the written language
accurately.
NN
You:
Designed a lesson which covered
some of the essential elements
Demonstrated evidence of selection
of limited relevant excerpts to teach
characterisation.
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Criterion 3: Design a final assessment task and related rubric for the unit (20%)
HD
DN
CR
You:
You:
You:
skilfully designed a final assessment
effectively designed a final
designed a final assessment task
task that:
assessment task that:
that:
PP
You:
designed a final assessment task
that:
NN
You:
designed a final assessment task
that:
Predominantly formulated
descriptors that:
reflected progression in
achievement between grades
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reflected minimal
progression in achievement
between grades