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ENGLISH LITERATURE UNIT: (I.e. Reading and writing poetry)

Topic or Theme: Selecting words carefully

Literature or text type/s: Year level: 4

The Literature Strand of the AC: English: involves understanding, appreciating, responding to, analysing and creating literature.

Relevant Achievement standard:

Receptive modes (listening, reading and viewing)

By the end of Year 4, students understand that texts have different text structures depending on purpose and context. They explain how language features, images and vocabulary are used
to engage the interest of audiences. They describe literal and implied meaning connecting ideas in different texts.
They fluently read texts that include varied sentence structures, unfamiliar vocabulary including multisyllabic words. They express preferences for particular types of texts, and respond to
others’ viewpoints. They listen for and share key points in discussions.

Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating)

Students use language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts. They understand how to express an opinion based on information in a text. They create texts that show
understanding of how images and detail can be used to extend key ideas.
Students create structured texts to explain ideas for different audiences. They make presentations and contribute actively to class and group discussions, varying language according
to context. They demonstrate understanding of grammar, select vocabulary from a range of resources and use accurate spelling and punctuation, re-reading and editing their work to
improve meaning.

Learning intentions: (What do I want the students to be able to do, know or think at the end of these lessons? Use ‘Four resources model’ to think this through)

 Students will develop and learn about powerful and descriptive vocabulary.
 Students will know and be able to use language features such as metaphors, alliteration and similes and conjunctions.
 Students will understand and be able to use tier two words.

Rationale

The rationale behind this unit is giving students the tools to select words carefully and choosing the correct words for the type of text.

Pre-assessment
Students will be given an exit slip the week before to see what they know about descriptive vocabulary, this will be a table asking students to tell me what a noun, verb, adjective are, and
getting them to give me examples. This will enable me to see where students are at and if there is any areas that need to go into more depth, and which students will need more grouping
and 1:1 help and who will need extra challenges. See appendix 1 for this.
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WEEKLY TIMETABLE: Indicate teaching times for English activity i.e. talking, reading, drawing, spelling and writing

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Literacy Literacy Literacy Literacy Literacy
1

2 Literacy

3
Lunch Time

Recess Time
Finishing off work

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SEQUENCING lessons
Uni General Capabilities
Wee t Lesson Summary Phase of learning Cross-curriculum Priorities
k Flow (I.e. modelling/producing) Curriculum Integration
Lesson 1: Introduction Modelling describing words Literacy
1 Using wow words: think pair share- what do you know about sentences? How could we make and how they make stories Critical thinking
▼ them interesting? more interesting. Have a class Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
B discussion to see their Histories and Cultures
U Explain to the students that it is important to use describing words (adjectives and adverbs) understanding about boring
I when writing stories. This makes the story more interesting and exciting for the reader. It also sentences and interesting
L helps the reader to create pictures in their minds of what is happening in the story. sentences. What is the
D difference?
Demonstrate how to ‘dress up’ a sentence by adding descriptive language e.g. ‘The dog sat’ can
K be transformed into ‘The large smelly dog sat quietly on the sofa’. Repeat this process with a few
N simple sentences, encouraging the students to suggest adjectives and adverbs which make the Students will produce
O sentence more interesting. describing words on individual
W cards to put on the word wall
L Can connect to history unit and can use ‘how the birds got their colours’ books to pick out or a poster that can be
E describing words. Brainstorm these words that can make sentences sound better, this will get displayed in the classroom.
G students thinking and in the headset of extending their sentences. Take out the describing words
E and get students to see the difference in the sentences without the describing words.

↕ Highlight to students that throughout the next few lessons as a class we will unpack the different
types of describing words.
M
O Lesson 2: Adding adjectives Modelling- what an adjective Literacy
2 D is. Could share a known text Information and Communication
E Start the lesson with video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NjXbgvrVlM (ie class novel) and read a Technology capability
L passage and get students to Critical thinking
Explaining what an adjective is, checking that students understand that an adjective tells us pick out the adjectives.
G more about a noun. Sharing examples of sentences with adjectives.
R These adjectives that are
O See appendix 2,3,4 for activities student generated can be
U added to the WOW words/
P Using Adjective sentences activity Students choose an adjective to replace the word wall in the classroom.
▼ missing word in the sentences. They can record their sentences on the recording
I
sheets in this packet or directly in their workbooks.
N
Handy Tip: Remind students that they may need to change the article ‘a’ to ‘an’
D
in some sentences.
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I Supporting students- Describe a picture

V Students place a picture card on the mat, list some adjectives to describe it and
D then write a sentence using the adjectives.
U HANDY TIP: Laminate the mats or place them in write and wipe mats and have
A students complete the activity with erasable marker.
L
Extension- Find the adjectives
ONE PLAYER: Students choose an adjective card and search for a picture on
the mat that it could describe. They cover the picture with counters/small objects
or circle it using erasable marker.
TWO PLAYER: Each student takes a turn choosing a card and then searching
for a picture on the mat that it could describe. They cover the picture or circle it
using erasable marker. Each player will need their own colour counters or
markers. If they are unable to find a picture, they miss their turn. The player with
most pictures covered at the end, wins!
Lesson 3: Descriptive words (verbs) – this lesson may go over 2 lessons Literacy
3 Start lesson with video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-_Wky0BNk0 ICT
Verb is an action word Critical thinking
Teacher discusses student understanding of verbs and gauge if they are ready to start the lesson.
See appendix 7,8,9 for activities
Verb sorting- Students select a picture card, decide whether it is a verb or not and then list the
word in the correct column.
Extension Ideas:
Have student brainstorm as many verbs as they can think of.
Have student use the verbs in sentences.
Once students have done this they can move onto Verbs-things I can do activity
Using erasable marker, students list all the action verbs that they can do at the specified places.
Extension Idea:
-Have students list all the nouns they can find at these places. To make it extra challenging, have
them sort the nouns into person, place or thing.
Verb tenses-
Students sort the picture cards by whether they are written in past, present or future tense.
Optional recording sheets are included too!
Remind students that they can use ‘s’, ‘es’, ‘ies’ or ‘ing’ at the end of some present tense verbs
too. (Remind them to use grammar rules).

Using student work from these activities to display around the classroom as visual aids to
support their understanding when using them.
Lesson 4: Using precise nouns (Lesson can go across 2 ‘lessons’ Literacy
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4 ICT
Start lesson with video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kcJzh6gqGM Critical thinking

See appendix 5 and 6 for activities

Nouns- What’s the noun - Students choose a card and decide which picture is the noun. They
write the name of this picture next to the matching number on the sheet. Remind students that
these cards can be completed in any order; they do not need to begin from number one.

Once finished that students work on Nouns- person, place or thing- Students sort the words by
whether they are a person place or thing.
Extension Ideas:
- Have students use the words in sentences.
-Have students list adjectives to describe the nouns.

Moving onto Nouns- common or proper nouns (See part of appendix 5 for activity)

Students sort the words by whether they are a common noun or proper noun.
Extension Ideas:
-Have students think of proper nouns for each common noun.
-Have students find the common noun for each proper noun.

Using student work from these activities to display around the classroom as visual aids to
support their understanding when using them.
Lesson 5: Using adverbs Literacy
5 Introduce adverbs to students. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8pzuE97EA ICT
Critical thinking
Adverbs tell us more about verbs they answer questions. How? Where? When? How much? How
often? Can be one word, slowly, yesterday, outside, can be a phrase, after dark, deep in the
jungle.

Share a sentence with no adverbs: Miss Ray ran to find her dog. (or this sentence could be a
sentence from the class novel) as a class generate some adverbs that can change the sentence
and tell the reader how I ran, (quickly, slowly, excitedly, nervously) Can discuss with students
that adverbs can be put anywhere in the sentence. Etc, Miss Ray quickly ran to find her dog. Miss
Ray ran to find her dog, quickly.

This lesson can be done with any adverb, how, where, when. I will be starting with how. Once
that is understood students can move onto where and when.
EXTENTION- Students read the sentence and find the common noun, adjective or action verb (as
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specified on the card). Then, they write the word on the sheet under the matching column. Once
they have done this students will add adverbs to the sentences to make them more interesting.
Using blank card students can recreate the sentences using these adverbs.
Lesson 6: Concluding Activities: looking closer. (this lesson may go over 2-3 lessons) Literacy
6 ICT
Concluding everything they have learnt students will go off and make a short story using all the Critical thinking
parts of speech learnt. Give students the option of choosing a topic for their story or using one
you have come up with (written on the board) Students can present this however, visual story,
video displayed and made using an ipad, laptop ie- powerpoint, typed. They will go through their
text and highlight the nouns yellow, the verbs blue, the adjectives red and the adverbs green.

The work that has been done throughout the unit will be displayed throughout the classroom for
students to use as visual aids.

Unit Lesson Focus and Activity Resources AC: English LINKS:

Flow Teaching and Learning cycle, What key things do students need to know about genre or topic? Model, (List what you will need for
Week Group or independent rehearsals? Which questions (open or closed) to put to students… Why? your lessons and Content descriptors and elaborations
organisational matters)
Lesson learning intention Smart board or tv Understand that the meaning of
1  Students will develop and learn about powerful and descriptive vocabulary. sentences can be enriched
▼ Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity: Internet access or through the use
B Introduction: (How best to motivate and explain the importance of these lessons. i.e. connect to downloaded video if of noun groups/phrases and verb
U homeworlds – ascertain prior knowledge) internet may drop out. groups/phrases and prepositional
I phrases (ACELA1493 - Scootle )
L Connecting this lesson using the word wall and words that have been explored throughout science.
D https://youtu.be/JeognSU6wfU using this video as a hook. After watching ask students what is a noun, Discuss how authors and
verb and an adjective. illustrators make stories exciting,
K https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpreIvo-0cU watch the adverb song and then ask the students moving and absorbing and hold
N what an adverb is. readers’ interest by using various
O techniques. (ACELT1605 -
W Revise the content of the lesson. Ask the students: Scootle )
L What are adjectives and adverbs?
E How do these describing words make a story more interesting?
G What would happen if authors didn’t use these words in their story?
E Lesson learning intention See appendix 2 for Re-read and edit for meaning by
2 resources adding, deleting or moving words
↕  Students will learn that an adjective is a describing word. or word groups to improve content
 Students will generate and apply adjectives to sentences. (ACELY1695 - Scootle )
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M
O
D Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity:
E (Ask yourself, ‘What will challenge or support the students to learn the concepts I’m trying to teach?
L What will the students be doing? What will I as teacher be doing?)

G Students will work in small groups to dress up sentences and make them more detailed. Working
R through the different way to describe a sentence to make it more detailed.
O
U I will walk around spending time with each group, proving open ended questions to support their
P understanding. Ie How does this word make the sentence better? What does it tell us about the
▼ sentence? Does it give us a better picture/understanding of the sentence?
I
N Supporting students- have the premade printed sentences they can choose from
D
I Extension – students can look through their books to find sentences they can add too.
V
D https://www.youtube.com/ Re-read and edit for meaning by
3 U Lesson learning intention watch?v=M-_Wky0BNk0 adding, deleting or moving words
A or word groups to improve content
L  Students will understand what a verb is. See appendix 7,8, 9 for (ACELY1695 - Scootle )
 Students will be able to construct their own sentences using descriptive verbs. lesson activities.
Understand that the meaning of
Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity: sentences can be enriched
Using the parts of speech through the use
Extend: Students can have a go at describing verbs for common verbs such as said, went, walk. These card game as an of noun groups/phrases and verb
can then be added to the word wall. extension after lesson 3. groups/phrases and prepositional
phrases (ACELA1493 - Scootle )
Support: working in small groups with the students who need more support will help their
understanding of the different descriptive words. Even putting students with high achievers once they
are finished can support both. This will help the high achievers understand the content in a different way
as they have to teach it- and help students who are struggling to understand as their peers may have a
different way of explaining to them that they can understand better.

Lesson learning intention See appendix 3 for parts of Understand that the meaning of
4 speech poster and colour sentences can be enriched
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 Students will understand why selecting precise nouns (carefully choosing the nouns they use) is by number activity, and through the use
important. parts of speech game. of noun groups/phrases and verb
groups/phrases and prepositional
 Students will be able to carefully select nouns to make the sentence more specific. https://www.youtube.com/ phrases (ACELA1493 - Scootle )
watch?v=8kcJzh6gqGM
Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity:
Nouns verbs and
Students will learn that the nouns they choose can change the passage meaning and overall picture of Adjectives board game
the sentence, they will engage in an activity that allows them to see how precise noun changes the (See appendix 11) can be
sentences? Do they tell us a different story/ give us a bigger picture of what is happening? used for students as an
extension or brain break
I will work with a group of students to support their understanding of precise nouns as they may be
getting confused with all the different describing language features. Using visuals of these differences
will enable students to see the differences clearly.

Extend: Parts of speech board game: students will be able to use this board game once they have
understood the different parts of speech.

Support: I will use a visual poster to display the different parts of speech, as well as have a colour by
number parts of speech if the original task is not at the readiness level for students.
Lesson learning intention Nouns verbs and Understand
5 Students will understand and know how to use adverbs throughout their sentences. They will Adjectives board game how adverb groups/phrases and
understand that they can be used in any part of the sentence. (See appendix 11) can be prepositional phrases work in
Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity: used for students as an different ways to provide
I will work with a small group of students on the floor, using the posters and hands on activities to extension or brain break circumstantial details about an
explain adverbs. See appendix 3 for board game. activity throughout the activity (ACELA1495 - Scootle )
This lesson will involve activities and engaging tasks to enhance student engagement and motivation week.
towards the task. Understand that the meaning of
Extend: sentences can be enriched
Once that is understood students can move onto where and when. Once finished students can play the through the use
parts of speech board game: students will be able to use this board game once they have understood of noun groups/phrases and verb
the different parts of speech. groups/phrases and prepositional
phrases (ACELA1493 - Scootle )
Support: I will use a visual poster to display the different parts of speech, as well as have a colour by
number parts of speech if the original task is not at the readiness level for students. Discuss how authors and
illustrators make stories exciting,
moving and absorbing and hold
readers’ interest by using various
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techniques. (ACELT1605 -
Scootle )
Lesson learning intention (production and evaluation?) Understand that the meaning of
6 Students will produce a video (verbalising their passage) or written that shows their understanding of sentences can be enriched
verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and nouns. through the use
Students will understand how to correctly use parts of speech in a paragraph to produce their final piece of noun groups/phrases and verb
of work. groups/phrases and prepositional
Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity: phrases (ACELA1493 - Scootle )

This lesson is differentiated so there are many different entry points for the level of readiness for each
student.

In the final editing stage this can be used a a finishing off task when students finish early throughout the
week (fun Friday afternoon, students can only join in if their task is finished)

Formative or summative assessment strategies:

(Ask yourself, How do I know at which level to start? peer/self asses built in? ‘How could I capture the main learning points?)

Formative Assessment:
 Class discussions and observations
 Anecdotal records of observations- of each lesson and understanding recorded in assessment observation folder
 Understanding and success in each activity

Summative Assessment:
Production of?
 Parts of speech project- See appendix 12 for rubric and student check list.

Any special considerations: (Consider the students with special needs or the particular needs of your class or school)
I have created these lessons with all students in mind. Students will be able to extend their understanding of parts of speech while students who need more support will be able to be
successful due to the nature of the hands-on activities with the use of visuals and easy to understand concepts.

J- Visuals will be used, hands on manipulatives have been incorporated into the unit to support all students and allow peer support to help Jacobs understanding.
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D- I will ensure D has burnt off energy and eaten. I will also ensure he is apart of the group discussion to support his social and emotional development and show to him that he can
participate in discussions.
J, J, A E- will ensure they are focused and positioned at the front of the group if and when on the floor and next to a strong focused learner at tables.
Reflection: (Questions you still have.)

Appendix 2
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Appendix 3
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Appendix 4
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Appendix 5
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- Common and proper nouns activity

Appendix 6
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Appendix 7
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Appendix 8
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Appendix 9
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Appendix 10
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Appendix 1

Give me an example of the following:

Verbs Nouns Adjectives
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Appendix 11

Appendix 12
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IMPORTANT reminders: What have I collected as artefactual evidence of practice?

As examples: photos of the classroom and organisation of students from the back (protect the students’ identities)
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Must have mentor’s permission to photograph or copy student work (de-identify)

Comments from the mentor teacher
Classroom word walls/posters etc
Examples of reports written/feedback to parents and guardians (de-identify)
Examples of differentiation strategies that worked, or with reflection could be modified (de-identify)

Where is the emphasis in your learning activities?

Code-breaker: The emphasis is on decoding and encoding the codes, symbols and conventions of written, spoken, visual and multimodal texts in response to contextual factors
Text user: The emphasis is on understanding the purposes of different written, spoken, visual and multimodal texts and using texts in different ways for different cultural and social functions
Text participant: The emphasis is on comprehending and composing or making meaning from written, spoken, visual and multimodal texts
Text analyst: The emphasis is on understanding that written, spoken, visual and multimodal texts are not neutral but represent particular points of view and silence others