Curriculum Areas: English

Stage/ Year: Early Stage 1 - Kindergarten

Unit: Australian Authors

Unit duration: 8

We want students to (outcomes):

ENe10C, (Content point 2): Share picture books and digital stories for enjoyment and pleasure.
ENe11D, (Content point 2): Share responses to aspects of a text that relate to their own life.
ENe12E (Content point 5): Develop an appreciation for books, poetry and song and the importance of
narrative.
Links to Stage Statements
Students respond to a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from familiar contexts.
Students demonstrate active listening behaviours to follow simple instructions and ask relevant questions.
Students develop reading, viewing and comprehension skills and strategies to make meaning from short
predictable texts.
Students create simple texts. Students retell events and experiences for known audiences.
Students become aware of how to reflect on and assess their own and others learning.

What do we want our students

to learn? (Deep knowledge
element)
By completing this unit students
will increase their knowledge
and understanding of the
Australian culture. These texts
will give students insights into
Aboriginal experiences in
Australia.

This learning matters because:

Students are engaging personally with texts
Students are developing and applying contextual knowledge
Students are understanding and applying knowledge of language forms and features
Students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to understand their own identity in relation to
others from different cultures and backgrounds

Why does this learning

matter? (Significance
dimension)
By responding to the Australian
and Aboriginal texts in this unit
they will enhance their
understanding of childrens
literature in an Australian
context.

Assessment task outline

How will students

ENe-1A Speaking and Listening Respond to and compose texts- Retell familiar stories, including in
home language
ENe-9B-Grammar, Punctuation & Vocabulary *Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and
features. Demonstrate an awareness of nouns.
ENe-4A Reading and Viewing 1. Develop and apply graphological, phonological, syntactic and semantic
knowledge. Recognise high-frequency words.
ENe- 2A Writing and Representing 1. Composes simple texts to convey meaning.
ENe-10C Think Imaginatively and Creatively. Discusss creative language features in imaginative texts
that can enhance enjoyment eg illustrations repetition.
ENe-4A Reading and Viewing 1. Demonstrates developing skills and strategies to read view and
comprehend short predictable texts.
ENe-11D Expressing Themselves-Engage with a variety of simple text and begin to understand that
readers draw on their own knowledge and enhance enjoyment.
ENe-8B Reading and Viewing 2. Use language to shape and make meaning according to purpose,
audience and context.
ENe-6B

Key outcomes for assessment

Assessment criteria (Indicators/ Content Descriptors)

demonstrate their deep

understanding?
Design task(s) with authentic
purpose, audience and
communication tools.
Is student direction (content,
process or product) suitable to
the task?
Is there opportunity for students
to demonstrate learning at an A
level?

How well do we expect

students to do it?
How will this information be
communicated to all students
and parents?

Lesson Sequence
Week
Wk:1

Outcomes
TEXT 1

Content/ Learning Experience

Piglet and Mama
by Margaret Wild
B

ENe-10C
Use
imagination
to represent
aspects of an
experience
using written
text,
drawings and
other visual
media.
ENe-4A
Demonstrate
s developing
skills and
strategies to
read view
and
comprehend
short
predictable
texts.

Resources
*Text:
Piglet and Mama
by Margaret Wild and Stephen Michael
King

Assessment
Students are able
to imaginatively
respond with
creative language
to the text.

IWB
Computers
Lesson 1 Pre teach vocab/phonics, stretch words eg. daff-o-dils
(3 syllables) and identify initial sounds eg mama,
snort.
Story walk: Teacher walks through the story
discussing the pictures.
With thinking partners, students express their prior
knowledge.
Modelled reading of story.
Teacher models: So, Far, Next (Predicting).
Teacher scribes beginning, middle and end from So,
FarNext responses.
Lesson 2 Review vocab/phonics stretch words and identify
initial sounds.
Concepts about print strategies eg, hold book upside
down, read from bottom of the bookDoes that

Writing books

Using writing
criteria checklist.

ENe-2A
Writing and
Representing
1. Composes
simple texts
to convey
meaning.

Wk:2

sound right?
Modelled reading of story: Teacher stops occasionally
to model concepts about print eg. Capitals, left to
right, orientation.
Scan first page from book and print to A3 and
selected students highlight concepts about print learnt
during reading.
Students indicate initial sounds of words from the
text.

Lesson 3 With thinking partners students share a time they felt

a certain way.
Use emotive icons from the intranet using IWB
activities matching emotions to vocabulary
(Labelling).
Brainstorm and record Piglets emotions using feeling
words.
Teacher models writing a sentence about how Piglet
felt, emphasising grammatical features eg. Capital
letter full stop. During this lesson students are
involved in this writing process using Smart Board
and Word document including inserting an image
from clip art.
Lesson 4 Review digital writing lesson.
Students write their own sentence expressing their
feelings about how Piglet felt. Students are
encouraged to write more than one sentence.
Lesson 5 Using computers students reproduce their written
work inserting an image from Clip Art.

Wk:3

TEXT 2
ENe-11D
Engage with
a variety of
simple text
and begin to
understand
that readers
draw on their
own
knowledge
and enhance
enjoyment.

Puffling by Margaret Wild

Margaret Wild
Omnibus Books, 2008 - Children's stories - 32 pages
21 Reviews
For a little puffin, life outside the warm, safe burrow can be
very scary. There are gulls ready to swoop, but there are
also new friends to find. Puffling must make his way in this
big, exciting world-but not until he is strong enough and tall
enough
Lesson 1 Orientation of the text. With partners, discuss the
illustrations and the three main characters- Puffling,
Big Stripy Beak and Long Black Feather. Predict what
the story might be about. During this lesson discuss
key words- nearly, not quite, almost. Discuss key
questions:
Am I strong enough?
Am I tall enough?
Am I brave enough?
Read text. Thinking partners discuss why baby
Puffling needs to be protected by his parents and the

Text:
Puffling by Margaret Wild

YouTube:
Night of the Pufflings- Video Clip (and
other information texts eg National
Geographic)

Wk:4

ENe-8B
Reading and
Viewing 2.
Use
language to
shape and
make
meaning
according to
purpose,
audience and
context.

role the seagulls play in Puffling growing up and

becoming independent.
Lesson 2 Review text. In small groups children engage in
imaginative role play between two known characters
eg. Big Stripy Beak and Long Black Feather.
Follow up discussion about their relationships,
reflecting on how we learn eg parents.
Illustrate their reflections.
Lesson 3 Discuss how Puffling summons all his courage and
makes the journey.
Make a chart of Pufflings journey:

along the cliff

past the gulls waiting to swoop
finds friends in the ocean

ENe-9BGrammar,
Punctuation
& Vocabulary
*Understand
and apply
knowledge of
language
forms and

leaps into the well

With thinking partners students discuss:

Why is Puffling so impatient? Is Puffling ready for the
moment?
Compare the first page with the last page of the book.
Look at Pufflings growth comparing to their own
human growth.
Lesson 4 Students discuss then review interesting words and
create a word bank of adjectives (Introducing or
revising adjectives).
With thinking partners, students collaborate to create

features.
Demonstrate
an
awareness of
nouns.

Wk:5

an oral sentence for the teacher to scribe. Teacher

increases the complexity of the sentence: adding
adjectives to the nouns or adverbs to verbs in the
sentence.
Copy and illustrate the modelled sentence created
with partner.

TEXT 3 The Very Cranky Bear

by Nick Bland

Copacabana School website

ENe-1A
Speaking
and Listening
Respond to
and compose
texts- Retell
familiar
stories,
including in
home
language
By: Nicholas Bland

Lesson 1 Discussion questionsinformation from the cover of

the book (Title, author etc).
Read Text followed by oral comprehension.
Use cards as a prompt for matching rhyming words
both orally and visuallyRhyming Words: day/play,
mane/plain, chin/in, too/do, bear/pair, gold/cold,
sheep/sleep and wool/full.

Refer to attached
Cards as a prompt for matching
rhyming words both orally and visually.

Lesson 2 Character Study-Discuss the individual characters of

the story; their traits positives / negatives.
Discuss how do students feel about each character.
Create a character chart about Cranky Bear.
Watch Youtube clip of bears interview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGMY90P97Y&feature=youtu.be:
Illustrate: All I really want, he said, Is a quiet
place to sleep!. Share.
Wk:6

ENe-10C
Think
Imaginatively
and
Creatively.

Lesson 3 HANDWRITING AND USING DIGITAL

TECHNOLOGIES Handwriting Letter Emphasis Upper
and lower case: b, l, z, s, m
http://www.studyladder.com.au/learn/literacy/category
/printable-handwriting-sheets-515
Emphasise correct formation of these letters in all
writing activities, not just in isolated handwriting tasks.
During modelled and guided activities, students
should be encouraged to verbalise letter formation as
letters are written (in the air, on whiteboards & paper,
etc)
________________________________________________
Lesson 4________________________________________________
Explore the use of words that made the story and
characters interesting:
* Moose has marvellous antlers * Lion, a golden
mane *Zebra had fantastic stripes * He gnashed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=tGMY90P9-7Y&feature=youtu.be:

Dress up clothes.

ASSESSMENT
FOR: comments
and notations
ASSESSMENT
AS: Reflection on
matching attempts
ASSESSMENT
OF: Student
achievement
against set goals
ASSESSMENT
FOR: Anecdotal
notes and
comments, task
marking
ASSESSMENT
AS: Reflection on
task completion
ASSESSMENT

Discusss
creative
language
features in
imaginative
texts that can
enhance
enjoyment eg
illustrations
repetition.

Wk:7

his teeth and stomped his feet * Etc

Identify the repetition of phrases:
In the Jingle Jangle Jungle on a cold and rainy
day. Encourage the students to join in the reading
of these parts of the story.
Dramatise using dress up.

OF: Student
achievement
against set goals

TEXT 4 Wheres MUM

by Libby Gleeson and Craig Smith

Text

ENe-10C
Think
Imaginatively
and
Creatively.
Discusss
creative
language
features in
imaginative

Lesson 1 Linking prior knowledge, ask the students if they

know any rhymes or stories, record theseverbally
build the mystery of what Nursery Rhymes are in the
story. Can they identify any Nursery Rhyme
characters on the front character. Point to the title
(question) then ask: Where could mum be? Read
the story.
Lesson 2-

texts that can

enhance
enjoyment eg
illustrations
repetition.

Wk:8

Discuss the key features of a narrative ie..beginning,

middle and end, complication and resolution.
In pairs discuss what is the problem in the story
How does mum solve the problem in the story?
Model creating a Story Map of where mum has been,
use pictures photocopied from the story.
In groups students think of an appropriate caption for
each picture. Attach and display.
Lesson 3 Make up interview questions with the students that
will help us understand mums problem eg..
-How did she feel when she met all the characters?
-Why did she help them?
-Who was the meanest/kindest character?
Role play an interview using students questions.
Discuss interview technique and how TV shows could
give us ideas on how its done effectively. Give
opportunity to other students.
Lesson 4 Dialogue strips.
-Locate the dialogue in the story. Blank out the words.
Teacher models how you would use the
illustration/text to help you create new dialogue for a
character.
Have students work in small groups to write a
different sentence or question that the character
might be saying.
Evaluation:
- Teacher asks students: Have we changed the
meaning? Does it still make sense? Do we need
another title?

Photocopied pictures from the story.

MARKING GUIDELINES
Outcome
Criteria
EN2-4A:
identify and explain
language features of texts
from earlier times and
compare with the
vocabulary, images, layout
and content of
contemporary texts.
EN2-4A:
Use graphological,
phonological, syntactic and
semantic strategies to
respond to texts, e.g.
knowledge of homophones,
contractions, syllables,
word families and common
prefixes.
EN2-2A:
Create texts that adapt
language features and
patterns encountered in
literary texts for example
characterisation, rhyme,
rhythm, mood, music,
sound effects and dialogue.
EN2-12E:
Develop criteria for
establishing personal
preferences for literature.

EN2-4A, EN2-2A, EN2-12E

Marking guidelines
Critiques the effectiveness of the similarities/differences in
achieving text purpose
Explains the author intent behind why similaraties and
differences appear in the text
Justifies why Circles of round is similar/different to contemporary
text
Identify some differences and similarities between Circles of
Round and contemporary text
Identifies text features and clearly analyses their purpose in the
context of the Circles of round
Identifies most text features and clearly articulates strategies
used to identify them
Identifies most text features
Identifies some text features

Level
Outstandin
g
High
Sound
Basic
Outstandin
g
High
Sound
Basic

Literary text created that builds upon the selected text and
successfully applies features of selected text to achieve their
own purpose and enhance the purpose of the given text
Literary text created that successfully applies features of
selected text to achieve their own purpose
Literary text created that experiments with the application of
features of a selected text to achieve their own purpose
Literary text created that mimics the features of the selected text

Outstandin
g

Effectively develops criteria that will assist them find literature

that will meet a purpose
Develops criteria that effectively assists them analyse literature
and make informed choices about what they will prefer
Develops a criteria for selecting literature they prefer

Outstandin
g
High

High
Sound
Basic

Sound

Teachers additional
comments

Identifies literature they prefer

Basic

PROGRAM PLAN
Summary of core components
Map the core knowledge and skills we need to teach the students in order for them to successfully engage in the planned assessment.
In doing so, have we identified the syllabus content (NOT INDICATORS) we will be teaching in order to meet the assessment outcomes?
Component 1

Component 2

Component 3

Introduce book

Comparative Literature

Structures & Features

Establish preconceptions of the book

Focus on predicition of themes,
features, words and content

Identify similarities, differences when

compared to contemporary text.

What was the text purpose and what was

used to achieve it?

Component 4

Component 5

Component 6

Identify Complexity

Applying Complexity, structures &

Features

Evaluating Complexity, structures &

Features

Experiment with the application of

complexity, abstraction and language
features to create text.
Component 8

Evaluate the effectiveness of self-created

text when compared with contemporary
text and focus text. (see component 2)
Component 9

Developing Criteria for personal

preference

Applies learning to the introduction of

new book

What was complex about the text?

How was the complexity intended to
make the text more enjoyable? Did it
work?
Component 7
Evaluates achievement of learning goals