LITERACY / UNIT PLANNER

Topic: My Place: Victoria 1888 Episode 13

Year Level: 5

GRAMMAR FOCUS: (levels)

Text type and mode

1. Whole text structure of an informal narrative in the form of a

formal letter.

Parts of an information narrative orientation, complication, resolution.

Address of the writer
Date of the letter
Opening greeting
Information
Closing greeting
Name of writer

Language features for the text-type:

2. Sentence Level

Descriptive language

First or third person pronouns

tense

Traditional greeting/closure

Signature of writer

Information

Term: 4 Weeks: 1-2

Listened to

Spoken

Read

Date: 5 October 2015

Written

Viewed

Produced

Narrative- Formal
Letter

Steps in Teaching and Learning Cycle: (adapted Derewianka, 1990/2007)

1. Building topic knowledge
2. Building text knowledge/Model the genre
3. Guided activities to develop vocabulary and text knowledge
4. Joint construction of text
5. Independent construction of text
6. Reflecting on language choices
Frequently used Literacy Instructional Strategies: Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
Language Experience Approach (R/W)
Picture Chat Read to Shared R/W
Guided R/W
Modelled writing Interactive writing Independent R/W Literature Circles Reciprocal Teaching
Mini lesson Roving conferences
Teaching techniques: Think Aloud, Text analysis, Cloze exercises, Note-taking,
Graphic Organisers: T-chart, Y-chart; Venn diagram, Data grid, Sunshine wheel, KID chart, Flow
chart, Story map, templates for text-types for planning, semantic web.

3. Word Level

Adverbial phrases

Abbreviations (Ms, Mr, Mrs, Dr)

Capital Letters for proper nouns (names, places)

(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 202-235)

CONTEXT: Overview of series of lessons and background information

Explore the content by discussing the differences between what life was like in 1888 compared
to now. Students will also explore the treasured objects chosen by Victoria and discuss
particular objects that are sentimental to them.

Over a series of sessions, students will analyse various types of letters and ways of
communicating with people. To consolidate their text knowledge, students will write their own
letters on behalf of Victoria, outlining the outcome of her time in the house she never wanted to

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leave.

I do not anticipate any prior knowledge in the content. I am aware that children have prior
knowledge about the structure of a narrative and informal letters but the writing of formal
letters will be new to them.

Pre-assessment of students skills and knowledge:

Standardized tests for reading/writing/ NAPLAN
Profile of Data Progression of Reading Development
Conferences/interviews
Student written work samples
Self-assessments
Literacy Learning intention: We are learning to write a formal letter to give
information to the reader.
Learning behaviours: I need to use my knowledge of what life may have been like
in 1888 and write from another persons point of view.

Four resource model (Freebody & Luke, 1990/1999): Code Breaker; Text Participant/Meaning
Maker; Text User; Text Analyst
Comprehension Strategies: Predicting; Visualising; Making connections; Questioning; Inferring;
Determining important ideas; Summarising; Finding evidence in the text; Understanding new
vocabulary; Synthesising; Comparing and contrasting; Paraphrasing; Recognising cause and effect;
Skimming and scanning; Five semiotic systems: linguistics, visual, auditory, spatial, gestural,
dictogloss, glogs.
Question types: self-questioning; 3 levels; (literal, inferential, evaluative); QAR
Thinking Routines: See, Think, Wonder; Headlines; +1, Three word summary, 5VIPs, Give One,
Get One, Donut circles, think aloud, think-pair-share, reflection circles (refer Ritchhart, R., Church,
M., & amp; Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible: How to Promote Engagement,
Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. eBook online)

Success criteria: I know Im doing well if I can use my imagination to realistically

depict what life may have been like in 1888.

Topic-specific vocabulary for the unit of work:

Resources:

Puns, history, tradition, sentimental, treasures, letters, formal, informal, information

narrative, key words, paragraphs, greetings, abbreviations, signature,
information/evidence, indigenous perspectives, relationships, family, worth.

Wing Jan, L. (2009). Write ways: Modelling writing forms (3rd ed). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press, pp.
202-235
1888 | EPISODE 13 English teaching resources downloaded on 15th October 2015 from www.myplace.edu.au/.
My Place website www.myplace.edu.au Video clip 1888 | Episode 13
ABC3 MyPlace http://www.abc.net.au/abc3/myplace/
Museum Victoria: My grandmothers toy box online printable picture story book
http://museumvictoria.com.au/pages/38750/my-grandmothers-toy-box-story.pdf?epslanguage=en

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Cooperating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising

Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising

Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable

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TEACHING & LEARNING CYCLE

(Identify step in the T & L cycle and
the literacy learning intention or
sessions focus )

WHOLE CLASS
Hook or Tuning In
(Identify a strategy or a tool to help
activate prior knowledge and/or to
introduce the topic.)

MINI LESSON
(Explicitly model the use of a new strategy or a
tool to assist with the literacy learning
intention or focus of the session and to
prepare students for successful completion of
the set task. Reference to Wing Jan include
page details)

INDEPENDENT
LEARNING
(Extended opportunity for students to work in
pairs, small groups or individually on a set
task. Time for teacher to probe students
thinking or work with a small group for part of
the time. Reference to Wing Jan include page
details)

Display images of the

1880s era as well as
images from now as
prompts for discussion
(appendix 1).

Back to back viewing

Introduce students to the
back-to-back viewing task.
Model how to take notes, to
ensure the students do not
forget the information they
attain.
Students are to find a partner
and using the back to back
viewing strategy, they are to
watch and take notes on the
video clip about Victoria
1888: The horse and
carriage, with one student
noting the visual differences
and the other noting the
verbal differences in the clip
compared to life now.

Think-Pair-Share
In pairs students are to watch
a second episode of their
choice from Episode 13 on
ICT. They are to take down
their own notes and key
words before explaining
their findings with their
partner.

We are learning to ...

1. Building topic
knowledge
We are learning to
identify the differences
between life in the
1880s compared to
now.

What might life have

been like in the 1880s?
What differences can
you see?

Explain what a keyword is

and how notes are often
more effective when written
in point form.

SHARE TIME AND

TEACHER SUMMARY
(Focussed teacher questions and summary to
draw out the knowledge, skills and processes
used in the session)
Link back to literacy learning intention and
key points of effective reading/writing,
speaking, listening and viewing.

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
(should relate to literacy learning intention
or focus of the session. Includes how &
what you will use to make a judgment on
students attempt/work)
Success criteria written for students to
know what the minimum expectation is.

Reflection Circles
Compare the video clips as
a class by completing a T
chart consisting of dot
points about what life was
like in 1880 in one column
compared to life now.

Anecdotal notes
Taken of the students in
the small teaching group
to monitor their progress.

Focus Group: Lower level.

In a focus teaching group,
get individuals to take notes
and source important
information from a piece of
text. Discuss why it is
important to highlight
important information in dot
points rather than re writing
the sentences.

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2. Building topic
knowledge
We are learning to gain
information from
specific texts.

3. Building topic
knowledge
We are learning to gain
and record information
from specific texts.
4. Building Topic
knowledge

The students refer back

to what was discussed
in the previous lesson
and brainstorm as a
class the differences
between the 1880s and
now (appendix 2).

Dictogloss
Students are divided into
mixed ability groups. The
teacher reads a piece of text
summarising the 1880
decade to the students after
explaining the requirements
of the task. In their group
they are to complete a
dictogloss (Marsland, 1998,
p. 71).

In these same groups, the

students are appointed a
different section of the text
which an allocated student
reads. The group then
complete a dictogloss of this
passage (Marsland, 1998, p.
71).

The students return as a

class and using the
information they have
attained, they are to create a
semantic web (Gibbons,
2002, p.62) around the
focus question:

Observations and
anecdotal notes
The teacher observes the
students in the focus
group, monitoring their
competence with the task
through anecdotal notes.

What were some important

Focus Group: Higher
events that shaped the
Group.
1880s?
In a focus teaching group,
individuals will complete a
K.I.D Key word,
information, drawing sheet
(appendix 3) which will
assist in locating key words
and information and doing
further research on their
laptops if more information
is necessary.
In groups, we continue to explore what life was like in the 1880s through a variety of multimodal texts such as newspaper articles, diary entries
and letters. We return to the whole class and add information to the semantic web created in the previous session (Gibbons, 2002, p. 62). Using
the information attained from the multimodal texts over the previous 3 sessions, the students and teacher will work together as a group to create a
glossary of terms using topic-specific vocabulary from what was read and viewed.
Students are to work in mixed ability groups and using their previous knowledge of the 1880s decade they are to work with a partner in creating a
glog (Hertzberg, 2011, p. 73) using www.glogster.com. Students are able to conduct further research if required using ICT. These glogs will be
presented to the class.

We are learning to use

our notes and
information to create a
glog.

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5. Building text
knowledge/Model
the genre
We are learning to plan
and review the
structure and
language features
used in information
narratives.

6. Building text
knowledge/Model
the genre

Shared Reading
Look at a variety of
short texts and
sentences written in
third and first person.
Discuss with the
students the different
pronouns that can be
used to alter a piece of
writing (first person
and third person).

Think Aloud
On the smart board review
the cone planning template
(appendix 4) with the
students.
Show the students 1888,
Episode 13: Treasured
objects from the My Place
website.

Students will then work

individually to create their
own narrative plans using the
cone planning template
(appendix 4) and information
from the clip with the focus
questions in mind:
What might have happened
to Victoria and her family in
1880 after that clip?
Were they forced to
move?
Did they stay?
Why/why not?

Donut circles
Students engage in donut
circles (Gibbons, 2015, p.
66) as they reflect on their
proposed planned idea for a
narrative based on the focus
question. The idea of this
task is to ensure that the
students become familiar
with their idea whilst also
gaining further ideas for
their planning.

Observational Notes
Observe the students
progress on the task and
take succinct notes.

As a pre-assessment to gain insight into the students ability and knowledge of letter writing, ask the students to write a letter to a person and topic
of their choice. The teacher will then collect these work samples so they can be handed back at a later date to be worked on in a future lesson

We are learning to
review the structure
and language features
used in letter writing to
share information.

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7. Building text
knowledge/Model
the genre
We are learning to
review the structure
and language features
used in letter writing to
share information.

Shared Reading
On the smart board,
display a variety of
texts which depict
information from one
individuals perspective.

Think Aloud
Model how to annotate the
structural elements of a
formal letter referring to the
sample in Wing Jan, 2009, p.
203.

What do all of these

formal letters have in
common?

Record on the board a list of

important language features
relevant to the writing of a
formal letter (Wing Jan,
2009, p. 202).

Refresh the students

memory about the
meaning of formal and
informal. Ask student
volunteers to label
which texts would be
considered formal and
which would be
considered informal.

8. Building text
knowledge/Model the
genre

In pairs, students will work

together to annotate two
formal letters from the a
historical source. This will
expose them to what letters
in the 1880s may have
looked and sounded like.
What language do you
notice to be included within
the dialogue of these letters?

Make text-to-text
connections and identify the
similarities and differences
amongst the different letters
the children worked on.
Highlight the importance of
identifying the audience and
purpose for writing the
letter.

Observational notes
Observe the students with
in the focus group, noting
their ability to
comprehend the
importance of
understanding proper
nouns when writing a
formal letter.

Encourage students to use

the correct labels and terms
as previously discussed
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 203).

Focus Group: Lower

Group
Looking at proper nouns
Make a word wall with the
students defining a proper
pronoun and brainstorm
some examples.
The teacher gives back the students pre assessment letters and using their newly attained knowledge, students are to annotate and edit their letters to
ensure they include the correct elements of a formal letter as well as the correct language features.

We are learning to
review the structure
and language features
used in letter writing to
share information

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9. Guided activities to
develop vocabulary
or specific language
feature
We are learning to
brainstorm the
different greetings,
salutations and
closures for a formal
or informal letter.
10. Joint construction
of text
We are learning to
write a formal letter
using our knowledge
of the 1880s.

As a class brainstorm the different greetings and salutations for beginning a letter. Encourage the ESL/EAL students to include their knowledge of
greetings in their language also.

Shared viewing
The students watch
Episode 13: Victoria,
Treasured Objects on
www.myplace.edu.au.
Take note of the objects
Victoria and her
siblings hide in the
house.
Why do they do this?

11. Independent
construction of text

Focus question:
Imagine you are in Victorias
situation, what treasures
would you give up?
Write a short letter to a
partner explaining the things
you treasure and why.
Think Aloud
The teacher models on the
board the beginning of her
letter, asking the students for
prompts in what to include
next.

Students write their short

letters outlining their
treasured items.
Focus teaching group:
Lower group
As a group, read the
printable book, my
grandmothers toy box
(appendix 5). Discuss the
different items in the toy box
and how they differ or are
the same to toys nowadays.

Donut circles
Students engage in donut
circles (Gibbons, 2015, p.
66) as they share their
letters or favourite toys
(Focus group) with their
peers.

Observations
Observe the students
sharing their letters with
peers and provide
feedback for what could
be improved where
possible and necessary.

Students are to create a list

of their favourite toys.
Using their ideas from lesson 5, students write up a plan to encompass all their ideas and guide their writing.

We are learning to
write a formal letter
from the perspective of
someone else.

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12. Independent
construction of text

Students begin drafting their letter.

We are learning to
write a formal letter
from the perspective
of someone else.
13. Independent
construction of text
We are learning to
write a formal letter
from the perspective
of someone else.
14. Reflecting on
language choices
We are learning to
publish our work to
the class.

Students begin publishing their letters. Once complete, the teacher will provide tea bags to stain the paper brown and burn the edges of
the paper to make it look like it was written in the 1880s.

Reflection Circles
Students present their final letters to the class and peer feedback is given about the chosen language choices to remind the students of
their importance in narrative and letter writing.
I like the way you used

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