The Best Kept Secret by Emily Rodda

Stage 2 | English

Summary
Cecilia says merry-go-rounds are for little kids, but Jo feels there s something mysterious and not at all childish about the carousel that has appeared overnight in Marley Street. heres something odd about the beckoning music something strange about the gleaming horses. !nd "hy are certain people able to gain entrance to the carousel "hile others - try as they "ill have to give up and turn a"ay# Jo feels she must try to get in. $leven-year-old Jo takes a magical carousel ride seven years into the future, "here she and her fello" travelers face a decision involving a possible change in the nature of reality. his unit "ill involve the students %&nterpreting and discussing relationships bet"een characters. %&dentifying simple symbolic meanings and stereotypes in te'ts. %(ecogni)ing the link bet"een te't type and purpose. %(esponding to key features of illustrations. %Making predictions about plot development and characters. %&dentifying settings. % alking and "riting informally about personal reading.

Duration
erm * +, "eeks

Unit overview

Enter your own title

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

&utcomes
English K(%)

'ssessment overview
3looms ta'onomy "orksheet.

$-.-.! plans, composes and revie"s a range of te'ts that are

more demanding in terms of topic, audience and language

$-.-*! uses effective hand"riting and publishes te'ts using

digital technologies
$-.-/! uses an increasing range of skills, strategies and

kno"ledge to fluently read, vie" and comprehend a range of te'ts on increasingly challenging topics in different media and technologies

$-.-0! uses a range of strategies, including kno"ledge of

letter1sound correspondences and common letter patterns, to spell familiar and some unfamiliar "ords
$-.-23 identifies the effect of purpose and audience on spoken

te'ts, distinguishes bet"een different forms of $nglish and identifies organisational patterns and features
$-.-43 uses effective and accurate sentence structure,

grammatical features, punctuation conventions and vocabulary relevant to the type of te't "hen responding to and composing te'ts

$-.-+,C thinks imaginatively, creatively and interpretively

about information, ideas and te'ts "hen responding to and composing te'ts

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

*ontent
Stage 2 ( !riting and representing %
Students5 6evelop and apply conte'tual kno"ledge
identify key elements of planning,

Teaching+ learning and assessment

9rientation to the te't. :redict "hat the story might be about through the title, looking at the cover, blurb and using ;uotes from the te't. 6iscuss is the girl en7oying the ride# 6iscuss prior kno"ledge about merry 1go 1 rounds. <et children to share memories. 6iscuss in "hat "ays the girl=s horse "as unlike those on other carousels. 6iscuss >antasy. ?!nd suddenly she felt an icy shiver of fear@. Arite your o"n predictions of "hat might happen during the ride. hink about something that you have kept a secret. Arite a short report about it and share it "ith your group. Arite the book "ords from the bo' to match meanings. 8se this chart to help you as you read the book. Arite these sets of "ords from the book in dictionary order. Buestions on Chapters + and .. <et the children to describe Mr 3ean. Students to read the descriptions on pages . and 2. Complete an illustrated report on a building.

Resources , 'd-ustments . e/tensions

Students "ill ans"er critical thinking ;uestions. Speech on the future. Students to create a story map. (esearch inventions. Arite a report about a recent invention. Arite an account of ho" it "as created and "hat it "as meant to do. 6ra" and describe a fantastic invention of your o"n. Create an illustrated set of instructions for a yo 1 yo trick.

composing, revie"ing and publishing in order to meet the demands of composing te'ts on a particular topic for a range of purposes and audiences composing that enhance learning and en7oyment

e'periment and share aspects of

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of language forms and features

plan, draft and publish

imaginative, informative and persuasive te'ts containing key information and supporting details for a "idening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over te't structures and language features (ACELY1682, ACELY1694) (espond to and compose te'ts
discuss aspects of planning prior to

"riting, eg kno"ledge of topic, specific vocabulary and language features

identify elements of their "riting that

need improvement and revie" using feedback from teacher and peers

Ariting techni;ues5 using foreshado"ing. Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au
Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

*ontent
Stage 2 ( Reading and viewing %
Students5 6evelop and apply conte'tual kno"ledge
dra" on e'periences, kno"ledge of

Teaching+ learning and assessment

Buestions on Chapters * 1 2. &s Cecilia a perfect friend for Jo# State your reasons. (ead descriptions of carousel pages +4 C .,. Create your o"n detailed picture of one. Dist the clues given in Chapter / to suggest there is something e'traordinary about the carousel# 8se the "ord groups to complete the descriptions. (ead the description of "hat Jo sa" during the carnival ride page *E. 8se a storyboard to dra" a scene from an important event. (ecord on video. :redicting 1 "hat do you think "ill happen "hen the carousel stops# (ead the -otice to &ntending (iders of the carousel page *+. 6iscuss your favourite ride at theme parks and "rite your o"n notice.

Resources , 'd-ustments . e/tensions

the topic or conte't to "ork out the meaning of unkno"n "ords

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of language forms and features use metalanguage to describe the effects of ideas, te't structures and language features of literary te'ts (ACELT1604) 6evelop and apply graphological, phonological, syntactic and semantic kno"ledge
use graphological, phonological,

syntactic and semantic strategies to respond to te'ts, eg kno"ledge of homophones, contractions, syllables, "ord families and common prefi'es use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning to e'pand content kno"ledge, integrating and linking ideas and analysing and evaluating te'ts
(ACELY1680, ACELY1692)

(espond to, read and vie" te'ts

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

*ontent
Stage 2 ( Spelling
Students5 6evelop and apply conte'tual kno"ledge
understand ho" accurate spelling

Teaching+ learning and assessment

Buestions on Chapters F to 4. Correct or add to your prediction about the carousel stopping. &n groups compile a list of ;uestions to be ans"ered by a teenager "ho "as your age seven years ago. 6iscuss ho" much things have changed in seven years. 3rainstorm ideas for a skit "here one child is invisible. (ehearse and present to the class. Arite about "hat you "ould do if you had an hour to spend visiting your city seven years into the future. 8se the verbs to complete the description.

Resources , 'd-ustments . e/tensions

supports the reader to read fluently and interpret "ritten te't

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of language forms and features

understand ho" to use strategies for

spelling "ords, including spelling rules, kno"ledge of morphemic "ord families, spelling generalisations, and letter combinations including double letters (ACELA1485, ACELA1779) (espond to and compose te'ts
use a variety of spelling strategies to

spell high-fre;uency "ords correctly "hen composing imaginative and other te'ts discuss and use strategies for spelling difficult "ords

Buestions on Chapters +, to +*. !dults al"ays stuck together 1 bad and good alike 1 page 22. 6iscuss this statement and get the students to "rite their opinion. Ahy does !lfred "alk off and abandon them# Aill the man in the bro"n trouser suit make a fortune from his plan# Ahy or "hy not#

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

*ontent
Stage 2 ( Reading and viewing 2
Students5 6evelop and apply conte'tual kno"ledge
interpret ho" imaginative,

Teaching+ learning and assessment

Circle the "ords that describe those "ho didn=t "ant to save 6avy. (ole play this activity. Speech marks help sho" 9scar=s strong feelings in this passage. (e"rite the e'amples correctly. >ind the meanings of the "ords and "rite them in a sentence. 6iscuss anticlima' and get the students to "rite some e'amples.

Resources , 'd-ustments . e/tensions

informative and persuasive te'ts vary in purpose, structure and topic

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of language forms and features

identify characteristic features used

in imaginative, informative and persuasive te'ts to meet the purpose of the te't (ACELY1690)
discuss ho" language is used to

8se the picture clue to discuss "hat is happening "hy Jo is doing this and then "rite "hat happened ne't. Buestions on Chapters +/ to +F. Ahy did Jo have to take 6avy home# ?Jo had "anted to learn to play the piano and heard herself playing@ page 4*. alk about skills you=d like to develop or things you "ould like to achieve in the ne't seven years.

describe the settings in te'ts, and e'plore ho" the settings shape the events and influence the mood of the narrative (ACELT1599) (espond to, read and vie" te'ts
identify and interpret the different

forms of visual information, including maps, tables, charts, diagrams, animations and images

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

*ontent
Stage 2 ( 4rammar+ punctuation and vocabulary
Students5 6evelop and apply conte'tual kno"ledge
understand that effective

Teaching+ learning and assessment

Gad Jo=s mother also visited the future# <ive reasons for your ans"er. Create a ne"spaper or maga)ine advertisement. Dist the "ays in "hich the carousel ride changed Jo=s life. Colour the simple and the strong book sentences that describe the same feelings. !sk members of your family "hat they think "as the most ama)ing invention of the past seven years. Share "hat you have learnt. Clo)e passage activities. Aho am &# Match up the characters "ith the clues. 6escribe the main characters from the story. Complete a book report. 6esign a ne" cover for the book.

Resources , 'd-ustments . e/tensions

organisation of ideas in imaginative, informative and persuasive te'ts enhances meaning impacts on the effectiveness of te'ts

understand that choice of vocabulary

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of language forms and features

understand that paragraphs are a key

organisational feature of "ritten te'ts

(ACELA1479)

identify and use grammatical

features, eg pronouns, con7unctions and connectives, to accurately link ideas and information

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of vocabulary

e'periment "ith vocabulary choices

to engage the listener or reader

(espond to and compose te'ts

use grammatical features to create

comple' sentences "hen composing te'ts

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

*ontent
Stage 2 ( Thin6ing imaginatively+ creatively and interpretively
Students5 $ngage personally "ith te'ts
share responses to a range of te'ts

Teaching+ learning and assessment

Resources , 'd-ustments . e/tensions

and identify features "hich increase reader en7oyment discussing aspects of te'ts that relate to their o"n e'perience

respond to te'ts by identifying and

6evelop and apply conte'tual kno"ledge

discuss ho" authors and illustrators

make stories e'citing, moving and absorbing and hold readersH interest by using various techni;ues, for e'ample character development and plot tension (ACELT1605)

8nderstand and apply kno"ledge of language forms and features

identify and discuss ho" vocabulary

establishes setting and atmosphere

(espond to and compose te'ts

create literary te'ts that e'plore

studentsH o"n e'periences and imagining (ACELT1607)

7ustify interpretations ofBuilder a te't, Board of Studies S! " #rogram " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

Enter your own title

Evaluation

Board of Studies S! " #rogram Builder " pb$bos$nsw$edu$au

Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.