Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660

Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Year 5

Section 1: Focus and rationale for planning

This literacy unit planner is focussed around the MyPlace website (www.myplace.edu.au), using episode 211808: Sarah, using episode clip: Sarahs life and

episode clip: A female gaol as well as the associated activities as a basis for the lessons in this unit. Subthemes for the unit include child labour, child convicts,

servants, chores, social class. This episode was chosen because of the related themes of child convicts and female servants which will enable students to write a

formal letter to the editor of a newspaper about the treatment of child convicts. The lessons will revolve around teaching the students the structure of a formal

letter, and increasing their topic specific vocabulary.

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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
Section 2: Five detailed literacy sessions/Unit Planner

Topic: Episode 21: 1808: Sarah Year Level: 5 Term: 3 Weeks: Date:
GRAMMAR FOCUS: (levels) Text type and mode Listened to Spoken Read Written Viewed Produced

1. Whole text structure of a formal letter (transactional text) Formal Letter X X X X

Address of the writer Steps in Teaching and Learning Cycle: (adapted Derewianka, 1991)
Date the letter was written 1. Building topic knowledge
Opening greeting 2. Building text knowledge/Model the genre
Information that may combine a range of text types (recount, argument)
3. Guided activities to develop vocabulary and text knowledge
Information in paragraphs
Closing greeting
4. Joint construction of text
Name of the writer 5. Independent construction of text
Language features for the text-type: 6. Reflecting on language choices
Frequently used Literacy Instructional Strategies: Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
2. Sentence level Language Experience Approach (W) Picture Chat Read to Shared W Guided W
Modelled writing Interactive writing Independent W Literature Circles Reciprocal Teaching
Traditional greeting to open letter (Dear ) Mini lesson Roving conferences
Traditional closure to letter (Yours sincerely ) Teaching techniques: Think Aloud, Text analysis, Cloze exercises, Note-taking,
Graphic Organisers: T-chart, Y-chart; Venn diagram, Data grid, Sunshine wheel, KWL chart, Flow
Signature of the writer at the end of the letter chart, Story map, templates for text-types for planning,
3. Word level
Abbreviations (St, Mr, Ms, Mrs)

Capital letters for proper nouns

Pronouns

(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 202).

Topic specific language

CONTEXT: Overview of series of lessons and background information

The unit will focus on the lives of child convicts in the 1800s

Students will be gaining knowledge on the topic of child convicts, in particular the assignment
of female children to labour in households, as demonstrated in the MyPlace video clip Episode
21 (1 and 2)
Students will be learning how to write a formal letter to a newspaper editor, focusing on
structure
Students will build a knowledge of the structure and appropriate use of language within a letter

Students are currently completing a unit on convict settlement (based on the History Scope and

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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
Sequence: Australian colonial development and colonial settlement change, as per the
Australian Curriculum)
Students have attended an incursion: a dramatic performance to represent the early 1800s

Students are already capable of editing their own drafts of work

Students have experience with writing persuasive texts, so this will not be a focus within the
unit

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
Learning behaviours: I need to use the correct structure and language appropriate
for a formal letter
Success criteria: I know Im doing well if I can write a one page letter to the editor
of a newspaper on the topic of child convicts and child labour
Topic-specific vocabulary for the unit of work:
Convicts, child labour, servant, social class, decade, employment, rights,
punishment, equality, summarising, key words, greeting, address, closure, signature,
abbreviations, argument, evidence, sincerely, justify, support, reason, recipient,
gender roles, editing, reflecting, editor, chores, threatening
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.
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 (refer Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & amp; Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible:
How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. eBook online)
Resources:
Wing Jan, L. (2009). Write ways: Modelling writing forms (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford
University Press. pp 202-203
Australian Childrens Television Foundation and Education Services Australia Ltd (2011). 1808:
Sarah [video clip]. Retrieved from www.myplace.edu.au

Derewianka, B. (1991). Exploring how Texts Work. (Rev. ed.) Sydney: Primary English Teaching
Association

Hertzberg, M. & Freeman, J. (2012) Teaching English language learning in mainstream classes.
Marrickville Metro, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association Australia

Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: teaching second language learners in
the mainstream classroom. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann

Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & Morrison, K. (2011). Making thinking visible: how to promote
engagement, understanding, and independence of all learners. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://ACU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?
p=706891

Seely Flint, A., Kitson, L., Lowe, K., & Shaw, K. (2014). Literacy in Australia: pedagogies for
engagement. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd
Analysing Estimating Listening Performing Reading Seeing patterns Testing
Checking Explaining Locating information Persuading Recognising bias Selecting information Viewing
Classifying Generalising Making choices Planning Reflecting Self-assessing Visually representing
Cooperating Hypothesising Note taking Predicting Reporting Sharing ideas Working independently
Considering options Inferring Observing Presenting Responding Summarising Working to a timetable
Interpreting Ordering events Providing feedback Restating Synthesising

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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
Designing Justifying Organising Questioning Revising
Elaborating

TEACHING & LEARNING CYCLE
(Identify step in the T & L cycle and
the literacy learning intention or
sessions focus )
We are learning to ...
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)
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.

1. Building topic Display images of child Demonstrate how to take See, Think, Wonder The students will place their Use work samples (post
knowledge convicts/servants from notes of key points during a (Ritchhart, 2011, p55) post-it-notes under the it notes) to assess how in
Lesson 1 the 1800s to generate clip, emphasising importance Students, independently, will correct heading on a chart depth students are going
We are learning to discussion. of not writing down use their key points to write drawn on butchers paper, with forming questions
form questions and everything said. down what they saw (see) (Example in Appendix 1.1), (wonderings) on the topic.
opinions based on What do you think life in the clip, what they think creating a list of questions These post-it-notes may
video clips would have been like Demonstrate how questions about what they saw, and the students would like be used in the creation of
for child convicts in can be formed from re- what it makes them answered, which the teacher future lessons
the early 1800s reading these key points. wonder. These will be can use to modify future
Link to See, Think, written individually on post- lessons
Watching of first clip- Wonder (Ritchhart, 2011, it-notes.
Sarahs life (Episode p55) Some students will share
21 (1)) and justify their responses.
Second watching of Sarahs Small teaching group
life, (Episode 21 (1)) with Review the first video clip. Focus on questions formed
students taking notes on key Guide the students to (Wonderings)
points, followed by viewing complete the same activity as
A female gaol (Episode 21 the other students, under the How did writing down key
(2)) guidance of the teacher. words help you in forming
questions about the video?

Lesson 2 The class will discuss the differences observed in the dress and appearance of Sarah and the Owens, as well as the differences in tasks they
We are learning to complete (Appendix 2.1).
make comparisons Working in pairs students will complete research on the class system in the 1800s and use this research to explain the differences they noted
between to different between Sarah and the Owen family. Students will fill in the recording sheet seen in Appendix 2.2. Students will need to highlight key words in
classes of people their research to form a list of topic specific vocabulary that students can use later one, formulated in a word wall (Gibbons, 2002, p62)
Lesson 3 The class will view both clips once again (Episode 21 (1) and (2)). Students will be making text-to-self connections (Flint et al, 2014, p116).
We are learning to Students will be suggesting comparisons between Sarahs life in 1808 and their own life. Students will again work collaboratively in pairs to
make text-to-self expand their understanding on these differences, each completing a venn diagram (Appendix 3.1). New words will be added to our word wall
comparisons (Gibbons, 2002, pg. 62)

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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
2. Building text Display an example of Demonstrate how to Distribute samples of formal Discuss the similarities Collection of work
knowledge/ a formal letter on the highlight specific sections of letters (Appendix 4.1) and students noticed in the samples to assess the
Model the genre board. letters, rather than ask students to read and letters they read. similarities students
Lesson 4 highlighting the entire letter. identify the similarities and picked up between the
We are learning to Generate questioning differences between them Shared writing letters, to gather
understand the to formulate an What do you notice about (Wing Jan, 209, p204) using (Flint et al, 2014, p156) knowledge on their
structure of a formal understanding of what the structure of this letter? a spot the difference Use the ideas generated by understanding of letter
letter students already know How is it different from a activity (Hertberg, 2012, the students to annotate the structure and features.
about letter writing narrative? What sort of p65). Students will be asked features of a formal letter
language is the author to focus on the greeting and displayed on the Interactive
using? How do they open the closure. Whiteboard (IWB) (eg.
letter? How do they close the What does a traditional greeting, signature, closing
letter? opening/closing look like in statement)
a formal letter?

Small teaching group

Lesson 5 Short game- mix and In small groups students will
We are learning to tell matching stick on be given an example of a
the difference between labels (labelling formal letter and an informal
informal and formal language features) to letter. One side of the board
letters the same letter the class will be marked informal
annotated last lesson. and the other formal.
Students will have to stick
their letters on the side of the
board that matches the type
of letter.
Discussion about the choices
with the class, and direct
comparison with the
difference in language
features
Have two letters for students
to read. Collaboratively, the
students will compare both
letters to view key features
present in both of them in
terms of structure
Cloze Exercise
(Flint et al, 2014, p306)
Students will be given two
copies of the same letter with
words missing (Appendix
5.1). The students, working
in pairs, will need to fill in
the gaps on one letter as if it
were a formal letter, and on
the other for if it was an
informal letter.
Small teaching group
The students will each have
their own copies of the letter.
The teacher will have cut out
the missing words, and have
Shared Writing
(Flint et al, 2014, pg 156)
The same letter the students
worked on will be displayed
on the IWB. The students
will first generate an
informal letter, and then a
formal letter, using their
examples. Students need to
justify their choices
The two letters will be
compared side by side. The
differences will be annotated
by the teacher
What is different about the
Taking of anecdotal
notes (Wing Jan, 2009,
pg 83) (Appendix 10.1)
whilst the students are
working and discussing
their choices in their table
groups. Use of a checklist
(Wing Jan, 2009, pg 81)
(Appendix 10.2) to
determine which students
have an understanding of
what constitutes a formal
versus an informal letter.
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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
them ready for the students two letters? What do you
to glue onto their letter. notice about the difference
Students will create one in the use of language.
formal letter and one
informal (Appendix 5.1 and
5.2)
3. Guided activities The list of questions Modelling how to use Information Gap (barrier Students will share the Taking of anecdotal
to develop students will later information to answer open game) (Hertzberg, 2012, answers they came up with notes (Wing Jan, 2009,
vocabulary or complete will be questions. p54): Working in pairs for the questions. p83) (Appendix 10.1)
specific language displayed on the board students will be answering a during student led
feature (Appendix 6.1) Teacher will ask an open set of open questions Student led discussion discussion, related to
Lesson 6 question which will be (Appendix 6.1). One student about the different points raised by students
We are learning to Do you think you could written on the board. will have one sheet of interpretations students may and participation.
answer open ended fully answer these Information will be information, and the other have had for the information
questions questions now? displayed on the IWB. will have another set Collection of work
(Appendix 6.2). Students samples completed by
How might you go Modelling how to form an will be blocked off from each student, to be
about better answering answer by paraphrasing and each other with bags/books. returned to students as
these questions? adding in own thoughts they begin to write their
Small teaching group: individual letters.
Students will work together
to complete the same task
but with modified questions
(Appendix 6.3) and with the
assistance of the teacher.
Lesson 7 Display images of child Demonstration to remind Students will be place in The students will present Taking of anecdotal
We are learning to convicts, first displayed students how to take down groups of three or four. their short summary in front notes (Wing Jan, 2009,
summarise a text in in lesson one, on the key points from a video clip. Using their keywords they of the rest of the class. p83) (Appendix 10.1)
our own words IWB, and the sticky Students should be limited to will reconstruct the text during the students
notes from the See- writing down one or two (creating a short summary of This will generate a presentation of their
Think-Wonder. words for each point they the clip) discussion about similarities summaries, and the post
consider to be important. and difference between their discussion.
Based on what weve Small teaching group summaries, and the
learnt so far, do we Dictogloss A small group of students differences in the keywords
have any answers to (Hertzberg, 2012, pg 68) will work collaboratively that students thought were
these questions? The class will watch the clip under the eye of the teacher. important.
Sarahs life (Episode 21 Students will take it in turns
(1)). The students will need to verbally discuss what How can we use these
to jot down keywords from occurred within the video keywords later on?
the clip. Emphasis should be clip, referring to their notes.
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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
given on not taking down the The teacher will type up
text word for word. their verbally produced
summary

4. Joint Puzzle: The teacher will have cut up large versions of a formal letter into individual parts. The students will need to work collaboratively in small
construction of groups to put it back in the right order, and justify their choices.
text The class will come up with a template that can be used for the writing of their letters, based on what their knowledge about formal letter structure.
Lesson 8 During this construction the teacher will display the annotated letters used previously. The end template will be printed off for use in the next
We are learning how to lessons (Example template, see Appendix 7.1)
write a formal letter to
a newspaper
Lesson 9 Shared writing (Flint et al, 2014, p156): The teacher will construct a short letter with input from the students. The class will be writing a letter to
We are learning how to the editor of a local newspaper a similar topic relating to convicts (eg. the conditions on board the boats). The students will follow the structure they
write a formal letter to created in the previous week as they jointly construct a letter. Students must justify their choices as they make them to the class. Students will begin
a newspaper to plan their own letters.
5. Independent The class will revise the structure of a formal letter and the letter they constructed last week. Students will begin to construct their own letters,
construction of using the planning template they begun in the previous lesson, with full access to the research they compiled throughout the unit of work. The
text teacher will provide assistance where needed. Students who may struggle with the template they have been given may be given a more detailed
Lesson 10 template (Appendix 8.1). The word wall and annotated letter should be displayed for the students to view.
We are learning to
write a formal letter to
a newspaper about the
treatment of child
convicts
Lesson 11 Students will again be working on their letters.
We are learning to Roving writing conference (Flint et al, 2014, p161): The teacher will work with each student to discuss their writing, and give some warm and
write a formal letter to cool feedback. Students who are ahead may be paired up to give feedback and some editing to their partners before the final draft is written.
a newspaper about Struggling students: Students who arent confident with their writing may complete the language experience approach (Flint et al, 2014, pp 156-
child convicts and 157) leaving blanks where they get stuck for the teacher to fill in later.
child labour
Lesson 12 Discussion about how the students are going with their letters, any struggles or blocks in their writing. Students will come up with strategies to
We are learning to assist each other.
write a formal letter to Students will begin editing their drafts. Once their final draft has been edited and checked by the teacher they may start typing up their final copy.
a newspaper about
child convicts and
child labour
Lesson 13 Lesson to be included if students need more time to complete their letters. If only few students have completed their work they may assist in editing
We are learning to other students letters. This lesson may be omitted in the majority of students have completed their final copies.
write a formal letter to

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Assessment Task 3: Literacy Planning Cassandra Lia: S00142660
a newspaper about
child convicts and
child labour

6. Reflecting on Reflection circles (Wing Jan, 2009, p187): Students will be put into small groups to discuss their letters- ie. what worked, what didnt work, what
language they struggled with They will discuss what theyve learnt about writing letters, what they think they could improve upon, as well as some
choices strengths they found in their writing.
Lesson 14 Students will then complete a self assessment (Wing Jan, 2009, p886) to be handed in with the final copy of their letter. (Appendix 9.1)
We are learning to
evaluate our own
learning.