Understanding by Design Unit Template

Title of Unit Artemis Fowl – The Fair and the Fowl Year 8
Curriculum Area English Time Frame 5 weeks
Developed By Isabella Davies
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Learning Requirements
 Analyse how the text structures and language features of persuasive texts, including media texts, vary according to the medium and mode of
communication (ACELA1543)

 Identify and evaluate devices that create tone, for example humour, wordplay, innuendo and parody in poetry, humorous prose, drama or visual
texts (ACELT1630) (Touched on)

 Create literary texts that draw upon text structures and language features of other texts for particular purposes and effects (ACELT1632)

 Experiment with particular language features drawn from different types of texts, including combinations of language and visual choices
to create new texts (ACELT1768)

Understandings Essential Questions

Overarching Understanding Overarching Topical
People aren’t inherently good or evil, morality is a spectrum that can change What examples of good and evil do How are images used to enhance
and fluctuate from person to person. we see in the book? the story?

The perspectives from which an event is viewed can influence the readers How are the relationships between Why write a Graphic Novel?
opinion as to whether the characters involved were good or evil. the characters developed?
How can perspective change a
Experiences change the way someone can react to a situation. Understanding Is Artemis Fowl the Hero of the story?
the motivations behind an action can change the way that action is story? Why?
interpreted.
Related Misconceptions
Graphic novels are all about superheroes
Graphic Novels are picture books
Characters are always either good or bad
Knowledge Skills
Students will know that… Students will be able to…

Graphic Novels are as diverse as any other kind of book Identify techniques used in a graphic novel
People’s actions are influenced by their experiences and surroundings Identify similarities and differences between written novels and graphic
Morality is a spectrum: sometimes a character is neither good or bad novels
Masquerade as a character in order to empathise with and communicate
their experiences throughout the book
Draw connections between characters
Use evidence to support an opinion

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
Assessment Task 1
Folio (5 Tasks)
A. Elements of graphic novels - students will need to demonstrate an understanding of the elements of a graphic novel, how a graphic
novel is different to a comic strip or a picture book, and begin to develop their own ideas as to how they may structure their own
comic strip.) Students will complete a short comprehension worksheet before going on to create their own comic using
the elements we have talked about, i.e. speech bubble, thought bubble, action bubble, frame/panel, etc…
B. Graphic Novel/Written Novel Comparison - students will show their understanding of the different advantages and disadvantages of
graphic novels and written novels. This activity will also allow them the opportunity to begin to form their own opinions about the
text leading up to the final assignment. (completed as a Venn Diagram)
C. Short story based off of a Garfield Comic + a writers statement (very short, 100wds max) in which students explain what they had
the think about when translating a comic into a story. Dialogue? How is it different? How are the descriptions different? Etc…
D. Character profile - students will need to show their engagement with the text through an in-depth analysis of one of the three main
characters outlining their role in the narrative, including their names, age, description, and what their job entails. This will be
presented as a trading card (the template will be provided to them through SEQTA)
E. Diary Entry - students will write a diary entry from the perspective of one of the characters, describing the characters motivations
for their actions. They will have to reference events and actions from the book in order to integrate the assignment. It will be
expected that all students indicate the moral alignment of the character in order to demonstrate their understanding of the concept
as it is key for the final assignment.

Assessment Task 2 Students will create a discussion about whether Artemis Fowl is good or evil. They will be required to use evidence from the
Opinion Piece - text (i.e. quotes, frames, etc…) to back up their findings. Students will complete the discussion individually and should use no
Morality more than 500 words (300 minimum-500 maximum). students will have approximately a week and a half to complete this task.
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
5 lessons per week - 2 double 1 single
Week 1
⮚ Introduction to graphic novels - TEACH ONE (1 Lesson) -
Graphic Novel versus Written Novel Tables in Groups this week- Partner work encouraged
 ● Graphic Novels and Picture Books o Footpath Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith
● Elements of a Graphic Novel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJhBlqmPDAo
● First Task o Garfield Comics - Looking at the similarities and differences between comic
● Begin Artemis Fowl strips and graphic novels - how has it changed/not changed over time.
o Geronimo Stilton Books - Picture books and Graphic Novels - Brief look at the
difference
FOLIO 1A
Small Activity:
What is the character dynamic? Good and Evil? Indications of Morality?
(Gaining an initial idea of their existing knowledge - Pre-assessment)
Just dialogue without pictures
Just pictures without dialogue
Combine

➢ Linked to Vocab: Panel, frame, dialogue, caption, sound effects (onomatopoeia)

❏ Reconstruction of a comic - DO ONE (<1 Lesson)

→ Reiteration of Vocab

Small Activity:
Reconstruct a comic strip - students are provided with the picture, dialogue, caption,
and sound effects from an existing comic strip. They will need to reconstruct this comic
strip in a way that makes sense. (This is not necessarily the original way, however that
would be easiest.)
❏ Begin Task 1a - narrowing down ideas CREATE ONE: (Should take at least 2 lessons)
o Storyboarding activity to show their understanding of elements of graphic
novels (see task description above) This will be a part of an evidence board in
which the students will justify their answers for the final assessment task: is
Artemis Fowl a good guy or a bad guy?

❖ Guided reading of sections first couple of pages of Artemis Fowl - Should happen earlier
in the week (students expected to read chapters 1→3 throughout the week)
➢ Teacher directed overview of central ideas in the first chapter

Week 2
- Tell me about Artemis Fowl…
Building Background Knowledge Tables in pairs or “U” shape this week - encourage solo work
● Novels - graphic and written - Guided reading of the start of chapter 4 - by the end of this week students should have
● Comics completed up to the end of chapter 6.
● Characters
 ● Morality - Begin task 1b - “Spot the Difference”: (Should take at least 2 lessons)
- Comparison task to show their understanding of the elements of a graphic
FOLIO 1B&1C novel as well as how a novel can be translated into a graphic novel, as is the
case with Artemis Fowl. (see task description above) This will be added to the
evidence board.

Small Activity
De-construct a comic strip - Using the Garfield comic strips, write a story about what is
happening, describe the scene, the characters, as well as the actions undertaken. Write
the story as you would read it in a novel.

- Who are you? (Check in)

Week 3 Tables in groups this week - discussion is encouraged

Check Point Discuss the concept of good versus evil – What kinds of characters (Disney as an example)
might be seen as “good”? Which ones would be “evil”?

FOLIO 1D&1E Small Activity:

Students will help to create a mind map on the board of all the characters that may fit
on the spectrum of good and evil - where might Harry Potter sit? What about Master
Chief? etc… They will be asked to explain their choices.

Begin task 1c - Profiling: (Should take at least 1 lesson)

- Create a profile for one of the main characters we have met so far. Describe
their appearance, name, age, job, and their role in the story. Create a trading
card.

- Guided reading of the start of chapter 7 - by the end of this week students should have
completed up to the end of chapter 9 (finished book)

- Task 1e - Dear Diary... : (Should take around 3 lessons)

- create a diary entry from the perspective of one of the characters (other than
Artemis or whichever character they used for the profile) in which they will
describe the characters feelings about the events taking place. They must give
some indication of the characters moral alignment as it is integral to the final
assessment. (see task description above)
 If all work is completed students will be given time to complete any previous tasks that may
have been left uncompleted. This week is dedicated to finishing the Folio (assessment 1)

Week 4
- Dedication to the Final Task
Novel Check-in Tables can be set up however has worked best in the past few weeks - possibly groups?
- Novel Check-in - students should have finished reading the Novel by this point
Assessment 2
- Assessment 2 - Discussion (approximately 1½ weeks [7 lessons])
Friday – Year 8 Excursion to Flinders University - Students discuss the evidence depicting Artemis Fowl as a good guy, evidence
(all day) depicting him as a bad guy, and an evaluation of their conclusion: Is he a good
guy or a bad guy? They will create a 300-500 word discussion about whether or
not Artemis is good or evil based upon evidence found from the book.
Week 5
Final Task Continuation…
Assessment 2 cont... - Task is due by Friday

Compiling the evidence - Evidence Board - the two assessments are displayed together as one big evidence
board mapping out their understanding of the characters, how to interpret the
“evidence” and their final conclusion.

Pre-assessment New Unit Pre-assessment:

- before the beginning of the next unit there will be a pre-assessment to determine how
much the students know before we start.

Next unit will be a news report / article connecting with the zombie unit. (Could look at
newspaper articles / TV news reports / online articles and their elements as a pre-assessment)