Teachers Names: Jessica Hussey-Smith & Susan Hey
Year Level: 3/4
Overarching Objectives
To engage students from all levels in the enjoyment of reading, viewing, listening and writing
poetry
Activate prior knowledge of alliteration
Demonstrate their comprehension of assonance and consonance
Create a Waddanimal and choose an appropriate name for it
Construct a two line stanza including at least 2 of the poetic sound devices (alliteration,
assonance, consonance)
Knowledge Students will re-familiarise themselves with alliteration. By the end of this lesson, students
should be able to identify the three major sound devices alliteration, assonance and consonance in the
set poem “Mannika Moo in a Stew”.
Skills By the end of this lesson, students should be able to write a two line stanza using at least two
poetic sound devices.
Social/Attitudinal By the end of this lesson, students will have practiced working harmoniously in pairs
as joint authors of a two line stanza, hopefully appreciated how much fun using poetic sound devices can
be and felt comfortable with reading their stanzas in a small group setting. They should also have been
successful in practicing apt speaking and listening behaviours as they responded appropriately when
giving and receiving peer feedback. (ACELY1792)
Context for learning
This lesson is embedded in a cross curriculum poetry unit involving ICT, Art, Writing, Listening, Speaking
and Reading with the eventual learning outcomes being that students will create, self-edit, peer edit, and
finally publish their poem using the poetic sound devices, alliteration, assonance and consonance, on the
class web page. They will also illustrate their poem with an appropriate ‘Waddanimal’. The students will
then publish a class Poetry/Anthology book in hard copy for both the class and school library, plus copies
to 'sell' to parents, family and friends as a fundraiser for the 'Save the Children' fund (an ongoing class
project). Students will also recite their poem in front of the rest of the class.
Note: According to the Scope and Sequence of C2C this poetry unit is scheduled to be taught in Term 4
Pre-requisite
Alliteration has already been introduced as a poetic sound device in the lesson series reading and
understanding limericks.
1
Time
Link to
Syllabus
Outcomes
Activity Sequence and Descriptions
Purpose (include references)
5 min
(ACELY1792)
Interactive Whiteboard presentation of
Mannika Moo in a Stew poem as
teacher recites it to the entire class.
The hook and scene setter for the writing
task. Listening for enjoyment1.
See Notes 3
for expansion
on all Syllabus
Outcomes
Introduces the style and topic of the poem
to be written. Familiarising2 (Gradual Release of
Responsibility Model) Married to the
Functional Approach: Building the
Knowledge of the Field. (Mills, 2012)
Caters for Multiple Intelligences (Appendix 1)
10 min
Micro
teaching
time
5mins
(ACELY1792)
(ACELY1691)
(ACELA1478)
Then an Interactive Read Aloud
session with the entire class. A version
of Choral Reading. (Appendix 2)
This poem will also be used as a speaking
task where students will recite in small
groups followed by reciting to the whole
class.
(ACELY1679)
15 min
(ACELT1600)
(ACELY1692)
Micro
teaching
time
5mins
(ACELT1791)
Reading and speaking for enjoyment.
Engaging student interest. Practice reading
poetic form in a non-threatening
environment.
Deconstruction/analysis of text
highlighting alliteration, assonance and
consonance.
Students become familiar with three poetic
sound devices, readily able to recognise
them in the text.
Joint deconstruction/analysis of text
starting with the Title. Initial discussion
revising alliteration followed by
assonance and consonance.
“While we do not want students to rely
solely on structured, formula-based
poems, they do have merit when
introducing poetry and building confidence.
They provide valuable opportunities for
creative and expressive wordplay and
exploration of grammatical concepts.”
(Parr & Campbell 2006)
15 min
Micro
teaching
time
5mins
(ACELT1791)
Model writing the three different sound
devices.
The Functional Approach: Modelling the
Genre (Mills, 2012) married to Gradual
Release of Responsibility model2.
Have students jointly construct text on
the Whiteboard (Interactive Writing).
Scaffolded transition to the writing task.
(Appendix 3)
The Functional Approach: Joint
Construction of the Text (Mills, 2012)
Interactive writing “improves spelling
knowledge, provides a letter–sound
connection, and links the decoding process
to writing. It reaches all students and ability
levels by developing language and building
schema”. (Patterson, Schaller &Clemens 2008)
Time
Link to
Syllabus
Outcomes
Activity Sequence and Descriptions
Purpose (include references)
25-30
min
(ACELT1791)
Pair work constructing and illustrating
text using the Basket Prompts
strategy. (Appendix 3)
Joint construction of the text to alleviate
stress whilst building social skills, thus
developing interpersonal intelligence.
Micro
teaching
time
5mins
(ACELA1496)
(ACELT1606)
Visual prompts stimulate creativity and
cater for the Visual learner.
Providing the problem cuts down
procrastination time.
Formative assessment to ascertain what
other teaching/learning strategies need to
be introduced so that students can create
and illustrate a complete poem.
Independent Construction of the Text:
The Functional Approach: Independent
Construction of the Text (Mills, 2012) married
We chose not to include an independent
construction of text in this lesson but to Application stage of Gradual Release of
2
rather to focus on scaffolding our learners Responsibilities model
understanding of the poetic devices used
and to construct a two line stanza which
will segue into creating a complete poem
further on in the unit sequence. The
reason for heavily scaffolding the writing of
this style of poetry is multi layered. As the
students have not written in this sub-genre
before the overarching philosophy is
‘make haste slowly’ and give them many
opportunities to gain mastery of this
writing style. Also, there are several
special needs students in this class who
find constructing a complete sentence
quite challenging and we didn’t want them
to feel overwhelmed and thus become
demotivated and completely disengage
with the task.
Provisions for Special Needs
Students with special learning needs will be paired with students who are on the upper end of the reading
and writing class continuum and are also socially aware.
Formative Assessment
Two line stanzas illustrated with Waddanimals. This assessment will be used to guide future teaching
learning strategies so that the whole class will be able to create an entire poem, minimum eight lines, and
artfully illustrate it with care taken for the spatial placement of all elements. This will include choice of text
style.
Classroom Resources
Computer, Flash drive, Interactive Whiteboard
Poem “Mannika Moo in a Stew” by Susan Hey
Handout for practicing Alliteration, Assonance and Consonance
Handout for students to write their stanza and glue their animal on
Scissors, glue, colouring in pencils and/or felt pens, two brightly coloured baskets,
List of References
ACARA Australian Curriculum Assessment Reporting Authority: Curriculum: English (2011).
Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/English
Annandale, K., Bindon, R., Broz, J., Dougan, J., Handley, K., Johnston, A., … Rourke, R., (2005)
Writing Resource Book (2nd ed.) Reid International Books Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney, NSW.
Dipple, S. (2009-2012). What is an Interactive Read Aloud? Retrieved April 16, 2012, from
http://www.primary-education-oasis.com/interactive-read-aloud.html#ixzz1seLisGFL
Mills, K. (2012). CLP425 Primary English P-7: Lecture 2 [Lecture slides]. Retrieved from
http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps
%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_82877_1%26url%3D
Parr, M. and Campbell, T. (2006), Poets in Practice. The Reading Teacher, 60: 36–46. doi:
10.1598/RT.60.1.4
Patterson, E., Schaller, M. and Clemens, J. (2008), A Closer Look at Interactive Writing. The Reading
Teacher, 61: 496–497. doi: 10.1598/RT.61.6.8
Thirteenth ed. online, (2004). What is the theory of multiple intelligences (M.I.)? Retrieved April 16,
2012, from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html
Notes:
1
Listening and reading for entertainment/enjoyment are two of the aims mentioned in the
Rationale of the Australian Curriculum.
The Australian Curriculum: English aims to ensure that students:
learn to listen to, read, view, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly complex and sophisticated
spoken, written and multimodal texts across a growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and
purpose.
appreciate, enjoy and use the English language in all its variations and develop a sense of its richness
and power to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain,
persuade and argue.
2
Gradual Release of Responsibility Model (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983 as cited in Writing Resource Book,
Annandale et al, 2005)
Analysing : Students analyse the organization of the text.
Familiarising : Students are immersed in or exposed to multiple
examples of the selected text form
Modelling
Sharing
Guiding
Applying
The teacher
demonstrates and
explains the
composition of a
selected text form
being introduced. This
is achieved by
‘thinking aloud’ the
mental processes
used when writing the
form.
The teacher continues
to demonstrate the
composition of the text
form, inviting students
to contribute ideas and
information.
The teacher provides
scaffolds for students
to use when
composing texts. The
teacher provides
feedback.
The teacher offers
support and
encouragement as
needed.
The students
participate by actively
attending to the
demonstration.
Students contribute
ideas and begin to
collaboratively
compose texts in
whole-class or smallgroup situations.
Students work with
help from the teacher
and peers to compose
a selected text form.
The students work
independently to craft
the text form. Students
adapt the text form to
suit different purposes,
audience and contexts
3. Australian Curriculum English Yr 3 and 4 Syllabus Guides
Discuss the nature and effects of some language devices used to
enhance meaning and shape the reader’s reaction, including
rhythm and onomatopoeia in poetry and prose
•
•
(ACELT1600)
Understand, interpret and experiment with a range of devices and
deliberate word play in poetry and other literary texts, for example
nonsense words, spoonerisms, neologisms and puns
(ACELT1606)
•
Create texts that adapt language features and patterns
encountered in literary texts, for example characterisation, rhyme,
rhythm, mood, music, sound effects and dialogue
(ACELT1791)
•
•
•
Read an increasing range of different types of texts by combining
contextual, semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge, using
text processing strategies, for example monitoring, predicting,
confirming, rereading, reading on and self-correcting
(ACELY1679)
•
•
•
•
•
Use interaction skills such as acknowledging another’s point of
view and linking students’ response to the topic, using familiar and
new vocabulary and a range of vocal effects such as tone, pace,
pitch and volume to speak clearly and coherently
(ACELY1688)






Read different types of texts by combining contextual , semantic,
grammatical and phonic knowledge using text processing
strategies for example monitoring meaning, cross checking and
reviewing
•
(ACELY1691)
•
•
identifying the effect of imagery in texts, for example the
use of imagery related to nature in haiku poems
exploring how rhythm, onomatopoeia and alliteration give
momentum to poetry and prose read aloud, and enhance
enjoyment
defining spoonerisms, neologisms and puns and exploring
how they are used by authors to create a sense of
freshness, originality and playfulness
discussing poetic language, including unusual adjectival
use and how it engages us emotionally and brings to life
the poet’s subject matter (for example ‘He grasps the crag
with crooked hands’/wee timorous beastie)
creating visual and multimodal texts based on Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander or Asian literature, applying one
or more visual elements to convey the intent of the original
text
creating multimodal texts that combine visual images,
sound effects, music and voice overs to convey settings
and events in a fantasy world
combining different types of knowledge (for example world
knowledge, vocabulary, grammar, phonics) to make
decisions about unknown words, reading on, reviewing and
summarising meaning
analysing the way illustrations help to construct meaning
and interpreting different types of illustrations and graphics
reading text types from a student’s culture to enhance
confidence in building reading strategies
reading aloud with fluency and intonation
reading a wider range of texts, including chapter books and
informative texts, for pleasure
participating in pair, group, class and school speaking and
listening situations, including informal conversations, class
discussions and presentations
developing appropriate speaking and listening behaviours
including acknowledging and extending others’
contributions,
presenting ideas and opinions clearly and coherently
choosing a variety of appropriate words and prepositional
phrases, including descriptive words and some technical
vocabulary, to communicate meaning accurately
exploring the effects of changing voice tone, volume, pitch
and pace in formal and informal contexts
reading new and different kinds of texts with the use of
established word identification strategies, including
knowledge of the topic and of text type together with selfmonitoring strategies; including rereading, self-questioning
and pausing, and including self-correction strategies such
confirming and crosschecking
reading aloud with fluency and expression
reading a wide range of different types of texts for pleasure
Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning
to expand content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas and
analysing and evaluating texts
(ACELY1692)
Use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and
communicate in a clear, coherent manner using a variety of
everyday and learned vocabulary and appropriate tone, pace,
pitch and volume.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
(ACELY1792)
•
•
•
Understand how different types of texts vary in use of language
choices, depending on their purpose and context (for example,
tense and types of sentences)
making connections between the text and students’ own
experience and other texts
making connections between information in print and
images
building and using prior knowledge and vocabulary
finding specific literal information
asking and answering questions
creating mental images
finding the main idea of a text
inferring meaning from the ways communication occurs in
digital environments including the interplay between words,
images, and sounds
participating in pair, group and class speaking and listening
situations, including informal conversations, class
discussions and presentations
listening actively including listening for specific information,
recognising the value of others’ contributions and
responding through comments, recounts and summaries of
information
learning the specific speaking or listening skills of different
group roles, for example group leader, note taker and
reporter l acquiring new vocabulary in all curriculum areas
through listening, reading, viewing and discussion and
using this vocabulary in specific ways such as describing
people, places, things and processes
using language appropriately in different situations such as
making a request of a teacher, explaining a procedure to a
classmate, engaging in a game with friends
experimenting with voice effects in formal presentations
such as tone, volume and pace
•
becoming familiar with typical structural stages and
language features of various types of text, for example
narratives, procedures, reports, reviews and expositions
•
examining visual and multimodal texts, building a
vocabulary to describe visual elements and techniques
such as framing, composition and visual point of view and
beginning to understand how these choices impact on
viewer response
(ACELA1478)
Explore the effect of choices when framing an image, placement
of elements in the image, and salience on composition of still and
moving images in a range of types of texts
(ACELA1496)
Appendix 1
GARDNER’S MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
Howard Gardner claims that all human beings have multiple intelligences. These
multiple intelligences can be nurtured and strengthened, or ignored and weakened.
He believes each individual has nine intelligences:
Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence -- well-developed verbal skills and sensitivity to the
sounds, meanings and rhythms of words
Mathematical-Logical Intelligence -- ability to think conceptually and abstractly,
and capacity to discern logical or numerical patterns
Musical Intelligence -- ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and timber
Visual-Spatial Intelligence -- capacity to think in images and pictures, to visualize
accurately and abstractly
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence -- ability to control one's body movements and to
handle objects skillfully
Interpersonal Intelligence -- capacity to detect and respond appropriately to the
moods, motivations and desires of others.
Intrapersonal Intelligence -- capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner
feelings, values, beliefs and thinking processes
Naturalist Intelligence -- ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals and
other objects in nature
Existential Intelligence -- sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about
human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get
here.
Sourced from www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/mi/index.html.
Appendix 2
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUDS
An interactive read aloud is comprised of a series of purposeful activities that also incorporates reciprocal
teaching.

Previewing the book/poem

Scaffolding on prior knowledge

Modeling vocabulary development

Teaching reading fluency

Emphasizing elements of the story/poem

Asking purposeful questions

Using think-alouds to assist comprehension

Summarizing the story to bring closure
Texts used during the interactive read aloud should be from a wide variety of genres. They should tap
into the readers' interests and be full of rich vocabulary.
These same texts can be used as part of a focus lesson where kids learn to read during the Reading
Workshop.
Note: In this instance the key purpose for an Interactive Read Aloud is to encourage the students to
explore the sounds of the poetic devices used while concurrently using their whole body to demonstrate
the meaning of the poem as they read. This is a stimulating non-threatening method for all students to
engage with the text.
Read more: http://www.primary-education-oasis.com/interactive-read-aloud.html#ixzz1seLisGFL
Appendix 3
BASKET PROMPTS
Have three colourful baskets with the heads of animals in one, bodies of animals in another and
the question mark problem cards in the third.
Without looking students choose two heads, two bodies and one problem card.
In pairs they decide which head and body to use for their particular Waddanimal
They then name the animal
Using the first letter of their animal’s name as an alliterative prompt and the problem card they
jointly create a two line stanza.
They also incorporate either assonance or consonance into their stanza. They may use both if
they so desire.
Example: The head of a Hippopotamus, the body of an Elephant, the problem being their animal can’t
dance.
Hildi Hippophant hated to dance
Until she got ants in her pants