MOSSGIEL PARKPRIMARY SCHOOL LIBRARY PROGRAM
BRUCE WHATLEY AUTHOR STUDY All Years – Foundation year
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
LESSON SEQUENCES ................................................................................................................................. 3
Lesson 1 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Lesson 2 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Lesson 3 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Lesson 4 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Lesson 5 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Lesson 6 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Lesson 7 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Lesson 8 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Lesson 9 ....................................................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Lesson 10 ..................................................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Lesson 11 ..................................................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
LEARNING FOCUS ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
VICTORIAN ESSENTIAL LEARNING STANDARDS LEARNING FOCUS ........................................... 9
Learning Focus English (Speaking and Listening) Level 1 .......................................................................................................................... 9
Learning Focus Thinking Processes Level 1 ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Learning Focus Personal Learning Level 1 .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Learning Focus Interpersonal Learning Level 1 ........................................................................................................................................... 9
SLAV Library focus Level 1 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Aboriginal Perspectives across the Curriculum ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Sustainability................................................................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Page 1 of 16
POLT Focus ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Values Education ......................................................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Key Understandings for Assessment .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Focus Questions .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM LEARNING FOCUS .............................................................................. 10
LANGUAGE .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
LITERATURE ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 12
LITERACY ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13
ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 14
VICTORIAN ESSENTIAL LEARNING STANDARDS (VELS) ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS ........ 14
VELS English (Speaking and Listening) Standards Foundation Year ....................................................................................................... 14
VELS Thinking Processes Standards Foundation Year .............................................................................................................................. 15
VELS Personal Standards Foundation Year ............................................................................................................................................... 15
VELS Interpersonal Learning Standards Foundation Year ........................................................................................................................ 15
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS ........................................................... 15
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM ENGLISH FOUNDATION YEAR ...................................................................................................... 15
Introduction
This unit explores the work of the contemporary Australian author-illustrator Bruce Whatley. It is intended for use in Term 4 when students are ready to
use more advanced thinking tools and can appreciate Whatley’s humour.
Students discuss the style of his illustrations, contrasting them with those of Beatrix Potter (if they are familiar with her style after the Beatrix Potter author
study earlier in the year). They identify factors which make his stories funny (i.e. his slapstick humour).
Students are introduced to DATT Thinking Tools as a way to respond to these stories, but teachers should be aware that the ability to use a PMI (Plus,
Minus, Interesting) thinking tool is contingent on developmental readiness for switching thinking from what’s good about an idea to what’s bad about the
same idea. Students still in the Preoperational Stage of Development can think in images and symbols but not manipulate and transform them and they
will cling to the one idea that they had i.e. that it’s a good idea OR a bad idea but cannot reverse their thinking to consider that an idea might be both
good AND bad in some way. Only students who are ready for it should attempt ‘what’s interesting?’ about the idea.
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LESSON SEQUENCES
Lesson 1
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Lesson 2
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Lesson 3
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Lesson 4
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Cue in the cover of Little White
Dogs Can’t Jump: What kinds of
dogs do you know about? Do
they like riding in cars? How can
they get into a car?
Cue in: What happened in last
week’s story? What can you see
on the cover of this one? What
other races do you know about,
in real life? In stories? (cf. The
Hare and the Tortoise; the
Melbourne Cup). How do people
make races fair?
Cue in: Compare covers of Bruce
Whatley books read so far. What
do you know about emus? What
size are they? Where do they
live? Where can you see one?
What do they eat? (Seeds,
grasses, leaves and insects).
Cue in: Compare covers of Bruce
Whatley books read so far. What
do you know about crabs?
Discuss the cover: why is it
funny? Use laptops to view
PowerPoint about crabs and
discuss their features and habits.
Students explore ABC Emus
website using laptops and iPads.
Read Looking for Crabs pausing
to explain the visual jokes and
puns and to identify the crabs’
behaviour that is realistic or
absurd.
Introduce Bruce Whatley (show
photo) as the author & illustrator
of Little White Dogs Can't Jump.
Explain how he likes to make
readers laugh, and to have a
surprise at the end.
Activities
Read story. Discuss characters –
who are the main characters?
Did the author make you laugh?
Why – what was funny? What
was the surprise at the end? How
does the dog’s owner show
values of caring about the dog
(care and compassion)?
Brainstorm for ways to get
Smudge into the car. Table task:
students draw and ‘label’ their
‘design’ for the dog to get into the
car.
What do you need to do to get a
sticker for your work? The
picture has to show the strategy
and there must be an attempt at
a label.
Share time.
1
Read The Boing Boing Races by
Bruce Whatley (W), pausing to
discuss the cheating, the
disasters, who won and how.
Compare this story with Aesop’s
Fable, The Hare and the
Tortoise1.
Brainstorm: How could we set up
a race between 4 legged
creatures and 2 legged ones so
that it was fair? Students
complete DATT Thinking Tool
PMI worksheet: what’s
good/bad/interesting about the
idea that ‘All the four-legged
animals have to have their legs
tied together to make it fair’
What do you need to do to get a
sticker for your work? Define
having to give reasons why the
idea is good and bad.
Read The Flying Emu, pausing to
explain the visual jokes.
Ask Beach Ball comprehension
questions: Why does he want to
fly? How do Pa Roo and Earl
Grey show that they care about
him (values of care and
compassion)?
Table task: Write and draw in
pairs: PMI - All creatures can fly.
What do you need to do to get a
sticker for your work? Define
having to give reasons why the
idea is good and bad.
Share Time:
Ask Beach Ball literal
comprehension questions.
Which actions of the crabs are
possible (e.g. hiding under rocks)
and which are not (e.g. wearing
Mickey Mouse caps)?
Students complete worksheet,
judging which parts of the story
were the funniest and the silliest,
drawing and writing a sentence
about them.
What do you need to do to get a
sticker for your work? Define
having to give reasons for
opinions.
Share Time:
Share time.
All the competitors are jumpers except Emu, but he ties his feet together so that he can be in a jumping race with the kangaroos.
Page 3 of 16
Resources
Special needs
VELS standard/s Assessment SLAV
Level 1
Library Skills Level 1
2
3
Little White Dogs Can't Jump by
Bruce Whatley: (W)
Teacher–made draw-a-design
worksheet
The Boing Boing Races by Bruce
Whatley (W).
Teacher made PMI worksheet:
All the 4-legged animals have to
have their legs tied together to
make a race with 2-legged
animals fair.
The Flying Emu by Brice Whatley
(W)
Teacher-made All Animals Can
Fly PMI worksheet
ABC Our Animals website2
Comprehension questions Beach
Ball (or similar gimmick)3
At risk Draw, ‘write’ & retell to the
teacher in order the parts of the
story (beginning, middle, & end).
ESL: provide support for
vocabulary development with
pictures from the book; prompt
with sentence beginnings
Gifted: encourage a sequence of
machinery (like the ones in the
book) for the design.
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
At risk/ESL: (if aide available):
complete PMI as a small group.
Provide support for vocabulary
development with pictures from
the book; Use prompts to elicit
opinions about the idea &
sentence beginnings.
Gifted: Only more able students
attempt ‘What’s interesting about
the idea?
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
At risk/ ESL: (if aide available):
complete PMI as a small group.
Provide support for vocabulary
development with pictures from
the book; Use prompts to elicit
opinions about the idea &
sentence beginnings.
Gifted: Only more able students
attempt ‘What’s interesting about
the idea?
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
Thinking Processes (Focus)
Students use a range of simple
thinking tools to gather and
process information. They reflect
on their thinking (for example,
why they think what they think
about a text) and take time to
consider before responding.
Thinking Processes (Focus)
Students use a range of simple
thinking tools to gather and
process information. They reflect
on their thinking (for example,
why they think what they think
about a text) and take time to
consider before responding.
Thinking Processes (Focus)
Students use a range of simple
thinking tools to gather and
process information. They reflect
on their thinking (for example,
why they think what they think
about a text) and take time to
consider before responding.
Looking for Crabs by Bruce
Whatley (W)
Teacher-made Funniest/silliest
worksheet.
Comprehension questions Beach
Ball (or similar gimmick)
Teacher-made PowerPoint about
different types of crabs & their
habitat and behaviour.
At risk/ ESL:
Provide support for vocabulary
development with pictures from
the book; Use prompts to elicit
opinions & sentence beginnings.
Gifted: encourage using
‘because’ to form compound
sentences.
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
Thinking Processes (Focus)
Students use a range of simple
thinking tools to gather and
process information. They reflect
on their thinking (for example,
why they think what they think
about a text) and take time to
consider before responding.
http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/animals/01ground.htm
What is the title and who is the author? Who are the main characters? What is the setting? What is your favourite part? How did it end? What happened in the story?
Page 4 of 16
Australian curriculum standard/s
Foundation Year
Students engage with a variety of
texts for enjoyment. They listen
to, read and view spoken, written
and multimodal texts in which the
primary purpose is to entertain,
as well as some texts designed to
inform. These include traditional
oral texts, picture books, various
types of stories, rhyming verse,
poetry, non-fiction, film,
multimodal texts and dramatic
performances. They participate in
shared reading, viewing and
storytelling using a range of
literary texts, and recognise the
entertaining nature of literature.
Students engage with a variety of
texts for enjoyment. They listen
to, read and view spoken, written
and multimodal texts in which the
primary purpose is to entertain,
as well as some texts designed to
inform. These include traditional
oral texts, picture books, various
types of stories, rhyming verse,
poetry, non-fiction, film,
multimodal texts and dramatic
performances. They participate in
shared reading, viewing and
storytelling using a range of
literary texts, and recognise the
entertaining nature of literature.
Students engage with a variety of
texts for enjoyment. They listen
to, read and view spoken, written
and multimodal texts in which the
primary purpose is to entertain,
as well as some texts designed to
inform. These include traditional
oral texts, picture books, various
types of stories, rhyming verse,
poetry, non-fiction, film,
multimodal texts and dramatic
performances. They participate in
shared reading, viewing and
storytelling using a range of
literary texts, and recognise the
entertaining nature of literature.
Deep
Thinking
Bloom’s Evaluating: Judging:
which designs would work best?
Bloom’s Evaluating: Judging and
Prioritising: what’s the most
important thing to do when
organising a race?
Bloom’s Analysing: explaining
character’s actions e.g. why did
Emu want to be in this race so
much?
Page 5 of 16
Understand concepts about print
and screen, including how books,
film and simple digital texts work,
and know some features of print,
for example directionality (i.e.
when using the PowerPoint.
Bloom’s Evaluating: Judging e.g.
what’s the funniest/silliest scene
in the book? Why?
Lesson 5
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Lesson 6
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Lesson 7
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Lesson 8 Wrapping up & review
No Buddy borrowing this term.
Cue in: Compare covers of Bruce
Whatley books read so far and
discuss Bruce Whatley Read
and discuss Clinton Gregory’s
Secret (plot, illustrations and
characters, and why they are
funny).using Beach Ball literal
comprehension questions:
Discuss cover of That Magnetic
Dog by Bruce Whatley. Talk
about magnets – what are they?
What do they do?
Discuss breeds of dogs: What do
you know about dogs? Show
different breeds and discuss
types e.g. hunting dogs, lap
dogs, working dogs. Discuss
cover of The Ugliest Dog in the
World and why the author gave
the book this title.
Cue in by reviewing funny books
by Bruce Whatley that have been
read before. Elicit brief
summaries of what the books are
about. Note that he likes creating
stories about animals, including
pets and Aussie bush animals.
Discuss relationship of pictures &
text & how the author creates
humour from the mismatch.
Activities
Were these secrets real? Why?
Why not? Why did Clinton have
these secrets? Where did his
ideas for the secrets come from?4
Introduce T-chart as a thinking
tool: what secrets could there be
with your toys? What would your
toys look like/sound like if they
were secrets too?
Define a simple rubric: both sides
of the T-chart must be completed.
Students self-assess whether
they should ‘get a sticker’.
Table task: Write and draw Tchart: My Secrets.
Share Time:
Show magnets and equipment
inside Science Box – Magnets.
Discuss care of magnets and
demonstrate how to test a couple
of items in the room, including
objects made of metal that
magnets and attract & others that
don’t. Set up rules for what may
be tested so that no glass gets
scratched, no books are
damaged etc. Allow 10 minutes
free play then collect magnets,
and model putting them away
correctly. Discuss findings, and
that when something is
‘magnetic’ it means it attracts
things.
Read story & discuss. Why did
Whatley call the dog magnetic?
What does he attract? (food) Why
is it funny?
Children draw and label the
objects that they found were
magnetic.
Read The Ugliest Dog in the
World using each page to clarify
vocabulary, and discussing the
funny way that Whatley has
depicted the dog.
Table task: using non-fiction
books about dogs, children
choose a breed of dog to draw
and dress in a funny costume,
and write a sentence about it.
Define a simple rubric: the design
for the costume must be different
to everyone else’s. Students selfassess whether they should ‘get
a sticker’.
Share Time:
Compare with cover illustration of
Wait! No Paint! Do the pictures in
this book look the same as the
ones in the other books? (It’s a
much earlier work, published
2001. It’s also not about
Australian animals).
Read Wait! No Paint! Compare it
to the original story of the Three
Little Pigs. Discuss main
characters and describe the
‘extra one’ (i.e. the illustrator)5 in
this (post-modern) version of the
story.
Table task: Children choose their
favourite title, write and draw a
favourite scene from the book, &
orally explain their reasons.
Share Time:
4
Every night Clinton Gregory shares a secret adventure with the toys in his bedroom. As the week progresses new creatures join in the fun. By Sunday he has a dragon,
a seahorse, two giants, a tiger (with spots not stripes), a triceratops in a tutu, a toad, and a whole ship of pirates. This is a great book to share with young children who
will delight in identifying, from the initial illustration of Clinton's bedroom, the source of each item in the story.
5
The illustrator is depicted by art equipment (brush, pencils, rubber) – but the first indication that this is unusual is the over-large spilt juice and the voice
of the illustrator on p8
Page 6 of 16
Resources
Special needs
VELS standard/s Assessment SLAV Library
Level 1
Skills Level 1
6
Lesson 5
Clinton Gregory’s Secrets by
Bruce Whatley (W)
Lesson 6
That Magnetic Dog by Bruce
Whatley (W)
Lesson 7
The Ugliest Dog in the World by
Bruce Whatley (W).
Lesson 8 Wrapping up & review
Wait! No Paint! By Bruce
Whatley6
Teacher-made T-chart: My
Secrets
Science Box: magnets.
Selected NF books about dogs.
Paper for drawing.
At risk: Seat at the front &
monitor listening to the story.
Focus on vocabulary of the items
in Clinton’s room.
ESL: Reinforce key vocabulary
using pictures from book. Focus
on applying this vocab to
describe own bedroom in
modelled sentences.
Gifted (Oral)
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
LS 1.5 identify strong emotions
that occur in picture story books
At risk/ESL: Seat at the front &
monitor listening to the story.
Reinforce key vocabulary using
pictures from book.
Gifted (Oral) Make up a rule that
explains which objects are
magnetic and which are not.
(Hint: what does the object need
to be made of?)
At risk/ESL: Seat at the front &
monitor listening to the story.
Reinforce key vocabulary using
pictures from book.
Gifted (Oral): what’s the ugliest
creature in the world? Why?
At risk/ESL: Provide memory
prompts for the books read this
term.
Gifted: choose the best pictures
for display and explain reasons
for choice.
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
LS 1.5 identify strong emotions
that occur in picture story books
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
LS 1.5 identify strong emotions
that occur in picture story books
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of
main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main
characters from picture story
books
LS 1.4 describe where the story
takes place in particular picture
story books
LS 1.5 identify strong emotions
that occur in picture story books
Thinking Processes (focus)
Students explore a wide variety
of familiar contexts. With
encouragement and support, they
wonder, question and become
adventurous in their thinking
about these contexts.
Thinking Processes (focus)
Students use a range of simple
thinking tools to gather and
process information. They reflect
on their thinking (e.g., why they
think what they think about a text)
and take time to consider before
responding.
Thinking Processes (focus)
Students explore a wide variety
of familiar contexts. With
encouragement and support, they
wonder, question and become
adventurous in their thinking
about these contexts.
Thinking Processes (focus)
Students use a range of simple
thinking tools to gather and
process information. They reflect
on their thinking (e.g., why they
think what they think about a text)
and take time to consider before
responding.
Borrow from the Endeavour Hills library.
Page 7 of 16
Paper for drawing.
Australian curriculum
standard/s
Foundation Year
Lesson 6
Share feelings and thoughts
about the events and characters
in texts
 talking about people, events
and ideas in texts, enabling
students to connect them to
their own experiences and to
express their own opinions
about what is depicted.
Lesson 7
Share feelings and thoughts
about the events and characters
in texts
 talking about people, events
and ideas in texts, enabling
students to connect them to
their own experiences and to
express their own opinions
about what is depicted.
Lesson 8 Wrapping up & review
Share feelings and thoughts
about the events and characters
in texts
 talking about people, events
and ideas in texts, enabling
students to connect them to
their own experiences and to
express their own opinions
about what is depicted.
Bloom’s Creating: Imagining
secrets for everyday toys
Bloom’s Predicting and
Analysing: what are the attributes
of objects attracted by magnets?
Bloom’s Creating: designing a
creative costume for a dog.
Bloom’s Evaluating: Judging the
best pictures for display.
Deep
Thinking
Lesson 5
Share feelings and thoughts
about the events and characters
in texts
 talking about people, events
and ideas in texts, enabling
students to connect them to
their own experiences and to
express their own opinions
about what is depicted.
Page 8 of 16
LEARNING FOCUS
VICTORIAN ESSENTIAL LEARNING STANDARDS LEARNING FOCUS
Learning
Focus
English
(Speaking
and
Listening)
Level 1
Learning
Focus
Thinking
Processes
Level 1
Learning
Focus
Personal
Learning
Level 1
Learning
Focus
Interpersonal
Learning
Level 1
Page 9 of 16
Students regularly make brief presentations on a specified topic to small groups or the whole class, learning to speak at an appropriate
volume and pace for listeners’ needs. They practise sequencing main events and ideas coherently and self-correct by rephrasing when
meaning is not clear. They contribute ideas during class and group discussion, and follow simple instructions. They learn to retell what
they have heard and ask and answer simple questions for information and clarification.
Students learn and practise the skills of being attentive listeners in formal and informal classroom situations. They listen and respond to a
range of simple texts, including books read aloud, audio tapes and films, and to brief spoken texts that deal with familiar ideas and
information. Students begin to adjust their speaking and listening to suit context, purpose and audience in order to communicate meaning
and to understand others. When sharing and responding to ideas and information in print, visual and electronic texts, students make
connections with their own experiences and ideas.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Thinking Processes, they explore a wide variety of familiar contexts.
With encouragement and support, they wonder, question and become adventurous in their thinking about these contexts. Students
practise using all of their senses to develop skills in making observations which they share and record.
Students begin to look for simple patterns in their observations by classifying familiar items and by looking for similarities and differences.
In integrating information from their own observations, information from peers, teachers and other adults, and information from print and
non-print texts, they begin to develop simple explanations for the phenomena they observe. These explanations – not necessarily
complete – are the starting point for further questions and exploration. When students consider the explanations of others, they begin to
ask, ‘How do you know?’ and ‘What makes you think that?’ and consider a range of possible responses.
Students use a range of simple thinking tools to gather and process information. They reflect on their thinking (for example, why they
think what they think about a text) and take time to consider before responding.
Students experience diverse approaches and responses to learning. With teacher support, they make links with their existing experiences
and develop the view that learning is exploratory, fun and rewarding. Individually and in pairs, students begin to reflect on themselves as
learners, in particular on their feelings about learning, by responding to open-ended statements such as ‘I’m proud of this because…’, and
using visual aids that illustrate their responses to learning, such as happy and unhappy faces. They also reflect on their own learning by
responding to prompts such as ‘What do you know now, that you didn’t know before?’
Students are provided with opportunities to learn with peers and to share their feelings and thoughts about learning with others. They
begin to understand that listening to the responses of others can assist them to make sense of new experiences and provide useful cues
for their own learning. Students are encouraged to take risks with their learning and begin to understand that mistakes can be a vehicle
for further learning.
Students begin to take initiative as learners by asking questions when needed and attempting small projects. They begin to solve
problems and complete work using their initiative as a first step and asking for teacher assistance as required. With support, students
manage their time and resources to complete short tasks.
As students work towards the achievement of Level 1 standards in Interpersonal Development, they interact with their peers, teachers
and other adults in a range of contexts. They learn to play constructively together and are encouraged to develop friendships with peers.
Students learn to manage their impulses by developing habits and routines that help them to be a cooperative class member. They
develop a vocabulary to describe the emotions they experience when interacting with others.
With teacher support, students begin to identify and develop the skills required to work together in a group, including taking turns, and
sharing and caring for equipment and resources. Through supported reflection on their own experiences of working with a partner, in
small-group and whole-class situations, students share their thoughts on group collaboration and learn to describe and practise skills that
contribute to the formation of positive relationships, and explain why these skills are desirable.
SLAV
Library focus
Level 1
POLT Focus
While playing games and participating in classroom activities, students practise listening to others and recording or retelling what others
have said. With teacher support, they practise using these skills with their peers in a variety of contexts and begin to identify when it
would be useful to apply these skills in other situations.
Students are supported to develop appropriate language to explain what happens and how they feel when experiencing conflict and/or
bullying. They begin to understand how their actions affect others. Students learn that some people have special needs and to respect
the rights, feelings and efforts of others.
Literary Skills
With teacher assistance, modelling and scaffolding students will be able to:
LS 1.1 identify picture story books as a literary form
LS 1.2 verbalise sequence of main events in stories
LS 1.3 identify the main characters from picture story books
LS 1.4 describe where the story takes place in particular picture story books
LS 1.5 identify strong emotions that occur in picture story books
Students learn best when:
Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
 4.1 plans sequences to promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections between ideas
 4.2 promotes substantive discussion of ideas
 4.3 emphasises the quality of learning with high expectations of achievement
 4.4 uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflect
 4.5 uses strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills
 4.6 uses strategies to foster imagination and creativity.
Key Understandings for Assessment
Stories have a beginning, middle and an end.
The sequence of events in a story cannot be altered.
We can use tools to help us think.
Illustrators often have a distinctive style which can be identified.
Some illustrators are also authors.
Author-illustrators sometimes do the pictures for other authors.
Focus Questions
What happened in the beginning? What happened next? What happened
at the end?
What kind of stories does Bruce Whatley write? How does he make them
funny? What does he use to make his pictures?
What’s good/bad/interesting about an idea?
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM LEARNING FOCUS
Foundation year
In the Foundation year, students communicate with peers, teachers, known adults, and students from other classes. Students engage with a variety of
texts for enjoyment. They listen to, read and view spoken, written and multimodal texts in which the primary purpose is to entertain, as well as some texts
designed to inform. These include traditional oral texts, picture books, various types of stories, rhyming verse, poetry, non-fiction, film, multimodal texts
and dramatic performances. They participate in shared reading, viewing and storytelling using a range of literary texts, and recognise the entertaining
nature of literature.
The range of literary texts for Foundation to Year 10 comprises Australian literature, including the oral narrative traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples, as well as the contemporary literature of these two cultural groups, and classic and contemporary world literature, including texts from
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and about Asia.
Literary texts that support and extend Foundation students as beginner readers include predictable texts that range from caption books to books with one
or more sentences per page. These texts involve straightforward sequences of events and everyday happenings with recognisable, realistic or imaginary
characters. Informative texts present a small amount of new content about familiar topics of interest; a small range of language features, including simple
and compound sentences; mostly familiar vocabulary, known high- frequency words and single-syllable words that can be decoded phonically, and
illustrations that strongly support the printed text.
Students create a range of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts including pictorial representations, short statements, performances, recounts
and poetry.
LANGUAGE
Foundation Year
Language variation and change
Understand that language can be used to
explore ways of expressing needs, likes
and dislikes
Text organisation and structure
Understand that texts can take many
forms, can be very short (for example an
exit sign) or quite long (for example an
information book or a film) and that stories
and informative texts have different
purposes
Elaborations
 recognising some of the ways we can use speech, gesture, writing and media to communicate
feelings
 recognising some of the ways emotions and feelings can be conveyed and influenced by visual
representations, for example in advertising and animations
Elaborations
 sharing experiences of different texts and discussing some differences
 discussing the purpose of texts, for example ‘This text will tell a story’, ‘This text will give
information’
 repeating parts of texts, for example characteristic refrains, predicting cumulative storylines, reciting
poetic and rhyming phrases
Understand that some language in written
texts is unlike everyday spoken language

learning that written text in Standard Australian English has conventions about words, spaces
between words, layout on the page and consistent spelling because it has to communicate when
the speaker/writer is not present
Understand concepts about print and
screen, including how books, film and
simple digital texts work, and know some
features of print, for example directionality


learning about print: direction of print and return sweep, spaces between words
learning that Standard Australian English in written texts is read from left to right and from top to
bottom of the page and that direction of print may differ in other cultures, for example Japanese
texts
learning about front and back covers; title and author, layout and navigation of digital/screen texts
learning about simple functions of keyboard and mouse including typing letters, scrolling, selecting
icons and drop-down menu
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
Expressing and developing ideas
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Elaborations

Recognise that sentences are key units for
expressing ideas

learning that word order in sentences is important for meaning (for example 'The boy sat on the
dog', 'The dog sat on the boy')
creating students' own written texts and reading aloud to the teacher and others
Recognise that texts are made up of words
and groups of words that make meaning

exploring spoken, written and multimodal texts and identifying elements, for example words and
images
Explore the different contribution of words
and images to meaning in stories and
informative texts

talking about how a ‘different’ story is told if we read only the words, or only the pictures; and the
story that words and pictures make when combined
exploring how the combination of print and images in texts create meaning
Understand the use of vocabulary in
familiar contexts related to everyday
experiences, personal interests and topics
taught at school

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building vocabulary through multiple speaking and listening experiences
discussing new vocabulary found in texts
bringing vocabulary from personal experiences, relating this to new experiences and building a
vocabulary for thinking and talking about school topics
LITERATURE
Foundation Year
Literature and context
Recognise that texts are created by
authors who tell stories and share
experiences that may be similar or
different to students’ own
experiences
Responding to literature
Respond to texts, identifying
favourite stories, authors and
illustrators
Share feelings and thoughts about
the events and characters in texts
Elaborations
• recognising that there are storytellers in all cultures
• viewing stories by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers from online sources
• comparing experiences depicted in stories with students’ own
• engaging with texts that reflect the social and cultural groups to which students belong
Elaborations
• talking about stories and authors, choosing favourites, discussing how students feel about what
happens in stories
• engaging with the humour in some stories and repeating favourite lines, jokes and ideas
• returning to preferred texts and commenting on reasons for selection
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•
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talking about stories and authors, choosing favourites, discussing how students feel about what
happens in stories
using art forms and beginning forms of writing to express personal responses to literature and film
experiences
talking about people, events and ideas in texts, enabling students to connect them to their own
experiences and to express their own opinions about what is depicted
Examining literature
Identify some features of texts
including events and characters and
retell events from a text
Elaborations
• identifying some features of culture related to characters and events in literary texts, for example
dress, food and daily routines listening,
• responding to and joining in with rhymes, poems, chants and songs
•
•
Replicate the rhythms and sound
patterns in stories, rhymes, songs
and poems from a range of cultures
Creating literature
Retell familiar literary texts through
performance, use of illustrations and
images
using music and actions to enhance appreciation of rhymes, poems, chants and songs
reciting rhymes with actions
Elaborations
• drawing, labelling and role playing representations of characters or events
• reciting rhymes with actions
• using digital technologies to retell events and recreate characters from favourite print and film texts
LITERACY
Foundation Year
Interacting with others
Listen to and respond orally to texts and
to the communication of others in informal
and structured classroom situations
Use interaction skills including listening
while others speak, using appropriate
voice levels, articulation and body
language, gestures and eye contact
Elaborations
• listening to, remembering and following simple instructions
• sequencing ideas in spoken texts, retelling well known stories, retelling stories with picture cues,
retelling information using story maps
• listening for specific things, for example the main idea of a short statement, the details of a story, or
to answer a given question
• participating in informal situations, for example play-based experiences which involve the
imaginative use of spoken language
• participating in class, group and pair discussions about shared experiences including shared texts
• asking and answering questions to clarify understanding
•
•
•
•
•
•
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learning how to use different voice levels appropriate to a situation, for example learning about
‘inside voices’ and ‘outside voices’
learning to ask questions and provide answers that are more than one or two words
participating in speaking and listening situations, exchanging ideas with peers in pairs and small
groups and engaging in class discussions, listening to others and contributing ideas
showing understanding of appropriate listening behaviour, such as listening without interrupting, and
looking at the speaker if culturally appropriate
listening and responding to oral and multimodal texts including rhymes and poems, texts read aloud
and various types of digital texts
engaging in conversations with peers and adults in home language or dialect
asking and answering questions using appropriate intonation
•
•
Interpreting, analysing, evaluating
Identify some differences between
imaginative and informative texts
Use comprehension strategies to
understand and discuss texts listened to,
viewed or read independently
Creating texts
Create short texts to explore, record and
report ideas and events using familiar
words and phrases and beginning writing
knowledge
speaking so that the student can be heard and understood
altering volume for inside and outside situations and when speaking to an audience
Elaborations
• talking about what is ‘real’ and what is imagined in texts
• identifying and selecting texts for information purposes and commenting on how the text might help
with a task
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
talking about the meanings in texts listened to, viewed and read
visualising elements in a text (for example drawing an event or character from a text read aloud)
providing a simple, correctly-sequenced retelling of narrative texts
relating one or two key facts from informative texts
finding a key word in a text to answer a literal question
making links between events in a text and students’ own experiences
making an inference about a character's feelings
discussing and sequencing events in stories
drawing events in sequence, recognising that for some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories
the sequence of events may be cyclical
Elaborations
• using image-making and beginning writing to represent characters and events in written, film and
web-based texts
• using speaking, writing and drawing to represent and communicate personal responses to ideas and
events experienced through texts
• creating short spoken, written and multimodal observations, recounts and descriptions, extending
vocabulary and including some content-specific words in spoken and written texts
• using beginning concepts about print, sound–letter and word knowledge and punctuation to create
short texts
ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS
VICTORIAN ESSENTIAL LEARNING STANDARDS (VELS) ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS
VELS English (Speaking and Listening) Standards Foundation Year
Progression Point 0.5
Students use speech to talk about personal experiences, ask and answer simple questions about ideas heard and communicate purposefully with peers and
some familiar adults. They contribute ideas and information to discussions. They use simple sentences that are grammatically correct. In recounting
stories or personal experiences a small number of ideas are logically sequenced. They comprehend simple oral classroom instructions, short story scripts
with supporting visual information and references to particular sentences and individual words.
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Standard Level 1
At Level 1, students use spoken language appropriately in a variety of classroom contexts. They ask and answer simple questions for information and
clarification, contribute relevant ideas during class or group discussion, and follow simple instructions.
They listen to and produce brief spoken texts that deal with familiar ideas and information. They sequence main events and ideas coherently in speech, and speak
at an appropriate volume and pace for listeners’ needs. They self-correct by rephrasing a statement or question when meaning is not clear.
VELS Thinking Processes Standards Foundation Year
No standard till Level 3
VELS Personal Standards Foundation Year
No standard till Level 3
VELS Interpersonal Learning Standards Foundation Year
Progressing towards Level 1
In Interpersonal Development, there is one point (0.5) at Level 1 for assessing student progress towards the Level 1 standard.
Progression point 0.5
At 0.5, the work of a student progressing towards the standard at Level 1 demonstrates, for example: that shows
 awareness of the safety of self and others
 behaviour that is helpful to peers, family members and teachers
 application of calming strategies such as being silent, waiting, smiling and relaxing
 cooperative behaviours that help them to participate in groups, games and other forms of play
Standard: Interpersonal Development
At Level 1, students identify the qualities of a friend and demonstrate care for other students. They contribute to the development of positive social
relationships in a range of contexts. They use appropriate language and actions when dealing with conflict. Students describe basic skills required to
work cooperatively in groups.
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM ENGLISH FOUNDATION YEAR
Foundation Year achievement standard
By the end of the Foundation year, students listen to, read and view a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts from familiar contexts. They interpret
and provide relevant explanations of characters and main events in imaginative texts, and key ideas and visual features in short informative texts, making
connections to personal experience. They demonstrate understanding by retelling orally one or two ideas and events from short texts listened to or
viewed. They accurately identify the letters of the English alphabet, and know the sounds represented by most letters. They read short, predictable texts
aloud with some fluency and accuracy, drawing support from their developing sound and letter knowledge. They effectively use predicting and
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questioning strategies to make meaning from texts.
Students write one or more simple sentences to retell events and experiences for a known audience. Their writing is connected appropriately to
illustrations and images produced as part of the text. They link two or more ideas or events in written and spoken texts. They use and understand familiar
vocabulary, predictable text structures and common visual patterns. The short texts they produce show understanding of concepts about print including
letters, words and sentences. They use left to right directionality, return sweep and spaces between words. They handwrite most lower case and some
upper case letters, and use some capital letters and full stops. Their writing shows some evidence of the use of sound–letter knowledge. In informal
classroom settings students communicate clearly and purposefully and engage in pair, group and class discussions, and participate actively in group
tasks.
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