Merrilands College and Ruthven Primary School
Literacy and Integrated Curriculum Planner
Grade :3-6
Date:
Duration:
Developed by:Dayle manley Deb showers and the 3-6 teachers at merriven
e5 Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate
Focus Domain area:
English: Biography and personal stories
Connections to other Domains:
Humanities ( History)
Literacy connection: Storytelling, Biographies, True Stories, Critical literacy
Key concepts:
Exploration of people both past and present in order to understand something of ourselves and our
community.
End product/s: Level 3 Autobiography/ Biography of family member, Personal Diary, Self Portrait
Level 4: Autobiography, Photo Journal- my life on camera, Self Portrait
Shared Lunch across schools emails
Assessment: Rubric Biography, Self Assessment task
Vocabulary: Text structure biography
and temporal verbs,
Resources:
Identify pronouns, Use of past tense, Chronological sequence
Planning brainstorm
Start Up Program week 1 and 2
PATHS
Me Myself Us My world my community
Data Statistics
Reading Autobiographies, Biographies, Diaries
Writing
Reports, Recounts, Autobiographies Letter writing Emails – Penpals across schools
Thinking Levels ????? Preferred learning styles
Global Communities:
Concept Mapping planning (just click on the Smart Art design ribbon in Word 2007 to add more shapes,
resize, arrows etc)
Domain
Health
Domain
Unit Title
Domain
English
Reading
Writing
My Story Famous in
Australia
Humanities
Connections
PERSONAL
JOURNIES
History
Speaking and Listening
Interdisciplinary
Thinking
Communication
ICT
VELS Domains, progression points, standards (copy and paste appropriate details from
http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/index.html )
Focus statements:
Reading
At Level 3, students read and respond to an increasing range of imaginative and informative texts with some
unfamiliar ideas and information, vocabulary and textual features. They interpret the main ideas and purpose of
texts. They make inferences from imaginative text about plot and setting and about characters’ qualities,
motives and actions. They infer meaning from material presented in informative texts. They identify how
language is used to represent information, characters, people, places and events in different ways including
identification of some simple symbolic meanings and stereotypes. They use several strategies to locate, select
and record key information from texts.
Writing
At Level 3, students write texts containing several logically ordered paragraphs that express opinions and
include ideas and information about familiar topics. They write narratives which include characters, setting and
plot. They order information and sequence events using some detail or illustrative evidence, and they express
a point of view providing some information and supporting detail. They combine verbal and visual elements in
the texts they produce. They meet the needs of audiences by including appropriate background information.
They write a variety of simple and compound sentences and use verb tenses correctly. They use punctuation
to support meaning, including exclamation marks and quotation marks, and accurately use full stops, commas
and question marks. They use vocabulary appropriate to context and spell most one- and two-syllable words
with regular spelling patterns, and frequently used words which have less regular spelling patterns. They use
sound and visual patterns when attempting to spell unfamiliar words.
Speaking and listening
At Level 3, students vary their speaking and listening for a small range of contexts, purposes and audiences.
They project their voice adequately for an audience, use appropriate spoken language features, and modify
spoken texts to clarify meaning and information.
They listen attentively to spoken texts, including factual texts
English - Level 4
Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 4 standards in English, they consolidate and build on their
foundational learning in English related to texts and language.
Students compose, comprehend and respond to an expanding range of texts in print and audiovisual and electronic forms
that contain increasingly unfamiliar concepts, themes, information and issues. With guidance, they reflect on reading,
viewing, writing, speaking and listening in ways that develop considered and critical approaches to a range of texts. These
include extended literary texts such as novels, short stories, poetry and non-fiction; everyday texts; and media texts
including newspapers, film and websites.
Students explore the relationship between the purpose and audience of texts and their structures and features, for example:
sentence and paragraph structure, grammar, figurative language and organising structures in print texts; features of visual
texts; and sound effects, characterisation and camera angles used in film. They develop their knowledge of how texts are
constructed for particular purposes, and examine and challenge generalisations and simplistic portrayals of people and
social and cultural issues. They learn how to draw evidence from texts to support their points of view. They experiment
with several strategies when interpreting texts containing some unfamiliar ideas and information, for example, reading on,
using diagrams, and differentiating between statements of fact or opinion.
Students write texts for a range of purposes that demonstrate their developing understanding of the way imagery,
characterisation, dialogue, point of view, plot and setting contribute to the meaning of written and multimodal texts. They
use this reflection, and their developing knowledge of the generic structures of different types of texts (such as narratives,
reports and arguments), as the basis for composing an increasing range of written and spoken texts. Students become more
systematic in their use of strategies for writing (including note-making, using models, planning, editing and proofreading)
and make decisions about appropriate structures and features of language in texts for different purposes and audiences.
They develop terminology or metalanguage to talk about and describe particular structures and features of language. They
develop a multi-strategy approach to spelling, applying morphemic knowledge and an understanding of visual and phonic
patterns, and select vocabulary for precise meaning.
Students engage in exploratory talk to share and clarify their ideas, to formulate simple arguments and to seek the
opinions of others. They participate in oral interactions for different purposes, including entertaining, informing and
influencing others. Students learn to sustain a point of view, and provide succinct accounts of personal experiences or
events.
They experiment with spoken language features such as pace, pitch and pronunciation to enhance meaning as they plan,
rehearse and reflect on their presentations. They build their capacity to combine verbal and visual elements in texts to
communicate ideas and information by using, for example, presentation software or overheads.
When listening, students practise identifying the main idea and supporting details of spoken texts and summarising them
for others. They begin to identify opinions offered by others, propose other viewpoints, and extend ideas in a constructive
manner.
National Statements of Learning
This learning focus statement, in conjunction with aspects of the Communication Level 4 learning focus statement,
incorporates aspects of the Year 5 National Statement of Learning for English.
Standards
Reading
At Level 4, students read, interpret and respond to a wide range of literary, everyday and media texts in print and in
multimodal formats. They analyse these texts and support interpretations with evidence drawn from the text. They
describe how texts are constructed for particular purposes, and identify how sociocultural values, attitudes and beliefs are
presented in texts. They analyse imagery, characterisation, dialogue, point of view, plot and setting. They use strategies
such as reading on, using contextual cues, and drawing on knowledge of text organisation when interpreting texts
containing unfamiliar ideas and information.
Writing
At Level 4, students produce, in print and electronic forms, a variety of texts for different purposes using structures and
features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience and context of the writing. They begin to use simple figurative
language and visual images. They use a range of vocabulary, a variety of sentence structures, and use punctuation
accurately, including apostrophes. They identify and use different parts of speech, including nouns, pronouns, adverbs,
comparative adverbs and adjectives, and use appropriate prepositions and conjunctions. They use a range of approaches to
spelling, applying morphemic knowledge and an understanding of visual and phonic patterns. They employ a variety of
strategies for writing, including note-making, using models, planning, editing and proofreading.
Speaking and listening
At Level 4, students plan, rehearse and make presentations for different purposes. They sustain a point of view and
provide succinct accounts of personal experiences or events. They adjust their speaking to take account of context,
purpose and audience, and vary tone, volume and pace of speech to create or emphasise meaning.
When listening to spoken texts, they identify the main idea and supporting details and summarise them for others. They
identify opinions offered by others, propose other relevant viewpoints and extend ideas in a constructive manner.
Biographical Writing
Biographical writing is a specific form of writing and research that takes as its subject the lives of individuals. As such it concentrates on constructing personal
histories, and places them within their social, political and historical context, in order to discover and explain the influences on an individual’s life. From the point of
view of historical and social analysis, this form of writing places individuals, their strengths, failings, triumphs and defeats at the centre of inquiry, and while it
situates them within a historical or social context, it is seeking to explain individual agency, as opposed to, or sometimes in the face of, historical and social forces.
As with other forms of writing, biographies can be sympathetic or unsympathetic to their subject, partial or objective. They can be a simple chronological account of
an individual’s life, or take a deeply analytical approach to explain an individual’s actions and choices, motivations and failings. The latter investigation would
usually rely on social, and even psychoanalytical, approaches to explain an individual’s progress through life.
Biographical writing in the classroom
Biographical writing takes many forms, and can range from published works on famous individuals, to simple epitaphs on gravestones. Students might first
become familiar with Biographical Precis, which are often found in encyclopaedia entries about famous people, or biographical collections such as Who’s Who, an
annual account of significant, contemporary individuals. A more sophisticated investigation might adopt an inquiry learning approach and assist students to
compose their own accounts of significant historical or contemporary figures, using both secondary and primary sources, and placing their subject within their
historical context.
Biographical writing is immediately relevant to teachers of English and Studies of Society and Environment. Not only does it fit well with the learning outcomes of
those key learning areas, but it can also serve to introduce students to more complex understandings and discipline skills in an engaging way.
Beyond those key learning areas, teachers of other disciplines, such Science, Mathematics, Health and Physical Education, and Technology can find in
biographical writing an innovative way in which to integrate their curriculum with other learning areas, as well as a means by which to fulfil cross-curricular
imperatives such as Civics and citizenship and Values education. Examining the individuals responsible for scientific discoveries provides students with insights
into their motivations and ethical responsibilities, while investigating the achievements of mathematicians, or the reasons for their breakthroughs, might demystify
mathematical content and provide overt purpose for students’ learning.
Australian BiographyDictionary of Australian BiographyAustralian StoryBiography Writer’s Workshop – Scholastic (aimed at teachers and students)
Australian Dictionary of Biography online
• Project Officer • Information • Proforma • Glossary • Nations • Web Links • Education Links • Teachers • News
Sections of content © NSW Department of Education and Training 2000
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2000
Literacy Planner
Writing
Report
Recount
Autobiography
Biography
Reading
Reading to
Shared
Literature Circles Reciprocal
Teaching
Poetry
Text Type:
Recount
Report
Penny pollards diary
The boy
Speaking and Listening
Oral storytelling
Reporting
Biography
Communbication
Viewing
Photos Web Pages documentaries
Presenting
Immersion
Progression
Shared Experience
Group and Independent
tasks
Reflection and
assessment
•
• Integrated Unit Planner:
The story of Our lives: Famous in Australia Follows on from Start Up program branching out
into the community
1. Tuning in… (activities to engage learners)
Focus Questions: What do you think is meant by
Famous
What makes some one famous - how do we know?
Learning Experiences:
.Photo Wall including famous infamous and just
plain ordinary: l who do I know what do I ?know
why do I know
Indep/ partner/ group/ Whole class
 In small groups brainstorm famous Australian
or just famous people what are their
characteristics, how we know about them create
chart
 Think Pair Share what would I be famous for

2. Preparing to find out… (accessing prior
knowledge)
Students share personal histories.
With a partner - tell each other about an incident
in own lives .
Make a class list of people they would like to know
more about. Add information as discovered set up
a discovery wall
Develop some questions for guests or family
members
Homework Task: talk to family members about
anecdotes , experiences, begin a collection of
memorabilia
3. Finding out… (shared experience)
Focus questions: How does the media portray
famous people?
Reading newspapers, magazines how do they
portray famous people
What sort of social realities are being
demonstrated?
Guest Speakers: Interview family members
important persons in community
View DVD Famous Australians ABC Program
Share personal stories
Sort and classify pictures/items into forms of
fame colllage
4. Sorting out… (activities that help students
process the information that they have
gathered)
Focus Question: Are there different ways of being
famous? Use collage for discussion
What personal emotional resources do people need
if they are famous?
Collate responses to interviews.
Shared or paired text construction from
interviews guests or DVD information. If paired
present in class news bulletin
Visual representation self portrait or self
advertisement
Written conversation about being famous ( pairs)
5. Going Further … ( activities that challenge
and extend student’s understandings)
Focus question:
Can you be famous for anything or only some kinds
of things?
Can you be famous to 30 people?
Would you rather be famous or infamous why
what’s the difference?
Think Pair share each of these questions. Justify
why you think that. Encourage students to have a
dialogue around these questions. Any other issues
that this raises.
Compare and contrast different types of fame
6. Making Connections … (activities that help
students put it together and draw some
conclusions about what they have learnt
How have my ideas changed about what it
means to be famous?
What do I understand about fame that I
didn’t know before?
What did I learn from working with others?
What did I learn about others?
Set Clear Timeline for publishing Autobiography or
Biography
7. Taking Action … (activities that gives
students the opportunity to act upon what
they have learnt)
8. Pulling it all together … (concluding
activities. May include end of unit
assessment task)
Book Launch Biography of self or family
member presented with memorabilia or in
costume
Memory box to be presented
Self assessment What did I learn from
working with others?
What did I learn about others?
Literacy Weekly Planner (add or decrease weeks as necessary)
Session 1
Session 2
Session
Session
Session Ongoing
3
4
5
activities
Immersion in
Week 1
Select an autobiography to read to the class eg Boy Roald Dahl
Text
(3)
Also select short biographical pieces that can be read in a short time frame
type/Genre
Students What are the characteristics of a biography/ auto biography? Immerse
engaged
students in reading independently and being read to from a range of
Setting up
in
biographies and autobiographies. Keep a class data chart or discoveries
writer’s
personal chart what did you notice or personal journal to identify some of the
workshop
writing
important elements in the genre. This might include obituary notices, photo
conditions and Set up
journals magazines, online biographies try and include a range of types of
expectations
email
biography and autobiography.
Also reading
contact
Discuss the end project: That they are to develop their own biography the
workshop
between story of a family member or someone they can interview and find out about
schools
or What will it look like in Book form / Photo-story. Are there any other
or letter ways that this could be done. Begin a timeline for the expected presentation
contact
and reminder that they will share this with others.
Shared
Week
Deconstruct a particular suitable text WC. What does it look like?
Experience
2(4)
Introduce note-taking in wc and small group reading: para -phrasing and
Whole class
summarising. Students should be reading from a range of biographies and
Deconstruct
autobiographies independently noticing the authors craft, expect response
biography
from them ( Keep a reflective journal) This will continue over next few
weeks
Begin to develop interview questions for a particular person.
Develop a timeline for that person.
Discuss rubric for completed work
Shared
Week 3
With a partner
Brainstorm One
Develop
Experience
(5)
or small group
ideas for
minute
mindmap
Tchr modelling Students Begin telling
main
talk
of own
own story
personal stories events in
with a
stories
orally then
own life
partner
use this
mind map for
school
about
to write
planning
holiday
each
own
written over
family
incident personal
the week.
scary etc.
story.
Model
different
forms of
presentation
if possible
include Photo
story
Group/
Week
Continue to develop personal story or investigate the life of someone else in
Independent
4(6)
order to write a biography.
Tchhr
Writing Daily
Modelling note
Editing
taking
Writing
Shared
biography
Over the week
or next two
weeks
reconstructing
this text
Students are also involved with pen pal contact with other school. Teacher
modelling Letters
Group/
Independent
Week
5(7)
Group/
Independent
Week 6
(8)
Reflection and
assessment
Week 7
Book launch of
individual
biographies/
Autobiographies
Presentations
Joint
presentations
with other
school shared
lunch. Thank
you notes for
visitors maybe
Self
Assessment
Oral
presentation
and
Biography
Integrated Curriculum Unit Planner (add or decrease weeks as necessary)
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Session 4
Tuning in/
preparing
to find out
Finding out
Week 1
Sorting out
Week 3
Going
further
Making
connections
Taking
action
Pulling it all
together
Week 4
Week 2
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Session 5
Ongoing
activities