North Sydney Girls high School
Stage 4: Picture books unit
Rationale
Picture books are the most common form of children’s literature. An exploration of picture books allows students to examine how
meaning is constructed through both visual and written language.
In this unit, students’ skills, knowledge and understanding will be developed through analysis of a variety of visual texts. Activities will
focus upon responding to these texts and the decoding of the techniques used for visual literacy. Students will then compose their own
texts thereby expressing themselves and their relationships with others and their world.
Outcomes:
1. A student responds to and composes texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure.
Students learn to:
1.1 respond to imaginative, factual and critical texts, including the required range of texts, through wide and close listening, reading and
viewing
1.2 respond to and compose texts intended to inform, persuade and entertain, including humorous texts
1.3 compose imaginative, factual and critical texts for different purposes, audiences and contexts
1.7 responds to and composes texts beyond the literal level
1.9 demonstrate understanding of the complexity of meaning in texts.
Students learn about:
1.11 the ideas, information, perspectives and points of view presented in imaginative, factual and critical texts
1.15 the forms and features of language, the structures of texts and the nature of content that enables categorisation by content,
composer and genre
1.17 features of texts that can be represented in graphical form to enable deeper understanding of meaning
1.20 the complexity of meaning in texts.
2. A student uses a range of processes for responding to and composing texts.
Students learn to:
2.2 use and adapt the processes of planning, drafting, rehearsing, responding to feedback, editing, and publishing to compose texts over
time.
Students learn about:
2.11 different ways of using feedback to improve their texts
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 1 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
2.12 explicit criteria for judging the effectiveness of a text fro its purpose, audience and context
2.15 processes of representation including the use of symbols, images, icons, clichés, stereotypes, connotations, inference and particular
visual and aural techniques including those of camera, design and sound.
4. A student uses and describes language forms and features, and structures of texts appropriate to different purposes,
audiences and contexts.
Students learn to:
4.1 identify and describe the purpose, audience and context of texts
4.2 create and ensure coherence of medium, form and content through specific language conventions and vocabulary appropriate to
particular subject matter or contexts.
Students learn about:
4.8 the ways in which specific language forms and features and structures of text are used to shape meaning including:
 in written texts: medium, organisation, sentence structures, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and spelling, the use of formal or
colloquial language and figurative language
 in spoken texts: : medium, organisation, sentence structures, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, cues, nonverbal language, tone,
pitch, intonation and volume
 in visual texts: medium, organisation, colour, layout, perspective, focus, camera angles and editing
4.13 the metalanguage of subject English used to describe, discuss and differentiate texts and their language forms, features and
structures.
6. A student draws on experience, information and ideas to imaginatively and interpretively respond to and compose texts.
Students learn to:
6.1 compose coherent, imaginative texts that use and explore students’ own experiences, thoughts and feelings and their imaginings
6.4 use the features and structures of imaginative texts to compose their own texts and engage their audience.
Students learn about:
6.10 the structures and features of imaginative texts including characterisation, setting, tension and climax, chronology and time,
narrative voice, effective beginnings and endings
6.11 verbal, aural and visual techniques used to create imaginative texts, such as imagery, figures of speech, selective choice of
vocabulary, rhythm, sound effects, colour and design.
10. A student identifies, considers and appreciates cultural expression in texts.
Students learn to:
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 2 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
10.1 recognise and consider cultural factors, including cultural background and perspective, when responding to and composing texts
10.3 identify and describe cultural expressions in texts
10.4 identify and describe the ways assumptions underlying cultural expressions in texts can lead to different reading positions.
Students learn about:
10.7 cultural assumptions in texts including those about gender, ethnicity, religion, youth, age, sexuality, disability, cultural diversity,
social class and work
10.8 signs, symbols, icons and stereotyping in texts and what they signify about different cultures
10.9 the ways culture and personal experience position composers and responders and influence response to and composition of texts
10.11 the ways recurring stories such as legends and fairy stories have been written and rewritten, in and for different contexts.
Content
Year 7 picture books
Piggybook by Anthony Browne, Walker Books, 1995
Gender roles are explored, challenged and reversed. The role of conventional gender modelling in sustaining familial power-play is
represented.
Westlandia by P. Fleischman, Walker Books, 1999
Explores the value of non-conformity and the role of society and parental expectations in defining the misfit. Affirms the power of the
creative and imaginative individual to alter parental and social responses to individualism.
The Story of Rosy Dock by Jeannie Baker, Red Fox, 1998
Considers the impact of colonisation of Australia on the environment and cultural values. The introduction of the non-native plant is
symbolic of the changes and destruction that occur due to the colonisation process.
Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm, illustrated by A. Browne, Walker Books, 1981
Familial relationships are explored and the stereotypical maternal and paternal roles are challenged. Includes the classic battle of good
versus evil, where the good is triumphant.
Where the Forest Meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker, Walker Books, 1992
Explores the relationship between the past, present, future and the way that pressures of modern society impact upon the natural
environment.
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 3 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Year 8 picture books
Willy’s Pictures by A. Browne, Walker Books, 2000
Affirms the power of pictures to communicate between worlds. Intertextuality is explored as a vehicle for linking the past and the present,
the commonality of human experience, and the relationships between texts.
My Place by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins, Kane/Miller Books, 1989
The exploration of Australia’s history from pre-colonisation to the bi-centenary of Federation. This exploration is achieved by focussing on
the transformation within one single space over time.
The Rabbits by J. Marsden and Shaun Tan, Lothian Books, 1998
Retells the story of the British invasion of the Aboriginal people of Australia, expressed through the allegory of the rabbits invading a land
inhabited by native animals.
When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs, Penguin 1982
A book that expresses opposition to nuclear armament by examining the actions of the powerless in the face of overwhelming military
power and government agendas.
The Water Tower by Gary Crew and Steve Woolman, Era Books, 1994
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 4 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Syllabus Teaching and learning activities
content
1.1
1.9
4.1
Resources
Introductory whole class activity
Teacher-led discussion in which the students define picture books and
their purpose and intended audience.
 What are picture books?
 Have you read any picture books?
 Who reads picture books?
 Favourite picture books?
 Why do we read picture books? etc
Small group activity
Students read a sample of the available picture books. (Keep one picture
book class set for later closer study.
Class discussion of personal responses in which students compare and
contrast the content and style of the picture books and their reactions to
these.
1.11
4.1
4.8
4.13
Teacher introduces some brief background information on the authors and
illustrators.
Research task: In small groups students are to conduct research on an
different authors/illustrators chosen from the available texts (Browne,
Sendak, Fleicshman). Different groups choose different composers.
 Students find biographical information and a list of the texts the
author / illustrator has composed.
 Students explore and list the illustrator’s elements of design (eg.
use of line, colour, shape, space, perspective and texture) using the
guidelines from the listed websites.
Students report their findings to the class. Teacher informally assesses
students’ understanding through observation.
See the websites
<http://nosferatu.ca
s.usf.edu/lis/lis6585
/class/art.html>
or Art Children’s
Books: Lecture
Outline (Google
search engine)
See also An
Introduction to the
Grammar of Visual
During the reporting the teacher takes this opportunity to introduce and link Design at
<http://www.qtp.ns
the artistic styles that each composer/illustrator has used such as:
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 5 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Quality teaching
Background
Knowledge
High order
thinking
Background
information
Knowledge
integration
Background
Knowledge
Cultural
knowledge
Deep thinking
Metalanguage
Substantive
Syllabus Teaching and learning activities
content
realistic, naive, primitive, expressionistic and collage.
Resources
Quality teaching
w.edu.au/qtp/files/el communication
ise/project3/gramm
ar.pdf>
Student direction
4.8
4.13
6.10
6.11
1.11
1.17
1.20
Close study of one picture book:
Teacher selects one picture book not included in the introductory activity.
a) Prediction activity: students analyse the visual techniques of the
cover – predict what this story is going to be about, the intended
audience, mood and genre.
b) Close study of one image selected by the teacher in order to build
upon previous knowledge of visual language. Deconstruct this image
as a whole class identifying the different visual techniques. Refer to
visual literacy handout, Appendix 1.
c) Small group activity: Analysing the visual text of the picture book.
Students are provided with questions that assist them to analyse the
visual text and its relationship to the written text.
Teacher gives students only the written text of one other selected picture
book as a handout, e.g. from Piggy Book or Weslandia.
a) In small groups students read the written text aloud and discuss the
central ideas, issues, mood and tone.
b) Students consider different ways of reading the written text aloud
with different voices to explore how the tone of reading influences the
meaning.
c) Students identify linguistic features such as imagery, emotive
language, symbolism etc.
High-order
thinking
Metalanguage
Appendix 1
Deep knowledge
Appendix 2 –
discussion
questions
Substantive
communication
Intellectual
Quality:
High-order
thinking
Metalanguage
Students make notes on group discussion.
1.3
1.17
2.2
Individual activity
Using the written text from the previous activity students choose one of the
following tasks:
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 6 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Engagement
magazines,
Student direction
Syllabus Teaching and learning activities
content
2.15
6.4
newspapers,
coloured paper,
coloured pencils,
Students write a reflective statement explaining the visual elements of their textas,
illustrations. Students are placed in rotating groups thereby allowing them
to compare and contrast their illustrations with other students.
Quality teaching
(a) Each student becomes the illustrator of a selected phrase or
paragraph. Non-artistic students could use collage techniques.
Students select an effective illustration by identifying images that have
added meaning to the text and represented aspects of the written text
beyond the literal level. Explain in a brief reflection why it is effective.
or
2.15
4.8
6.11
Resources
(b) Provide students with only the visual text of a different picture book.
Students (in small groups or individually) then compose the written text to
support the visual images.
A reflective statement (written) needs to accompany students’ created text.
Students need to articulate what influenced their decisions. This activity
allows students to re-visit and add to their previously acquired knowledge
of visual texts and how meaning is constructed within these texts.
Provide students with one black and white visual image from a selected
picture book. Each student is to examine the meaning of the black and
white picture. They are to record this in their workbooks.
Allow students to discuss their ideas with other members of the class.
Teacher to observe students’ conversations and informally monitor student
understanding.
Students are to reproduce the same visuals using their own colour
choices.
Points for students to ponder:
 how does colour change, emphasise or enhance meaning?
 does colour alter the mood, tone, and narrative in any way?
Students to record their answers in their workbooks and report findings
back the class.
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 7 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Deep knowledge
High-order
thinking
Substantive
communication
Substantive
conversation
Deep
understanding
Syllabus Teaching and learning activities
content
1.1
1.9
1.11
1.17
1.20
4.1
4.8
Assessment task
Oral task
In small groups, students find their own picture book and evaluate the
picture book by examining visual and written features of the text (see
Appendix 1). Each student is to be assigned to a different element of
composition. (i.e. framing, colour, positioning, focal point, symbolism,
repetition). This enables each member to be assessed individually.
Resources
Quality teaching
Appendix 1 –
Visual literacy
Deep
understanding
Metalanguage
Substantive
communication
Student presentations should include:
An introduction of the text: outlining the title, author, context of production
(when was it produced and for whom?), context of reading (e.g. target
audience) and content (plot, characters, themes, genre)
An analysis of the visual and written techniques used in a selected page
(i.e. one page) the selected page needs to be linked to the text as a whole.
6.1
6.4
6.10
6.11
Additional content:
Deep knowledge
1. Compose your own imaginative text
Students are to compose their own picture book to be presented to a year
5/6 local primary class. This provides the experience of composing a text
for a real audience.
Additionally, students are to create a questionnaire for the purpose of
receiving immediate audience feedback. This questionnaire provides
students with valuable feedback in order to reflect on their own learning
experience. Students then need to submit a reflective statement evaluating
the strengths and weaknesses of their picture book, according to their own
evaluation and the audience responses.
Students choose from one of the following suggestions as a starting point
for their picture book. They need to also identify purpose and ensure that
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 8 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Deep
Understanding
High-Order
thinking
Student direction
Syllabus Teaching and learning activities
content
1.1
1.3
1.9
1.11
1.20
2.2
4.2
6.4
6.11
their picture book is not just a story with illustrations.
Some ideas to help students begin:
a) give students a social or global issue to explore. These could be
provided on separate cards, e.g. nuclear war, gender roles,
conformity, colonisation, environmental impact, immigration, puberty
etc
b) adopt a narrative genre and an artistic style already examined and
employ its elements to explore their own ideas
c) model their picture book on the work of a particular author/illustrator
d) select an existing text (eg. fairytale, film, poem, novel) and adapt
the story by changing one or more elements. This could lead to the
subverting or reversing of the story (e.g. retell the story from the
perspective of another character, change the ending, and/or
introduce a different complication, character or event)
e) students write their own story.
2. Compose a web site:
Students review a number of children’s picture books for The Children’s
Book Council Awards: Children’s Picture Book Award category for younger
readers.
Students should read several texts (minimum of six) and compile a short
list of the three best books.
Students write a review of each of the three books and judge them
according to the following categories:
- Best Picture Book
- Highly Commended
- Commended
Design a web site which introduces the Award, the category, the reviews
of short listed books and the judging criteria for each award level.
Create each of the pages in hard copy, including written and visual
components and links.
Construct the site using Frontpage or PowerPoint.
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 9 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Resources
Quality teaching
Connectedness
Deep
understanding
Higher order
thinking
Syllabus Teaching and learning activities
content
11.2
11.6
11.8
11.14
11.16
3. Research task:
a) Students research the history of the development of picture books.
They may like to examine decorated books, illustrated books and picture
books.
b) Students may research the increasing darkness of picture books over
recent years. They should read a variety of texts from a variety of
timeframes.
Reviews (from a variety of sources: newspapers, internet, magazines) or
Children’s Book Council Awards for younger readers should be used to
help students establish their own conclusion. For example Sydney
Morning Herald Weekend Edition August 16-17 2003, ‘Book awards offer
telltale sign of changing tastes’.
Students should negotiate the form of presentation of their research
findings.
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 10 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Resources
Quality teaching
Deep knowledge
Deep
understanding
Appendix 1
Visual literacy
Context of reading/viewing
Who is the target audience?
Can the text be read from a different cultural position?
How is the audience positioned?
Content
What is happening in the image?
Composition
How is meaning made? Consider the following elements:
 use of colour
 framing
 positioning of elements, e.g. centering, off-centre
 focal point
 reading pathways – vectors
 perspective – foreground, mid-ground, background
 use of action, stillness
 angles
 symbols, signs and repetition
Expression of the image
 pose
 gesture
 facial expression
 touch and proximity
 body language – e.g. confidence, weakness, aggression, passivity
 costume/clothing
 props
 setting/surrounding
Connotation
What are the connotations of objects, symbols, words, ideas?
Written text
Does the text support or subvert the image?
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 11 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au
Appendix 2
Discussion questions
Examine illustrations by discussing their role in enhancing and extending the written
text.
How do the visuals shape and alter your interpretation of the written text?
Consider use of symbols, colour, layout, intertextual references, characterisation and
the effect of media used for the pictures.
Evaluate the role of the visual text in constructing the narrative and the interaction
between the written and visual text. Do the pictures allow for multiple readings of the
story?
Be prepared to report your findings to the class.
NSW Department of Education and Training
Curriculum K-12 Directorate
November 2004
Page 12 of 12
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au