Curriculum Planning Tool
(Using the Four Literacy Roles of the Learner, Thinking
Frameworks and pedagogy chosen with Preferred
Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences in mind.)
This Planning Tool facilitates the implementation of the
Victorian Essential Learning Standards by explicitly
addressing the Educational Principles of :
 Learning for all
 Pursuit of excellence
 Engagement and effort
 Respect for evidence
 Openness of mind
Esther Weichert
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Summary of the Inclusive Curriculum Planning Tool
Creating
Green Hat, Construction Key, SCAMPER, Ridiculous Key, Combination Key, Invention Key, BAR, Problem Solving organizers, etc
Literacy of Text Analyst: Critical Literacy
Assessment OF Learning(Summative; can be used for reporting to parents, students, other staff and DE&T)
Evaluating
Brick Wall/Interpretation/Disadvantages Key, Decision Making Matrix, PMI, Prioritising Matrix, Black/Yellow/Blue Hat combination,
SCAMPER, Graphic Organisers (i.e Spider Maps, See-Saw, etc), What-So What- Now What-What Else Metacognitive Questions, HoM, etc
Literacy of Text Analyst: Critical Literacy
Assessment OF Learning(Summative; can be used for reporting to parents, students, other staff and DE&T)
Analysing
Yellow Hat, Black Hat-White Hat-Red Hat combination, Venn Diagram followed by ‘Testing the Data’, Commonality Key, Picture Key, Y
Chart, Combination Key, PMI, ‘What/how/why/who Would’ question matrix, Problem Solving graphic organisers (i.e Fishbone Diagram),
‘What if/Fat questions, HoM,
Literacy of Text Analyst: Critical Literacy
Assessment OF Learning (Work books, tests, Y Charts, Projects, Rubrics for different products). Summative; can be used for reporting to
parents, students, other staff and DE&T)
Blue Hat, Brainstorming, Different Uses Key, Reverse Listing Key, Flow Chart, graphic organizers, data charts, gathering/sorting tools..
Literacy of Text Using.(Modeling-Sharing-Independent Construction of Texts ,Multimodal Texts, Options and alternatives in using
texts)
Assessment AS and OF Learning (Journals, tests, Peer Rubrics, Y Charts etc)
Applying
Understanding
Graphic Organisers (very important to facilitate understanding of content for learning), Variations Key, Reverse Listing, PMI, Webs
(Inspiration), Concept Maps, Mind Maps, Question Matrix, Fat/Skinny Questions, Habits of Mind, Expert Jigsaws, etc
Literacy of Meaning Making.(What does the learner bring into the new content? What literacy strategies can help the learner to
understand the content and the nature of the different texts well enough to participate in the learning effectively?
Assessment AS Learning: Journals, Peer Discussions, Anecdotal Notes, Rubrics for process, Peer Assessment rubrics…
Remembering
White Hat, Alphabet Key, Graphic Organisers, Acrostic, Listing, Brainstorming, Question Key, KWLH, Habits of Mind,
Literacy at the Code Breaking stage.(Vocabulary, spelling, sentence structure, paragraph structure, Text Type, Text Design/Layout).
Assessment For Learning: Mind maps, Concept Maps, pre-tests, ‘Wall Murals’, KWLH, Placemats, etc.
Esther Weichert
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Inclusive Curriculum Planning Tool Pro-forma.
Unit/lesson/integrated unit : Middle years
How important is it to observe the intelligent behaviour of ‘Taking Responsible Risks’? The example of the ‘Three Little
Pigs’.
Focus: What do I want to achieve with this unit of work? (You should be guided by the Dimensions and Standards of the Domain you are
working with. Aim to infuse your unit of work with standards from the Interdisciplinary and the Physical Personal and Social Learning Strands.)
 Encourage learners to build positive relationships through understanding and respecting others
 Provide an example for learners to understand the importance of working in a team.
 Provide opportunities for learners to use language for reasoning
 Provide opportunities for learners to use creative and reflective thinking
 Learners evaluate the design brief of each of the little pigs, with regard to the safety impact of their product.
 Learners analyse and evaluate the thinking processes and decisions made by the Wolf in relation to the outcome of the story.
 Learners extend their knowledge of the structure of a variety of text forms. They develop a critical understanding about the ways that
writers try to position readers to accept particular points of view.
 ICT for creating
Domains, Dimensions and Standards covered: Design Creativity and Technology, Thinking, Communication,
Interpersonal learning and English, ICT, Health and Physical Education (Health level five only)
Assessment
For Learning: Activities and judgments undertaken by teachers and students, which provide information to be used to
modify the teaching and learning.
As Learning: Reflecting on evidence of learning. Learners become more aware of what they learn, how they learn and
what helps them to learn.
Of Learning: Gathering and interpreting evidence taken from the learning process, in order to reach judgements of
student levels of attainment.
Esther Weichert
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Thinking Tools and Frameworks:
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy:
Remembering: Recognise, list, name, describe, identify
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and a variety of other thinking tools and frameworks, are manifested in the pedagogy chosen to
facilitate the set focus.
Literacy across the learning contexts: Code Breaker
Learners ask: What do I need to know in order to cope with this task?
Teachers in all learning contexts ask:
 What prior knowledge of language and thinking do students bring to this activity? (assessment for learning)
 What explicit teaching will support all students to experience success with this activity / task?
Possible Strategies and tools
Literacy emphasis is on
(teachers add the strategies they are familiar with and those they learn from professional reading
rules and skills:
and from collegiate group interactions)
 Recognising and using the
alphabet, sounds, words,
sentences, letter
relationships
 Text type / genre
 Text design / layout
 Spelling accurately
 Grammar, punctuation,
syntax and vocabulary
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Esther Weichert
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Pre-teaching of vocabulary & specialist terminology
Word splash
Glossaries and Taxonomies / word classification.
Skimming and scanning the text
Using headings, titles and illustrations to make
predictions
Word Wizards
Context clues
Graphic outline / organiser appropriate for this level
of literacy and thinking.
Facts File
Number Cruncher
People Search
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Analogies
Song Hunter
My Star
Question Matrix: What is?..Who is?.. Where
is?..How is?..What Can?..
KW ( from KWLH )
Thinker’s Keys ( Alphabet and reverse )
Analogies
Habits of Mind: Persisting, Thinking Flexibly,
Striving for accuracy, Applying p responsible
Risks
Think-pair-share
Co-operative learning strategies
De Bono’s White Hat
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Lesson/Unit content
Select and list the
Individual response
strategies (pedagogy)
which will be most
Group response
appropriate to facilitate
the chosen focus and
achieve the set
standards.
Define your explicit
Use the ‘placemat’ above to write, first individually and then as a group, what you know about the
teaching and
characteristics of fairy tales
assessment.
Assessment for
learning: ‘Placemats’
for genre
characteristics.
‘People search’ to
develop knowledge of
content of the text for
study.
Use the ‘People Search’ grid below to find out what four of your peers know about the story of the
Three Little Pigs.
Person one
Person two
Person three
Person four
How were the three little
pigs related and what were
they like?
What did they decide to do
once they were independent
and how did they justify
their decisions?
What was the outcome for
each of the little pigs?
Did the outcome surprise
you?
Esther Weichert
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Stage Two
Thinking Tools and Frameworks
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy: Understanding Interpret, explain, infer, summarise, paraphrase
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and a variety of other thinking tools and frameworks are manifested in the pedagogy chosen to
facilitate the set focus.
Literacy across the learning contexts: Text Participant / Meaning Maker
Learners ask: What does it mean to me? (How well do I understand the task, how well do I understand the texts I need to use.)
Teachers in all learning contexts ask:
o What knowledge do students bring to the meaning of this text?
o What explicit teaching will support students in understanding and interacting with the meaning of this text?
Literacy emphasis is on the
knowledge of the topic that the
participant brings to the text:
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Background or prior knowledge
Comparing own experiences
Comparing experiences with
other texts
Reflecting on interests in these
texts
Cultural experiences
General or world knowledge
How are these texts constructed
to make meaning?
Esther Weichert
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Possible Strategies: ( Pedagogy )
(teachers add the strategies they are familiar with and those they learn from professional reading
and from collegiate group interactions)
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Concept maps / mind maps – Graphic
Organisers ( Star bursts, Chain of Events, TriPie )
Read and retell
Guided reading
Predict / observe / Explain (POE)
Compare and contrast
Similarities & differences
Hot Seat
Team Webbing.
Cooperative controversy.
Reciprocal teaching
Information gap
Improvement Rubric (Maths)
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Fat / skinny questions
Maths Jigsaw
Sequence Chart
Written Text / picture sequencing
Three level guides
De Bono’s White Hat
Co-operative close
Thinker’s Key ( Question Key )
Question Matrix: Why did…, How did…., Where
did…, What did…
Habits of Mind: Questioning and Posing Problems,
Thinking Flexibly, Gathering Data Through all
Senses, Taking Responsible Risks, Remaining Open
to Continuous Learning, Listening With Empathy and
Understanding.
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Select and list the
strategies (pedagogy)
which will be most
appropriate to facilitate
the chosen focus and
achieve the set
standards.
Define your explicit
teaching and
assessment.
Explicit teaching:
Hot seat
Team Webbing
Fat Questions
Lesson/Unit content
1. Use the ‘Team Webbing’ strategy to describe the actions of the wolf.
2. Choose a member from your table group to be a part of the ‘Hot Seat’ panel and
prepare four ‘fat’ questions to ask the panel regarding the choices of the little
pigs and how their choices impacted on their wellbeing.
3. Read the story of the Three Little Pigs and while reading find and list words
which belong to the following categories:
Building materials
relationships
decision making
safety
Assessment as learning:
Individual reflections in
learning journals
Esther Weichert
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Stage Three
Thinking Tools and Frameworks
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy: Applying ; Implement, carry out, Using information gained in different or familiar situations
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and a variety of other thinking tools and frameworks, are manifested in the pedagogy chosen to
facilitate the set focus.
Literacy across the learning contexts: Text User:
Learners ask: What do I do with this text? What text am I asked to produce?
Teachers in all learning contexts ask:
 What knowledge do students bring to the social purposes and uses of this kind of text?
 What explicit teaching will support students in using and producing the texts?
Esther Weichert
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Literacy emphasis is on
understanding the purposes of
and uses of different texts :
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Understanding cultural and
social factors & contexts
Structure and features of text
types – Purpose & Audience
Options & alternatives for text to
convey meaning (written, oral,
graph, film, art, technology,
multimedia etc.)
Esther Weichert
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Possible Strategies:
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Modelling and construction of texts
Summarising a text
Graphic Organisers
Data Charts
Note Making / note taking
Research Grids
Paired Partner Problem Solving (Maths)
Graph it. (Maths)
Stock Exchange (Maths)
Round Table
Mobile Maker
Writer’s Workshop
The Hamburger Model for writing paragraphs
Body Sculpture (The Arts)
Line Ups
Detective
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Gathering / Sorting tools ( PCD, SCUMPS.)
Stakeholders PMI
Share and justify a personal response to a text
De Bono’s Blue and White Hats
Question Matrix: How can…, What can…, Why
can…, Who can…
Thinker’s Keys: Construction Key
Habits of Mind
( 1,4,6,7,8,9,13,14,15,16 )
Add your own
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Select and list the strategies
(pedagogy) which will be most
appropriate to facilitate the
chosen focus and achieve the
set standards. Define your
explicit teaching and
assessment.
Explicit teaching:
Thinker’s Keys
Narrative genre - Fairytales
Assessment of Learning:
Rubric for narrative Writing
Lesson/Unit content
Build a model of a trap which the second little pig can use to catch the wolf as he approaches to
‘blow the house down’, using two meters of wire, an old plank of wood and four nails. (Thinker’s
Keys)
If the story of the ‘Three Little Pigs’ was written to give advice to mothers about the dangers of
letting their children move out of home unprepared for the big wide world, how would it be
different?
Characters
Plot:
Beginning
Middle
Ending
Crisis
Climax
Other
What Habits of Mind would have saved the lives of the first two little pigs?
Esther Weichert
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Thinking Tools and Frameworks. Emphasis is on Higher Order Thinking
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy: Analysing Compare, Contrast, Organise, Deconstruct, Separate, Distinguish.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and a variety of other thinking tools and frameworks, will facilitate the need to respond to
different intelligences and learning styles
Literacy across the learning contexts: Text Analyst
Literacy emphasis on understanding that ideas and information are not neutral and can be challenged:
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Recognising the author’s purpose in creating the text
What is excluded from the text?
Is there a message in the text?
Recognising bias & points of view
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Expressing ideas or information
Expressing an alternative position to the one in the text
Critical literacy
Explain why people might interpret a text differently
Possible Strategies:
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Stakeholders PMI
Habits Of Mind ( Questioning and posing problems, Thinking and Communicating with clarity and precision, Responding with
wonderment and awe, Thinking Interdependently. )
Problem solving (CoRT thinking )
De Bono’s Red and White hats
Debates / Alternate positions
Thinker’s Keys :Picture Key, Disadvantages Key
Critical / Analytical thinking Frameworks: Taylor’s Multiple Talent Model.
Analytical Writing Frames
Graphic Organisers: Comparison Alley, Starburst, Bridges, Mind Wind, Stair Steps, Fishbone Diagram, Mind Maps, Lotus Blossom, BAR,
SCAMPER.
Question Matrix: What Would…, Who Would…., How Would…, Why Would…,
Problem Solver
Classifier
Media Watch
Perspeculator
Esther Weichert
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Lesson/Unit content
Learners ask: What does this
text mean to me? Where do I
position myself towards this
text?
Examine the (KVI) Key Values Involved in Mrs Wolf asking her sons to leave home:
Ask your self: What key values was Mrs Wolf trying to teach her sons?
Teachers in all learning
contexts ask:
What knowledge do students
bring of the ways this text is
designed to represent
particular point of view and
interests?
Collect six short news articles on Youth Homelessness and Bullying.
 What aspects of these issues can you relate to the story of the Three Little Pigs?
 What words from the articles can be used to describe any part of the Three Little
Pigs adventure?
 What replaces the Big Bad Wolf in the articles you read?
What explicit teaching will support
students in developing critical
language awareness of the
ways language works to create
particular meanings?
Select and list the strategies
(pedagogy) which will be most
appropriate to facilitate the
chosen focus and achieve the
set standards.
Determine your explicit teaching.
Direct Attention Thinking Tools
Inferential comprehension
Determine your assessment OF
learning
Place mats: Individual and Table
groups
Esther Weichert
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Thinking Tools and Frameworks. Emphasis is on Higher Order Thinking
Bloom’s revised Taxonomy: Evaluating: Check, Critique, Judge, Justify, Hypothesise, Rank, Substantiate, Argue, Validate and Assess.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and a variety of other thinking tools and frameworks, are manifested in the pedagogy chosen to
facilitate the set focus.
Literacy across the learning contexts: Text Analyst
Literacy emphasis is on understanding that ideas and information are not neutral and can be challenged:
 Recognising the author’s purpose in creating the text
 Expressing ideas or information
 What is excluded from the text?
 Expressing an alternative position to the one in the text
 Is there a message in the text?
 Critical literacy
 Recognising bias & points of view
 Explain why people might interpret a text differently.
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Possible Strategies:
Stakeholders PMI
Habits Of Mind : Thinking About Thinking, Questioning and Posing Problems, Managing Impulsivity, Thinking Flexibly.
Problem solving (CoRT thinking )
Six Thinking Hats : Green Hat, Yellow Hat, Black Hat
Debates / Alternate positions
Evaluation strategies: KWLH
De Bono’s Thinking Tools
Thinker’s Keys: Combination, Inventions, Ridiculous
Directed Thinking: Why No?, Why Wait?, What Else?, Way to Go.
Divergent Thinking
Critical/ Analytical Thinking Frameworks: POOCH, PCD, PMI, SCAMPER,
Argument / persuasive Frames
Graphic Organisers: The Funnel, Playoffs, See/Saw.
Question Matrix: What might…?, Where might…?, When might…?, Which might…?, Who might…?, Why might…?, How might…?
Esther Weichert
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Esther Weichert
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Lesson/Unit content
Learners ask: What does this
text mean to me? Where do I
position myself towards this
text?
Teachers ask:
What knowledge do students
bring of the ways this text is
designed to represent
particular point of view and
interests?
What explicit teaching will support
students in developing critical
language awareness of the
ways language works to create
particular meanings?
Select and list the strategies
(pedagogy) which will be most
appropriate to facilitate the
chosen focus and achieve the
set standards.
Determine your explicit teaching.
Genre of Advertisement
Web Quests
Determine your assessment OF
learning
 Rubric for the Advertisement.
 Self/peer and Teacher Rubric
for evaluating the Web Quest
 Peer assessment of Dance
Esther Weichert
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Create a dance routine to express the drama of the little pigs.
Write an advertisement, on behalf of the last little pig, to sell himself as an expert in
home safety.
Create a Web Quest for twelve year old children to read and enjoy the story of the
little pigs.
Examine the following scenario and complete the tasks included in it. This task will
require the cooperation and support of your parents/guardians.
You have negotiated with your parents/guardians that you can move into a ‘self
contained’ arrangement within your home environment. Part of the negotiation
stipulated that you will be given a budget to organise your own food and health
needs.
 Use CAMPER to critically analyse the agreement you entered into with
your parents:
C Consequences
Critical Questions
What are the consequences of you entering into
such an agreement with your parents?
A Assumptions
What assumptions did you make about living
semi independently and having to take care of
your nutritional needs?
M Main Points
What main points about adolescent health and
wellbeing did your parents and you take into
consideration?
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Esther Weichert
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Thinking Tools and Frameworks. Emphasis is on Higher Order Thinking
Bloom’s revised Taxonomy: Creating: Design, Construct, Plan, Produce, Make
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and a variety of other thinking tools and frameworks are manifested in the pedagogy chosen to
facilitate the set focus.
Literacy: Text Analyst
Literacy emphasis is on understanding that ideas and information are not neutral and can be challenged:

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Recognising the author’s purpose in creating the text
What is excluded from the text?
Is there a message in the text?
Recognising bias & points of view
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Expressing ideas or information
Expressing an alternative position to the one in the text
Critical literacy
Explain why people might interpret a text differently.
Possible Strategies:
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Stakeholders PMI
Habits Of Mind: Thinking About Thinking, Questioning and Posing Problems, Managing Impulsivity, Thinking Flexibly.
Problem solving (CoRT thinking )
Six Thinking Hats : Green Hat, Yellow Hat, Black Hat
Debates / Alternate positions
Evaluation strategies: KWLH
De Bono’s Thinking Tools
Thinker’s Keys: Combination, Inventions, Ridiculous
Directed Thinking: Why No, Why Wait, What Else, Way to Go
Divergent Thinking (an integrated approach to thinking)
Critical/ Analytical Thinking Frameworks: POOCH, PCD, PMI, SCAMPER,
Argument / persuasive Frames
Graphic Organisers: The Funnel, Playoffs, See/Saw and more.
Question Matrix: What might…?, Where might…?, When might…?, Which might…?, Who might…?, Why might…?, How might…?
Esther Weichert
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Learners ask: What does this text
mean to me? Where do I position
myself towards this text?
Teachers ask:
What knowledge do students bring
of the ways this text is designed
to represent particular point of
view and interests?
What explicit teaching will support
students in developing critical
language awareness of the ways
language works to create particular
meanings?
Select and list the strategies
(pedagogy) which will be most
appropriate to facilitate the
chosen focus and achieve the
set standards.
Determine your explicit teaching.
Narrative structure
BAR as a thinking strategy
Electronic Story board
Lesson/Unit content
Rewrite the story from the point of view of the Wolf.
Or
Rewrite the story using BAR: Bigger animal (hippopotamus)
Add a villain (lion)
Replace the house with a jungle
When your story is complete, select a group of your peers who might be
interested in acting out your story. Take digital pictures of the key scenes and
create an electronic Story Board for Year One students.
Determine your assessment OF
learning
Rubric for narrative
Teacher and peer rubric for the
Story Board
Esther Weichert
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