Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it
Artefact 3 is a literacy unit planner that was completed in third year. It was developed to teach a specific text type (information narrative) using teaching
strategies that move students through the gradual release of responsibility model.
Artefact 3 addresses the following focus areas:


2.5 Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas (content highlighted in blue)
2.6 Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students (content highlighted in yellow)
LITERACY UNIT PLANNER
Term: 3
Weeks: 1-4
Date: 14/7/2014
Topic: My Place: Charles 1818 Episode 20
Year Level: 5
GRAMMAR FOCUS: (levels)
Text type and mode
Listened to
Spoken
Read
Written
Viewed
Produced
1. Whole text structure of a historical narrative
Information Narrative
X
X
X
X
X
X





Orientation
Series of Events
Complication
Resolution
Reorientation (optional)
Language features for the text-type:
2. Sentence Level:



First- or third-person (pronouns – I/my or he/she/it)
Dialogue (present tense)
Past tense (change of tense – present tense for dialogue)
3. Word Level:


Descriptive language
Adjectives (adjectival phrases and clauses – to describe characters and
settings)
 Adverbs (adverbial phrases and clauses – to describe how, when and where
events take place)
(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 235-236).
– Historical Narrative
Steps in Teaching and Learning Cycle: (adapted Derewianka, 1990/2007)
1. Building topic knowledge
2. Building text knowledge/Model the genre
3. Guided activities to develop vocabulary and text knowledge
4. Joint construction of text
5. Independent construction of text
6. Reflecting on language choices
Frequently used Literacy Instructional Strategies: Gradual Release of Responsibility Model
- Read to
- Shared Writing
- Guided Writing
- Modelled writing
- Independent Reading
- Independent Writing
- Mini lesson
1|Page
CONTEXT: Overview of series of lessons and background information

Explore the content of the My Place Episode 20: Charles 1818 by
discussing what life might have been like in 1818. Students will examine
the events of the 1810s era and find research about convicts regarding why
they were sent to Australia and the hardship they encountered during their
life. Students will be encouraged to challenge their thoughts about the
affairs of the 1810s era and question the research they find.

During a sequence of sessions, we will view, read, analyse and deconstruct
a range of sample historical narrative texts. We will also compare the
differences between fictional narrative and information narrative texts. To
reinforce the structure and language features of historical narratives we will
jointly write a historical narrative based on the life of a child living in the
1810s. At the end of the unit, students will independently write a historical
narrative about what life might have been like for a convict and the
difficulties they experienced in the 1810s.

I do not anticipate any prior knowledge of the content. However, students
will have prior knowledge of the structure of a fictional narrative. I have
viewed the results and comments from the NAPLAN Writing tests as well
as viewing students’ work samples.
Pre-assessment of students’ skills and knowledge:
- Standardized tests for writing & NAPLAN
- Student written work samples
Literacy Learning intention: We are learning to write a historical narrative about
the life of a convict during the 1810s.
Teaching techniques: Think Aloud, Text analysis, Cloze exercises, Note-taking
Graphic Organisers: Venn diagram, Data grid, KWL chart, text-type planning template, Concept
Map, Semantic Web
Four resource model (Freebody & Luke, 1990/1999): Text Participant/Meaning Maker; Text
User; Text Analyst
Comprehension Strategies: Visualising; Making connections; Questioning; Summarising;
Understanding new vocabulary; Paraphrasing; Five semiotic systems: linguistics, visual, auditory,
spatial, gestural.
Learning behaviours: I need to think about how I can include the factual
information in my historical narrative.
Question types: self-questioning; 3 levels; (literal, inferential, evaluative)
Success criteria:
I know I’m doing well if I can include at least two facts in my writing about the
historical period of the 1810s.
Thinking Routines: See, Think, Wonder; Three word summary, 5 VIPs, Think Pair Share, Hi 5
Conversation (refer Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & amp; Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking
Visible: How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. eBook
online)
I know I’m doing well if I can use at least three descriptive words to orally describe
a character or setting.
Topic-specific vocabulary for the unit of work:
Resources:
Convict, free settler, stereotype, social order, chores, employment, duties,
expectations, era, decade, penal settlement, escape, escapee, freedom,
punishment, gaol, England, Australia, chaplain, soldier, governor,
government, colony, transportation, damper, historical narrative, orientation,
series of events, complication, resolution, reorientation, descriptive language,
EPISODE 20: Charles 1818. English teaching resources downloaded on September 8, 2014 from
www.myplace.edu.au/.
My Place website www.myplace.edu.au Video clip Episode 20: Charles 1818;
2|Page
1810s Decade Summary retrieved from
http://myplace.edu.au/decades_timeline/1810/decade_landing_19.html?tabRank=1
dialogue, simile.
Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: teaching Second Language Learners in the
Mainstream Classroom. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann.
Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible : How to Promote Engagement,
Understanding, and Independence for All Learners Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://ACU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=706891
Wing Jan, L. (2009). Write ways: Modelling writing forms (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford
University Press. pp. 235-265.
Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Cooperating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating
TEACHING & LEARNING CYCLE
(Identify step in the T & L cycle and
the literacy learning intention or
session’s focus )
Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying
WHOLE CLASS
Hook or Tuning In
(Identify a strategy or a tool to help
activate prior knowledge and/or to
introduce the topic.)
We are learning to ...
Session 1
Building topic
knowledge
Charles: 1818
See Think Wonder
Place images from
the 1810s era on the
whiteboard for
students to view
We are learning how to
(Appendix 1). Photos
take notes after
viewing a video clip by are used as prompts
for discussion.
identifying the key
What do you think
words and writing dot
life might have been
points.
like in 1818?
What do you see that
makes you think this?
What are our
wonderings?
Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising
Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning
MINI LESSON
(Explicitly model the use of a new strategy or a
tool to assist with the literacy learning
intention or focus of the session and to
prepare students for successful completion of
the set task. Reference to Wing Jan include
page details)
Model how to take notes
Record wonderings in dot
point form on the KWL
chart (Appendix 1).
Explain what a key word
is and establish the
difference between a dot
point and a full sentence.
Using ‘Note Taking’
activity sheet (Appendix
1) demonstrate how to
identify key words while
viewing the short video
clip Episode 20 (1)
Fencing and provide two
examples of how to use
Reading
Recognising bias
Reflecting
Reporting
Responding
Restating
Revising
Seeing patterns
Selecting information
Self-assessing
Sharing ideas
Summarising
Synthesising
Testing
Viewing
Visually representing
Working independently
Working to a timetable
INDEPENDENT
LEARNING
(Extended opportunity for students to work in
pairs, small groups or individually on a set
task. Time for teacher to probe students’
thinking or work with a small group for part of
the time. Reference to Wing Jan include page
details)
SHARE TIME AND
TEACHER SUMMARY
(Focussed teacher questions and summary to
draw out the knowledge, skills and processes
used in the session)
Link back to literacy learning intention and
key points of effective reading/writing,
speaking, listening and viewing.
ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
(should relate to literacy learning intention
or focus of the session. Includes how &
what you will use to make a judgment on
students’ attempt/work)
Success criteria written for students to
know what the minimum expectation is.
3 Word Summary
Students work in pairs at
computers and view the
same video clip to
complete ‘Note Taking’
activity sheet (Appendix
1). Students think of their
own three key words to
summarise the video clip
and write dot point notes
for each. Students
exchange their key words
with their partner and
write a dot point for each
of the three new key
words. (Wing Jan, 2009, p.
258).
Class Reflection
Review what a key word
is and what a dot point
tells us by sharing the
work of three students
from the class and two
students from the small
group. Teacher adds new
information to KWL
chart to be displayed on
classroom wall.
Discuss key ideas about
focus question: What do
you think life might have
been like in 1818? Record
students’ key words/ideas
and their wonderings
Anecdotal notes
recorded during guided
writing with small
teacher group about the
students’ ability to
select relevant key
words and their notetaking skills.
3|Page
some of the key words to
form notes in point form.
Session 2
Building topic
knowledge
We are learning to list
our understandings of
the topic and identify
the topic-specific
vocabulary.
Session 3
Building topic
knowledge
We are learning to
research information
about our wonderings
of the topic.
Session 4
Building text
knowledge/Model the
genre
We are learning to
identify the structure
and language features
about the question on a
concept map which will
be added to throughout
the unit.
Small Teacher Group:
Guided Writing
View video clip again.
Each student contributes
one key word to add to the
group’s list. Discuss how
to write a dot point using
the key word/s. Guide
students to write dot points
for each of the key words
using ‘Note Taking’
activity sheet.
The whole class views the second video clip Episode 20 (2) The Convict where teacher uses students’ contributions to create a list of
key words and dot points about what they viewed. We identify the unknown words and topic-specific vocabulary to create a word wall
(Gibbons, 2002, p. 62). Teacher groups the students into mixed-ability groups where each group uses the internet to find out more
information about the topic-specific word assigned to them. We return to the whole class to add the definitions to the word wall and
also add to the concept map about the key focus question: What do you think life might have been like in 1818?
The whole class views the two still photos from the video clip The Convict provided on the My Place website using the thinking
routine See Think Wonder. The students’ wonderings are recorded and used as a base to find out more information about the topic. In
the same mixed-ability groups, students research information about their assigned wondering using given websites and resources and
collaboratively take notes on poster paper. Some wonderings that will be used are: Why did some convicts want to escape and others
stayed? How did convicts escape? What did free settlers think of convicts that tried to escape? What did children think of convicts? We
return to the whole class where each group shares their findings to create a class semantic web (Gibbons, 2002, p. 62).
Modelled Reading
Display a sample
historical narrative
text on IWB.
What type of text do
you think this might
be?
What do you see that
Think Aloud
Discuss how the structure
of an information narrative
is similar to the structure
of a fictional narrative.
Ask students what aspects
of the narrative structure
they already know.
In pairs, students are
given two different
information narrative texts
(one for each student).
Each student annotates the
structure and highlights
the language features of
text. Once completed,
Class Reflection
Display sample texts
students just worked with
on IWB. Ask six students
to come up and place the
paragraphs of the texts in
correct sequence
according to the structure.
Checklist used during
small teacher group to
record students’
knowledge and
understanding about
aspects of the structure
and language features
of an information
4|Page
of an information
narrative.
Session 5
Building text
knowledge/Model the
genre
We are learning to
distinguish what is fact
and fiction in an
information narrative.
makes you think that?
Teacher reads sample
text.
Does this text have a
similar structure to a
text-type you may
know?
Tell students that it is
an information
narrative, in
particular a historical
narrative.
Discuss the purpose and
audience of text-type.
Model how to deconstruct
the text and label the
aspects of the structure of
an information narrative.
Clearly annotate
appropriate language
features of text. (Wing
Jan, 2009, p. 238).
students will deconstruct
their text by cutting up the
paragraphs and swap with
their partner. Partner has
to reconstruct text. (Wing
Jan, 2009, p. 238).
Revise what information
is written in each section
of the text.
narrative.
Emphasise the importance
of the purpose and
audience of an
information narrative.
Small Teacher Group:
Guided Writing
Complete Story Grammar
task (Wing Jan, 2009, p.
244). Place headings for
each part of structure on
floor. Use a deconstructed
sample text and guide
students to organise short
paragraphs under
appropriate headings
(orientation, series of
events/complication,
resolution). Discuss what
type of information is in
each of the sections of the
structure. Discuss certain
language features and
highlight these on text.
Revise the purpose and audience of an information narrative. Define the difference between factual and fictional information by
providing example sentences of each and categorising them under the appropriate headings of fact and fiction. Display a sample
historical narrative text on IWB. Read to students and model how to identify what is fact and fiction in the text. Demonstrate how to
complete ‘Spot the Facts’ activity sheet (Wing Jan, 2009, p. 257). Students complete activity sheet with a different sample text. We
return to the whole class where students do Think Pair Share about one fact and one piece of fictional information about themselves.
5|Page
Session 6
Building text
knowledge/Model the
genre
We are learning to
revise the structure of
an information
narrative and identify
the type of factual
information included.
Session 7
Guided activities to
develop vocabulary or
specific language
feature
We are learning to use
descriptive language to
describe the character
and setting.
Display a sample fictional narrative and information narrative. Ask students what similarities and differences they see between the two
texts and complete a class Venn Diagram. Present various examples of historical narrative texts. Examine the structure of the texts, the
type of factual information that has been included, and where the author has used this information in the text. Recognise and discuss
that the factual information can be in various parts of the text and about different aspects of the story i.e.: character/s, setting,
historical event. In mixed-ability groups, students examine a sample text by annotating the structure of the text and highlighting the
different types of factual information included. As a whole class, we write 5 VIPs on poster paper about historical narratives.
Read to
Discuss what
descriptive language
is. What is
descriptive
language? Why do
authors use
descriptive language
in their writing?
Read the introduction
of a sample historical
narrative that
describes the
character/s and
setting using
descriptive language.
Students close their
eyes and listen for
descriptive words or
phrases. Students say
the words they hear
and explain the
mental images
created in their mind.
Teacher records these
Model how to use
descriptive language in
an oral setting
Teacher highlights that
descriptive language is not
only adjectives, adverbs
and verbs, but also similes.
Define what a simile is
and provide an example.
Discuss the purpose of
descriptive language.
Teacher models how to
describe the character
Liam (from My Place
Episode 20) and the farm
he works on (setting).
Teacher writes descriptive
language and the
sentences created orally on
poster paper (Wing Jan,
2009, p. 239).
In groups of three,
students use ‘Story
Starter’ cards (Appendix 2)
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 244)
to describe a character and
a setting. Students select a
card from the character
box and think of three or
more descriptive words to
describe the character.
They then form two or
more sentences using the
descriptive words.
Students repeat this task
with the cards from the
setting box.
Small Teacher Group:
Students use ‘Story
Starter’ picture cards to
describe a character and a
setting. Students use
descriptive language to
describe the pictures.
Teacher guides students to
form sentences using the
Making connections
Students draw on their
experiences and make
connections about where
they have seen descriptive
language used and how it
has been used. Where else
have you seen descriptive
language being used?
Discuss the difference
between using a
description to establish a
visual image in the
readers’ mind and telling
the reader something.
Anecdotal notes
written during small
teacher group about
students’ ability to
select appropriate
descriptive language to
describe the pictures of
a character and a
setting.
Teacher and students
create a data grid to
identify the aspects of
character (appearance,
personality, attitude) and
setting (time, place) and
list descriptive
words/phrases that can be
used to describe these.
6|Page
on IWB.
Session 8
Guided activities to
develop vocabulary or
specific language
feature
We are learning to add
direct dialogue to a
scenario using the
appropriate tense.
Display a short
paragraph that has
direct dialogue on
IWB. Read to
students and ask
them to identify the
dialogue.
Where is the dialogue
in this text? How do
you know it is
dialogue?
Highlight dialogue
and deconstruct the
elements of dialogue
related to the tense
used.
What tense is used in
this dialogue?
Think Aloud
Teacher shares a scenario
from the My Place
Episode 20: The Convict
with the class. Model how
to think of dialogue that
can be said when
experiencing the scenario.
Orally say the dialogue
and write it on whiteboard
as a sample for students to
refer to during the session
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 242).
Model how to do Hi 5
Conversation with three
students using the same
scenario. Emphasise the
importance of the use of
appropriate tense.
descriptive language.
Using shared writing,
teacher writes the
descriptive language on
poster paper to be
displayed in classroom.
Hi 5 Conversation
In mixed ability groups,
students select a scenario
from the box and
participate in a Hi 5
Conversation by saying
one sentence that the
character would say. Each
group arranges their
sentences in a sequence to
create a mini role play
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 242).
Small Teacher Group:
Provide more samples of
direct dialogue and
deconstruct the elements
of each related to the tense
used. Discuss why present
tense is used for dialogue.
Use pictures of various
scenarios from the episode
(Appendix 3) and provide
possible sentence starter
cards for students to use.
Teacher starts off Hi 5
Conversation and
students continue it by
using the sentence starter
cards to say a short
Share Time
Groups perform their
mini role play to the class.
After the performances,
teacher uses students’
contributions to create a
list of 5 VIPs about direct
dialogue.
Focused observation
of how students in
small teacher group
construct direct
dialogue that can be
added to a picture
scenario.
Digital recorder is
used to record students’
use of dialogue in the
mini role play which
will be listened to by
the teacher after the
session.
7|Page
Session 9
Joint Construction of
text
Revise the structure
of a historical
narrative and the type
of information
We are learning how to needed in each
use a planning
section (orientation,
template to plan a
series of events,
historical narrative.
complication,
resolution and
reorientation)
What type of
information do we
need in each section?
Session 10
Joint construction of
text
We are learning how
Mini Lesson
Model how to complete a
historical narrative
planning template
(Appendix 4). Go through
each section and
demonstrate how to plan
the orientation and series
of events/complication
sections using dot points
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 241).
Also model how to include
facts in the planning
template.
sentence that the character
would say (Wing Jan,
2009, p. 242). Using
shared writing, teacher
writes students’ sentences
of dialogue on poster
paper to be displayed in
classroom.
Students work
independently to plan their
own resolution and
reorientation using the
planning template already
started with the teacher
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 248).
Share Time
Students share their
possible resolutions to the
complication and what
points they would
reiterate in the
reorientation of the
historical narrative.
Teacher adds these to the
class planning template.
Discuss the importance of
using dot points when
writing a plan.
Checklist used during
small teacher group to
record students’ ability
to think of possible
resolutions relevant to
the complication and an
appropriate
reorientation if
necessary.
Small Teacher Group:
Guided Writing
Revise what type of
information needs to be
included in the resolution
and reorientation sections
Revisit 5 VIPs poster
of the historical narrative.
about historical
Emphasise the importance Guide students to think
narratives that was
of sequence in a historical about ways of how the
created in session six. narrative where each
complication can be
section must connect to
resolved and what points
the next section.
can be written in the
reorientation. Teacher is
scribe and fills out
planning template using
students’ ideas.
Teacher uses plan created in previous session to write a short version of a historical narrative in a shared writing session. Using
students’ descriptive language to describe the characters and setting teacher writes orientation section on poster paper. We continue to
do this with the series of events and complication sections. Teacher leaves space for dialogue to be inserted in the text later in the
session. We continue to jointly construct the historical narrative (resolution and reorientation sections). Once narrative is finished,
8|Page
to write a historical
narrative and include
descriptive language
and dialogue to
engage the reader.
Session 11
Independent
construction of text
students work independently to write the dialogue (at least 3 sentences for each paragraph) for the two paragraphs about the series of
events and complication. Small group will continue to work with teacher to write dialogue for these two paragraphs. Students share
their dialogue at the end of the session.
We revise how to use the planning template and what needs to be considered when planning a historical narrative using the following
key questions: How will the story begin and end? Who are the characters? Where and when will the story be set? How can I describe
the characters and setting using descriptive language? What will the complication and resolution be? What facts will be included
about the historical period/event? Where will these facts be placed in the narrative?
We are learning to
Students independently plan their own historical narrative based on the period of 1810s. The focus for their writing is on the life of a
plan our own ideas to convict – Write about the life of a convict and the difficulties they experienced during the 1810s. We return to the whole class at the
write a historical
end of the session where students share their ideas about their plan for their historical narrative.
narrative.
Session 12
Revise important elements students need to remember when writing a historical narrative – sequence between sections/paragraphs,
descriptive language to create visual images in readers’ minds, and dialogue to engage readers. Students use their plan to write their
Independent
own historical narrative. This session will run over a few sessions/days. We return to the whole class where students complete a selfconstruction of text
assessment of their work using the following criteria: correct structure, factual information is included, and descriptive language and
We are learning to
dialogue are used. Students then share their historical narrative with a partner.
use our plan to write
our own historical
narrative.
Session 13
Reflecting on
language choices
9|Page