Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
AIS ENGLISH CONFERENCE 2012
WORKSHOP – PRELIMINARY ENGLISH – AN
AREA OF STUDY: GOING IT ALONE (SET TEXT:
THE BLACK BALLOON
PRESENTER: KIM ELITH – HEAD OF ENGLISH,
ST IGNATIUS’ COLLEGE, RIVERVIEW
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
DURATION: 7 weeks
UNIT: Area of Study – GOING IT ALONE (The Black Balloon)
ENGLISH PROGRAM
2012
RATIONALE:
The Area of Study, ‘Going it Alone’, will afford students the opportunity to broaden their understanding of themselves and the world
(context). Students will explore, question, analyse and evaluate the significance of ‘going it alone’ as represented in a variety of texts.
They will develop the relevant skills and language to engage in detailed analysis of texts. Students will engage in a close study of the
prescribed text and respond to a range of related texts of their choosing, making connections between texts and concept
(experience). They will take into account the way identity, barriers and relationships may influence ‘going it alone’. They will consider
the catalyst for this process within each text, and explore the potential for ‘going it alone’ to be an empowering and/or isolating
experience. Students will compose a range of creative texts that demonstrate their ability to interpret the concept for a variety of
audiences and purposes. They will compose critical texts that synthesise aspects of a variety of texts, presenting coherently integrated
interpretations and representations of the concept (action and evaluation). They will reflect on the development of their own
understanding of the concept, ‘going It alone’ (reflection).
ASSESSMENT TASK: Paper 1 Sections I and II DATE: Term 1 Week 4 (weight 25%)
TASK WEIGHT
Paper 1 Section IlI Exam Block (Term 2 Weeks 2 – 3) (weight 15%)
Outcomes Assessed: 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13
Students will complete a timed task in the style of Section 1 of the AOS paper (Section I, T1, Wk 4). Additionally, students will complete a timed writing task
exploring the concept ‘going it alone’ (Section II – T1, Wk 4) and a final extended response integrating their prescribed text and related material through a
conceptual and analytical discussion (Section III) (Exam Block Term 2).
40%
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
AREA OF STUDY: GOING IT ALONE
PRESCRIBED TEXT: Elissa Down’s The Black Balloon
Teaching Resources
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Research: www.hermitary.com/
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http://anchorite.org/blog/anchorite/
Special Features – The Black Balloon – personal context
Film student’s blogspot – making of The Black Balloon
http://theblackballoondiary.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html
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Yale University Website http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis
Department handouts – see Ignition
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http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/
Like a Fish Out of Water – Mental Illness Brochure – creative writing stimulus
Ignatian Children’s Camp http://ichc.riverview.nsw.edu.au/
Andrew Denton – interview with Joe Simpson
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s879148.htm
Feature article on Matt Rogers and his autistic Son
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/who/celebrity-interviews/article//6582924/titans-mat-rogers-autistic-son-will-be-a-normal-boy/
Australian Story – Ian Rogerson (father of an autistic child who attended
Riverview) http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2007/s2652214.htm
Guest Speakers – school counselors or learning support teachers
Podcast: Richard Fidler interviewing Cathrine Ann, exploring her biography
Beautiful Buttons
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/10/31/3352265.htm?site=conversat
ions
John Donne’s No Man is an Island Meditation xvii - - AIS in-service
Related material on Quantum in the student resource book:
* Website - www.jessicawatson.com.au
* Poetry - The Road Not Taken, Frost
* Visual – Loser, Leunig
* Interview: Four Corners – Ngaire Thomas Interview
* Feature Article – Seaworthy Roger Trowbridge
* Short Story – Through the Tunnel, Doris Lessing
* Speech – An ideal for which I am prepared to die, Mandela
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Possible Related Texts
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The Scream, Munch; Nighthawks, Edward Hopper
Images of Tiananmen Square
Automat – Edward Hopper (artwork)
Shaun Tan - The Red Tree / The Lost Thing
Robert Frost’s – Stopping by Woods
The Lovesong of J.Alfred Prufrock – T.S.Eliot
The Passionate Poet and the Muse/ The Passionate Poet
and the Moon Rosemary Dobson
Robert Cormier – FADE (chapter extract) The Chocolate
War
Harrison Bergeron, Kurt Vonnegut Jr (short story)
Tim Winton – The Riders + The Turning
Joe Simpson – autobiography
Movie – Going Solo (Joe Simpson)
Into Great Silence – documentary
Be My Brother 2009 Tropfest Winner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d-7IFN4DKA
Mankind is no Island Tropfest NY 2008 Winner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrDxe9gK8Gk
He Leadeth Me – Fr Walter Cizek (Jesuit in Russia –
Chapter Extract
Frieda Kahlo - artist biography + images
Hemingway The Old Man and the Sea
Beneath Clouds
Mary and Max
Harvie Krumpet
Persepolis – graphic novel
He Died with A Falafel in His Hand, John Birmingham
Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger
Norwegian Wood – Haruki Murakami
The Door – Miroslav Holub
Rain Man
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
AREA OF STUDY: GOING IT ALONE
PRESCRIBED TEXT: Elissa Down’s The Black Balloon
OUTCOMES
CONTENT
A student:
Students learn to:
2. Describes and explains
relationships among texts
2.1 identify and describe similarities in and
differences between texts
2.2 identify and describe the connections
between texts
2.3 identify and describe the ways in which
particular texts are influenced by other texts
and contexts
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES
Introduce the concept of ‘Going It Alone’ in whole class discussion, using contemporary
examples from students’ own experience 
Use online response tool, www.socrative.com to pre-assess students’ conceptual
understanding of the area of study and to explore personal experience of ”going it alone”
Suggested act and scene analysis of prescribed text:
Chapter 5 MONKEY EARS AND WHITE MICE 
Chapter 9 INSIGHT [Rain Scene] (revelation about balancing individual identity with
belonging to a family)
Chapter 12 DISASTER DINNER 
Chapter 13 LOVE AND FORGIVENESS 
Journal Reflections and short answers/responses to texts 
Discussion and selection of material that demonstrates intellectual / emotional / spiritual
aspects of ‘Going It Alone’ and the relationship between identity and individualism
In groups, explore the THREE broad elements of “Going it Alone” – define how these are
relevant to concept and share a personal anecdote relevant to ONE of the elements 
3. Develops language relevant
to the study of English
3.1 employ appropriate terminology
3.2 use language to make connections,
question, affirm, challenge, speculate and
generalise about texts
Glossary / Vocabulary for ‘Going It Alone’ - mind mapping using Inspiration software (See
handout #1) 
Class discussion – ‘Have you ever been on your own?’ 
Discussion regarding day boys versus boarders and the notion of ‘Going It Alone’ and life
in farming communities 
Discussion of the ambivalence of ‘Going It Alone’ 
3.3 use the language of critical expression
Use the application Inspiration to generate insight into concept (N.B this needs to be
loaded onto each laptop. Go to Applications, Self-Service, then click on Inspiration) 
Personal reflections on issues / concepts / events in the prescribed texts 
Journal entries as specific characters reflecting on aspects of ‘Going it Alone’ and its
antonyms and synonyms 
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
OUTCOMES
CONTENT
A student:
Students learn to:
5. Demonstrates an
understanding of the ways
various textual forms,
technologies and their media
of production affect meaning
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
describe the effects of different textual
forms, technologies and media of
production on the language and structure
of particular texts
describe the effects of different textual
forms, technologies and media of
production on meaning in personal,
social, historical, cultural and workplace
contexts
compose a variety of texts using a range
of textual forms, technologies and media
of production
reflect on the effects of a change in
textual form, technology and medium
of production through their own
composing
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES
Summaries of major thematic issues linked to ‘Going It Alone’ for each act and scene of
“The Black Balloon” 
Class wiki – use Discussion Forum to respond to key questions about the ideas explored in
aspects of the film
Title analysis 
Film analysis and deconstruction. Specific questions on scenes / characters / setting 
Letters to the editor or feature article, giving opinions on issues found in newspaper articles
/ journals etc. 
Film vocabulary worksheet (See handout # 2) 
Film cliché worksheet (See handout # 3) 
Film elements worksheet (See handout # 4) 
Exploration of the blogspot The Black Balloon Diary to generate discussion of film
construction http://theblackballoondiary.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html
Add a personal story to the ‘Like a Fish Out of Water’ anthology (Department Copy) 
6. Engages with a wide range
of texts to develop a
considered and informed
personal response
6.1 engage with a wide range of texts in
personal, historical, social, cultural and
workplace contexts
Character Profiles : Tom / Jackie / Charlie 
6.2 relate responses to aspects of human
experience
6.3 compose personal responses to texts and
consider the responses of others
Character Mapping 
6.4 discuss and reflect on the wider issues
arising from their engagement with texts
View and respond to Temple Grandin on TED.com - class discussion about difference
Podcast / DVD of Andrew Denton Interviews (check library resources) 
Interactive website www.sbs.com.au/asylumexitaustralia/ to generate empathy for those
experiencing difficulties as a result of Going it Alone 
Group and class discussions of related material; both visual and written representations 
Text Types: (See Related Material Booklet on Quantum)
Poetry – Robert Frost: ‘The Road Not Taken’ 
Speech – Nelson Mandela: ‘An ideal for which I am prepared to die 
Interview – Four Corners – Ngaire Thomas Interview
Feature article – Roger Trowbridge’s Seaworthy? 
Short story – Through the Tunnel, Doris Lessing 
Visual – Loser, Leunig 
Website – www.jessicawatson.com.au
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
OUTCOMES
9. Assesses the
appropriateness of a range
of processes and
technologies in the
investigation and
organisation of information
and ideas
CONTENT
9.2 use individual and collaborative
processes to generate, clarify, organise
and present ideas
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES
Viewing of videos / documentaries / films / current affairs dealing with ‘Going It Alone’:
historical, foreign/cultural &/or contemporary/topical 
Modeling of Section I type responses 
Scene deconstruction, ascertaining effectiveness and relevance - Group task on
allocated scene – students are required to explore a given idea within the scene and find
ways in which film devices have shaped this idea. Present a Keynote to the class using stills
from the scene to illustrate.
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Group presentation of related materials and techniques used to represent ideas:
PowerPoint/audio/visual composition/ www.prezi.com/ 
Students store documentation of related material in an e-portfolio using Mahara, 
10. Analyses and synthesises
information and ideas from a
range of texts for a variety of
purposes audiences and
contexts.
10.2 make connections between information
and ideas and synthesise these in a range of
texts
11. Draws upon the imagination
to transform experience into
text
11.1 make connections between life
experience and imagined experience
Visual representations / posters to accompany their stories/ www.photovisi.com 
11.2 experiment with ways of transforming
experience into imaginative texts in different
contexts for specified audiences
Joint construction of a narrative. Have Student A compose the first half of a short story
showcasing the benefits/disadvantages of Going it Alone; Student B then completes the
narrative highlighting the alternate perspective. Use Google Docs or a class wiki 
11.3 recreate texts into new texts by changing
perspective and context
Creation of a radio or TV transcript for Interview 
10.3 develop and present information and
ideas in a range of texts and in analytic,
expressive and imaginative ways
Integrated response scaffolds/modelling and practice 
Integrated response to texts in essay or feature article or other type of extended response
using prescribed, stimulus and various related texts of the students’ own choosing (two at
least) 
Timed Piece of creative writing 
Comic Life software program – create your own comic strip 
Presentation of interviews 
Feature article consolidating personal experience and prescribed and related
material 
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
OUTCOMES
13. Reflects on own processes
of learning
CONTENT
13.2 articulate and monitor own understanding
13.3 compare their learning processes with
those of others
13.5 reflect on the influence of their expanding
knowledge and skills on their own learning
TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES
Class and group discussion focusing on the process of collating and selecting material for
presentations and for extended responses 
Wiki discussion forum questions reflecting on connections between prescribed texts and
related material and their own process in selecting relevant related material on the
concept of ‘Going It Alone’ 
Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
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Area of Study (ADV + STD): Going It Alone The Black Balloon
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