Moree Secondary College
YEAR 10 PROGRAM 2011
Stage 5 English: Courage and Growth
/ Suggested duration: Term 1Weeks: 1-9
Rationale: A novel study into the timeless issues that affect the youth in our society. In this unit, students’ skills, knowledge and understanding will be developed through analysis of a specific novel. Activities will focus upon reading and responding to the class text through a variety of class and individual activities. In this component student’ skills, knowledge and understanding of the book will be developed through a number of teacher led activities and via the mandatory ‘Speech’ assessment task.
Focus outcomes to be assessed:
1 responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding, interpretation, critical analysis and pleasure
5 transfers understanding of language concepts into new and different contexts
8 investigates the relationships between and among texts
9 demonstrates understanding of the ways texts reflect personal and public worlds
Students learn to:
1.1 respond to and compose a range of imaginative, factual and critical texts which are increasingly demanding in terms of their linguistic, structural, cognitive, emotional and moral complexity
1.2 respond to and compose more sustained texts in a range of contexts
1.3 analyse the effectiveness and impact of texts on responders in terms of ideas, perspective and originality
1.4 explain their responses to texts and their widening personal preferences within and among texts
1.5 respond to texts from different reading positions as an aspect of their developing moral and ethical stances on issues
1.6 respond to and compose texts that use inference and figurative language, such as symbolism and allusion, in complex and subtle ways
5.1 apply knowledge of language forms and features and structures of texts to respond to, compose and adapt texts to suit new and unfamiliar contexts
5.2 compose written, oral and visual texts for personal, historical, cultural, social, technological and workplace contexts
5.3 adapt their own or familiar texts into different forms, structures, modes and media for different purposes, audiences and contexts
8.1 identify and describe the similarities and differences between and among more demanding texts
8.4 track and explain the treatment of a common theme or idea in a range of texts in different modes and media
8.6 compose texts by complying with, adapting or subverting the conventions of form, genre and ideology.
9.1 respond to and compose texts that reflect their expanding worlds from the personal to the public
9.2 relate the content and ideas in texts to the world beyond the texts
9.3 describe ways in which their own responses to texts are personal and reflect their own context
9.4 identify different reading positions and interpretations of particular texts and appreciate distinctions in meaning
9.5 draw conclusions about their own values in relation to the values expressed and reflected by texts, and their responses to them.
Students learn about:
1.7 the ideas, information, perspectives and ideologies presented in increasingly demanding imaginative, factual and critical texts and the ways they are presented
1.8 the features of increasingly complex imaginative, factual and critical texts, including the cognitive, emotional and moral dimensions of the text and its linguistic and structural features
1.9 the ways sustained texts use elements such as evidence, argument, narrative, dialogue and climax
1.10 the use of variations within conventions of particular genres, including forms of poetry, fiction and film and how these variations address the composer’s purpose
1.11 their own emerging sense of style, personal preference and discernment in responding to and composing texts
1.12 how inference and figurative language can be used in complex and subtle ways.
5.7 predicting, speculating, hypothesising and paraphrasing as strategies for accessing texts with unfamiliar ideas or structures
5.8 how particular forms and features of language and structures of texts can be adapted to new purposes, audiences and contexts
5.9 the selection, organisation and coherence of information and ideas in texts.
8.7 the ways content, form and ideas of texts can be related
8.8 the metalanguage for identifying, describing and explaining relationships between and among texts
8.11 the patterns of texts composed in different modes, media and multimedia
9.6 the ways different and changing views of the world shape meaning
9.7 the ways personal perspective is shaped by social, cultural and historical influences
9.8 the ways personal perspective shapes meaning
9.9 aspects of their own context that influence their responses and compositions
9.10 how alternative readings of texts reflect responders’ personal and public worlds and what they value in the text.
Quality Teaching Elements:
Intellectual Quality / Quality Learning Environment / Significance· Deep knowledge / · Explicit quality criteria / · Background knowledge
· Deep understanding / · Engagement / · Cultural knowledge
· Problematic knowledge / · High Expectations / · Knowledge integration
· Higher-order thinking / · Social support / · Inclusivity
· Metalanguage / · Student’s self-regulation / · Connectedness
· Substantive communication / · Student direction / · Narrative
TEXTS: Looking for Alibrandi OR To Kill a Mocking Bird OR Tomorrow when the war began OR The Outsiders OR Artemis Fowl OR The Nest
Syllabus content: / Teaching and learning cycle: / Date completed/ variations: / Resources: / Quality teaching elements:Introduction to courage
5.7
8.4, 8.7
9.3, 9.9 / c Define Courage: Each student writes a definition of courage in their books. Students pass their books to a partner and underline key words. Students pass their books to a second person to underline key words. Compile a list of underlined words. Use the most common words to come up with a class definition of courage. Students copy into their books.
c Individual work: Students look at the cover of the novel and make predictions about what they think the novel is about. They must justify each prediction with an example of a visual feature from the cover. These are recorded in a paragraph in their English books.
c Self-evaluation: Are you a person of courage? / Class set of novels
Worksheets – are you a person of courage? / Background knowledge
Higher Order Thinking
Connectedness
8.4
9.3, 9.9 / Discussion Questions (pick as many or as few activities as appropriate for your class)
c Thomas Jefferson said that one person with courage is a majority. What does that mean to you?
c What is moral courage? What are some historic and recent examples of moral courage or moral cowardice?
c What things in your life require moral courage?
c Is peer pressure a very strong influence in your school? Does it take courage to resist peer pressure? AND/OR
c Web quest: peer pressure (ask Jen for address)
c What does it mean to have principles? What are some of your principles? How much are you willing to risk for your principles? Would you risk being criticized or losing popularity?
c What do you think stops people from taking a stand against something they know is wrong?
c Have you ever stood up for someone who is being picked on or treated unfairly? Would you do it again? What did you learn from that experience?
c Are there kids in your school who pick on others? How do you feel about it? Why do people allow that to happen? What could you do about it?
c Is courage something you have to be born with, or can you develop it?
c What does courage have to do with the quality of your character? / Computers for web quest / Background knowledge
Connectedness
Narrative
8.4
9.3, 9.9
9.2, 9.5, 9.9
8.2, 8.4
9.5, 9.9 / Writing Topics (optional – pick as many or as few activities as appropriate for your class)
c Describe a situation in which you showed moral courage. What was hard about it? What did accomplish? Had people respond before you took your stand? What did they say to you afterwards?
c Reflection: What was the hardest stand you ever had to take with your friends? Did it cost you anything? What were the benefits?
c Reflection: Have you ever gone along with the crowd even though you knew it was wrong? How did you feel about yourself? What did you learn from it? Would you do it again?
c Write about a time when you had to give up friends because they became a negative force in your life. In what ways did that take courage? In what ways is this similar/ different to what Atticus does when he takes on the Tom Robinson case? (TKAM) (Choose an example from your novel and construct a Venn diagram).
c In what ways have you demonstrated courage in your life?
c Consider the following behavioural definition of what courage means:
- Stand up for what is right, even if you stand alone.
- Don’t cave in to negative peer pressure.
- Don’t avoid trying something to fear of making a mistake or failing.
- Don’t be afraid to express yourself just because some people might disapprove.
c Write an essay on any or all of the points in this definition of courage.
c Write a letter to someone in the news whose courage has inspired you.
c Write an essay about a historical event in which courage played a major role.
c Brainstorm: Students to think of all the examples of courage in various fiction books, plays, films they have seen. Pick five characters and explain why they were courageous. / Background knowledge
Connectedness
Narrative
8.4
9.3, 9.9 / Class Activities (pick as many or as few activities as appropriate for your class)
c What does it take to stand up against negative peer pressure? As a class, discuss the kinds of peer pressure that exist at your school. What makes it difficult to resist these pressures? Develop some good strategies for standing up to them. Compile this into a written report for the students in your school.
c Profiles in Courage: have the students, either individually or in groups, identify acts of courage by people in the news or by people in your school community. Then have each individual or group make a presentation to the class and conduct a discussion. What do these selections have in common? What are the differences? What can students learn about themselves and the selections they made? What have they learned from the people they selected?
c Discussion: Have your students bring in articles from magazines and newspapers describing situations in which moral courage is an issue. Discuss and decide who is acting courageously and who isn’t. What difference does it make?
c Role-play some typical situations which require taking a courageous stand against a group or an individual. After each improvisation have a discussion. What important principle or issue was at stake? How well did the individual stand up? What could he/ she have done better? What did you learn from this?
c Have your students search the web for quotations or other inspiring or provocative writings on courage. Compile this into a book.
1.1
5.1, 5.2 / c Brainstorm: What issues face teenagers in today’s society?
c Define: what is adversity?
c Ask students to write a personal response as to what adversity they face in their daily lives and how this has helped them to grow.
c Review/ Discuss letter to editor structure/ techniques
c Students to discuss issues in Moree that they feel affect them.
c Choose an issue and write a letter to The Champion. / Internet – ICT Skills / Background knowledge
Deep understanding
Connectedness
Engagement
1.3,
8.2, / Language Techniques
c Teacher to identify some specific techniques and explain them to the class
c Structure, language devices, descriptions, imagery etc.
c Film version of the text may be viewed on the smart board / ICT SKILLS / Engagement
Student self-regulation
Reading the Book
c Read the book all the way through. (You may choose to read to the class, have students read aloud, use an audio book, or have students read silently depending on the ability of your class).
c Viewing: Watch the film version of the novel (for lower ability classes, or a particularly difficult novel it might be useful to view the film version first) / Class set of novels / Narrative
Deep Learning
Activities while Reading
1.3, 1.4, 1.9 / c Homework: study guide questions relating to the chapters read.
c Optional: teacher/ student led chapter summaries for selected novel AND/OR
c Plot – analyse and take ‘point-form’ notes on the plot. Use these notes to construct a plot graph. AND/OR
c Review: Students to write 5/10 quick questions about the novel so far and swap with a peer to answer.
c Optional (lower ability classes): Draw settings from descriptions provided by author
c Optional (higher ability classes): Write a response to the book explaining whether you liked it or disliked it and why you felt that way. / Class set of novels
Study guide for chosen novel / Narrative
Deep Learning
1.1, 1.3,
5.2, 5.9,
8.2, 8.4, 8.6 8.7 / Themes
c Brainstorm/ mind map: themes and issues in the novel. AND/OR
c What is the novel about? (5 minute writing where the students write down all their ideas). Share with class.
c Choose a central theme and write a newspaper article exploring the theme – e.g. Australian Rules you would write an article on racism or poverty. (Teacher may need to give structure of newspaper article).
c Identifying theme quotes: Teacher to give page references and students are to find quotes on the page that relate to themes. [Higher ability classes] OR
c Classifying quotes: Teacher to give students a number of quotes that relate to various themes in the novel. Students to cut out quotes and stick them into columns relating to Review structure of an informal letter (notes AND/OR worksheet AND/OR discussion)
c Write a letter which focuses on themes central to the book (teacher choice). e.g. Looking for Alibrandi: Write a letter to a friend telling them what they have learnt about the importance of the theme in understanding themselves (in character Josie)
c Review structure of an essay (notes AND/ OR worksheet AND/OR discussion)
c Formulate your specific class essay on the following dot points (using fishbone diagram):
- Characters reactions to experiences
- Their thought, ideas and discussion
- Their responses to others
- Responses to the theme. / Model text/ scaffold sheet for essay writing and/or informal letter
Fishbone diagram / Deep Knowledge
Deep Understanding
Knowledge Integration
Substantive Communication
High Expectations
1.3, / Teachers are encouraged to include and Aboriginal perspective at some stage during this unit – this may be simply by introducing a text written by an Indigenous Australian that covers similar themes to the novel being studied. / Aboriginal education policy / Deep Learning
5.1, 5.3, / Character analysis
c Group work – Split student into groups. Allocate each group a character from the book. Students answer the following questions:
- What does the character say?
- What do other characters say about your character?
- What does the narrator say about the character?
- What techniques are used to describe the character?
Students summarise this information in an X chart on A3 paper to display in class.
Groups report back to the class explaining what they have learned about their allocated character.
(Teacher may collate these sheets and give as a handout to whole class) / A3 / Social Support
Self-Regulation
Student Direction
1
5
8
9 / Preparation for speech
c Teacher led discussion and notes on how to be well prepared for a speech.
c [Lower ability classes may choose to write the speech in a cloze passage format]
Include such important ideas as;
- Students being well prepared for their speech.
- Students placing their speeches on to palm cards.
- Students practicing their speeches. / Social Support
Self-Regulation
Student Direction
Inclusivity
Explicit Quality Criteria
1.7,
5.1, 5.2, 5.3, / Write a book review (OPTIONAL extra activities)
c Read other book reviews - discuss features and techniques
c Structure of book review
c Write your own book review for the school newsletter / RTL – Possibility to use some RTL skills here / Deep Knowledge
Knowledge Integration
Connectedness
Assessment Task 1:
During week 7 of Term 1 the students will complete a speech as part of their class assessment schedule. Students will be given some time in class to complete this work. It is usually a task that involves the students adopting the persona of one the major characters from their novel and talking about how they felt as the events in the book unfold.
Variations
School Outcome/Perspective / Y / N / School Outcome/Perspective / Y / N
Literacy / Multicultural Perspectives
Numeracy / Aboriginal Perspectives
Catering for individual students different learning styles / Gender Equity
Technology / multimedia
Evaluation