EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)

Tiered Lesson (Differentiated by Readiness)

Name & Student Number: Andrew Sommers 2101410
Lesson Topic: First Contacts
Curriculum Area: History
Year Level: 4

Brief description
This unit examines the stories of both convicts and free settlers and the nature of
contact between Indigenous and European communities. This lesson requires
students to use historical sources to research the life of an individual explorer,
settler, convict or soldier before and after their arrival on the First Fleet. They
then develop a historical narrative that explains how the individuals life has
changed and/or stayed the same in Australia.


Learning Objectives*.

Students will understand: the impact of exploration on other societies, how these societies
interacted with newcomers, and how these experiences contributed to their cultural diversity.

As a result of engaging with the lesson, students will: Develop historical inquiry skills by
investigating historical sources relating to the First Fleet. They will produce written, dramatic,
graphic or digital presentations based on evidence from their examination of sources. In class
and group discussions, they will demonstrate an understanding of empathy, perspectives and
cause and effect.
(ACHHK077), (ACHHK078), (ACHHK079) & (ACHHK080)

Know
The journey(s) of AT LEAST ONE world
navigator, explorer or trader up to the late
eighteenth century, including their contacts with
other societies and any impacts.

Stories of the First Fleet, including reasons for
the journey, who travelled to Australia, and
their experiences following arrival.

The diversity and longevity of Australias first
peoples and the ways Aboriginal and/or Torres
Strait Islander peoples are connected to
Country and Place (land, sea, waterways and
skies) and the implications for their daily lives.
Be able to (do)
Sequence historical people and events.
Use historical terms
Pose a range of questions about the past.
Locate relevant information from sources
provided.
Identify different points of view
Develop texts, particularly narratives.
Use a range of communication modes (oral,
graphic, written) and digital technologies.

Essential Questions
Why did the great journeys of exploration occur?
What was life like for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples before the arrival
of the Europeans?
Why did the Europeans settle in Australia?
EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Lesson Title: First contacts: Discovering Australia

Pre-assessment of Students Readiness
See Appendix A: Pre-assessment - Comparing life before and after the arrival in
Australia

In the previous lesson students examined historical sources about the First Fleet, with
particular focus on the experiences of different groups of people such as settlers,
convicts, soldiers and explorers. They Identified the process of a historical inquiry
undertaken to understand the past. Students were then supported to view a range of
relevant sources that will support their inquiry and provide general information about the
First Fleet, and conditions in England before arrival and in Australia after arrival.

At the end of the previous lesson students completed the exit sheet Comparing life
before and after the arrival in Australia, along with posing a set of relevant questions that
will help answer the Key Inquiry Questions:
What was life like before they came to Australia?
Why did they come here?
How was life different after they arrived here and how was it similar?

The exit sheet will help determine which group (tier) the students will be assigned to in
this lesson.

Red Group: Students who develop logical and, interrelated questions about the past and
locates and identifies information from a range of sources to answer inquiry questions.

Blue Group: Students who develop logical questions about the past but struggle to
locate relevant or high quality sources.

White Group: Students who asks obvious questions about the past but are able to locate
information from a number of high quality sources.

Lesson Plan
Lesson Sequence

Introduction
Whole class introduction:
Review key historical terms such as
colony, felon, transportation and
navigator.
Review the historical concepts of
continuity and change, causes and
effects, significance, perspectives,
empathy and sources.
Review types of historical sources with
students, providing students with a
selection of relevant sources.
Introduce the summative assessment
task in which students will use
historical sources to investigate the
individual life of an explorer, settler,
Explanatory notes




The introduction/review process allows
students to activate prior knowledge as well as
reinforcing any information that some students
may have needed support on. It also saves
time as the summative assessment task can
outlined to the whole group rather than the
individual tiered groups.






EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
convict or soldier of the First Fleet.
Review students relevant questions
that will help answer the key inquiry
questions:
o What was their life like before
they came to Australia?
o Why did they come here?
o How was their life different
after they arrived here and how
was it similar?

Tiered Activity
Students will then break up into their coloured
tiered groups

Red Group:
Students will locate a range of primary
and secondary sources about their
chosen First Fleet person and record
the details in the locating sources table
(appendix B). The suitability of these
sources must be checked off before
advancing.
Conference with students and provide
support with locating primary and
secondary sources and documenting
relevant information.
Encourage students to make changes
to research questions as required.
Review questions and sign approval
before each student proceeds with
their inquiry.

Blue Group:
Conference with students and provide
support with locating primary and
secondary sources and documenting
relevant information.
It is essential that students are able to
identify what makes a quality historical
resource so students will examine the
quality and relevance of their historical
sources using the questioning sources
sheet (Appendix C).
Students will locate a range of primary
and secondary sources about their
chosen First Fleet person and record
the details in the locating sources table
(Appendix B).
Review questions and resources and
sign approval before each student
proceeds with their inquiry.










As Tomlinson 2011 states, A goal for all
learners is independent study, thought and
production. The tiered activities through this
lesson are designed to allow students the
opportunity to develop their independence
using one or more of the four stages of
independence (skill building, structured
independence, shared independence and self-
guided independence).



The red tiered group begin working in the
shared independence stage as these students
are working at the more transformational end of
the spectrum and it is the teachers duty to
guide the focus of students and monitor the
production process.










The Blue and the White tiered groups require
help with different criteria within the main
inquiry task, thus each group begins working
inside the skill building stage. These students
need to develop the ability to make simple
choices, follow through with short-term tasks
and use direction appropriately.















EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
White Group:
Conference with students and provide
support for designing and developing
logical questions.
Students will develop a set of relevant
questions using the Question starter
grid (Appendix D) as a support for
posing questions. Review these
questions before each student
proceeds.
Conference with students and provide
support with locating primary and
secondary sources and documenting
relevant information.
Students will locate a range of primary
and secondary sources about their
chosen First Fleet person and record
the details in the locating sources table
(Appendix B).
Check there is sufficient evidence from
sources to answer the questions and
make revisions as required.


At the completion of the lesson when students
are moving into the summative assessment
task it is intended that all students will be
working within the structured independence
stage, where students will make choices from
teacher-generated options and engage in self-
evaluation. However there may be some
students who are able to work within the self-
guided independence stage. These students
will be able to generate their own task and will
seek help or feedback when needed.





Lesson Closure/ Check for Understanding
Lesson Closure:
By the end of the lesson all students should be in a position to begin the
summative assessment inquiry task.
Provide students with the Developing a historical narrative checklist (Appendix
E).
Compare different kinds of texts that provide historical information, e.g. written
narratives, websites, museum labels, timelines, annotated image sets.
Outline the guidelines for the text type that will be used which will be open to
individual choice, and may include a letter, diary, annotated photo album, or
newspaper article.
Students are to submit a draft copy of their work which will be assessed using the
formative assessment rubric (Appendix F) in order to determine the level of
understanding and address any further areas of concern.

References
Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). The How Tos of planning lessons differentiated by readiness. In How
to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms (2nd ed., pp. 45-51). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson.
Checklist of assignment components:
Complete, step-by-step lesson description, with notes explaining how the lesson
represents an example of a tiered lesson to address various readiness levels
Supplementary materials (e.g., copies of directions, handouts, etc. provided to
students)
Copy and/or description of preassessment task used to assign individual
students to appropriate tiers
Evaluation/ assessment criteria (e.g., rubric or checklist used to guide evaluation
of student work)
EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Appendix A

Comparing life before and after the arrival in Australia

Origin Australia


Different Different

Same














Resources:









What questions would ask to help answer the following questions?
What was life like before they came to Australia?
Why did they come here?
How was life different after they arrived here and how was it similar?








EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Appendix B
Locating sources table
Name of source
Type of source
(Primary or Secondary)
Whose perspective is presented in
this source?
Which question/s will this source
help you to answer?




EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Appendix C

Questioning Sources

What
What is the source? Is it a photo?
If so, is it in black and white or colour?
Is it a letter? If so, is it typed, or
handwritten?
What event does it show or describe?
Who
Who wrote the letter, took the photo or
painted the painting?
Can you be sure it was really that
person who made it?
When
When was the source created?
How can you tell its age?
Where
Can you tell where the source was
created?
Why
Why was the source created?
Does it tell a story?
Is it giving facts or opinions?
Does the source tell you why it was
created?
Can you work out why it was created?
How
How accurate is the information from
the source?
How did events happen?
How can you tell if something has
changed or stayed the same?












EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Appendix D

Question Starter Grid

What is? Where/when is? Which is? Who is? Why is?
What did? Where/When
did?
Which did? Who did? Why did?
What can? Where/when
can?
Which can? Who did? Why can?
What would? Where/when
would?
Which would? Who did? Why would?
What will? Where/when
will?
Which will? Who will? Why will?
What might? Where/when
might?
Which might? Who might? Why might?

EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Appendix E

Developing a Historical Narrative

Use the following checklist to help develop your historical narrative
which will investigate the life of an explorer, settler, convict or soldier
of the First Fleet and how their life changed after arriving in Australia.

This may be a personal letter, annotated photo album, diary extract or
newspaper article.

Your text should be 200400 words in length.

Content Yes No
An introduction that explains why your person is on the First Fleet

Sequenced historical events in chronological order using dates

Comparison of life before and after the First Fleet arrival in Australia

Historical terms and concepts

Key people

The significance of European settlement

A conclusion about how life has changed/or stayed the same
















EDUC4720/1 2012_Jane Jarvis_Tiering format adapted from Tomlinson (1999)
Appendix F

Formative Assessment Rubric

Knowledge,
Understandings
and Skills

Learning Objectives

Yes

No

Sometimes
Historical
Knowledge and
Understanding
First Contacts
Identifies the reasons for the journey
of a member of the First Fleet and
the experiences of life before and
after the arrival in Australia.

Questioning and
researching
Historical questions and research
Poses a range of questions about the
past and locates relevant information
from historical sources provided.

Analysing and
interpreting
Analysis and use of sources
Uses historical sources to respond to
inquiry questions.

Communicating Explanation and communication
Develops a historical narrative using
historical terms and concepts.
Chronology, terms and concepts
Sequences historical people and
events.


Student follow up questions

Were the sources used helpful?

How useful were your questions?

How did you use your questions in the investigation?

How well did you develop a comparison?

Were historical terms and concepts used appropriately?

Were the key inquiry questions answered using evidence from sources?