LITERACY / UNIT PLANNER

Topic: My Place: Ben 1858 Episode 16: Eggs for Tuppence

Year Level: 5

GRAMMAR FOCUS: (levels)

Text type and mode

Whole text structure of Persuasive text.

An opening statement of the issues or concern that is to be argued

A statement of opinion

Background information to support the opening statement

Arguments, each of which is supported by evidence or example

Sequentially ordered arguments

Carefully selected facts

A concluding statement

(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 166-167)

Language features for the text-type:

Emotive words

Present tense

Connectives

Conjunctions

Specialised vocabulary

Variety of verbs

Passive voice

Facts and opinions

Quotes

The use of first person

Persuasive

Term:
Listened to

Spoken

Weeks:
Read

Date:
Written

Viewed

Produced

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
Language Experience Approach (R/W) Picture Chat Read to Shared R/W
Guided R/W
Modelled writing Interactive writing Independent R/W Literature Circles Reciprocal Teaching
Mini lesson Roving conferences
Teaching techniques: Think Aloud, Text analysis, Cloze exercises, Note-taking,
Graphic Organisers: T-chart, Y-chart; Venn diagram, Data grid, Sunshine wheel, KWL chart, Flow
chart, Story map, templates for text-types for planning,

(Wing Jan, 2009, pp. 168).

CONTEXT: Overview of series of lessons and background information
Throughout this unit we will explore the lifestyle present within 1858, through the
character of Ben. Using the context of this episode we will make comparisons

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between life then, and life now, building up appropriate topic knowledge that will
allow students to construct a persuasive piece. This persuasive piece will address
whether life is easier now, or back in the 1850s. The episode presented to the
students is relatable as they are able to make comparisons with a similarly aged
character, and are able to use their own life experiences to develop their text.
Over a series of sessions we will explore various persuasive texts, and analyse the
particular structure and language features that they contain. Within these experiences
students are able to practice constructing their own elements of persuasive texts, with
the guidance of both their teacher and fellow peers. In order to consolidate the
students understanding for persuasive texts, the students will construct their own
formal persuasive piece, using the topic and text knowledge from the unit.
Pre-assessment of students skills and knowledge:
Standardized tests for reading/writing/ NAPLAN
Profile of Data Progression of Reading Development
Conferences/interviews
Student written work samples
Self-assessments
Literacy Learning intention:

Four resource model (Freebody & Luke, 1990/1999): Code Breaker; Text Participant/Meaning
Maker; Text User; Text Analyst
Comprehension Strategies: Predicting; Visualising; Making connections; Questioning; Inferring;
Determining important ideas; Summarising; Finding evidence in the text; Understanding new
vocabulary; Synthesising; Comparing and contrasting; Paraphrasing; Recognising cause and effect;
Skimming and scanning; Five semiotic systems: linguistics, visual, auditory, spatial, gestural.
Question types: self-questioning; 3 levels; (literal, inferential, evaluative); QAR
Thinking Routines: See, Think, Wonder; Headlines; +1, Three word summary, 5VIPs, Give One,
Get One (refer Ritchhart, R., Church, M., & amp; Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible:
How to Promote Engagement, Understanding, and Independence for All Learners. eBook online)

We are learning to write persuasive texts.

Learning behaviours:
I need to work collaboratively to build my text knowledge of persuasive texts.
Success criteria:
I know Im doing well if I can produce a persuasive text with all of the relevant
features.

Topic-specific vocabulary for the unit of work:

Resources:

Tuppence, shillings, pence, plover, stereotype, chores, business, gender roles, social
order, education, decades, racism, entitlements, arguments, opening statement,
concluding statement, arguments, persuasive, connectives, emotive words,
conjunctions, passive voice, evidence, support, reason.

Wing Jan, L. (2009). Write ways. South Melbourne: OUP. XX; EPISODE 16 1858: Ben English teaching resources
downloaded on XX from www.myplace.edu.au/. My Place website www.myplace.edu.au Video clip Episode 16; ABC3
MyPlace http://www.abc.net.au/abc3/myplace/. Gibbons, P. (2002). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: teaching
second language in the mainstream classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Hertzberg, M. (2011). Teaching English
language learner in mainstream classes. Newtown, NSW: PETAA.

Analysing
Checking
Classifying
Cooperating
Considering options
Designing
Elaborating

Estimating
Explaining
Generalising
Hypothesising
Inferring
Interpreting
Justifying

Listening
Locating information
Making choices
Note taking
Observing
Ordering events
Organising

Performing
Persuading
Planning
Predicting
Presenting
Providing feedback
Questioning

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

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TEACHING & LEARNING CYCLE

(Identify step in the T & L cycle and
the literacy learning intention or
sessions focus )

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 ...

1. Building topic
knowledge
Display images
related to the life
We are learning to
style in the 1850s.
identify key ideas,
after viewing a video Pose the discussion
clip.
question: What do
you think life in the
1850s was like?
Use wallpapering
(Gibbons, 2002,
p.62) to collect ideas
based on the
students current
knowledge.
What do you think
life would have been
like for children?
What are you
interested in finding
out more about?

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)

Back -to-back viewing

Model to the students the
appropriate way to take
notes, focusing on noting
down key terms.
Explain to students what
key terms are, and how we
can identify them with
sentences.
Watch Episode 16 (1) as a
class with an enlarged
version of the note-taking
sheet displayed. Fill in the
sheet in as class using
students responses.
What key terms did you
hear being used?
What terms could you use
to represent the themes
presented within the
video?
What terms could you use
to describe what you saw
in the video?

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.

Think-Pair-Share
In pairs, the students
complete a back-to-back
viewing (Gibbons, 2002,
p.63) of Episode 16 (2).
Students are responsible
for recording their notes
using the provided activity
sheet.

Word Wall
As a class students
contribute terms that they
identified within the
video to create a class
word wall (Gibbons,
2002, p.62)

Two pairs then come

together to compare and
explain the different terms
that they have recorded.
Did you find
similarities/differences
between your notes?
What made it difficult to
take notes?
If you were just listening
what did you have to focus
on?
Were there any terms you
identified because of what
you could see in the video?

What terms did you

identify? Does anyone
have any similar to this?
Do these terms help us to
identify some of the
themes presented within
the video?
How did only listening or
watching the video
impact on your notes?

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.

Focussed observation of
students engagement
and completing the task
in the small group.
Were they successful in
identifying and
recoding key terms?
Record using anecdotal
notes.

Small teaching group:

Students re-watch the
Episode 16 (1). Students
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engage in an oral cloze

exercise (Hertzberg,
1968, p.67) (Refer to
Appendix 1). Students are
encouraged to present the
various terms they have
recorded.
What term would be
appropriate in this
sentence?
Did anyone else have
anything similar?
Does everyone agree with
this term?
How did you come up with
that term?
2. Building
topic
knowledge

As a class we go on an excursion to Sovereign Hill which as an open-air museum set in the 1800s. We will working in expert/home
groups (Gibbons, 2002, p.60), in which each expert group is given a different aspect of lifestyle that they must focus on. The students
are given the focus question: How was life different in the 1850s?

We are learning to
engage with different
text form to gather
and record
information.
3. Building
topic
knowledge

We continue to work in expert/groups (Gibbons, 2002, p.60) as we come together to work collaborate and share the different
information collected. We then create a Venn diagram to demonstrate our understanding of the focus question: How was life different
in the 1850s?

We are learning to
list and organise our

We return to the whole class and create a class information grid (Gibbons, 2002, p.64) which summarises the information that we
have collected. This will be produced on large paper so that it can not only be referred to in following sessions, but also so that we can
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understandings of
topic-specific
information in a
Venn diagram
4. Building text
knowledge/
Model the
genre
We are learning to
review the purpose
and arguments
presented within a
persuasive text.

add to it as we learn new topic-specific information.

Read To

Text Analysis

Read a formal
persuasive piece to
the class.

Model how to annotate the

text identifying the
different arguments
presented within the
persuasive piece.

Class discussion is
prompted:
What was the
purpose of the text?
When would the use
of this be
appropriate?
What points did the
text make?
How is this text
different from a
report? How do you
know?

How do we know what the

authors position is?
What are the different
arguments presented?
How are these arguments
structured?
Using a T-chart (Wing
Jan, 2009, p. 171) go
through the model text,
identifying the supporting
and opposing arguments
presented.

Independent Writing

5 pairs are selected to

share their opening
In pairs, students are given statements with the class.
a card that contains a
prompting statement
How do we know what
(Refer to appendix 2)
position they are taking
(Wing Jan, 2009, p. 173).
on the topic?
What words did they use
Using this statement
to help convey this?
students must create a TWas it easier to find
chart (Wing Jan, 2009, p. supportive or opposing
171) showing arguments
arguments?
for and against the issue.
How did you identify
arguments within the
Students must then write
text?
an opening statement to an
argument.

Focussed observation of
students engagement
and completing the task
in the small group.
How well were they
able to identify the
arguments within the
text?
Were they able to
exhibit the authors
view using a headline?
Record using anecdotal
notes.

What issues is being

addressed?
What arguments has the
author used to support
their view?
How can you identify the
different arguments?
Small teaching group:
Shared reading
This focus group is an
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intervention to help less

experienced readers and
writers.
Teacher and students read
through the persuasive text
together again. Students
are encouraged to discuss
what key terms
highlighted or annotated in
order to show the authors
position.
What terms show the
authors position?
What arguments has the
author presented?
What language has the
author used to convince
us?
Students then engage with
thinking routine
Headlines (Ritchhart,
Church & Mossison, 2011,
p.111.)
What headline could you
create to show the
authors position?
5. Building text
knowledge/Mod
el the genre

Shared Reading

Think Aloud

Guided Writing

Enlarged copies of
persuasive pieces on

Model the process of

annotating a persuasive

Students work in pairs to

complete a text

Read through constructed

text, allow pause to
prompt students to share
what they believe is next.

Assessment will
involve focused
observation of students
engagement with the
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We are learning to
review the structure
and specific
language features of
a persuasive text.

the same topic are

displayed to the
class.
Class discussion is
prompted:
What is common
amongst all of these
pieces?
Can anyone
recognise a repeating
structure?
How is the
information in the
texts organised?

piece. Modelling the

correct vocabulary
associated with its specific
structure and features.
(Refer, sample Wing Jan,
2009, p. 167).

reconstruction (Gibbons,
2002, p.65). Students are
encouraged to label their
un-jumbled piece using
correct terms (eg. Opening
statement, concluding
statement, ect.)
What terms or language
could you identify to help
you find its position?
Does your reconstructed
text flow?

small group teaching.

Engage in class
discussion.
How did you work out the
order of the different
pieces?
What made a section easy
of hard to position?
Were there any key terms
you looked for? What
were they?

How well do they

understand the structure
of a persuasive text?
Are they are able to
differentiate between
two different persuasive
texts?
Record using checklist.

Small teaching group:

This focus group is an
extension, to further
develop understandings of
more accomplished
readers and writers.
Students engage in a text
reconstruction (Gibbons,
2002, p.65) that contains
jumbled sentences of two
different persuasive texts.
Students must sort out
what belongs to which
persuasive text, and then
sequence them.
How do we know what
sentences belong to each
persuasive text?
Are there different topics
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being addressed?
What terms can you look
out for to help you identify
where this sentence
belongs?
6. Building text
knowledge/Mod
el the genre
We are learning to
reconstruct a
persuasive text,
using key
vocabulary and
structure.
7. Guided activities
to develop
vocabulary or
specific language
feature
We are learning to
use modal verbs to
indicate certainty in
persuasive writing

We are going to engage in a dictogloss (Hertzberg, 1968, p. 68) in which students firstly work individually to identify key terms
presented within the persuasive text. Students then work in triads to recreate the text. We return to the whole class and selected triads
share their reconstructed text. Text-to-text connections will be made as we compare with the original text, and the use of keys terms
and the structure of the text. Any new topic-specific terms identified by the students will be added to our word wall (Gibbons, 2002,
p.62) created in past lesson.

Activate prior
knowledge about
modal verbs.
Create a conceptmap with the class as
they provide
definitions and
examples.
How do use model
verbs?
What do they do?
Does anyone know
any examples of
modal verbs?
How do they differ?
Can anyone think of

Thinking Aloud

Verbal Cloze exercise

Using the interactive

white board display word
cline (Herzberg 2012, p.
121) activity sheet (refer
to appendix 3).

In pairs students complete

as cloze exercise
(Hertzberg, 1968, p.67)
(refer to appendix 4),
requiring them to select
appropriated model verbs.

Model to the students

were you would put the
modal verb must on the
word cline.
Ask students to share any
model verbs, and to add
to the class word cline.
Where would that modal

Pairs must then taking it in

turns creating an oral
cloze for each other to
complete.
What do you believe the
likelihood is in that
situation?
How can you represent

Read through the cloze

exercise, providing
students the opportunity
to share the answers and
their thinking behind it.

Assessment will
involve focused
observation of students
engagement with the
small group teaching.

Engage in class
discussion.

How well are the able

to use modal verbs?
Do they use model
verbs appropriately
within sentences?

How did saying the

answers make the
activity, was it harder or
easier?
How did you know what
an appropriate modal
verb would be?
Could you tell through
listening if a response

Record using checklist.

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how to use a model

verb in a sentence?

verb go on the word

cline?
What position does that
model verb portray?
Can anyone think of a
word that would be the
opposite to that?
How do you know it
should go there?
How would you use that
in a sentence?

that using a modal verb?

What example on our
word cline would best fit
that sentence?

was correct?

Small teaching group:

Guided writing
This focus group is an
intervention to help less
experienced readers and
writers.
Review the world cline
created as a class. Ask the
individuals to pick or
think of a modal verb, and
create a sentence using it.
In what situation would
that model verb be
appropriate?
What does that modal
verb tell us about the
likelihood of a particular
event?
Can anyone else think of a
sentence they could use
that modal verb?
What would be a modal
verb opposite to that one?

8. Guided
activities to
develop

Shared Viewing

Think Aloud

Students work in small

groups to create 3

Selected groups are given

the opportunity to share

Assessment will
involve focused
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vocabulary or
specific language
feature
We are learning to
identify and use
emotive language to
create persuasive
arguments

The class views video

of an advertisement
(Refer to Appendix
5).
Class engages in
discussion. Prompted
by open-ended
questions.
What was the purpose
of the video?
What did the creator
want to make you
think?
What elements of it
made it persuasive?
Can anyone identify
any emotive language
that was used?

Present the statement

School was less
important in the 1850s
then it is now to the
class.
Model how to construct
an argument, with a
particular emphasis on
the inclusion of emotive
language.
What other emotive
language could be used?
How will this help the
argument?

arguments either
the emotive language that
supporting or opposing the they have used to create a
statement.
persuasive argument.

observation of students
engagement with the
small group teaching.

The students are

encouraged to use emotive
language to appeal to the
audience.

How well are they able

to identify emotive
language?
How well are they able
to explain their choices?

How are you going to

convince your audience?
What emotive language
could you add to that
argument?
Who are you appealing to
with the use of the
argument?
Small group teaching:

These terms and phrases

are collated to create a
vocabulary list, that
students can refer to when
engaging in independent
writing,
What emotive language
did you use?
How does that make your
argument persuasive?
Who do you think you are
appealing to with the use
of that language?
What other emotive
language could they have
used?

Record using anecdotal

notes.

This focus group is an

intervention to help less
experienced readers and
writers.
Students watch the video
again, and are given the
focus of identifying
persuasive features within
the video.
Students engage in the
thinking routine The
explanation game
(Ritchhart, Church &
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Mossison, 2011, p.101.)

What did you notice when
watching the video again?
What did you notice that
was persuasive?
What made it persuasive?
9. Joint
construction of
text

We work as a class to address the familiar prompt School was less important in the 1850s then it is now. As a class we construct a
concept map to record all of the information and facts that we have about to topic. Using T chart (Wing Jan, 2009, p. 171) we identify
opposing and supporting arguments. We analyse the identified arguments and facts about the given topic and select our stance.

We are learning to
break down given
prompts and
organise information
using graphic
organisers.
10. Joint
construction
of text

We refer back to the concept map and T chart created in the previous lesson. We organise the two sets of information, linking the facts
and information to relevant argument. We prioritise our arguments, looking at which ones are best supported by facts. We construct an
opening statement, referring back to our vocab list of modal verbs made in a previous lesson.

We are learning to
form and prioritise
arguments.

11. Independent
construction
of text

We are given the prompt Life was harder in the 1850s than it is now. We have access to a variety of topic-specific multi-model and
hard copy texts. We are given time to plan our response to this prompt, either arguing in support or in opposition to the statement. We
return to whole class and share some of the arguments or facts that we have brainstormed.

We are learning to
independently write
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persuasive texts.

12. Independent
construction
of text
We are learning
to independently
write persuasive
texts.
13. Reflecting
on language
choices

We are given time to begin to form our arguments, focusing on constructing opening statements that clearly state our position. We
return as a whole class and selected students share an example of one of their opening statements.

We are going to revise our persuasive texts, through the use of self-assessment. We are given a criteria through which we must assess
our text against, ensuring that we have made appropriate language choices. We return to the whole class and share and discuss what we
found through the process of self-assessment.

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Appendix 1: Oral Cloze Exercise

Ben has one _______ and 6 __________.

Ben has to make eight and a half more _____________.
Ben sees Leck when he is out______________.
Ben was collecting and selling ___________ eggs.
Mr Wilson did not want to buy eggs from Leck because he is _____________.
Bens dad said that all mean need to_____________.

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Appendix 2: Prompting statements

Should schools not give homework?

Should learning another language school not be compulsory in schools?
Should computers replace students textbooks?
Should boys and girls be in separate classes?

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Appendix 3: Modal Verb Cline

THE MODAL CLINE

STRONG
POSITION

Appendix 4: Oral Cloze Activity- Modal Verbs

MEDIUM
POSITION
Which Modal verb should be used to complete the sentences?

1. _________ I help you?

2. It looks like it __________ rain.
3. Do you think I ________ finish early?

WEAK
POSITION

4. You ________ do your homework.

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5. No one knows how he died, but one theory is that is _______ have been a tragic accident
6. Tom _______ be moving to a different school.
7. I _________ be having a birthday party this year.
8. He was already injured he________ have played today.
9. I _________ to go into work today because no one else was available.
10. Sorry I did not come to your party on the weekend, I _______ lots of homework to do.

Appendix 5: Persuasive advertisement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azttKmT0rVc

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