Australian Curriculum English - Developing Comprehension Skills and Word Knowledge: Year 6

RIC-6640 6.7/1290

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6) Published by R.I.C. Publications® 2017 Copyright© R.I.C. Publications® 2017 ISBN 978-1-925431-85-8 RIC– 6640

Titles in this series:

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 1) Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 2) Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 3) Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 4) Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 5) Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6) is material subject to copyright All material identified by under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and is owned by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2017.

For all Australian Curriculum material except elaborations: This is an extract from the Australian Curriculum.

Elaborations: This may be a modified extract from the Australian Curriculum and may include the work of other authors.

Disclaimer: ACARA neither endorses nor verifies the accuracy of the information provided and accepts no responsibility for incomplete or inaccurate information.

In particular, ACARA does not endorse or verify that: • The content descriptions are solely for a particular year and subject; • All the content descriptions for that year and subject have been used; and • The author’s material aligns with the Australian Curriculum content descriptions for the relevant year and subject.

You can find the unaltered and most up to date version of this material at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA.

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AUSTRALIAN PRIMARY PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR 2015 AND 2016

Foreword Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge is a six-book series written to support the teaching, learning and assessment of aspects of the three strands of Australian Curriculum English. The books focus equally on comprehension skills and word knowledge using a variety of text types and teaching/learning methodologies.

Titles in this series are:

• Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge – Year 1

• Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge – Year 2

• Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge – Year 3

• Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge – Year 4

• Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge – Year 5

• Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge – Year 6

Contents Format of the books – Teacher, student and assessment pages ........................................................................... iv–vi Text genres and types, and knowledge concepts ..................................................................................................... vii Scope and sequence .......................................................................................................................................... viii–x Summative assessment units – Student record sheet .............................................................................................. xi Formative and summative assessment – Student record sheet ............................................................................... xii The Lake District ................................................................................................................................................... 2–7 Postcards from Provence .................................................................................................................................... 8–13 Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen ............................................................................................................................ 14–19 The legacy of the Great Iron Horse .................................................................................................................... 20–25 Classified! ......................................................................................................................................................... 26–31 Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan? ......................................................................................................................... 32–37 Assessment: Summer at Tregarran House ......................................................................................................... 38–41 Adam’s incredible journey ................................................................................................................................. 42–47 The lost village of Llanwddyn ............................................................................................................................ 48–53 The digestive system ........................................................................................................................................ 54–59 New ways of solving crime ............................................................................................................................... 60–65 Perfect pedigree pets ........................................................................................................................................ 66–71 Resistance ........................................................................................................................................................ 72–77 Assessment: Rick Riordan ................................................................................................................................. 78–81 The Hubble Space Telescope ............................................................................................................................ 82–87 As war comes ................................................................................................................................................... 88–93 On your bike! .................................................................................................................................................... 94–99 Battle of the Blues ........................................................................................................................................ 100–105 A night at the Proms ..................................................................................................................................... 106–111 Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley .......................................................................................................... 112–117 Assessment: Fit for life .................................................................................................................................. 118–121

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Format of the books

Teacher pages

There are 18 six-page units of work within each book, and three formal summative assessment units, one after every six units.

Each of the 18 units relates to a specific genre or text type (fiction and nonfiction) and follows the same format.

Teacher page – 1 Terminology for students is a list of technical literary and grammatical terms included in the unit.

Students need to understand and use the terminology to complete the unit’s activities.

A table of Curriculum links is provided, which lists the content descriptions covered by the text, comprehension and word knowledge student pages with elaboration/s for each description.

The Definition of terms section includes an explanation of literary and grammatical terms. They are provided to aid the teacher and not for students to learn, although teachers may wish to use the information to assist students to understand and complete specific activities.

Suggested reading includes fiction and nonfiction books and/or digital material relating to the content of the unit.

Links to other curriculum areas lists any content relating to other learning areas. This section is omitted from some units.

The Teaching notes provide detailed teaching points relating to each of the three student pages: text; comprehension; and word knowledge.

There are also assessment activities and answers.

Teacher pages – 2 and 3

The Teacher information gives the content of the worksheet activity and/or any materials the students may need.

The Introduction provides a suggested activity for the class to complete before commencing the worksheet activity. It might involve a discussion, retelling the text in sequence or re-reading the text in search of specific information.

Activities listed in the Development section might introduce or revise topics and/or suggest items to discuss, all with the aim of aiding students to work on the worksheet activity pages independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work suggests differentiated additional activities related to the student activity pages.

All the Answers are provided for the comprehension and word knowledge activity pages.

The Review provides opportunities to discuss and/or share work to conclude each lesson. iv

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Format of the books

Student pages

Student page – 1 The genre of the fiction or nonfiction text the students are reading is provided. A list of the text genres is on page vii.

The Text focus of the page is indicated.

The artwork illustrates and supports the text.

A learning log provides an opportunity for students to self-assess their reading of the text.

Student page – 2 The Comprehension focus of the page is indicated.

Comprehension questions and activities relating to the text on Student Page 1 are provided. The comprehension questions may relate to text structure or language features as well as text meaning.

The learning log provides an opportunity for students to selfassess at the completion of the activities.

Word knowledge questions and activities relating to the text on Student page 1 are provided. The focus is developing word knowledge.

The learning log provides an opportunity for students to self-assess at the completion of the activities.

Student page – 3 The knowledge focus of the page is indicated.

A list of the word knowledge concepts covered is on page vii.

The answers are provided on Teacher page 3.

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Format of the books

Summative assessment

The title and genre or texttype are given.

Three summative assessment units are included in each book, for students to take after every six units, or at the teacher’s discretion.

Artwork illustrates and supports the text.

Comprehension assessment

Word knowledge assessment Each question is awarded a mark to a total of 10 marks across the two pages.

Inferential questions and multi-part questions are awarded a higher mark than literal questions. Students’ scores can be recorded on the Student record sheet on page xii.

A Teacher information page is provided to accompany each assessment unit.

The title and genre or text type are given.

The breakdown of question type/content and the mark allocation are provided in a table. Teachers might choose to photocopy this table for each student, ticking/circling the questions answered correctly and recording the marks gained in each assessment and overall.

Answers are provided. Some questions are open-ended and will need to be checked by the teacher.

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Text genres and types Unit

Fiction or nonfiction?

Genre/Text type

1.

The Lake District

nonfiction

report

2.

Postcards from Provence

nonfiction

postcard

3.

Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen

nonfiction

poem

4.

The legacy of the Great Iron Horse

nonfiction

report

nonfiction

report

nonfiction

argument

fiction

narrative

5. Classified!

6.

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan?

7.

Adam’s incredible journey

8.

The lost village of Llanwddyn

fiction

narrative

9.

The digestive system

nonfiction

play

10. New ways of solving crime

nonfiction

informative report/time line

11. Perfect pedigree pets

fiction

narrative

12. Resistance

fiction

narrative

13. The Hubble Space Telescope

nonfiction

report

14. As war comes

fiction

poem

15. On your bike!

nonfiction

Messenger™ conversation

16. Battle of the Blues

nonfiction

magazine article

17. A night at the Proms

nonfiction

television broadcast transcript

18. Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley

nonfiction

interview

Word knowledge concepts Unit 1: The Lake District

base words and homophones and suffixes homographs base words and homophones prefixes homophones and base words and near-homophones inflections word and phrase plurals meanings

paragraphs

alliteration

alliteration

word origins and meanings

phrase meanings

antonyms

base words and inflections

antonyms

suffix ‘-ation’

plurals

word meanings

syllables

homographs

word meanings

base words and inflections

homophones

synonyms

antonyms

nouns, verbs and adverbs

morphemes

suffixes

inflections

compound words

synonyms

antonyms

word meanings

morphemes

syllables

phrase meanings

evaluative language

Unit 9: The digestive system

body vocabulary

word origins

word and phrase meanings

slogans

homographs

morphemes

Unit 10: New ways of solving crime

word meanings

synonyms

abbreviations

Unit 11: Perfect pedigree pets

clauses

cohesive devices

idioms

formal and informal language

personification

comparatives and superlatives

keywords

word and phrase meanings

synonyms

adverbs

morphemes

Unit 2: Postcards from Provence Unit 3: Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen Unit 4: The legacy of the Great Iron Horse Unit 5: Classified!

Unit 6: Omnivore? Vegetarian?

Vegan?

Unit 7: Adam’s incredible journey Unit 8: The lost village of Llanwddyn

Unit 12: Resistance Unit 13: The Hubble Space Telescope Unit 14: As war comes Unit 15: On your bike!

Unit 16: Battle of the Blues Unit 17: A night at the Proms Unit 18: Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley

pronouns and determiners word and phrase similes and syllables morphemes metaphors meanings homophones and formal and similes, metaphors ‘ou’ words with homographs informal language and personification ‘oo’ sound synonyms and syllables base words homophones antonyms nouns, verbs, formal and near-homophones adjectives and word meanings informal language and homographs adverbs synonyms and homophones and prefixes base words antonyms homographs word meanings

suffixes

syllables

word meanings

evaluative language

formal and informal writing

word meanings alphabetical order syllables

alphabetical order

synonyms

keywords

apostrophes

morphemes

synonyms

morphemes

technical vocabulary

morphemes

synonyms

syllables

phrase meanings

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A night at the Proms

Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley

Assessment: Fit for life

106–111

112–117

118–121

On your bike!

Battle of the Blues

94–99

As war comes

100–105

The Hubble Space Telescope

88–93

Perfect pedigree pets

66–71

82–87

New ways of solving crime

60–65

Resistance

The digestive system

54–59

Assessment: Rick Riordan

The lost village of Llanwddyn

48–53

78–81

Adam’s incredible journey

42–47

72–77

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan?

Assessment: Summer at Tregarran House

38–41

Classified!

26–31

32–37

The legacy of the Great Iron Horse

20–25

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Postcards from Provence

Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen

8–13

2–7

14–19

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UNIT TITLE

The Lake District

PAGES

Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)

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Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

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Understand that cohesive links can be made in texts by omitting or replacing words (ACELA1520)

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Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)

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LANGUAGE

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Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1523)

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Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524)

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Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)

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Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

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Understand how to use phonic knowledge and accumulated understandings about blending, lettersound relationships, common and uncommon letter patterns and phonic generalisations to read and write increasingly complex words (ACELA1830)

Scope and sequence

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Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley

Assessment: Fit for life

106–111

112–117

118–121

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On your bike!

Battle of the Blues

94–99

As war comes

100–105

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The Hubble Space Telescope

88–93

Perfect pedigree Pets

66–71

82–87

New ways of solving crime

60–65

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Resistance

The digestive system

54–59

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Assessment: Rick Riordan

The lost village of Llanwddyn

48–53

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78–81

Adam’s incredible journey

42–47

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72–77

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan?

Assessment: Summer at Tregarran House

Classified!

26–31

38–41

The legacy of the Great Iron Horse

20–25

32–37

Postcards from Provence

Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen

8–13

2–7

14–19

UNIT TITLE

The Lake District

PAGES

Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614)

LITERATURE

Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615)

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Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an author’s individual style (ACELT1616)

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Identify the relationship between words, sounds, imagery and language patterns in narratives and poetry such as ballads, limericks and free verse (ACELT1617)

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Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)

Scope and sequence

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On your bike!

Battle of the Blues

A night at the Proms

Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley

Assessment: Fit for life

94–99

106–111

112–117

118–121

As war comes

100–105

The Hubble Space Telescope

82–87

Perfect Pedigree Pets

66–71

88–93

New ways of solving crime

60–65

Resistance

The digestive system

54–59

Assessment: Rick Riordan

The lost village of Llanwddyn

48–53

78–81

Adam’s incredible journey

42–47

72–77

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan?

Assessment: Summer at Tregarran House

Classified!

38–41

The legacy of the Great Iron Horse

20–25

26–31

32–37

Postcards from Provence

Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen

8–13

2–7

14–19

UNIT TITLE

The Lake District

PAGES

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Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709) Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710) Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711)

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LITERACY

Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712)

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Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

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Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714) Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

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Scope and sequence

Summative assessment units

Student record sheet

Date:

/20) Date: Date: Date: Date:

/8) (

Date:

/12) (

Date: Date:

/7) (

Date:

/13) (

Names

Comprehension

(

TOTAL

/20)

Word knowledge Word knowledge

Comprehension

Rick Riordan Summer at Tregarran House

Summative assessment

(

/20)

(

/11)

(

/9)

Word knowledge TOTAL

Comprehension

Fit for life

(

TOTAL

The following table should be used to record students’ scores on the three summative assessment units.

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Formative and summative assessment

Student record sheet

Summative Formative

Date: Date: Date:

Exceeding expectations Meeting expectations Working towards expectations

Names

Red

Year:

Orange

Green

Term:

Brief description of assessments used

The following table should be used to record student formative and summative assessments each term.

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Notes

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The Lake District

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)

• Identifies reports and their key features and discusses them

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518) • Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712)

• Extracts facts and opinions from a text • Answers a range of questions about a text • Summarises paragraphs

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion

• Determines base words • Recognises words with the suffix ‘-ion’

(ACELA1525)

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Alliteration The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words set closely together.

report definition subheading paragraph author opinion summary main point alliteration base word inflection suffix verb noun phrase homophone homograph syllable dictionary

Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Homograph A single word that has more than one meaning and pronunciation.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Summarise Identify the main point of a text and key details that support it.

Suggested reading • The twelve books of the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome, set in the Lake District • The cottage tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert – a series of eight enchanting mystery stories

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Teaching notes

Comprehension

Text Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a descriptive report about many facets of the Lake District.

• Students need to understand what foot and mouth disease is, and what happened as a result of the 2001 outbreak.

• The text contains mostly factual information but the author has included some descriptive vocabulary and figurative language which indicate his opinion of the Lake District.

Introduction

• The 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak struck in February and access bans were not lifted until September, effectively destroying the tourist season, which relies on visitors having free access to the fells. Foot-and-mouth disease (or hoofand-mouth disease) is caused by a highly infectious virus and affects cloven-hoofed animals, though it is rarely contracted by humans. The outbreak is estimated to have cost Britain 13 billion dollars.

Introduction

• Students take it in turns to summarise each paragraph of the report, discussing anything they are unsure of.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 6, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare answers to questions with varying answers.

• Students revise the difference between a fact and an opinion, then discuss their answers to Question 1(c).

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

• The map of Great Britain on page 5 showing the location of the Lake District also marks the locations of cities and major towns of the north of the UK. With current transport links, the Lake District is within easy reach for a large part of the British population.

• Students could study a detailed map of the area, identifying the location of each lake, the major peaks, the towns and villages of the region and the transport links from major towns and cities. Alternatively, students could run a website and image search of the region, with an emphasis on tourism and history.

• Paragraph 9 details famous literature with links to the Lake District. Discuss whether they have read any of the texts listed, as well as what they are about.

• Read William Wordsworth’s famous Daffodils poem. A copy can be found at <http://www.bbc.co.uk/poetryseason/poems/ daffodils.shtml>.

• Discuss the poem in mixed ability groups and summarise each stanza.

Review • As a class, share opinions of the poem, giving their reasons.

Development • Read and discuss the report with students, as a whole class or in groups. Assist them to decode new words if necessary.

Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases; e.g. students may need assistance to pronounce the names of some of the places. Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of, in order to improve their understanding. They should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pause in the correct places, and use correct intonation.

• Look at online photographs of the Lake District. Do any students know of this place? What did they do there? Where did they stay? Has anyone visited there?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Choose one of the towns mentioned in the text; i.e. Kendal, Keswick, Ambleside or Windermere. Research facts about the chosen town and produce a fact sheet for potential tourists.

Include information about things to do, places to visit, places to stay and places to eat.

• More capable students should produce more comprehensive fact sheets.

Review • Students present their work to their group or class.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Answers Comprehension

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 7 focus on alliteration, base words and inflections, the suffix ‘-ion’, homophones and homographs, syllables and definitions of words.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining to students that the focus will be on words. While reading, students circle any words with the ‘-ation’ suffix; for example, accommodation, location, communication, illustrations and explanations.

Determine the base word of these words.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘alliteration’. Look for and discuss the alliterative phrase used in the text to describe paragliding (‘silently surveying the spectacular scenery’). As a class, think of alliterative phrases to describe aspects of the Lake District; for example, the hills, mountains, lakes and caves.

• Revise the terms ‘homophone’ and ‘homograph’, highlighting the difference between the two similar terms. Give some examples of homophones (heard/herd, principal/principle) and homographs (row, wind, tear, minute, live).

Ask students to suggest sentences for pairs of homophones or homographs. Write these on the board; for example:

Homophones: The car is stationary./The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

Homographs: I live close to the library./The shop is about to close.

• Discuss and list words which end with the suffix ‘-ation’. This suffix is added to verbs to form nouns; for example, information, sensation, admiration.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 7. Students complete the page independently.

1. (a) B (b) Teacher check. Answers may include: Introduction, paragraph 1; Physical features, paragraphs 2 and 3; Economy, paragraph 4; Outdoor activities, paragraphs 5 and 6; History, paragraphs 7 and 8; Links with literature, paragraph 9; Conclusion, paragraph 10 (c) Teacher check. Answers may include: most stunning scenery, majestic, brooding fells, magnificent corner of England, spectacular scenery, its awesome beauty; The author has a high opinion of the beauty of the Lake District.

2.

Teacher check. Underlined points may include: evidence of early Roman Britain, often missed by the hordes of tourists, stoneaxe ‘factory’, very hard volcanic rock, used in trading.

Summary: Evidence suggests the Lake District has been inhabited by humans since the Stone Age. Local volcanic rock was quarried to make durable stone axes which were traded. The arrival of the Romans, whose army was stationed in the area, would have helped to develop trade further.

3.

The stunning location of the Lake District is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, those interested in literature and history, and those who simply enjoy its beautiful scenery. It is accessible from many large cities. With so many potential visitors with a range of budgets, the area has developed a vast array of business opportunities, including accommodation and dining, and facilities for accessing the many activities on offer.

4.

The effect of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak would have been devastating as the economy relies on visitors having free access to the lakes and fells.

Word knowledge 1.

The final sentence of paragraph 1 says the Lake District National Park is one of superlatives. In paragraph 2, superlative adjectives are used to describe physical features of the National Park.

2. (a) silently surveying the spectacular scenery (b) Teacher check. Should include language to describe the sense of remoteness from the familiar scenes and sounds at ground level, having a far-reaching bird’s-eye-view, and the scenery.

3. (a) (i) mention-ed (iii) travel-ing (b) (i) -ion, suggestion (iii) -ion, radiation

(ii) spoke-s (iv) wet-est (ii) -ation, alteration (iv) -ation, exploration

4. (a) crowds (b) Teacher check. For example, The squirrel had a hoard of acorns, hidden from the horde of other squirrels.

5.

Teacher check. For example, He must have heard the row from the football crowd.

6. (a) doubtful

(b) fort

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

7. (a) ev-i-dence (c) com-pan-ion

(b) ge-o-log-i-cal (d) hos-pi-tal-i-ty

• Re-read the text and make a list of words with one, two, three, four and five syllables.

8. (a) geology – the study of rocks and the earth beneath our feet (b) topography – the study of the natural and constructed physical features of a place

• Less capable students can search for five words containing each number of syllables. More capable students can search for at least 10 words.

Note: There are only six words with five syllables: unfortunately, geological, hospitality, accommodation, popularity and communication.

Review • As a class, compare lists of words for each number of syllables. For which syllable count did students find the most words?

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

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The Lake District – 1

Text

Read the report.

Ask anyone to choose five areas of outstanding natural beauty in Great Britain and you can be sure the Lake District will be mentioned.

Nestled in the far north-west of England, in the county of Cumbria, the Lake District National Park is one of superlatives.

‘The Lakes’, as the area is commonly known, is the largest, by area, of England’s national parks. It contains all the land in England over 915 m above sea level; the highest peak being Scafell Pike at 978 m.

It is home to the longest and largest English lake, Windermere, and the deepest, Wastwater. Without doubt, it has some of the most stunning scenery of all the British Isles. Unfortunately, it also has the dubious honour of being perhaps the wettest place in England!

The geology and natural topography of the Lake District are the result of millions of years of geological activity, including volcanic eruptions and glacial sculpturing. The park has 16 lakes, set in the valleys of the majestic, brooding fells (moors) but there are also many mountain lakes, known as tarns, high up in the hills. An aerial view of the district has been likened to a bicycle wheel with the lakes and valleys radiating like spokes from the central hub at Dunmail Raise, the highest point on the road between the towns of Kendal and Keswick.

Although the Lake District is a rural area with many thriving farming communities, tourism has taken over from agriculture as the backbone of the economy. With close to 15 million visitors each year, there are many ways to earn a living. The hospitality trade is the biggest employer, providing accommodation to suit all budgets, from campsites to luxury hotels, and food outlets from cheap and cheerful cafes to celebrity chef restaurants.

There are an infinite number of ways to enjoy the natural environment of this magnificent corner of England: fishing, boating, sailing, canoeing and rowing on the lakes; pony trekking, hiking and cycling on the fells; climbing and abseiling on the rocks; and paragliding, silently surveying the spectacular scenery the Lake District has on show. Even on rainy days, there is plenty to do as there are many caves and old mines to be explored.

The towns of Keswick, Ambleside and Windermere are very popular with tourists as they offer a central location from which to explore the area and gain access to the many activities. But Mother Nature and outdoor leisure pursuits are not the only reasons for The Lakes’ popularity.

The Lake District is steeped in history. Lying so close to the border with Scotland and the impressive Hadrian’s Wall, it is not surprising that there is evidence of early Roman Britain in the area. At Ravenglass, you can visit the remains of a Roman bath house; and a short distance away, at Hardknott, are the remains of a fort. Tucked away in a quiet corner of Ambleside, often missed by the hordes of tourists, is Galava, another Roman garrison.

Travelling even further back in time to the new Stone Age, it is believed there was a stone-axe ‘factory’ in the centre of the national park. Greenstone, a very hard volcanic rock, was quarried from rocks at Langdale Pikes.

Examples of lakeland neolithic axes have been found all over Britain, suggesting they were used in trading.

The Lake District is also famous for its links with literature. Beatrix Potter’s farm and Hill Top House were the setting for her Peter Rabbit and friends stories. Windermere and its lake and fells were the setting for many of Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons adventures. At the turn of the 19th century, William Wordsworth, famous for his Daffodils poem, was one of the Lake Poets who lived in the area. The most famous and popular series of guidebooks for walking the fells of the Lake District are those written by Alfred Wainwright in the first half of the 20th century. The maps and illustrations are all hand drawn but with such detail and accuracy that, together with his explanations of the routes, they still make an excellent companion for today’s hikers.

With the arrival of communication links and changing patterns of industry, life for the people of the Lake District has altered over time, but one constant has always remained ... its awesome beauty.

My learning log

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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When I read this report, I could read:

5

The Lake District – 2

Comprehension

1. (a) Which definition best describes the report on page 5? Circle A or B. A Research report, using evidence from a variety of sources to present an objective view on the effect of one thing on another.

B Descriptive report, giving information about many aspects of one thing. (b) Write appropriate subheadings for the report and say which paragraphs, from 1–10, would be included under each.

(c) The author has included some opinions that indicate how he or she feels about the Lake District.

Write three of these opinions and say how you think the author feels about the Lake District.

2. Write a single summary of paragraphs 7 and 8. In the text, underline the main points from these paragraphs that you believe should be mentioned in your summary.

3. Explain why tourism has become the major industry in the Lake District.

4. In 2001, there was a major outbreak of foot and mouth disease across Britain and access to the countryside was forbidden. What effect do you think this would have had on the economy of the Lake District?

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interesting.

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The Lake District – 3

Word knowledge

1. How has the author linked paragraphs 1 and 2? Give examples to support your answer.

2. (a) Scan the text for the example of alliteration that describes the experience of paragliding. Write it here.

(b) Imagine yourself paragliding over the Lake District. Use the alliterative phrase above to help you describe what it might be like.

3. (a) Separate each word into its base word and inflection. (i) mentioned

(ii) spokes

(iii) travelling

(iv) wettest

(b) Add the suffix -ion or -ation to the base of each word, to change it from a verb to a noun. (i) suggesting

(ii) altered

(iii) radiating

(iv) explored

4. (a) Circle the word that could best replace hordes in the phrase, ‘... the hordes of tourists ...’.

crowds

parties

groups

(b) A homophone of horde is ‘hoard’ meaning ‘to collect and store away’. Write a sentence including both words.

5. Write a sentence using the homograph of the verb to row used in paragraph 5.

6. (a) In paragraph 2, the Lake District is described as having, ‘... the dubious honour ...’.

Circle the word that could replace dubious in the text. doubtless

doubtful

definite

(b) In paragraph 7, Galava is referred to as, ‘... another Roman garrison.’

Which word, from the same paragraph, explains what a garrison is?

7. Separate each word into its syllables. Circle the stressed syllable. (a) evidence

(b) geological

(c) companion

(d) hospitality

8. Use a dictionary to find the definition of each word. (a) geology: the study of (b) topography: the study of I can / can’t use alliteration in my writing.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t use the suffix ‘-ion’ to change verbs to nouns.

I can recognise / can’t recognise homophones and homographs.

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7

Postcards from Provence

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517) • Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies postcards and their key features and discusses them

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) • Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614) Comprehension

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) • Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

• Extracts facts and opinions from a text • Answers a range of questions about a text • Summarises paragraphs

Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Determines base words • Recognises words with the prefixes ‘en-’ and ‘re-’

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Alliteration The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words set closely together.

postcard summary evidence fact opinion sentence paraphrase alliteration proper noun paragraph base word inflection prefix homophone noun verb dictionary syllable phrase evaluative language formal writing informal writing

Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Evaluative language The positive or negative language used to express the worth of something; e.g. She’s a magnificent goalkeeper; Her sense of humour leaves a lot to be desired.

Formal language The language commonly used in informative texts, reports and in reported speech in narratives. Its use is dependent on audience and purpose. Complete words and sentences, the use of technical vocabulary and a minimal number of contractions are typical features of formal language.

Informal language Informal language is dependent on audience and purpose. It is often used in direct speech. Incomplete sentences, colloquial expressions, idioms and contractions are common.

Links to other curriculum areas

Suggested reading

• Humanities and Social Sciences – Geography – Australia’s connections with other countries and how these change people and places (ACHASSK141)

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

• My father’s glory and My mother’s castle by Marcel Pagnol (Childhood memories of life and holidays in Provence)

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text consists of three postcards, written by different family members on holiday together, each presenting a summary of the holiday from that member’s perspective. All postcards refer to the same daily events, but they differ with the personal opinion of each writer.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to complete Question 2.

Introduction • Students should discuss postcards. Have they ever sent or received a postcard? From where and whom? They should be told that, in the past, people sent and received far more postcards than today. Why do they think this is? What has replaced postcards and why?

Development • Read and discuss the postcards as a class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individuals to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of, in order to improve their understanding. They should pay attention to the punctuation which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and with correct intonation.

• Students should already be familiar with the location of France. Some may have been there on holiday. Students should look at a map of France and locate Provence, in the south of the country. It experiences warm, dry summers and cold, day winters.

Introduction • Students take it in turns to summarise each postcard. Which person do they feel had the ‘best’ holiday? Why? Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 12, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare answers to questions with varying answers.

• Question 6 requires students to imagine they are one of the family members writing the family postcard and to write it from that perspective. Ask students to read out their family postcards without revealing the writer. From the way each is written, can the class identify who the writer is?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students could summarise each postcard by writing a list stating what each family member did on holiday.

• Less capable students could write three things that each person did; more capable students could write seven things.

Review • As a class, students discuss the things each family member did.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should think about a holiday they have taken or a place they have visited. They should think about where it was, what they did, what the weather was like, what they ate, how they travelled there and who they went with.

• Students should write a postcard to the class, telling about their trip.

• More capable students could write a more comprehensive and detailed postcard than less capable students.

Review • Students present their completed postcards to their group or class.

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9

Teaching notes (continued)

Answers Comprehension

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 13 focus on alliteration, word meanings, base words, inflections, prefixes, homophones, syllables, evaluative language and formal and informal language.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the first postcard, ask them to circle any words they think have a French origin (patisserie, baguettes, croissants). What do these words have in common? (All words to do with bakeries.)

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘alliteration’. Look for and discuss the alliterative phrase used about George in the third postcard (collection of cosmopolitan comrades). As a class, think of alliterative phrases to describe aspects of France; for example, the food, the river, the old towns.

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homophone’. Give some examples of homophones (great/grate, heard/herd, principal/principle). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homophones, to be written on the board; for example:

The car is stationary./The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 13, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students re-read the text and make a list of homophones; for example, great/grate, be/ bee, here/hear, for/four.

1.

Teacher check.

For example: They all enjoy going to France for their holidays. Kate: I could stay here forever. We come here every year. George: I’m having a great time. Will: Cycling’s a great way to explore the area.

2.

Teacher check.

Kate: Fact – The converted cowshed … has all the original features.

Opinion – in this lovely corner of France; George: Fact – Some towns don’t allow any cars.

Opinion – old towns … they’re pretty interesting; Will: Fact – I go for a bike ride early each day.

Opinion – medieval towns … they are so amazing.

3. Will:

He enjoys being active but also enjoys relaxing. He is interested in history and cooking.

Kate: Enjoys the slower pace of life while on holiday. Likes to read for relaxation. Would like to own a property in France.

George: Is an active boy who enjoys sport. Also interested in history and cooking. Gets on well with his parents.

4. Early morning: Cycling – Will; Bakery run – Kate and George

Mid-morning: Visit to local markets – Will, Kate and George

Early afternoon: Relax at river beach – Will, Kate and George; Play football – George

Late afternoon: Visit old towns – Will, Kate and George

Early evening: Stroll along lanes – Kate; Prepare dinner – Will and George Late evening: Clear up kitchen – Kate 5.

It is so warm that people move very slowly or not at all.

6.

Teacher check Word knowledge 1. collection of cosmopolitan comrades: a group of friends of different nationalities 2. traditional French food/French cooking 3. enduring 4. (a) (i) settle-ed (iii) beach-es (b) (i) en-courage

(ii) give-ing (iv) occasion-al-ly (ii) re-fresh

5. amble, stroll 6.

Teacher check 7. (a) fa-vour-ite (b) de-li-cious (c) me-di-e-val (d) cob-bled

• Less capable students could search for 10 homophones. More capable students could search for 20.

8.

Teacher check.

For example, Will: I enjoy a snooze; Kate: inhale the delicious scent of wild lavender; George: Having fun jumping into the water … is the same in any language!

• Students could then write pairs of sentences using some of the homophones they found; for example:

9. (a) informal (b) The greeting and signing off in all three use informal language. The use of exclamation marks. Language, content and sentence structure are informal.

They went to the patisserie every morning./ The woman was in mourning for her husband.

Review • As a class, compare lists of homophones and sentences.

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

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Postcards from Provence – 1

Text

Read the postcards written by three members of one family on holiday together.

Hi Liz and Phil It’s great to be back here in this lovely corner of France for four glorious weeks. Our days have settled into the usual pattern of early morning trips to the local patisserie for fresh baguettes and croissants before visiting a nearby market – my favourite pastime.

In the heat of the day, we relax in the shade of the trees by the river. The only thing that moves faster than a snail is my bookmark. I’ve read three books already!

By late afternoon, we’re ready to amble around one of the old towns, steeped in the history of a bygone age.

George and Will prepare dinner each evening, giving me time to stroll along the nearby lanes and inhale the delicious scent of wild lavender. It’s a good trade-off and I don’t mind clearing up after them.

Hi Harry and Charlie Greetings from somewhere in France! I’m having a great time. My reward for not complaining about being dragged around the local markets every morning is visiting one of the nearby river beaches.

There are always a few other kids to hang around with. We don’t all understand each other as we come from different countries, but who cares?

Having fun jumping into the water from a rock or a tree rope is the same in any language!

The oldies just sit around reading and sleeping because it’s so hot, but we’re on the go all the time. If there’s enough of us, we’ll have a game of football; it’s probably a good job we can’t speak each other’s languages or we might end up arguing about who’s got the best national team!

The converted cowshed we’re staying in has many of the original features including the mangers, chains and, believe it or not, dung channels! It’s all very rustic but spotlessly clean. The kitchen is well-equipped and the beds are comfortable, so we have no complaints!

I could stay here forever. We’re even talking about buying our own place to renovate. It makes perfect sense to me as we do come here every year. What do you think?

Bye for now Kate

After a couple of hours, I’m dragged away to one of many old towns Mum and Dad want to visit.

I have to admit, they’re pretty interesting, with their many alleyways and narrow cobbled streets.

Some towns don’t allow any cars and others have one-way streets because there’s no way two cars would fit. Then it’s back to the house for some French cuisine. Dad and I create, leaving poor old Mum to clear up afterwards!

See you guys on my return George

Dear All I go for a bike ride early each day while Kate encourage him to study foreign lan and George do the bakery run. Cy guages cling’s at school. It’s great to see the kids a great way to explore the area and hav ing so soak up much fun together, without any tech the atmosphere. Then it’s off to a ma no toys. rket I div e in occ asi ona lly for a refr eshing swim where I’m tempted by loads of delicio us, fresh but mostly I enjoy a sno oze with an open produce; I’m enjoying my role as celebrity book resting on my lap. chef, trying out traditional recipes for each Later in the day we head to one of evening’s meal. George is turnin g out to be the many medieval towns – they are so amazi a keen kitchenhand and it’s becom e a ‘men ng! Kate always makes a beeline for the esta only’ zone ... until cleaning-up tim te agents e! ... I hope she’s not getting any ide We go to the river beach every day as! where George has made a great collection I don’t miss work at all of cosmopolitan comrades. I’m hoping Wi ll this will My learning log

all of them.

most of them.

parts of them.

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When I read these postcards, I could read:

11

Postcards from Provence – 2

Comprehension

1. Do you think the family will return to France for another holiday? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

2. Write a fact and an opinion from each postcard.

Postcard

Fact

Opinion

Kate

George

Will

3. As a historian in the future, what information would these postcards give you about Will, Kate and George?

Will

Kate

George

4. Write the events that occur during each part of the day. State who takes part in each event.

Early morning

Mid-morning

Early afternoon

Late afternoon

Early evening

Late evening

5. What clue does the sentence, ‘The only thing that moves faster than a snail is my bookmark’, give you about the summer weather of Provence.

6. On a separate sheet of paper, paraphrase the text from all three postcards to write a single postcard from the whole family, written by Kate, Will or George.

My family postcard is written by

My learning log 12

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While doing these activities: I found Q

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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Postcards from Provence – 3

Word knowledge

1. Write and explain the meaning of an example of alliteration in the postcard written by Will.

2. Cuisine is a French word meaning ‘kitchen’. When it is preceded by an adjective, as in French cuisine, its meaning changes.

What does French cuisine mean?

3. Circle the word that could be used to replace ‘not complaining about’, in the first paragraph of the postcard written by George.

enduring

endearing

enforcing

4. (a) Separate each word into its base word and inflection(s). (i) settled

(ii) giving

(iii) beaches

(iv) occasionally

(b) Separate each word into its base word and prefix. (ii) refresh

(i) encourage

5. Write the two words from the postcard written by Kate that mean ‘to walk slowly’.

6. A homophone of the word ‘great’ is grate, which has a few different meanings as a noun and a verb.

Use a dictionary to find these meanings and write a sentence that includes both words.

7. Separate each word into its syllables. Circle the stressed syllable. (a) favourite

(b) delicious

(c) medieval

(d) cobbled

8. From each postcard, write a phrase containing evaluative language that describes how the person feels about something.

Will

Kate

George

9. (a) Are these postcards examples of formal or informal writing? (b) Explain your answer.

I understand / need more practice on alliteration.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t recognise stressed syllables in words.

I understand / need more practice on evaluative language.

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13

Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias

• Supports arguments and opinions with evidence from the text

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Reads and discusses a poem

(ACELA1517)

• Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522) • Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) • Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615)

• Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)

• Understands and creates a sequential summary • Infers reasons for events • Responds to poetry through writing

• Identify the relationship between words, sounds, imagery and language patterns in narratives and poetry such as ballads, limericks and free verse (ACELT1617)

• Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712) • Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)

• Identifies homophones and nearhomophones • Supplies definitions for given words • Identifies base words

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Suggested reading

Inflection The change made to a word for a grammatical purpose; e.g. book – books (plural); sell – sold; look – looked (tense).

• Pirate queen of Ireland: The true story of Grace O’Malley by Anne Chambers

Terminology for students statement sentence homophone near-homophone stanza antonym

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• Pirate queen of Ireland: The life of Grace O’Malley by Judith Cook • The legend of Anne (Bonney) and Mary (Read) (website) <bonney-readkrewe.com/legend.html>

alphabetical order base word inflection dictionary definition phrase

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

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Teaching notes

Comprehension

Text Teacher information

Teacher information

• The poem is based on Grace O’Malley, ‘the most notorious woman in all the coasts of Ireland’. She was born c. 1530, the daughter of a Gaelic chieftain. She was excellent at seatrading and soon developed a reputation as a fearless woman who never backed down from any situation.

• See the teacher information under ‘Text’.

• The poem provides details of her life, through verse and poetic language.

Introduction • Ask students if they know much about pirates. Ask them to propose reasons why female pirates are not featured in history. Explain to them that this poem presents details from the life of an extraordinary woman.

Development • Read and discuss the poem as a whole class or in groups.

Help students decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and with correct intonation.

Introduction • Students take it in turn to summarise the main points of the poem. Ensure they keep the events in sequence.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 18, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should try to write a shortened version of this poem, using a more regular rhyming pattern.

• Have capable students use the information in the poem to write a fictional narrative: ‘A day in the life of Grace O’Malley’.

Encourage them to keep it consistent with the facts of the poem.

Review • Have students share their stories or poems with the class.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students could summarise the main points of each stanza, then draw a picture for each, capturing the main idea.

• Ask capable students to write a few diary entries from Grace’s perspective. Have others write some diary entries from an English captain’s viewpoint.

Review • Students could be asked to read out some of their summaries or some of their diary entries for class discussion.

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15

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 19 focus on homophones and near-homophones, synonyms, phrases, antonyms and base words.

Introduction

Answers

Comprehension 1. historical 2. (a) The sea can be so dangerous that only extremely brave or foolish people would attempt to overcome its power.

(b) a remarkable and incomparable pirate queen

(c) a girl who had short-cut hair and dressed like a boy (a tomboy)

3.

Teacher check 4.

Grace was too powerful 5.

There was no way fro them to capture her on the sea.

• Re-read the text, explaining to students that the focus will be on words. While reading the poem, ask them to circle words that rhyme with the following: tour, lied, leisure.

6.

Grace asked the Queen for her ships, lands and family to be returned. She was allowed to return home with her family, but her possessions were confiscated.

Development

9. Teacher check

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘antonym’. Give some examples of antonyms (strong/weak, rough/smooth). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homophones, to be written on the board; for example: The strong wind blew over the weak fence.

The car is stationary./ The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write a definition for some of the words used in the text: cunning, fragile, attire, realm, invasion, confiscate, justified, evidence, possessions, wreckage.

• Less capable students should choose and write a definition for four of these words.

• More capable students should write a definition for 10 of these words, and select two more words from the text to define.

7. Teacher check 8. Teacher check

Word knowledge 1. (a) warring

(b) actions

(c) invasion

(d) possessions

2.

Teacher check 3. (a) ‘a lass, with shorn red hair’

(b) ‘it was fruitless to resist’

(c) ‘it consumes fragile wooden vessels’

(d) ‘a pirate queen without measure’

(e) ‘My actions were justified’

4. (a) sole

(b) too

(c) sure

(d) sale

(e) sun

(f) doe, dough

5. (a) tempt + ing

(d) justify + ed

(b) marry + ed (e) war + ing

(c) confiscate + ed (f) protect + ed

6. (a) fruitless

(d) brave

(b) entered (e) violence

(c) repel (f) captured

Review • As a class, compare lists of definitions.

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Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen – 1

Text

Read the poem.

The sea is a cunning acquaintance; it casts a tempting lure.

It consumes fragile wooden vessels and sends wreckage to the shore.

Only a brave or foolhardy soul would attempt to conquer it.

But, in the sixteenth century, Grace O’Malley, pirate queen, did exactly that!

As a lass with shorn red hair and male attire, at her father’s side, Grace sailed the Irish seas and learnt the family trade.

At sixteen years of age, she married and soon bore three children, And when her husband died she controlled his shipping realm.

No ship or fortress along the coast was safe from Grace’s challenge.

Captains were given little choice—cash or cargo for safe passage.

It was fruitless to resist—the result was violence or death, Few saw an alternative when faced with such a threat.

Despite warring clans and the English invasion, Grace’s power on the sea grew.

To repel the English and secure her lands, she entered marriage number two.

But the English persisted; her brother and son were soon captured.

So Grace sailed to England to talk to the Queen about what had happened.

‘My ships and my lands have been confiscated. My family should be at my side.

I am old and poor. Give back my family and my property. My actions were justified!’

Queen Elizabeth agreed to her demands: Grace and her family returned home.

But all her rightful possessions were forever gone.

Grace O’Malley lived for seventy years. Now she’s a legend in Irish folklore, Though little evidence can be found and details are very poor.

There seems to be little doubt that she was a fierce fighter and strong leader, Who protected her clan from the English—a pirate queen without measure!

St Andrew’s Cross (Scotland) St Patrick’s Cross When I read this explanation, I could read: George’s Cross MyStlearning log (England) all (Ireland) of it.

most of it. Union Flag parts of it.

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17

Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen – 2 fictitious

1. Circle the correct answer. This poem is:

Comprehension

humorous

historical

2. Explain the meaning of: (a) Only a brave or foolhardy soul would attempt to conquer it. (b) a pirate queen without measure

(c) a lass, with shorn red hair and male attire

3. List some of the major things that Grace did during her life.

4. Why do you think it ‘was fruitless to resist’ according to stanza three?

5. Why do you think it was so hard for the English to capture Grace?

6. Summarise the main idea of stanza five.

7. Using evidence from the text, say whether you think Grace was a good or bad person.

8. Find the evidence from the poem that family was important to Grace.

9. Which part of Grace’s life would be interesting to find more information on?

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I found Q

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interesting.

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Grace O’Malley: Pirate queen – 3

Word knowledge

1. Find a word from the poem (related to the one in bold) to complete each sentence. families disagreed.

(a) It was like a mini-war when

were justified.

(b) Grace acted harshly at times, but her

was brutal.

(c) England invaded Ireland and the English (d) Even though she possessed a lot of treasures, Grace lost her to Queen Elizabeth.

2. Write one word that best matches the meaning of the following words. (Use a dictionary.) (a) lure

(b) fragile

(c) attire

(d) realm

(e) fruitless

(f) repel

(g) cargo

(h) shorn

3. Find phrases from the poem which express the following: (a) A tomboy with short red hair (b) There was no point trying to resist (c) The sea destroys manmade boats (d) An incomparable pirate queen (e) I had reasons for doing the things I did 4. Write a homophone or near-homophone for each word from the poem. (a) soul

(b) two

(c) shore

(d) sail

(e) son

(f) though

5. Separate each word into base word and inflection. (a) tempting

(b) married

(c) confiscated

(d) justified

(e) warring

(f) protected

6. Find antonyms of these words in the poem. (a) fruitful

(b) exited

(c) attract

(d) cowardly

(e) peace

(f) freed

I understand / need more practice on homophones and near-homophones.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t separate a word into its base and inflection.

I understand / need more practice on antonyms.

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19

The legacy of the Great Iron Horse

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies reports and their key features and discusses them

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) • Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522) • Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (ACELA1523) • Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615) Comprehension

• Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712) • Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

• Decides whether a statement is fact or opinion • Gives viewpoints using evidence from the text • Summarises main ideas of a paragraph

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517) Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Determines base words • Understands and uses syllabication • Forms plurals correctly

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

report sentence summary author phrase fact opinion paraphrase base word inflection verb antonym plural syllable alphabetical order

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Paraphrase Interpret text to clarify meaning.

Summarise Identify the main point of a text and key details that support it.

Links to other curriculum areas • The Arts – Drama Develop skills and techniques of voice and movement to create character, mood and atmosphere and focus dramatic action (ACADRM036)

Suggested reading • The railway children by Edith Nesbit • Peter’s railway series by Christopher Vine • Fifty railways that changed the course of history by Bill Laws • History of rail in Australia (website) <https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/ trains/history.aspx>

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Teaching notes

Comprehension

Text Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a descriptive report, identifying the major irreversible changes that occurred in British society with the arrival of the railways.

• Students will need to understand the difference between a fact and an opinion to complete Question 6.

• The body of the report has been organised into three main sections. All information relating to the topic of the subheading can be found in the paragraphs beneath it. When searching for specific information, only that beneath the relevant subheadings needs to be read.

Introduction

• The changes that occurred with the arrival of the railways cannot be understated. The knock-on effect of this major event contributed to the development of the Commonwealth of Australia.

• Students will need to understand the difference between summarising and paraphrasing to complete Questions 2 and 7. Explain to them that the purpose of a summary is to give a brief overview of the text, stating only the key points. The purpose of a paraphrase is to ensure the text is understood and all points are clear. Verbally summarise and paraphrase the ‘Society’ paragraph, and write this on the board, so students can see the difference.

Introduction

Development

• Look at photographs of steam trains from the 19th century.

Discuss why people may have been wary or even afraid of them. Why might the author have used the phrase ‘the great iron horse galloped across the land’?

• Discuss the comprehension activities on page 24, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Development • Read and discuss the report as a whole class or in groups.

Help students decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. They should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and with correct intonation.

• Compare their answers to questions with varying answers, especially Question 1. Why would or wouldn’t the students recommend the text to one of their peers?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students could work in mixed-ability pairs to create a roleplay interview about the effects of the railways on people. One person should be the interviewer, the other the interviewee.

The interviewee should be a member of the public whose life has improved because of the railways.

Review • Students should perform their interviews to small groups.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • The report describes the many advantages that the development of railways had.

• Students should write a bullet-pointed list of all the advantages.

• More capable students should list 15 advantages that the railways brought. Less capable students should list six advantages.

Review • Students discuss their lists of advantages with the class.

• As a class, students should also discuss any disadvantages the railways may have brought.

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21

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 25 focus on base words and inflections, antonyms, phrases, plurals, syllables and alphabetical order.

Comprehension 1.

Teacher check 2.

Teacher check.

3.

The network of railway tracks spread very quickly./The trains opened up the colonies.

4.

It was a new way to earn money, providing accommodation for travellers from afar: the start of the tourist industry.

5.

So the reader can more easily identify the content of each section.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle the words containing ‘ough’ (brought, ploughed).

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘antonym’. Give some examples (increase/ decrease, profit/loss); elicit further examples.

Students suggest sentences for pairs of antonyms, to be written onto the board; for example:

Answers

The bakery made a profit on bread, but a loss on cakes.

• Remind students how to make plurals of words ending in ‘y’; i.e. the ‘y’ changes to ‘i’ before the ‘-es’ is added; for example, country/countries.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 25, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Remind students of the ‘ough’ words they found in the introductory activity (brought, ploughed). Ask them to think of other words containing this letter string and write a list.

They should then sort their ‘ough’ words according to their sound; for example:

ought, bought, thought, nought, brought, fought

rough, tough, enough

6. (a) Fact

(b) Opinion

(d) Opinion

(c) Opinion

7.

Teacher check.

Word knowledge 1. (a) (i) standard-ise-ed

(ii) great-est

(iii) noise-ly

(iv) in-just-ice-s

(b) bring

2. (a) revolutionary

(b) representatives

(d) industrial

(c) governed, government

3. reversals 4. the great iron horse; great, rumbling, steaming monsters 5. (a) major influence

(b) further afield

(c) current news

6. (a) factories

(b) countries

(d) technologies

(c) industries

7. (a) ef-fi-cient

(b) fre-quent

(c) de-liv-ered

(d) ec-o-nom-ic

8. (a) efficient, 3

(b) economic, 1

(d) economy, 2

(c) efficiently, 4

9.

Teacher check

cough

though, although, dough

through

thorough, borough

plough, bough

• More capable students should aim to list more ‘ough’ words than less capable students.

Review • As a class, compare lists of ‘ough’ words.

Discuss why ‘ough’ is considered one of the trickiest spellings in English. (It can be used to form a number of different sounds.)

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The legacy of the Great Iron Horse – 1

Text

Read the descriptive report.

From the mid-19th century, the introduction of the railways began to have a revolutionary influence on life in Australia. At first, these changes occurred quite slowly. But as advances in technology gained pace, the speed at which they occurred increased.

The development of the railways led to some of the greatest changes.

From the mid- to late-19th century, a network of railway lines expanded across the colonies. As the great iron horse galloped across the land, people, goods and ideas began to move and everyone became more aware of life outside their own isolated areas.

Society To begin with, many people were wary, even afraid of the great, rumbling, steaming monsters as they noisily chugged their way into stations. But gradually they came to rely on them. They could travel to nearby towns or even further afield to find work. Townspeople might even take a day trip or a longer holiday, to the coast or the country, to enjoy the fresh air and wide, open spaces.

As fresh fish and farm produce could be delivered quickly from coastal and rural areas to the towns, more people had access to better nutrition and so their general health began to improve. People became more aware of what was happening in the rest of the country and the world, as newspapers were delivered daily. The mail service became more frequent and efficient with the increasing use of rail.

Passengers and freight were carried between the capital cities and country areas. However, transport between colonies was still the realm of shipping because line widths (gauges) weren’t standardised.

Politics As people now had better access to current news, they became more aware of how the colonies were being governed and of injustices to people in different classes of society. Support for political causes was easier to canvass as representatives could travel around more easily. The government could also send soldiers to disperse crowds that might cause trouble at political meetings. Law and order became more efficient and easier to maintain.

Economy By far the greatest change the railways brought was to the economy. They provided employment on a large scale. Having a job with a railway company could mean anything from manning the trains and stations to making the locomotives and rolling stock, or laying down the lines and building bridges. Locomotives were powered by steam and for that, coal was needed, and lots of it!

With the expansion of the railways, the demand for coal for power increased tremendously. More coal mines were opened, creating thousands of jobs and great profits for mine owners. Many fortunes were made as investors—and governments—ploughed money into the railways.

Industrial areas grew rapidly as businesses chose to site their offices and factories close to a railway link. More jobs were available and many people migrated from country areas where finding work was more difficult.

Agricultural products and minerals were carried to ports. Ports became important for exporting goods that had arrived by train and for receiving imported goods that had arrived by sea and would be delivered to their final destination by rail.

The arrival of the railway brought more than a transport and communication system. It created social, political and economic change that ultimately would see Australia become a single nation.

My learning log

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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When I read this report, I could read:

23

The legacy of the Great Iron Horse – 2

Comprehension

1. (a) Has this text revealed anything to you that you did not know or realise before?

Yes

No

(b) Give reasons why you would, or would not, recommend this text to another person of your age.

2. Write a few sentences to summarise the main idea of the text.

3. What does the author mean by the phrase, ‘As the great iron horse galloped across the land …’?

4. With the arrival of the railways, many people in coastal towns opened up their homes as ‘Bed and Breakfast’ accommodation. Why did they do this?

5. The text is divided into four main sections. Why has the author done this?

6. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) The first railway tracks were put down in the mid-19th century.

Fact

Opinion

(b) The railway engines were magnificent machines.

Fact

Opinion

(c) Society improved with the arrival of the railways.

Fact

Opinion

(d) The colonies became more democratic.

Fact

Opinion

7. Paraphrase the ‘Economy’ section of the text.

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challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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The legacy of the Great Iron Horse – 3

Word knowledge

1. (a) Separate each word into its base word and inflections. (i) standardised

(ii) greatest

(iii) noisily

(iv) injustices

(b) The word brought is an inflection of the verb to

.

2. Find one word from the text that comes from each base word. (a) revolt

(b) represent

(c) govern

(d) industry

3. An antonym of the word advances (paragraph 1) is disadvances

reversals

circles

4. Write two phrases from the text that mean ‘the railways’.

5. Match the words or phrases to the meanings. (a) great effect

• further afield

(b) greater distance away

• current news

(c) events of the day

• major influence

6. Write the plural of each word. (a) factory

(b) country

(c) industry

(d) technology

7. Separate each word into its syllables. Circle the stressed syllable. (a) efficient

(b) frequent

(c) delivered

(d) economic

8. Rearrange the letters to give a word from the text, then order them alphabetically. (a) c e e f f i i n t

(b) e c c i m n o o

(c) c e e f f i i l n t y

(d) e c m n o o y

9. Write sentences giving two different meanings for each word. (a) rest: (b) trip: (c) service: (d) mine: I can / can’t recognise base words.

My learning log

Colour:

I understand / need more practice on making words plural.

I can / can’t separate words into their syllables.

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25

Classified!

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524)

• Identifies reports and their key features and discusses them

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614)

• Decides whether a statement is fact or opinion

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts

• Researches to create a biography

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)

• Understands the functions of hyphens

• Discusses differences and similarities in two texts • Completes a knowledge chart • Explains words in a given text

(ACELY1713)

Word knowledge

• Makes new words by adding the suffix ‘-ation’

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Understands and uses syllabication • Determines base words

Additional teacher information Definition of terms Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Theme The subject of a written, spoken or visual text or piece of music; e.g. heroism, fear, success.

Summarise Identify the main point of a text and key details that support it.

Terminology for students report similarity difference dictionary definition question opinion suffix inflection plural sentence syllable

Suggested reading • <http://www.biography.com/people/melvil-dewey -9273516> for information about Melvil Dewey • <http://www.linnean.org/Education+Resources/who_was_ linnaeus> for information about Carl Linnaeus

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a report on two major classification systems that have been adopted worldwide: the Dewey Classification System of nonfiction literature and the Linnaean system of classifying all living things.

• Students will need a dictionary to complete Question 3.

• In classification systems such as the Dewey and Linnaean, the similarities between divisions increase as the size of divisions decreases. As each fresh feature is considered, from the broadest to the more specific, only those with that feature are classed together, thus increasing similarities between them but reducing the group size.

• As the two systems are well-established and understood, it is easy to place any new publication or species close to where it is believed it should belong, before asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions to determine its correct location.

• The Dewey System does not stop at the units digit of the three-digit number. It extends into decimal numbers as the detail of topics becomes more specific.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 5.

Introduction • As a class, students explain how each system of classification works. They describe similarities and differences between the two systems.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 30, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Question 4 requires students to write questions to aid understanding of the systems. These should be discussed with the class.

Introduction

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

• To help students fully understand how these systems work, the population of the school could be classified. Discuss the questions that could be asked to determine the main groups; e.g. teaching staff, office staff, ancillary workers, students. Having established these, continue to ask questions until each person is in a group that cannot be divided further.

• As a continuation of Question 6, students choose either Melvil Dewey or Carl Linnaeus and write a biography that includes information about his childhood, adult life and work.

Development • Read and discuss the report as a whole class or in groups. Help students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases. Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. They should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• Less capable students could produce a paragraph for each section, whereas more capable students could write several paragraphs for each section or add additional sections.

Review • Students share their biographies within a group.

• Obtain a selection of nonfiction books. Hold up each book in turn and read the title aloud. Ask students to classify it, using the Dewey Decimal Classification. Fuller listings of the DDC are available on the following websites. The first website is the most child-friendly, but the other two would provide a challenge for more capable students.

– http://www.cf.k12.wi.us/library/deweydecimal.htm – https://www.britannica.com/science/Dewey-Decimal-Classification – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dewey_Decimal_classes Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students work in mixed ability groups of four. Each group should be given a selection of related objects to sort; for example, the contents of a pencil case, a selection of plastic 2D and 3D shapes or a collection of clothes.

• Students work out and write down a method of classifying all of the objects.

Review • Students present their classification systems to the class.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 31 focus on the suffix ‘-ation’, plurals, definitions and syllables.

Introduction

Answers Comprehension 1. classification 2.

Teacher check, answers may include:

similarity: Each system is used to classify every new ‘specimen’ (nonfiction or living things) with like examples, in a place where it can be easily found.

difference: In classifying a new specimen, the Linnaean system also gives it a unique name.

• Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. Explain the difference between hyphens and dashes, and show students an example of each from the text. While reading the report, ask students to circle hyphenated words (three-digit, two-part). Explain that hyphens can be used to join a prefix to a base word, especially if the prefix ends with a vowel and the base word starts with one; for example: re-enter, no-one. If they are uncertain, they should consult a dictionary.

3.

Teacher check

Development

8. (a) 535

(c) 534

• Discuss and list words which end with the suffix ‘-ation’. This suffix is added to verbs to form nouns; for example, information, sensation, admiration.

• Remind students how to make plurals of words with different endings; for example, words ending in ‘y’ change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘-es’, while those words ending in ‘f’ change the ‘f’ to ‘v’ and add ‘-es’.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 31, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should look for words in the text ending in ‘-ion’ (definition, position, classification, recreation). They should determine the base words. They should then look for base words in the text that could have the suffixes ‘-ition’ or ‘-ation’ added; for example, organise/ organisation, colour/colouration.

• More capable students aim to list more words than less capable students.

4.

Teacher check 5.

The Linnaean system is a wonderful gift from a bygone age.

6.

Melvil Dewey: USA, 19th century, librarian, Dewey Decimal Classification System Carl Linnaeus: Sweden, 18th century, botanist, Linnaean system of classifying all living things 7.

Dewey system: Easy to locate nonfiction on library shelves Linnaean system: Easy to identify new species based on physical characteristics (b) 539 (d) 530

Word knowledge 1. (a) (i) publication (ii) classification (iii) identification (iv) continuation

(b) Teacher check, answers may include: to make them easier to say.

2. (a) libraries

(c) resources

(b) shelves (d) subjects

3. rank, rate 4.

Chordata: with a spine, Mammalia: a mammal, Carnivora: a meat eater, Felidae: member of the cat family 5. (a) clas-si-fi-ca-tion

(c) e-quip-ment

(b) dic-tion-ar-y (d) sim-i-lar-i-ties

6. (a) u-ni-ver-si-ty (b) his-to-ry phy-si-cal

(c) char-ac-ter-is-tic (d)

(e) con-tin-ued (f) min-er-al 7. (a) botany: the study of plants

(b) geology: the study of rocks

(c) zoology: the study of animals 8. (a) The areas of study

(b) Teacher check

Review • As a class, compare word lists.

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Classified! – 1

Text

Read the report.

A dictionary definition of the verb classify is ‘to organise things according to similarity or use’.

So, if someone emptied all your clothes into a big pile in the middle of your bedroom floor, how would you sort them? By colour?

By size? By material? By use? Or if all your games and books were mixed up, how would you rearrange them? Why is it useful to keep them organised?

There are examples of classification all around us, from recipes in cookery books to shelves at the supermarket. There are two men from history who will always be remembered for their contributions to ‘classification’.

Melvil Dewey was a librarian, born in the United States in 1851.

He developed the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system after being asked to catalogue the resources at a university library. His system was first published in 1876 and although it is regularly revised, it is still in use in the world’s libraries today. Any nonfiction book you have borrowed from a library will have a DDC system number on its spine.

The Dewey Decimal Classification is based on three-digit numbers. Subjects are organised into ten general groups – the hundreds digit. Each general group is divided into ten subgroups – the tens digit. Each subgroup is then divided into ten more specific groups – the units digit.

Example: Classification of books on magnetism.

Hundreds digit

Tens digit

Units digit

000 Miscellaneous

500 Science and Maths

530 Physics

100 Philosophy

510 Maths

531 General Mechanics

200 Religion

520 Astronomy

532 Fluid Mechanics

300 Social Studies

530 Physics

533 Gas Mechanics

400 Language

540 Chemistry

534 Sound

500 Science and Maths

550 Earth Science

535 Light

600 Technology

560 Fossils

536 Heat

700 Arts and Recreation

570 Biology

537 Electricity

800 Literature

580 Botany

538 Magnetism

900 History and Geography

590 Zoology

539 Modern Physics

Thanks to Melvil Dewey, whenever you wish to find a nonfiction book on a specific subject in a library, all you have to do is locate the general group then follow the spine labels until you find what you’re looking for.

Carl Linnaeus was an 18th century Swedish botanist.

He developed a system for classifying all natural things. They were named according to what they were and the physical characteristics they had. This enabled scientists to recognise the similarities between different things as well as what made them different from one another.

Linnaeus began by grouping things into one of three kingdoms: animal, plant or mineral. Each kingdom was divided into smaller groups, which in turn were subdivided. This continued until there were six subdivisions.

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Carnivora

Felidae

Acinonyx

Species

Example: Classification of a cheetah: Animal

Chordata

Mammalia

Acinonyx jubatus

This system created a massive, branching chart on to which Linnaeus placed about 10 000 animals, plants and minerals. At the species level, things had the greatest number of similarities and the least number of differences.

Natural things had already been given Latin names, but it had not been done in a logical way. Linnaeus used his system of classification to give each natural thing a binomial (two-part) name. The first part of the name came from the genus the animal, plant or mineral belonged to; the second part came from the species.

The Linnaean Classification System has changed as new technology, such as DNA testing, can identify things more accurately. The position of some organisms in the system has changed and they have been renamed. The system no longer includes the mineral kingdom; other kingdoms have also been added.

My learning log

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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When I read this report, I could read:

29

Classified! – 2

Comprehension

1. The theme of this text is

.

2. Describe a similarity and a difference between the two classification systems.

Similarity

Difference

3. Write three words from the text for which you need to check the meaning. Use a dictionary to find a definition for each word.

4. For each system, write a question to discuss with the class that will help you understand the system better.

Dewey system

Linnaean system

5. Circle the opinion.

The Dewey system has been in worldwide use for about 140 years.

The Linnaean system is a wonderful gift from a bygone age.

6. Complete the chart.

Name

Country of birth

Century of birth

Occupation

Legacy

Melvil Dewey

Carl Linnaeus

7. Explain the advantages of each system.

Dewey system

Linnaean system

8. Write the three-digit Dewey number for each book. (a) All about light and shadows

(b) What is nuclear energy?

(c) Sound waves in the air

(d) Understanding friction

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easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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Classified! – 3

Word knowledge

1. (a) Make a new word by adding the suffix -ation to each word. (i) publish

(ii) classify

(iii) identify

(iv) continue

(b) Why do you think the spellings are changed before the suffix is added?

2. Add an inflection to make the plural form of each word. (a) library

(b) shelf

(c) resource

(d) subject

3. Circle the words that do not have the same meaning as classify in the sentence.

We can classify these books by subject. group

order

organise

rank

rate

sort

4. From your own knowledge or using a dictionary, write a definition for the phylum, class, order and family to which the cheetah belongs.

Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae 5. Separate each word into its syllables. (a) classification

(b) dictionary

(c) equipment

(d) similarities

6. For each word, circle the stressed syllable. (a) u—ni—ver—si—ty

(b) his—to—ry

(c) char—ac—ter—is—tic

(d) phy—si—cal

(e) con—tin—ued

(f) min—er—al

7. Match the science with its meaning. (a) botany

•

• the study of animals

(b) geology •

• the study of plants

(c) zoology •

• the study of rocks

8. (a) The word subject has a number of different meanings. What is its meaning in the sentence from the text?

Subjects are organised into ten general groups …

(b) Write an alternative meaning for ‘subject’.

I can / can’t add the suffix ‘-ation’ to words.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t separate words into their syllables.

I understand / need more practice on how to define words.

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31

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan?

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) • Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies persuasive argument and then key features and discusses them

• Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an author’s individual style (ACELT1616) Comprehension

• Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801) • Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517) • Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518) • Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614) • Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

• Identifies and writes facts and opinions • Gives different viewpoints, using evidence • Uses questioning to increase understanding • Summarises main ideas • Identifies a text focus

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525) • Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Determines base words • Recognises words with a range of prefixes and suffixes

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Argument A view expressed with an attempt to sway the opinion of the listener/reader.

Context The specific meaning of a word or phrase, or class of word, is dependent on the context in which it is used.

Suggested reading • Vegan lunch box around the world: 125 easy, international lunches kids and grown-ups will love! by Jennifer McCann • Leon: fast vegetarian by Jane Baxter and Henry Dimbleby • 1001 best grilling recipes: Delicious, easy-to-make recipes from around the world by Rick Browne

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argument question fact opinion phrase dictionary base word inflection homophone near-homophone sentence syllable antonym synonym part of speech noun verb adverb

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text consists of three persuasive arguments, each attempting to convert the reader to accept one type of diet: omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer question 2.

• The presentation of each argument is very different. The first is objective, focusing on why it is important to have an omnivorous diet. It provides evidence to support points made.

The second is also objective and gives many examples of foods that can be eaten to ensure the diet provides sufficient vitamins and minerals. The third is a highly emotive account, focusing solely on cruelty to animals in the meat and seafood industries.

• With the meat substitutes currently available, it is possible to have a vegetarian diet that provides all the nutrient requirements, without too much effort required. A vegan diet, however, requires a lot more thought and consideration to ensure an adequately nutritious diet.

Introduction • Have a class discussion about the three types of diets. Are any of the students vegetarian or vegan? Are any of their family members or friends? How do their diets vary from that of an omnivore?

Development • Read and discuss the text as a whole class or in groups.

Help students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

Introduction • Students will need to view a contemporary food pyramid to complete Question 6. If a poster is not available, there are many that can be found via an Internet image search. The food pyramid should be discussed, so that students understand how it works and what it shows.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 36, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Question 1 requires students to write questions about the diets, which will aid understanding. These questions should be discussed with the class.

• Question 3 requires students to sort foods according to whether omnivores, vegetarians or vegans would eat them.

Teachers could bring in other foods for them to view and sort.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Less capable students could write one advantage and one disadvantage of each diet.

• More capable students could list several advantages and disadvantages of each.

Review • Students discuss their lists of advantages and disadvantages with the class. Which diet do they feel is the best for their health and why?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Discuss the presentation of each argument – see bullet point 2 in the ‘Teacher information’ section. Discuss how the vegan argument could be improved so that people would be more inclined to consider changing their current diet.

• Working in small mixed-ability groups, students write an alternative argument in favour of going vegan. Instead of focusing on cruelty to animals, it should explain the benefits of a vegan diet.

Review • Students present their arguments to the class.

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33

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 37 focus on definitions of words, the prefix ‘anti-’, base words and inflections, homophones, syllables, antonyms, synonyms, nouns, verbs and adverbs.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle the words that are types of food. (Some of them are quite exotic.) Ask students what type of food they are, and whether they have tried them.

Development • Discuss and list words that start with the prefix ‘anti-’. This prefix means ‘against’; for example, antibiotic, antisocial, anticlockwise.

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homophone’. Give some examples (great/grate, heard/herd, principal/principle). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homophones, to be written on the board; for example:

The car is stationary./The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

• Ensure students are familiar with the terms ‘synonym’ and ‘antonym’. Give some examples (overweight: a synonym is ‘obese’ and an antonym ‘underweight’). Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms and antonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

strong: The boxer has a powerful punch, but the referee looks weak.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 37, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

Answers Comprehension 1.–2. Teacher check 3.

Omnivore: will eat all foods listed Vegetarian: cottage cheese, broccoli, lentils, baked beans, oatmeal, omelette, dried apricots Vegan: broccoli, lentils, baked beans, oatmeal, dried apricots 4. (a) Omnivore: Meat is the best source of many essential nutrients and vitamins and their absorption is not affected by foods eaten with it.

Vegetarian: There are no essential nutrients and vitamins that cannot be provided by plants.

Vegan: Veganism is a way to avoid consuming chemicals that are given to animals by meat producers and found in contaminated environments.

(b) Teacher check 5.

An unavoidable and undesirable side-effect of eating too much meat.

6.

Teacher check, answers may include: Helps to identify a reasonable balance of consumption of different foods to maintain a healthy diet.

Word knowledge 1. (a) The matter (stuff) from which all living things are made.

(b) against life 2. (a) animal-s

(c) health-y

(e) connect-ive

(b) provide-ed (d) grow-th (f) injury-es

3. (a) muscles

(c) mussels

(e) meat

(b) affect (d) source

4. protein, iron, fibre, vitamin C 5. (a) sufficient

(c) discomfort

(b) inhibit (d) essential

6. (a) sufficient

(c) range

(b) essential (d) provide

7. (a) plant – noun: a living thing that grows in the ground

(b) plays – verb: takes part in

(c) iron – noun: an element that is used by the body to make blood

(d) water – noun: a colourless liquid

(e) spills – noun: the accidental emptying (from a container)

• Students write the alphabet vertically down the left hand side of a sheet of paper. For each letter of the alphabet, they try to write the name of a food that starts with that letter; for example, A = apple, avocado, asparagus, almond.

• More capable students aim to list more words than less capable students.

Review • As a class, compare word lists. Students could be awarded one point for each type of food they list. If any student has listed a type of food that no-one else has listed, he or she receives 10 bonus points.

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Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan? – 1

Text

Read the three persuasive arguments.

OMNIVORE

As animals at the top of the food chain, it is quite natural for us to consume food provided by the lower levels, be it plant or animal. It is the natural order of things.

In order to consume all the necessary nutrients and vitamins for a healthy body, we must consume a wide variety of foods … and that includes those that come from animals.

Animal products provide us with the best source of many nutrients, including protein and iron.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and for healthy hair and skin, but it is also important for the tissues that connect muscles to bones (tendons), bones to bones (ligaments) and muscles to muscles (fasciae). For anyone who plays sport, keeping those connective tissues supple and strong is vital if injuries are to be avoided.

Iron is important because it helps the blood transport oxygen around the body. For the body to function well, oxygen is essential. The more iron we ingest, the more oxygen our body gets and the better our body works.

People who don’t get enough iron are always tired and that’s no good if you want to play sport!

Iron from meat is absorbed into the bloodstream better than iron from plants and its absorption is not affected by anything else eaten at the same time. If you don’t eat meat, pay attention to the foods you eat together. Some foods inhibit the absorption of iron, so you may not get as much as you could even though you’re eating iron-rich foods.

VEGETARIAN

So, for a healthy body, eat plenty of meat!

A vegetarian diet is the best one for a healthy body. In addition to providing sufficient protein, iron and other nutrients the body requires, it also provides a lot of fibre, essential for a healthy bowel.

Plant-based foods that are a good source of protein include:

fruit and vegetables; e.g. avocados and peas legumes; e.g. soybeans and lentils nuts and seeds; e.g. pistachios and sesame seeds grains; e.g. quinoa and oatmeal non-dairy milks; e.g. soy and almond

Plants also provide a wide range of foods rich in iron; e.g. spinach, pumpkin, all legumes, tofu and quinoa.

Some foods do inhibit iron absorption and these should be consumed separately. These include eggs and dairy products. Foods that promote iron absorption include fruit and vegetables high in vitamin C; e.g. fruits like cantaloupe (rockmelon), guava, kiwifruit and pineapple; and vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts and capsicums.

There are many satisfying and delicious vegetarian recipes that can be created for anyone who wants to avoid the discomfort of constipation — the ball-and-chain of carnivores!

VEGAN

To give your body the best toxin-free nutrition, there is only one option: veganism.

A vegan diet is 100% plant-based. It does not contain any trace of meat products. Did you know that gelatine, a component of many sweet foods such as marshmallows and jelly beans, is made from the skin and bones of slaughtered animals?

Animals raised for meat are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics to make them grow bigger and to ward off infections. Being bred to be overweight is bad enough for the animals, but what are all those chemicals doing to humans? Fish are also full to the gills with poisons, from the contaminated water they swim in.

Think of the pollution that is regularly pumped into our oceans and inland waterways, and the accidental oil spills and nuclear meltdowns of recent years. Even if they occur on the other side of the world, Australian consumers are affected as fish is imported from far afield and ocean currents move water all around the globe.

Plants provide all the nutrients we need and they contain few or none of the toxins found in meat. Go vegan!

My learning log When I read these persuasive arguments, I could read:

all of them.

most of them.

parts of them.

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35

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan? – 2

Comprehension

1. Write a question to discuss with the class to help you understand the vegetarian and vegan diets better.

Vegetarian Vegan

2. For each argument, write a fact or an opinion from the text.

Fact

Opinion

Omnivore Vegetarian

Vegan

3. Tick the box to show which foods omnivores, vegetarians and vegans will eat. salami

cottage cheese

broccoli

lentils

baked beans

tuna

oatmeal

omelette

dried apricots

Omnivore Vegetarian

Vegan

4. (a) Identify the focus of each argument.

Focus

Omnivore Vegetarian Vegan

(b) Which do you think are the most and least effective of the three arguments? Explain why.

Most effective Least effective

5. What is meant, in the vegetarian argument, by the phrase, ‘the ball-and-chain of carnivores’?

6. In your opinion, how useful is a food pyramid for helping you understand the amount of different foods that should be eaten?

My learning log 36

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

R.I.C. Publications® 978-1-925431-85-8

Omnivore? Vegetarian? Vegan? – 3

Word knowledge

1. (a) In the study of the human body and how it works, the word ‘tissue’ has nothing to do with paper.

Use a dictionary to find its meaning in this context.

(b) The word ‘antibiotic’ comes from English (anti-) and Greek (biotic). If ‘biology’ means the study of life, what is the literal meaning of antibiotic?

2. Separate each word into its base word and inflection. (a) animals

(b) provided

(c) healthy

(d) growth

(e) connective

(f) injuries

3. Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. (a) In the body there are different types of

(muscles/mussels).

(affect/effect) the absorption of iron from plants.

(b) Some foods can

(muscles/mussels) provides a good amount of iron.

(c) A plate of

(sauce/source) of iron is found in animal foods.

(d) The best

(meat/meet) is high in iron.

(e) Red

4. Write the names of any nutrients and vitamins mentioned in the text.

5. In the vegetarian argument, find the antonym of each word below. (a) inadequate

(b) encourage

(c) comfort

(d) optional

6. In the vegetarian argument, find the synonym of each word below. (a) enough

(b) vital

(c) assortment

(d) offer

7. Write the part of speech (e.g. noun, verb, adverb) and meaning of each word from the text.

From the omnivore argument: (a) plant

(b) plays

(c) iron

From the vegan argument: (d) water

(e) spills

I understand / need more practice on base words and their inflections.

My learning log

Colour:

I know / don’t know about homophones and near-homophones.

I can / can’t recognise synonyms and antonyms.

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37

Summer at Tregarran House

Text

Read the narrative.

When 11-year-old Cara Pugh was told by her parents that she would have to spend the long summer holiday at her great-uncle’s house in the country, she was not happy.

While her parents were following the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru, Cara would be bored to distraction in her ancient relative’s crumbling pile.

Realising there was no chance of joining her parents on their trip to South America, Cara put her efforts into finding an alternative billet that her parents would consider suitable. But everyone she tried gave her the same negative response, ‘We’re so sorry, Cara. Much as we’d love to take you on holiday with us, there simply isn’t room in the car.’

Cara had to face the awful truth. Her summer holiday would be spent in isolation in the wilds of Bodmin Ranges.

Cara arrived at Tregarran House late at night, in the middle of a ferocious storm. She had been met at the remote train station by someone so heavily clothed in garments to keep out the foul weather, it was difficult to determine the person’s gender or age. Expecting transport that would protect her from the rough elements, Cara was horrified to see that the remainder of her journey would be taken in the back of an uncovered horse and cart!

After much bumping and bouncing along the rutted lanes, the aging horse came to a halt and the driver jumped down. He, or possibly she, landed heavily in a deep puddle, sending a shower of muddy water all over the disgruntled passenger. But as the clouds allowed a sliver of moonlight to shed a ghostly light on Tregarran House, Cara’s annoyance was forgotten as she gasped in awe.

This wasn’t a house, it was a castle, a magnificent castle!

In spite of her intense discomfort, Cara’s spirits soared.

‘This place isn’t real!’ she marvelled to herself. ‘I think I’ve fallen asleep and I’m dreaming. All the stories I’ve read about children going to live in big, old houses have been jumbled up to create a new one, and I’m the protagonist.

Well, let’s go inside and see what happens next!’

about the 19th century. Her beady eyes examined Cara’s own attire with disdain.

Without a word, the candle-bearer nodded to Cara and her luggage. She moved aside to let the wide-eyed young girl enter the grand hall, then led her to the first floor, gliding effortlessly up the magnificent staircase as if on wings. In contrast, Cara struggled noisily, hauling her bags up one step at a time. There was no sign of the driver, whom she thought might have offered to help.

At the end of a long, dimly lit passageway, the woman stopped. A pair of doors swung open and, with a tilt of her head, the candle-bearer demanded that Cara enter the room. Cara launched her bags and then herself across the threshold. As she did so, the doors behind her closed and the fire in the hearth sprang to life.

The firelight revealed an opulently furnished room of generous proportions. At one end, a pair of tall sash windows looked out into the darkness beyond. At the other, a bed was concealed behind a huge four-poster frame and heavy velvet drapes. On an ornate silver tray by the fire was a large bowl of soup and a loaf of bread. The delicate aroma of cooked mushrooms that reached Cara’s nostrils made her realise she had not eaten for hours. She devoured the bread and soup hungrily.

When she awoke the next morning, Cara lay still for a few moments as she remembered where she was and how she got there. She poked her head through the drapes and surveyed the room. A grand antique bath stood before the glowing fire. Its steaming, fragrant water beckoned her enticingly.

An hour later, Cara was descending the grand staircase with one thought on her mind ... breakfast!

Her driver, who hadn’t uttered a single word, in spite of her efforts to make polite conversation, tugged at the ancient bell. A clanging sound echoed from deep within the house.

At last, the enormous door opened with a long, drawn-out creak, and a halo of light surrounding a single candle flame illuminated the features of a tall, haughty-looking woman.

She was dressed in clothes Cara recognised from books 38

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

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Name:

Class:

Date:

Summer at Tregarran House

Assessment – Comprehension

1. How did Cara feel at first about spending her summer holiday at Tregarran House? Tick one. delighted

annoyed

scared

sad

excited

1 mark

2. Why had Cara’s parents arranged for her to spend the summer with her uncle?

3. Why was Cara unsure of the gender and age of the driver of the horse and cart?

2 marks

4. (a) From paragraphs 3 to 5, how did Cara’s mood change? Tick one. from gloomy to optimistic

from anxious to excited

from annoyed to amazed

from angry to surprised

2 marks

(b) What caused Cara’s mood change?

2 marks

5. Compare how Cara and the candle-bearer climbed the stairs.

1 mark

6. How did the candle-bearer behave towards Cara?

1 mark

7. Write two things Cara might have been thinking as she was shown to her room.

2 marks

8. What do you think Cara will find for breakfast? Why do you think this?

2 marks

Total for this page

/13

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39

Name:

Class:

Date:

Summer at Tregarran House

Assessment – Word knowledge

1. Rearrange the letters to give a word from the text, then number them in alphabetical order. (a) u l y o e t p n l

(b) e c s u r o i o f

(c) m i n e g n c i f a t

1 mark

2. Separate each word into its syllables and circle the stressed syllable. (a) isolation

(b) beckoned

(c) alternative

(d) suitable

1 mark

3. Which word best describes: (a) the attire worn by the candle-bearer? Tick one.

old-fashioned

modern

flamboyant

indecent

(b) the location of Tregarran House? Tick one.

central

coastal

urban

remote 1 mark

4. Write the words from paragraph 2 that could be replaced with the following words. (a) substitute

(b) accommodation

(c) acceptable

(d) solitude

5. Write three phrases from the text that describe the weather conditions on the night Cara arrived at Tregarran House.

1 mark

1 mark

6. Write a sentence including two different meanings of each word. (a) cart

(b) sign

1 mark

7. Add words from the text to complete the table.

Noun

Adjective

aromatic fragrance responsive ferocity

annoying 1 mark Total for this page

40

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Assessment – Teacher information

Summer at Tregarran House Genre: Narrative Breakdown of question type/content and mark allocation Comprehension

Word knowledge

Q 1. Finding information

1 mark

Q 1. Alphabetical order

1 mark

Q 2. Finding information

2 marks

Q 2. Syllables

1 mark

Q 3. Finding information

2 marks

Q 3. Adjectives

1 mark

Q 4. Inferring

2 marks

Q 4. Synonyms

1 mark

Q 5. Finding information

1 mark

Q 5. Phrases

1 mark

Q 6. Giving opinion

1 mark

Q 6. Homonyms

1 mark

Q 7. Inferring

2 marks

Q 7. Nouns and adjectives

1 mark

Q 8. Predicting

2 marks Subtotal

Subtotal Total for this assessment

Assessment answers Assessment – Summer at Tregarran House Word knowledge....................................................................Page 40

Comprehension......................................................................Page 39

1. (a) opulently

1. annoyed

2. They were going to South America without her and they needed someone reliable to look after her as she’s only 11 years old.

3. He or she was so well hidden beneath protective clothes and he or she did not speak to Cara.

4. (a) from annoyed to amazed

(b) She sees Tregarran House in the moonlight and is amazed at its splendour.

5. The candle-bearer climbed the stairs effortlessly as if on wings but Cara struggled up noisily, dragging her bags up, one step at a time.

6. He or she was unfriendly and not very welcoming.

7. Teacher check, answers may include: Staying at Tregarran House might not be so bad after all; Why has no-one spoken to me yet?

I’m going to have some fun exploring this house.

8. Teacher check, answers may include: She will find a delicious, filling, hearty breakfast. Even though she hasn’t yet been spoken to, or met her great-uncle, all her comforts have been provided for.

(3)

(b) ferocious (1) (c) magnificent (2) 2. (a) i-so-la-tion

(b) beck-oned

(d) suit-a-ble

(c) al-ter-na-tive

3. (a) old-fashioned

(b) remote

4. (a) alternative

(b) billet

(d) isolation

(c) suitable

5. ferocious storm, foul weather, rough elements 6. (a) Teacher check; e.g. He used the horse and cart to cart wood for the fire.

(b) Teacher check; e.g. The sign in the florist’s shop said that flowers are the perfect gift as a sign of affection.

7. aroma, aromatic; fragrance, fragrant; response, responsive; ferocity, ferocious; annoyance, annoying

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41

Adam’s incredible journey

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613)

• Identifies imaginative texts and their key features and discusses them

• Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (ACELA1523)

Comprehension

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) • Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)

• Identifies whether statement is fact or opinion • Explains why or not they would recommend the text • Makes predictions about character actions

• Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525)

• Recognises morphemes

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words

• Determines base words

• Understands synonyms and antonyms

(ACELA1526)

• Understand how to use phonic knowledge and accumulated understandings about blending, letter-sound relationships, common and uncommon letter patterns and phonic generalisations to read and write increasingly complex words (ACELA1830)

Additional teacher information Definition of terms Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Free morpheme A morpheme that can stand on its own as a single word; e.g. ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Bound morpheme A morpheme that has no sense on its own but gives new meaning to a free morpheme; e.g. ‘re-’ in ‘return’.

Suggested reading • Mayan folktales: Folklore from Lake Atitlan, Guatemala by James D Sexton • Staircase to the moon by Bronwyn Houston

Terminology for students text phrase sentence fact opinion question morpheme free morpheme bound morpheme base word suffix prefix class/parts of speech verb noun adjective inflection compound word synonym antonym paragraph

• The last king of Angkor Wat by Graeme Base

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is an imaginative text that takes the reader on a fantasy trip to three locations around the world.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 5.

Introduction

Introduction

• Students may not know of the places Adam visited in his ‘dream’. Locate them on a world map. Teachers should find images of the places—paper or electronic­—to aid discussion.

• Question 4 requires students to compare the three places that Adam visited. As a class, create a list of similarities and differences.

Development

Development

• A whole class or in groups, read and discuss the narrative.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• Discuss the comprehension activities on page 46, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Discuss how Adam might feel about and deal with the notion that the evidence suggested he had actually been to those places, even though he knew it was impossible. Would he share his dream and the evidence with anyone? How might they react?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should choose one of the three locations that Adam visited in his ‘dream’. They research to create a fact file about this place, including a map, images and interesting facts.

• More capable students should produce a more indepth and comprehensive fact file than less capable students.

• Question 7 asks students as a class to discuss whether they would recommend this text to a friend and why/why not.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should imagine that they received an invitation to travel anywhere in the world that their heart desires. Where would they go? How would they get there? What would they do once they were there? What evidence would they return with?

• Less able students should choose one place to visit and should write a paragraph about their visit, in the same style as the text. More able students should choose three places, and write at least a paragraph on each, including detailed information about the places they chose to visit.

Review • Students should tell the class the places they visited and why they chose them.

Review • Students present their fact files to the class and display them in the classroom.

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43

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information

Answers Comprehension 1. (a) It came with the junk mail.

(b) As he held it, he felt a tingling sensation in his hand.

(c) He spent a long time researching places in the world he would like to visit. He then sketched a world map and marked their locations on it.

• The activities on page 47 focus on morphemes (free and bound), suffixes, compound words, synonyms and antonyms.

2. (a) His body rose up and he floated away.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining to students that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle any compound words.

Development • Ensure that students understand the difference between a morpheme, a free morpheme and a bound morpheme.

Discuss the explanations on page 47 and elicit examples.

• Explain that a word that contains two or more base words is a compound word; for example, moon + light = moonlight.

Provide students with some compound word beginnings, and ask them to suggest endings; for example, ‘moon’ might be put with other words to make moonlight, moonboots, moonbeam, moonlit or moonshine. Other compound word beginnings could be: sun, hair and foot.

• Ensure students are familiar with the terms ‘synonym’ and ‘antonym’. Give some examples (overweight: a synonym is ‘obese’ and an antonym ‘underweight’). Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms and antonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

Strong: The boxer has a powerful punch, but the referee looks weak.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 47, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should think of and write down words that end with the suffixes ‘-able’ and ‘-ible’.

• More capable students could list more words than less capable students could.

• The ‘-able’ suffix is more common than the ‘-ible’ suffix. The ‘-able’ suffix is usually added if a complete base word can be heard before it (e.g. adorable, considerable), while the ‘-ible’ suffix is more common if a complete base word can’t be heard before it (e.g. possible, incredible). Ask more capable students if they can work out this rule; i.e. can they say when ‘-able’ is used and when ‘-ible’ is used?

(b) He was carried away in a spiralling vortex (of time travel).

(c) He experienced a sensation similar to travelling in a lift.

3. (a) He cannot be seen.

(b) At the staircase to the moon, a large kangaroo was bounding straight towards him, paying him no attention. At Angkor Wat, he was being buffeted by unseeing tourists.

4.

The first and last places are ancient, constructed sites; the second is a natural wonder.

5. (a) Opinion

(b) Fact

(c) Opinion

(d) Fact

6.

Teacher check 7.

Teacher check Word knowledge 1. (a) sense-ation

(b) un-pleasant

(d) locate-ion

(c) re-call

2. (a) collapsible, adjective

(b) heavily, adverb

(d) horizontal, adjective

(c) visible, adjective

3. (a) tingle-ing

(b) interest-ed

(d) boy-’s

(c) reflect-ion-s

4. (a) after-noon

(b) stair-way

(c) moon-light

(d) mud-flats

5. (a) staircase, 2

(b) toenail, 2

(c) marvelled, 1

(d) passport, 2

(e) towards, 1

(f) forward, 1

(g) outburst, 2

(h) another, 2

6. (a) rejected, discarded

(b) amazing, incredible

7. (a) reality, illusion

(b) tiny, massive

Review • As a class, compare students’ lists. Discuss the rule suggestions.

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Adam’s incredible journey – 1 Read the imaginative text.

Adam could feel the card tingling in his hand.

Was there a small electric current passing through the lines of this incredible invitation?

Were it not for this strange sensation, he would have discarded it as just another item of junk mail ...

Text

Adam Realise your dreams and plan the trip of a lifetime.

The only currency you require is your imagination.

There is no limit or barrier to your destination.

Time and transport are of no consequence.

Your mind will take you where you want to go.

Ridiculous though he knew it was, Adam was powerless to halt the sense of anticipation that was rising within him. He ran to his room, pulled the heavy atlas from the shelf and lay on the floor, examining the world maps of natural wonders and ancient historic sites.

Hours later, Adam collapsed into bed, clutching a rough sketch of the world map and the places he wanted to visit.

As he closed his eyes, the words ‘Chichen Itza’ fell from his lips and he felt his body rise up and float away.

Marvelling at Kukulkan’s magnificent step pyramid, Adam checked his watch— 2.57 pm—20 March. ‘The vernal equinox!’ he blurted out. ‘Just three minutes to go!’

Suddenly embarrassed by his outburst, Adam looked around sheepishly, but soon realised that not only had no-one heard him, they could not see him either. Using this to his advantage, he moved to the front of the crowd and waited.

At 3.00 pm exactly, the afternoon sun shone on the edge of the pyramid’s stairway. As it did so, seven inverted triangles, shadows of the steps, created the image of a long serpent that stretched down to its massive stone head, carved in stone at the foot of the steps. ‘What a wonderful illusion’, sighed Adam in awe. ‘Brother Sun, can your sibling, Sister Moon, create a spectacle such as this?’ With the question still fresh on his lips, Adam felt the earth spin as all about him merged into the spiral of a fast-moving slideshow, and the vortex carried him away.

A rustling in the sand dunes behind him made Adam turn. A large kangaroo was bounding straight towards him, paying him no attention. Adam jumped out of the way just in time. The wet sand felt cold, but not unpleasantly so, as it squelched between his toes. But he was not interested in his feet, or even the kangaroo. His eyes were drawn up and out towards the horizon. In the evening sky of early autumn, he could see more steps, but this time they were reflections of the moonlight on the exposed mudflats, stretching far out to sea. ‘Unbelievable!’ marvelled Adam. ‘A staircase to the moon! Whatever next?’

With a feeling in his stomach similar to that experienced when travelling in a lift, Adam realised he was on the move again. He found himself in the Angkor Archaeological Park in northern Cambodia. Ahead of him lay the world’s finest ancient monument, Angkor Wat. It was constructed a thousand years ago as a replica of the ancient Buddhist vision of the universe.

Adam took a deep breath and strode forward.

At the centre of this terrestrial universe was the sacred mountain of Mount Meru and surrounding it, the five peaks of Meru and the mountains at the edge of the world. The moat beyond these constructed mountains represented the world’s oceans.

After hours of exploring and being buffeted by unseeing tourists, Adam wanted his bed.

Yawning loudly, Adam stretched and got out of bed. Unusually, the scenes from his dream were as vivid as the memories of real events. Adam could recall every little detail. But he was an intellectual sort, not given to fanciful notions. ‘Just a dream, silly boy’, he scolded himself. ‘Interesting, but just a dream.’

The crumpled paper tickled the sole of his left foot. As he bent down to pick it up, he noticed his feet: sand between his toes and under his toenails. Puzzled, he smoothed out the paper: his rough sketch of the world map, and the places he wanted to visit all marked with an asterisk. That in itself wasn’t odd, but the fact that three locations were marked with authentic passport control stamps most definitely was …

My learning log When I read this imaginative text, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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45

Adam’s incredible journey – 2

Comprehension

1. (a) How did Adam acquire the invitation? (b) What made him take notice of the invitation?

(c) In your own words, describe what Adam did next.

2. Describe how Adam moved between locations. from home to Mexico from Mexico to Australia

from Australia to Cambodia

3. (a) What does Adam realise about his presence at Chichen Itza?

(b) Write the phrase or sentence from the text that describes this feature occurring at the other locations.

Staircase to the moon Angkor Wat

4. How would you compare the three places Adam visited?

5. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) Kukulkan’s step pyramid at Chichen Itza is magnificent.

Fact

Opinion

(b) The descent of Kukulkan’s serpent occurs at the vernal equinox.

Fact

Opinion

(c) Angkor Wat is the world’s finest ancient monument.

Fact

Opinion

(d) Angkor Wat is a replica of the ancient Buddhist vision of the universe.

Fact

Opinion

6. Ask a question to discuss with the class about one of the places Adam visited, to help you understand the text better.

7. Explain why you would or would not recommend this text to a friend.

My learning log 46

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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Adam’s incredible journey – 3

Word knowledge

A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a word.

A free morpheme can stand on its own as a single word; e.g. possible.

A bound morpheme has no sense on its own but it can give new meaning to a free morpheme; e.g. im + possible = impossible, re + place = replace.

1. Separate each word into its base (free morpheme) and suffix or prefix (bound morpheme). (a) sensation

(b) unpleasant

(c) recall

(d) location

2. Choose a suffix to change the class/part of speech of each word. Name the new class/part of speech.

-ation

-ion

-ible

-able

-al

(a) collapse, verb

(b) heavy, adjective

(c) vision, noun

(d) horizon, noun

-ly

-ous

Some bound morphemes, known as inflections, change the grammar of a word; e.g. walk + s = walks high + er = higher speak + s = speaks eat + ing = eating 3. Separate each word into its base (free morpheme) and inflection (bound morpheme). (a) tingling

(b) interested

(c) reflections

(d) boy’s

Compound words have two free morphemes with the meaning of each related to the compound word.

4. Separate each word into its two free morphemes. (a) afternoon

(b) stairway

(c) moonlight

(d) mudflats

If two words are joined but their meanings do not relate to the word they make, the word has only one free morpheme; e.g. deadline.

5. How many free morphemes? (a) staircase

(b) toenail

(c) marvelled

(d) passport

(e) towards

(f) forward

(g) outburst

(h) another

6. For each word, find a synonym from the first two paragraphs of the text.

(a) rejected

(b) amazing

7. For each word, find an antonym from the fifth paragraph of the text.

(a) reality

(b) tiny

I can / can’t separate words into their roots, prefixes and suffixes.

My learning log

Colour:

I know / don’t know about morphemes.

I understand / need more practice on synonyms and antonyms.

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47

The lost village of Llanwddyn

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (ACELA1523)

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) Comprehension

• Identifies imaginative texts and their key features and discusses them • Understands that imaginative texts can also include factual material

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias

• Identifies whether a text is fact or opinion

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711)

• Creates a family trees from given information

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

• Infers a character’s feelings using evidence from the text

(ACELA1517)

• Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525) • Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Recognises a range of base words • Demonstrates an understanding of morphemes • Provides definitions using textual evidence

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

narrative text nonfiction fiction evidence true false fact opinion paragraph morpheme syllable phrase evaluative language

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Evaluative language The positive or negative language used to express the worth of something; e.g. She’s a magnificent goalkeeper; her sense of humour leaves a lot to be desired.

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Free morpheme A morpheme that can stand on its own as a single word; e.g. ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Bound morpheme A morpheme that has no sense on its own but gives new meaning to a free morpheme; e.g. ‘re-’ in ‘return’.

Fiction A text in which the characters and events are developed in the author’s imagination.

Nonfiction A text in which people and events are real.

Suggested reading • Drowned towns: 10 underwater ghost cities and buildings (website) <weburbanist.com/204/03/10/drowned-towns10-underwater-ghost-cities-buildings> or <http://tinyurl. com/h72owx9> The story of Tallangatta • <http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/page32.html>

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This website provides seven pages relating to the building of reservoirs at Vyrnwy, Elan Valley and Capel Celyn

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is an imaginative narrative that includes factual information on the flooding of towns and valleys to build reservoirs for urban water demand.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 6.

• Although the narrative is an imaginative text, the setting and its history are real. Although Grandpa is a fictional character, he is representative of people living in the area today whose ancestors were affected by the construction of the reservoir.

• When the Aswan Dam was built in Egypt in the last century, the ancient temples of Abu Simbel had to be relocated when Lake Nasser was created. This is one of the largest reservoirs in the world.

• Reservoirs are constructed to provide drinking water for the population. They can also be used to generate hydroelectric power and for irrigation.

• There are many such examples of towns and other structures in Australia being ‘drowned’ by dam waters; for example, the Durack homestead in WA and Tallangatta in Victoria (see URL under ‘Suggested reading’).

Introduction • Reading novels that relate to actual historical events is a good way for students to understand different aspects of such events. Readers can relate to one or more of the characters and see events from their perspectives.

Development

Introduction • Question 2 requires students to state whether the text is fiction or nonfiction. This may be tricky, as it has elements of both. Students can discuss whether they think that learning about factual events through works of fiction is a good idea.

Have they ever read a novel or other fictional text that had a historical background? The texts could be listed and students say whether they liked them or not.

• Question 3 requires students to draw a family tree to show the relationship between the people in the text. Students will need to see examples of family trees; for example, that of an historical figure, or a TV personality with whom the students are all familiar. As an additional activity, students could create their own family trees.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 52, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Students could look at a map of the United Kingdom or a mapping website to locate Liverpool, Llanwddyn, London, Lake Argyle and Tallangatta.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

• Read and discuss the narrative as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• Students re-read the text and write facts and opinions expressed about Liverpool and Llanwddyn.

• More capable students should aim to find more facts and opinions than less capable students.

Review • Students present to the class the facts and opinions they found in the text.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should work in mixed-ability pairs to plan and write an interview between a resident of the original Llanwddyn and a person who wants to build the reservoir. How will each character feel? What will each want?

• Pairs practise their interviews, taking it in turns to play each character.

Review • Students present their interviews to a small group.

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49

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information

Answers Comprehension 1. present 2. (a) The storyline is fiction but the information about Llanwddyn is nonfiction.

• The activities on page 53 focus on definitions of words, morphemes (free and bound), syllables, phrases and evaluative language.

Introduction

• Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words.

While reading the text, ask students to circle any words that have a silent ‘w’ (wrong).

5. (a) False

(b) True

(c) True

6. (a) Fact

(b) Opinion

(c) Fact

Development • Ensure that students understand the difference between a morpheme, a free morpheme and a bound morpheme. Revise the explanations on page 47 and elicit further examples from them.

• Explain the meaning of ‘evaluative language’; i.e. the positive or negative language used to express the worth of something.

Provide examples and elicit further examples from the students; for example, magnificent mountains, tasteless chicken.

4. ‘I really like this place’, sighed Huw wistfully. ‘It’s so peaceful here.’

7. (a) The flooding of valleys to create an urban water supply.

(b) Teacher check

(c) Although a decision may be unpopular, the minority’s preference may have to give way for the majority’s benefit.

Word knowledge

1. twitchers

2. (a) a special place to visit

(b) times past

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 53, then allow students to complete the page independently.

(c) stop

(d) dreamlike state

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

3. (a) binocular-s

(b) bi-no-cu-lars

4. (a) bi - two

(b) ocular - eyes

5. (a) re-house-ed

(b) travel-ing

(c) peace-ful

(d) majesty-ic

(e) dread-ed

(f) re-built

• Students are told that some letters in words are no longer sounded, but that they used to be sounded hundreds of years ago; for example, in ‘knight’ there used to be a ‘k’ sound before the ‘n’. Students should think of and write down words that contain the following silent letters: b, g, k, n, s.

• More capable students should aim to list more words than less capable students.

Review • As a class, compare word lists.

6. (a) the birdlife at the nature reserve

(b) against things that upset the current balance

(c) how life continued as the dam wall got bigger and neared completion

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

7. Teacher check

8. (a) a crinkled expression of confusion

50

(b) Teacher check

3.

John and Megan Evans are the parents of Alice Evans who married Robert. Cerys and Huw are their children.

(b) Amid endless interruptions and questions

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The lost village of Llanwddyn – 1

Text

Read the narrative text.

Cerys and Huw live in Sydney, but this year they are staying with their grandparents, who live in mid-Wales, in Britain. As keen birdwatchers, one of their favourite places to visit is Lake Vyrnwy, a mecca for twitchers from all over the country. In the magnificent woodland surrounding the lake, there are a number of nature trails and bird hides. The twins and their grandparents have spent many happy hours these holidays, huddled together on a bench, peering through binoculars, and watching the comings and goings of the reserve’s avian wildlife.

‘I really like this place’, sighed Huw wistfully, trying not to remember that tomorrow, his family would be travelling to London to get on a plane to take them back to Australia. This would be their last visit for quite some time. ‘It’s so peaceful here. I’ll bet it hasn’t changed in a thousand years.’

‘Exactly!’ replied Grandpa, delighted with his granddaughter. ‘My family moved into the house we live in today in 1888. They didn’t want to move, but their old house, along with the rest of the village, was to be demolished. Yes, fifty families were rehoused, and the shops, inns, church and chapel were rebuilt; and even those lying in peace in the cemetery were dug up and taken to a new place of rest.’

‘Why, Grandpa? Were the buildings falling down?’ Huw’s innocent question made John smile.

‘No lad, it was all about water. The population of Liverpool to the north was expanding rapidly with all the industry and factories, and they needed a source of pure, fresh water. Where better to find it than here in the rivers of Wales?’

‘Ah, now that would be where you’re wrong, young man, very wrong.’ John Evans put his hands on Huw’s shoulders as they all gazed across the lake, marvelling at the reflection of the hillside in the crystal-clear water.

‘The connection we have with this area didn’t just begin when your dad, Robert, married our Alice. Oh no, it began well over a hundred years ago, with the building of the first stonework dam in the country.’

Amid endless interruptions and questions, John managed to explain to the children how the last years of old Llanwyddyn continued under the shadow of the rising dam wall that would stem the river’s flow; and how the village was finally abandoned, then demolished, so the Vyrnwy could rise to form a lake.

Sensing a ‘Grandpa story’ coming on, the twins and Grandma Megan made themselves comfortable on the bench.

Megan Evans had been quiet for a long time. ‘It happened in many places, Huw: the Elan Valley and Capel Celyn are two others. And there are some to in Australia, like Tallangatta. Someone, somewhere, always has to pay the price for something that benefits others, and people are always resistant to change. But don’t dwell on it. There are plenty of events that have occurred in the past that were much worse than this.’

‘You know that my family has always lived in Llanwddyn’, began Grandpa John. ‘Well, while that’s true, it’s not absolutely true. Y ou see, the Llanwddyn of today is not the Llanwddyn of yesteryear. That was just up the valley.’

‘Er … sorry Grandpa, but you’ve lost us’, said Cerys slowly, a crinkled expression of confusion decorating her face. ‘How can that be? That would be where the lake is.’

My learning log When I read this narrative text, I could read:

‘Well!’ cried Huw in utter dismay. ‘I hope nowhere else had to suffer in the same way.’

‘Your grandmother’s right, as always!’ laughed John, coming out of his reverie. ‘And don’t forget, you love this place. Its history shouldn’t change that. Come on, who’s up for a cycle around the lake in this glorious evening sunshine?’

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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51

The lost village of Llanwddyn – 2 1. The setting of this narrative is in the

past

present

Comprehension

.

2. (a) In terms of nonfiction and fiction, how would you describe The lost village of Llanwddyn?

(b) Do you think this method is a good way to learn about events of the past? Explain your answer.

3. Draw a family tree to show the relationship between the people named in the text.

4. Use evidence from the text to describe Huw’s feelings towards the place where his grandparents live.

5. Answer True or False. (a) A natural disaster destroyed the original village of Llanwddyn.

True

False

(b) John Evans has always lived in the same house.

True

False

(c) Cerys and Huw live in Australia.

True

False

(a) Lake Vyrnwy is a popular place among nature lovers.

Fact

Opinion

(b) The lake and its surrounding woodland are magnificent.

Fact

Opinion

(c) Cerys and Huw are twins.

Fact

Opinion

6. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement.

7. (a) What practice of land use has this narrative described?

(b) Write a question to discuss with the class to ask about this practice that would help you to understand it better.

(c) In the second last paragraph, what message is Megan Evans giving?

My learning log 52

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

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challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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The lost village of Llanwddyn – 3

Word knowledge

1. From paragraph 1, write the word that means ‘birdwatchers’.

2. Write the meaning of each word. (a) mecca (paragraph 1) (b) yesteryear (paragraph 5) (c) stem (paragraph 10) (d) reverie (paragraph 13) 3. Separate binoculars into its: (b) syllables.

(a) morphemes.

4. In the word binoculars, what do you think is the meaning of: (a) bi? (b) ocular?

5. Separate each word into its free and bound morphemes. (a) rehoused

(b) travelling

(c) peaceful

(d) majestic

(e) dreaded

(f) rebuilt

6. Explain each phrase. (a) the reserve’s avian wildlife

(b) resistant to change

(c) under the shadow of the rising dam

7. Write examples of evaluative language that describe the family’s opinions of the Lake Vyrnwy region.

8. Write the phrase that describes: (a) the look Cerys gave to show she didn’t fully understand what Grandpa had said in paragraph 6.

(b) how Grandpa’s explanation of the last years of old Llanwddyn was received by Cerys and Huw in paragraph 10.

I can / can’t write definitions for words.

My learning log

Colour:

I know / don’t know how to separate words into their morphemes.

I understand / need more practice on evaluative language.

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53

The digestive system

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies play scripts and their key features and discusses them

• Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714) • Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524) • Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711)

• Summarises text • Rewrites text to a specified level • Creates a flowchart from a given text or original research • Reviews a given text in writing

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) • Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Recognises base words • Separates words into morphemes • Identifies word origins • Understands features of a slogan

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Stage direction A set of instructions concerning particular actions required of the cast of a play and those relating to the set, which are included in a play script.

play script setting stage direction flowchart technical language explanation phrase dictionary author sentence morpheme

Technical language Language related specifically to the subject of a text.

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Suggested reading • <http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/humanbody/ digestivesystem.html>

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

This website contains clear bullet points on the function of each organ in the digestive system

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a play script in which the key characters are the human body’s digestive organs and the plot follows the journey of food through the digestive system.

• The flowchart students need to draw for Question 3 doesn’t require pictures of organs within a body cavity, but short, simple explanations in boxes, with arrows leading to the next stage in the process.

Introduction • Students should look at and discuss the format of the play script. They should also discuss the significance of the stage directions in italic text and bracketed italic text.

• If available, have a poster of the digestive system, or find an image online. As the students re-read the text, the progress of the banana could be followed.

• The systems of the human body are not too difficult to understand but they can be quite involved. By presenting an explanation as a play script, students can identify each organ as a character. Acting out the play will help them visualise the process and understand the role of each organ.

Development • Read and discuss the play script as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places and using correct intonation.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students should work in mixed-ability groups of four to write a play script about another body system; for example, the nervous, respiratory, urinary or cardiovascular system. They will first need to research how the system works and what it does.

Introduction • Question 4 requires students to write a simpler explanation of digestion, that a younger child would be able to understand.

As a class, discuss any difficulties they had understanding the text. Could the text be improved to make it easier to understand, and if so, how? How could it be made more appropriate for a younger child?

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 58, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions that may have varied answers.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write a review of the text, stating whether they feel it is a good text to help with understanding digestion, and whether they would recommend it to others.

• In the review, less capable students could state at least one thing they like and one thing they dislike about the text. More capable students could name at least three good and bad points about the text.

Review • Students share their reviews and viewpoints with a small group.

• Pairs should practise their plays, taking it in turns to play each part.

Review • Students should present their plays to a small group.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 59 focus on origins of words, phrases, definitions of words, slogans, homonyms and morphemes.

Introduction • Re-read the text explaining to students that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle any technical words that they think are to do with the human body.

Why do they think some of these words start with upper case letters in the play? Discuss the meanings of the circled words.

Answers Comprehension 1. (a) inside a person’s body (b) to indicate how things move and where they go 2.

The person to whom the digestive system belongs 3.

Teacher check 4.

Teacher check, for example: When a person eats something, different organs in the digestive system act to make the food easier to pass through each stage of the process. When the food is fully digested, the nutrients from it are passed into the bloodstream and the waste is collected. When enough waste has been collected, it passes out of the body.

5. Teacher check

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homonym’ and know that it means two different words that are spelt and sound the same. Give some examples of homonyms (left, bark). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

That tree has beautiful bark./Charlie’s dog has a very loud bark.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 59, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write definitions for the following: mouth, brain, nerves, oesophagus, trachea, lungs, epiglottis, glands, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, small intestine, stomach, blood, large intestine, colon, rectum, anus.

• Less capable students could write definitions for six of the words. More capable students could write definitions for all 18 words.

Review

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1. the digestive system 2. (a) duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, rectum

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

(b) oesophagus, trachaea

3. mutation 4. (a) up

(b) across

(c) down

5. (a) It occurs quickly and is churned along the way.

(b) As the muscles of the oesophagus contract and relax, they force the food down to the stomach.

6. (a) smaller

(b) Micro is a prefix that means smaller.

7. The words super-nutritious, juice and produce all have the ‘oo’ sound.

8. (a) where the road splits in two; an implement used to transfer food from the plate to the mouth

• As a class, compare the definitions.

56

Word knowledge

(b) a part of the body that performs a function; a musical instrument

9. (a) re-move-ed

(b) obvious-ly

(d) mutate-ion

(c) break-down

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The digestive system – 1

Text

Read the play script.

A digestive chain reaction is set off when a banana is raised to a person’s mouth.

Nose: Hey, Brain, wake up! I can smell something!

Brain: (sleepily) Er, what? Oh, yeah! I’m on to it. Hey, Mouth Nerves!

Get moving! We need spit, and lots of it!

A bite is taken from the banana.

Salivary glands: (excitedly) Oh this is such fun! Spit! Spit! Spit! Get that enzyme working! Yes, another successful mutation; Banana is now Bolus! (cheers) Bolus is swallowed.

Pharynx: Now Bolus, when you get to the fork in the road, be sure to take Oesophagus Street. Trachea Avenue will take you to the lungs and the mastership will start to cough and splutter; though by rights, Epiglottis should have it covered.

Bolus is passed into the oesophagus ...

Oesophagus: Welcome Bolus! Enjoy the swift-action peristaltic roller-coaster ride! ... and on to the stomach.

Stomach: Glands, get ready with those enzymes and acid, but please, coat my lining with mucous first; I don’t want any peptic ulcers. This is the end for you, Bolus. I’m turning on the mixer ... there, a nice sloppy goo, and a new identity. Every organ, please welcome … Chyme! (applause) Ready down there, Duo? I’m about to squirt.

Chyme is squirted into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine.

Duodenum: (theatrically) And now, with a little help from enzymes produced by my dear friend, Pancreas (drum roll); and bile, produced by Liver and stored by his partner, Gall Bladder (more drum rolling), we shall contribute further to dear old Chyme’s breakdown. And when we’re done, we’ll move him along.

Chyme is moved to the next part of the small intestine, the jejunum.

Jejunum: Come on, Ileum, let’s squeeze this chyme like a sponge; watch those nutrients and water flow!

Ileum: OK, pass some over. Have you got all your villi and microvilli working on it? We don’t want any slackers! Let Blood see the super-nutritious juice we produce!

Nutrients are passed into the bloodstream.

Blood: Thanks, guys. I can see this is really top-quality merchandise. High five! This mastership wants premium fuel so it always uses five-star ingredients.

Ileum: Well, that was ‘Goodbye’ to the good stuff and all we have left here is the dried-out waste.

My job is done so one good push and it’s on to the large intestine.

The waste is pushed into the caecum, the first part of the large intestine.

Caecum: Thanks, Ileum, I guess it can just sit here for a bit, then I’ll pass it on to the big fellow.

Colon: I heard that! Come on then, pass it down. You’re obviously not going to do anything with it.

The waste is pushed into the first section of the colon.

Colon: Oh dear, I’m having a little trouble. The bacteria in my ascending and transverse sections are on a bit of a ‘go-slow’. They’re not producing enough mucous to help the waste on its way. The mastership is not taking enough fluid on board. The waste may have to stay here for a day or two ...

Time passes.

Colon: (suddenly waking up) Oh, I can feel a movement! Looks like my descending section is full and all the pressure’s on Rectum.

Rectum: (panicking) Anus! Are you awake? Can you hear me? Time to open up ...

My learning log When I read this play script, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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57

The digestive system – 2

Comprehension

1. (a) Where is the setting for the play? (b) What is the purpose of the stage directions?

2. The text refers to the ‘mastership’ on three occasions. Who or what is the mastership?

3. Draw a labelled flow chart to show the process of digestion.

4. Without using too much technical language, write a simple explanation of digestion that a younger child might understand.

5. Would you recommend this text to someone trying to understand the process of digestion? Give reasons for your answer.

My learning log 58

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

R.I.C. Publications® 978-1-925431-85-8

The digestive system – 3

Word knowledge

1. What is the collective term for the body parts mentioned?

2. (a) Circle the part of each word that identifies its Latin origin. duodenum

jejunum

ileum

caecum

rectum

(b) Circle the two letters in each word, of Greek origin, that give the ‘ee’ sound.

oesophagus

trachaea

3. What word, spoken by the salivary glands, means ‘change’?

4. Write a simpler term for: (b) transverse

(a) ascending

(c) decending

5. (a) What do the phrases, ‘swift-action’ and ‘roller-coaster ride’, tell you about the journey of the food from the pharynx to the stomach?

(b) Look up the word peristalsis in a dictionary. Use the meaning to describe in your own words how the muscles in the oesophagus work to push the food towards the stomach.

6. The lining of the small intestine is covered in villi that stick out like the hairs on your arm when you are cold. (a) Do you think microvilli are bigger or smaller than villi? (b) Explain your answer.

7. What has the author done to make the sentence, ‘Let Blood see the super-nutritious juice we produce!’, sound like a slogan?

8. Write two meanings of each word—the text’s meaning and an alternative meaning. (a) ‘... fork in the road’

(b) ‘Every organ, please welcome, ...’

9. Separate each word into its morphemes. (a) removed

(b) obviously

(c) breakdown

(d) mutation I can / can’t identify the origins of words.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t recognise slogans.

I know / don’t know how to separate words into morphemes.

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59

New ways of solving crime

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand that cohesive links can be made in texts by omitting or replacing words (ACELA1520)

• Retrieves and interprets information presented in a number of ways

• Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)

• Researches to expand on existing text

• Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524)

Comprehension

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

• Summarises a given text • Makes inferences based on the text • Uses evidence from a text to support reasoning

• Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710) • Select, navigate and read texts for a range of purposes, applying appropriate text processing strategies and interpreting structural features, for example table of contents, glossary, chapters, headings and subheadings (ACELY1712) • Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526) • Understand how to use phonic knowledge and accumulated understandings about blending, letter-sound relationships, common and uncommon letter patterns and phonic generalisations to read and write increasingly complex words

• Recognises abbreviations, including initialisms and acronyms • Recognises and uses synonyms • Defines words from the text

(ACELA1830)

Additional teacher information Definition of terms Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Terminology for students report time line fact opinion phrase

homophone near-homophone sentence definition abbreviation

Suggested reading • Forensic science (DK Eyewitness Books) by Chris Cooper • <chemcentre.wa.gov.au/Our-Services/Forensic-Science> Further information on areas of forensic science

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• This text is a report, in the form of a report, presents students with some of the new ways of solving crimes. The forensic scientist’s use of fingerprints and DNA is discussed. New techniques, such as HlrisPlex and bacterial genomes, are also discussed.

• See the teacher information under ‘Text’.

Introduction • Ask students to think of ways that crimes are solved. Do they know of any from listening to or reading news reports? Ask them if they have heard of DNA. Explain that the report they are about to read will provide greater detail about the various methods that forensic scientists can use to solve crimes.

Development • Read and discuss the report as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students summarise the main points of the text. They could write a list of forensic techniques described in the report and, in groups, choose one to research in greater detail and report on.

Review

Introduction • Students take turns to summarise the main points of the report. As they do, encourage others students to ask questions about any parts that require more detail. Ask them to recap in greater detail the major points the groups discovered while researching the different topics.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 64, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Questions 8 and 9 require students to use comprehension skills and go beyond the scope of the text. Answers could be compared and discussed with the whole class.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write a diary entry from the point of view of a forensic scientist who is investigating his or her first crime scene. Students include the different procedures and techniques that the forensic scientist uses.

• Have more capable students use the information in the report to write an imaginative narrative about themselves as a famous detective who manages to solve a crime using forensic techniques.

Review • Have students share their stories or diary entries with the rest of the class.

• Have each group present its findings to the class.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Answers Comprehension

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 65 focus on synonyms, word meanings and abbreviations.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words.

While reading the text, ask students to circle any abbreviations in the text.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘synonym’. Give some examples of synonyms (strong/rigid, weak/fragile).

Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

1.

It was used to test for poisonous arsenic in a victim’s stomach.

2. (a) deoxyribonucleic acid

(b) It is a molecule that contains hereditary material or the genetic instructions for our body.

(c) Forensic scientists look at the unique DNA sequence, which is about 0.1% of our total DNA 3. (a) The unique DNA sequence is what makes each person unique. The chance that two unrelated people would have the same DNA profiles is one in one billion.

4.

Bullets can be matched to their guns._5_ First police crime laboratory is opened. _4_ DNA evidence is used to convict a criminal. _7_ Toxicology is first used to detect poison. _1_ Photography is used for crimes. _2_ Blood types can be tested. _6_

The fragile vase broke when it fell./The weak tree couldn’t withstand the powerful gusts of wind.

5. Yes. DNA can survive for hundreds of years.

6.

Using skeletal remains to predict hair and eye colour of an unknown victim

• Ensure students have access to a dictionary and, if possible, a thesaurus when they attempt Questions 1, 2 and 3.

7. Bacteria carry a genome which is unique to each person.

8.–9. Teacher check

• Discuss common abbreviations with the students. Common ones they should know already include USA, Tas. and Sept.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 65, then allow students to complete the page independently.

1.

Teacher check

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

(b) No

(c) No

(d) Yes

• Students write a definition for some of the words used in the text: fictitious, investigator, detection, revolutionary, instructions, technology, skeletal, predictions, unique, repertoire.

• Less capable students could choose and write a definition for six of these words.

• More capable students could write a definition for all 10 of these words, and select some more from the text to define.

Review

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2. (a) Yes

3.

Teacher check 4. (a) improved (b) disposal (c) advances (d) unique (e) evidence (f) reliable (g) link (h) convict

5. The basic unit of all life

6.

A small room in which a prisoner is locked up, or in which a monk or nun sleeps.

7. (a) United Nations

• As a class, compare definition lists.

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Word knowledge

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

(b) United States of America

(c) Crescent

(d) Universal Resource Locator

(e) Australian & New Zealand Army Corps

(f) Far North Queensland

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New ways of solving crime – 1

Text

Read the report.

Crime solving has come a long way since Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories of fictitious investigator, Sherlock Holmes, first appeared in 1887. Modern-day investigators have new and improved technology at their disposal and new scientific methods for analysing a crime scene, known as forensic science.

The use of forensic science dates back to the 1800s when a German chemist first developed a way to test for poisonous arsenic in a victim’s stomach. Since then there have been advances in blood and hair analysis, fingerprint detection and identification of bullet markings.

The most revolutionary advance in forensic science came on 10 September 1984, when Sir Alec Jeffreys first discovered DNA profiling. It wasn’t until 1987 that it was used in a criminal case, but since then it has become the basis for solving most criminal cases.

DNA is the abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is a molecule that contains hereditary material or the genetic material or the genetic instructions for our body. The molecule looks like a long, twisted chain, referred to as a double helix. Every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA, from our tears to our bones.

We all share 99.9% of DNA, but the remaining 0.1% is what makes us unique. This unique DNA sequence is what forensic scientists look at. People who are related have similar markers, but identical twins are the only ones with identical genetic sequences and markers.

The chance that two unrelated people have identical DNA profiles is one in one billion, and this makes DNA testing a very reliable way to solve a crime.

DNA is mostly used in crime scenes by comparing a suspect’s DNA with DNA obtained from the crime scene, or by matching the DNA from a crime scene to DNA from a database. DNA can survive on clothing and other items for hundreds of years, so it can also be used in old, unsolved cases.

As technology advances, the amount of DNA required for analysis becomes smaller, to the pint where simply touching an object can leave skin cells which may be collected and replicated for analysis.

What does the future hold? A new forensic technique called HlrisPlex has recently allowed researchers to predict the hair and eye colour of an unknown victim from skeletal remains. This means that in the future, DNA evidence at a crime scene could be used to predict the physical description of a suspect. More research will be needed to improve the accuracy of these predictions.

1806

First method for detecting poison in a victim’s stomach

1836

first use of toxicology in a trial to detect poison

1850

First use of photography for crimes

1853

First test developed to detect blood stains

1880

Fingerprints found to be unique

1892

Fingerprints used as evidence in crime

1910

The first crime laboratory opened in Lyons, France Hair analysis used in forensic science

1912

Bullets matched to guns by the markings left by gun barrels

1915

Blood types can be tested

1953

DNA structure described

by James Watson and Francis Crick

1984

DNA analysis technique developed

1987

DNA evidence first used to convict a criminal

2001

DNA identification time reduced from 8 weeks to 1–2 days

2013

HlrisPlex used to predict eye and hair colour from skeletal remains

2015

Bacterial research shows unique genomes

Alternatively, if fingerprints and DNA evidence are not available at a crime scene, researchers are currently working on a new method using bacteria. Bacteria carry a genome which is unique to each person and could therefore be used to link a person to a crime scene. Bacteria remain for quite a while and almost everybody leaves some kind of trace of bacteria behind, no matter how careful they are. Again, researchers are working to improve the accuracy of this method, but there seems to be a few new tricks that Sherlock Holmes could add to his repertoire.

My learning log When I read this informative report, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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New ways of solving crime – 2

Comprehension

1. How was forensic science first used?

2. (a) What does DNA stand for? (b) Explain what it is.

(c) How is it used by forensic scientists?

3. What is the main idea of paragraph 5?

4. Sequence these in the correct date order by numbering them from 1 to 7:

•

Bullets can be matched to their guns.

•

First police crime laboratory is opened.

•

DNA evidence is used to convict a criminal.

•

Toxicology is first used to detect poison.

•

Photography is used for crimes.

•

Blood types can be tested.

•

Fingerprints are first used as evidence.

5. If a crime was committed 100 years ago, is DNA analysis of any use? Use the text to support your position.

6. What is HlrisPlex?

7. How might bacteria be used to help solve crimes?

8. Why is it important not to disturb a crime scene until the forensic scientist arrives?

9. What kind of skills do you think a forensic scientist needs to have?

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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New ways of solving crime – 3

Word knowledge

1. Use a dictionary to find the meaning of each word. (a) arsenic (b) fictitious (c) repertoire (d) alternatively (e) hereditary 2. Are the words in bold used correctly? Write Yes or No. (a) A molecule is a very small particle of substance. (b) The scientist replicated the sun in his laboratory. (c) The criminal was convicted to the television. (d) By working hard, your skills and technique improve.

3. Choose one of the words used incorrectly in Question 2. Write a sentence showing its correct use.

4. Find a synonym in the text for each word or phrase. (a) better

(b) made available

(c) improvements

(d) one-of-a-kind

(e) proof

(f) accurate

(g) connect

(h) find guilty

5. The word ‘cell’ has a number of different meanings. What does it mean in the sentence from the text?

‘Every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA …’

6. Write an alternative meaning for ‘cell’.

7. DNA is an abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid. Find out what the following common abbreviations stand for. (a) UN (b) USA (c) Cres. (d) URL (e) ANZAC (f) FNQ

I can / can’t recognise antonyms.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t recognise homophones and near-homophones.

I am able / not able to define words.

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Perfect pedigree pets

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies imaginative texts and their key features and discusses them

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias

• Identifies and writes facts and opinions from the text

• Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

• Infers details about character relationships

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

• Explains the meaning of phrases

• Understand that cohesive links can be made in texts by omitting or replacing words (ACELA1520)

• Recognises comparatives and superlatives

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Explains common idioms

(ACELA1517)

Word knowledge

• Makes predictions about a character • Summarises text

• Understands reporting clauses

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Summarise Present the main points of a text.

Argument A view expressed with an attempt to sway the opinion of the listener/reader.

Formal language The language commonly used in informative texts, reports and in reported speech in narratives. Its use is dependent on audience and purpose. Complete words and sentences, the use of technical vocabulary and a minimal number of contractions are typical features of formal language.

Informal language Informal language is dependent on audience and purpose. It is often used in direct speech. Incomplete sentences, colloquial expressions, idioms and contractions are common.

Reporting clause The text associated with direct speech that identifies the person speaking. It may include an extended phrase to describe how the words were spoken and how the speaker moved; e.g. ‘Be quiet!’ shouted Joe as he turned and stormed angrily towards the door, almost knocking the vase from the table as he hauled his bag over his shoulder.

Idiom A saying in which actual and literal meanings are different; e.g. ‘to pull one’s socks up’ means to make a better effort.

Personification A way of describing non-human things using human terms; e.g. The trees danced and the wind raced through the trees.

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

narrative abbreviation fact opinion phrase summarise argument reporting clause cohesive device idiom formal language informal language personification adjective comparative superlative

Suggested reading • <http://tinyurl.com/ zpdv8q2> Information on pedigree dog breeding • <http://www.allboxerinfo. com/Tails_-_To_Dock_or_ Not.html> for information on the docking of boxer dog tails

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a narrative in which the protagonist presents a persuasive argument against pedigree pet breeding.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 4.

• Although the narrative is an imaginative text, the subject of Lucy’s argument is real. Although a fictional character, Lucy is voicing the opinion of many people opposed to pedigree pet breeding. She provides evidence to support her arguments, but as with all opinions, it is one-sided.

Introduction

• Reading a novel in which a character holds a strong opinion will help students see an argument from another’s point of view; but they may need to be advised against holding a similar opinion just because a favourite character does, rather than forming one of their own.

• Students take it in turns to read, discuss and summarise each paragraph of the text.

• Students should examine the informal language used in the text, and the familiar way in which the characters interact.

They should identify specific phrases used; for example, ‘irritating pest’.

• They should also discuss how Ian’s opinion of Lucy’s desire to be a vet changes during the course of the narrative.

Introduction

Development

• Discuss, and list on the board, the evidence Lucy presents against pedigree pet breeding of pugs. Can students suggest any arguments in favour of breeding pugs to have the characteristics and appearance discussed in the text?

• Discuss the comprehension activities on page 70, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

Development • Read and discuss the narrative as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. They should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write some statements about the text, some of which are true and some of which are false; for example, Lucy would like to work for the RSPCA, Ian is younger than Lucy.

• Less capable students should write two statements that are true, and two statements that are false. More capable students aim to write five statements of each type.

Review • Students share their statements with the class. Different students can be asked to say whether the statement is true or false.

• Another argument involving dog welfare is whether the tails of boxer dogs should be docked. Students read the information on the following website:

– http://www.allboxerinfo.com/Tails_-_To_Dock_or_Not.html

• Students should make a list of points for and against tail docking.

• More capable students should produce a more comprehensive list, containing greater detail.

Review • Students discuss their lists of for and against arguments as a class. They should vote on whether tail docking should be allowed or not.

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67

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 71 focus on reporting clauses, cohesive devices, idioms, formal and informal language, personification and comparatives and superlatives.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle any words or phrases that are cohesive devices; i.e. words used to show how the different parts of a text fit together. Pronouns, conjunctions, adverbs and ellipsis are commonly used to achieve cohesion; for example, To begin with ..., Let me give you an example ...

Answers Comprehension 1. The effect of pedigree breeding on animal health.

3. (a) The family acquired Heinz close to the time Lucy was born so they have always had each other for company. They have always been inseparable.

(b) Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

4. Teacher check, answers may include: Facts: Lucy had been doing an assignment, the pug dog is known for its squashed face; Opinions: pedigree pet breeding is an infringement of animal rights, all primary schoolgirls want to become vets

5. Lucy’s dedication to the cause and delivery of her argument made her sound older than she was. This made him smile.

6. Teacher check; e.g. A good chance as she seems determined and able to research and argue her point, and express her opinions with justification.

7. Pedigree pet breeding has no beneficial effect on animals, only detrimental effects on their health. It is an exercise purely for the egos of the pet owners.

Development • Ensure students understand the term ‘reporting clause’. It is the text associated with direct speech that identifies the person speaking; for example, replied Mia, interrupted Ian. It may also include information about how the person spoke, felt or moved; for example, whispered Ana tearfully, replied David as he paced up and down the room.

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘cohesive device’. These use words to show how the different parts of a text fit together; i.e. they create cohesion.

• Explain that an idiom is a saying in which actual and literal meanings are different; for example, ‘to pull your socks up’ means you need to make more of an effort.

There are thousands of idioms in the English language.

Share the dog idioms from the following website with the students. http://www.idiomconnection.com/animal.html#A3 Can they say what the idioms mean? For example, if you are ‘in the doghouse’, it means that you are in trouble.

• Explain that personification is a way of describing nonhuman things using human terms; for example, The trees danced and the wind raced through the trees.

2. Ian makes fun of Lucy – sneered Ian, annoying … brother; Lucy is not intimidated by Ian – ignoring the irritating pest; Ian respects Lucy – interjected her proud sibling, listening intently, I’ll help you get your straight As

8.

He realised that she was dedicated to the career and he was prepared to do whatever he could to help her succeed.

Word knowledge 1. (a) Lucy knew what she was talking about. (b) Ian was proud of Lucy’s stand on the subject and how much she knew. (c) Ian was affected by the content of her argument and didn’t want to hear anything worse. (d) Lucy’s knowledge was quite deep and she presented it very well.

2.

Lucy’s annoying teenage brother, the irritating pest, her (Lucy’s) proud sibling 3. (a) not being paid very much

(b) to work very long hours

(c) to do all the routine work

4. Informal, answers may include: cutesy-wutesy, lickle-wickle, peanuts, donkey work, hot and sweaty, pop out, Luce

5. Heinz, listening with great interest to the dinner-time conversation

6. good, better, best; bad, worse, worst

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 71, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • The word ‘said’ is often overused in students’ writing.

Ask them to write a list of words that can be used instead of ‘said’; for example, screeched, whispered, questioned.

• Less capable students write at least 10 words. More capable students should produce a much longer and more comprehensive list.

Review • As a class, compare word lists. Orally use some of the words in sentences, to demonstrate their use; for example, ‘Don’t touch that!’ screeched Mum, angrily.

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Perfect pedigree pets – 1

Text

Read the narrative text.

‘I’m going to be a vet’, announced Lucy Ryan over dinner one evening.

‘Oh sure, all primary schoolgirls want to become vets because they love the cutesy-wutesy lickle-wickle animals’, sneered Ian, Lucy’s annoying teenage brother.

‘You have no idea how hard it would be, Luce. You need straight As in all your exams, at least five years at university and after all that, you are paid peanuts to work day and night in a practice owned by someone else. You do all the donkey work while they scoop all the profit!’

‘I wouldn’t be in it for the money’, continued Lucy, totally ignoring the irritating pest, ‘and I’d work for the RSPCA. I want to campaign for an end to pedigree pet breeding.’ Lucy had been doing a school assignment on the topic and had been horrified by what she had learned. Like everyone else, she loved the unique physical characteristics of different dog breeds, but she had no idea of the medical problems some animals endured in order to achieve pedigree status.

Dad looked over at the family mongrel lying comfortably in his basket, listening with great interest to the dinnertime conversation. The family had acquired Heinz as a puppy, just before Lucy was born. The two had often been referred to as ‘the twins’ as they were inseparable.

Roger could understand his daughter’s obsession with animal welfare. ‘So, tell us why you think pet breeding should be stopped, Luce’, Roger asked, knowing that she was bursting to share her discoveries.

‘That’s terrible!’ interjected her proud sibling, who had been listening intently. For all his teasing, Ian always respected Lucy’s opinions, even when he didn’t agree with them.

‘That’s not the worst of it’, Lucy carried on. ‘The flat face means their eye sockets are so shallow their eyes bulge out and their eyelids can’t stretch to close over them! In extreme cases, they’ve even been known to pop out!

And they get all sorts of infections and irritations that can lead to blindness, or the eyes have to be removed … which amounts to the same thing.’

‘Anything else?’ asked Ian, hoping that the worst was over.

‘Oh, the list goes on!’ answered Lucy, sounding so much like a professional animal welfare officer, that Roger had to hide the beginnings of a smile. ‘Pugs may have been bred to have squashed faces, but they still carry the same amount of skin on their heads. This is heavy for their smaller skulls to carry and it hangs in deeper creases. They get all sorts of infections in those creases that don’t dry out properly when they’ve been hot and sweaty. And then there’s …‘ ‘No, don’t go on’, interrupted Ian, breathing out deeply as he stood up. ‘Just let me know if I can ever help you with your school work, Luce. I’ll help you get your straight As.’ And with that, he left the room.

Lucy cleared her throat. ‘To begin with, ask yourself why pet breeding exists. The animals don’t ask for it. It’s purely for humans who want everyone to know they can afford to have a pedigree pet with the papers to prove it. On that basis alone, it’s an infringement of animal rights!’

Her parents raised their eyebrows at Lucy’s wellstructured argument. ‘Maybe’, replied Mia Ryan, ‘but how does that affect the animals? Pedigree pet owners usually take good care of their investments. Some even treat their pets better than they treat people!’

‘Let me give you an example’, said Lucy, with great authority. ‘The pug dog is known for its squashed face.

Their skulls are naturally a bit short, so it’s a bit of a squeeze fitting everything in and this makes breathing a bit difficult for them. You must have noticed how pugs are really loud breathers. But a really squashed face is what judges at competitions look for. The more squashed the face, the more points a dog scores. So pugs are bred to have squashier faces. This makes their breathing problems much, much worse.

My learning log When I read this narrative, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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69

Perfect pedigree pets – 2

Comprehension

1. The theme of this narrative is

.

2. Describe the relationship between Lucy and her brother, Ian. Use evidence from the text to support your opinions.

3. (a) Explain why Lucy and Heinz were referred to as ‘the twins’.

(b) What does the abbreviation RSPCA stand for?

Opinions

Facts

4. Write two facts and two opinions from the text.

5. Explain the phrase ‘... Roger had to hide the beginnings of a smile’. Does it mean that he was laughing at Lucy?

6. What chance do you think Lucy has to achieve her goal and become a vet? Explain your answer.

7. Summarise Lucy’s argument against pedigree pet breeding.

8. How did Lucy’s argument affect her brother’s opinion of her wish to become a vet?

My learning log 70

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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Perfect pedigree pets – 3

Word knowledge

1. What information does each reporting clause give you about how the words were spoken or the feelings of the speaker? (a) … said Lucy with great authority …

(b) … interjected her proud sibling, who had been listening intently …

(c) … asked Ian, hoping that the worst was over …

(d) … answered Lucy, sounding so much like a professional animal welfare officer …

2. Write three cohesive devices that have been used to describe Ian.

3. Explain the idioms. (a) to be paid peanuts

(b) to work day and night

(c) to do the donkey work

4. Is the text written in formal or informal language? Give evidence from the text to support your answer.

5. Find and write the example of personification from the text.

6. Complete the adjectives table.

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

better

worst

I understand / need more practice on clauses.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t explain the meanings of idioms.

I understand / need more practice on personification.

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Resistance

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

• Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (ACELA1523)

Elaboration • Discusses narratives and describes their key features • Understands that fictional narratives may contain factual material

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) Comprehension

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts

• States whether text is fact or opinion

• Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an author’s individual style (ACELT1616)

• Infers feelings and actions of characters

(ACELY1713)

• Explains the meaning of words and phrases • Creates questions to put to a character

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525) • Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Recognises a range of morphemes • Recognises adverbs in a text • Understands and uses synonyms

Additional teacher information Definition of terms Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Summary The identification of the main points of a text and the key details that support them.

Theme The subject of a written, spoken or visual text or piece of music; e.g. heroism, fear, success.

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Language features The recognised ‘rules’ of written text to ensure the meaning is communicated accurately.

Terminology for students narrative summary question fact opinion statement keyword phrase title paragraph synonym adverb morpheme

Suggested reading • The silver sword by Ian Serraillier • Number the stars by Lois Lowry • The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a fictional narrative set in rural France, against the backdrop of World War II.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 6.

• The narrative is written in the first person from the perspective of Estelle, the daughter of Mr and Mrs Lebrun, who were members of the French Resistance.

Introduction

Introduction • The narrative can be broken into three main parts: Estelle gives the reader the setting and explains the defeat of France by the invading German army; she then describes the role of her family in the French Resistance; finally, she retells the events of the previous day. Students should identify the three parts and summarise them.

• Students discuss what they think life would have been like in wartime France. As a class, they re-read the text, stopping at the end of each paragraph to discuss which things are the same or different in France today.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 76, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

Development

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

• Read and discuss the narrative as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• There are many popular stories about children in wartime Europe. Do the students know any? Have they read any of them? Did they enjoy them?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • The narrative is split into three main parts. Students add a fourth part, continuing the story and writing in the same style.

They imagine that later that night, the suspicious soldier, along with others, went to the Lebrun family home and searched it.

• Less capable students write a further paragraph or two to continue the story, while more capable students write at least six paragraphs.

• Students could search for relevant wartime fiction books on the Internet. They should choose one of the books and write a short text explaining why they would or wouldn’t like to read it.

• Less capable students should give two reasons for their decision, while more capable students should give more reasons, containing more detail.

Review • Students share their choice of book, and their decision as to whether they should read it or not, with the class. Was any book a more popular choice than others?

Review • Students share their narratives within a small group. Each group then chooses a favourite to be read to the class.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Answers Comprehension

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 77 focus on descriptive phrases, synonyms, adverbs and morphemes.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words.

While reading the text, ask students to circle any words or phrases that they do not understand, so their meanings can be discussed.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘synonym’.

Give some examples (sovereign/monarch; calm/tranquil).

Elicit some examples from the students. Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms, to be written onto the board; for example:

The monarch of Australia is Queen Elizabeth, but when she dies the sovereign will be King Charles.

• Ensure that students understand the difference between a morpheme, a free morpheme and a bound morpheme. Revise the explanations on page 47 and elicit further examples from them.

• Discuss the word reading knowledge on page 77, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students re-read the text and circle the homophones.

• Less capable students try to find at least eight homophones; more capable students aim for many more.

1.

She means that the errand she is doing is extremely dangerous; the consequences of which could be death for her and her family.

2.

She wanted to make sure that she had something in her bag that, should the soldier decide to check it later that day, would convince him that there was nothing suspicious about her behaviour.

3.

They (especially Estelle) helped the French Resistance by delivering false identity papers for foreign agents working in France.

4.

Teacher check 5.

A secret hiding place for leaving letters and documents for someone to collect.

6. (a) Fact

(b) Fact

8.

They would not want to help anyone who took over their country.

9.

She is of primary-school age – so a maximum of 11 years of age; she is young enough for the German soldiers not to be overly suspicious of her; she played with a dog; she made a card for her grandmother with dried flowers Word knowledge 1. (a) Answers will vary.

(b) Answers will vary. A narrative about how one girl contributed to the cause of the French Resistance.

2. Answers will vary.

3. (a) resistance – going against the existing situation

(b) on the surface – things that can be visibly seen

(c) narrow escape – luckily avoiding trouble or disaster 4. (a) heart

Review • As a class, compare homophone lists. Orally say each homophone pair in a sentence; for example: The maid made me pick up my clothes.

(c) Opinion

7. Because anyone could be collaborating with the Germans.

(b) conceal

5. (a) secretly

(b) innocently

(c) roughly 6. (a) an armistice

(b) guerrilla war

(c) collaborating with 7.

Teacher check; e.g. continue to wage war, guerrilla war against Germany, dangerous errand, troubled times, cover of darkness, caught breaking curfew 8. (a)

(c)

(e)

(g)

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Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

empty + ing un + notice + ed enemy + es danger + ous

(b) (d) (f) (h)

innocent + ly invade + ed sign + ing race + ing

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Resistance – 1

Text

Read the narrative text.

My name is Estelle Lebrun. I live in the Limousin region in the heart of rural France. My parents run the local bakery, which is in the front of our house. My grandparents live with us and I go to the local primary school. On the surface, we are as normal as any family in our village; as normal as we can be, given that our country has been invaded by Germans.

In May 1940, Nazi Germany invaded France and, in just six weeks, our country was defeated. France officially surrendered by signing an armistice, an agreement to stop fighting against Germany.

The Germans continue to wage war across Europe and the Nazi Party leader, Adolf Hitler, has demanded that all able French men join the German labour force and do any work that will help keep control of Germany’s enemies. Rather than do this, many have fled their homes and gone to the countryside, where they have joined the French Resistance, an army of men and women who continue to wage a guerrilla war against Germany.

Beneath our French peasant disguise, my parents and I hide an important secret. We help the French Resistance. They produce false identity papers for foreign agents working in France and I deliver them to a dead letter box.

This is a very dangerous errand. There are always soldiers nearby, wandering around the square and in the quiet lanes. I know my parents fear for my life, and theirs, every time I go out, but I am the only person they can trust as a messenger in these troubled times. We confide in no-one: not even family and friends because anyone could be collaborating with the Germans. Papa would prefer to make the deliveries himself under the cover of darkness, but if he was caught breaking the curfew, he would be arrested.

When I deliver the papers, I also collect anything that has been left there. I don’t know who else delivers to the box and they don’t know me. Real names are never used. It is better for us all that way. If we don’t know who is involved, we can’t be forced to reveal any names.

who was playing boules with his friends. I sat on the low wall in the shade of the plane trees, pretending to take an interest in the game but secretly watching the soldiers; waiting for an opportunity to go unnoticed to the path.

A small dog came up to play with me and I saw my chance. I picked up a stick and threw it in the direction of the path. He ran to fetch it, so I ran after him and threw the stick again and again until we were out of sight of the square. My heart was racing but I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, so I just ambled along as if I hadn’t a care in the world. But then it came, that bloodcurdling shout I live in fear of, ‘Achtung!’

The soldier came towards me, waving his rifle, first at me and then at my bag—my bag of papers! I don’t understand much German, but his actions were very easy to understand. What was I going to do?

At that moment, a convoy of military vehicles thundered into the square. I could see the soldier was torn between satisfying his curiosity about the contents of my bag and returning to his post. I was praying with all my heart that he would go back. I looked innocently into his eyes, and he turned and hurried away.

I raced to the wall to deliver the parcel, taking care to conceal it completely. Thankfully, there was nothing to collect. I then turned and ran straight home. I had a very important job to do.

Later in the afternoon while I was playing with the dog again, the same soldier called to me from across the street. He came over and roughly pulled my bag from my shoulder, emptying the contents onto the road. He tore open the parcel and out fell three sheets of card bound together with ribbon. On each was glued a dried flower.

I looked up at him and whispered, ‘A present for my grandmother’.

Yesterday, I had a very narrow escape. I am still recovering from the shock.

The letterbox is hidden in a stone wall that runs along a quiet path leading down to the river. As I made my way across the square, I called out to my grandfather My learning log When I read this narrative, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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75

Resistance – 2

Comprehension

1. What does Estelle mean when she says, ‘I know my parents fear for my life, and theirs, every time I go out ...’?

2. Near the end of the story, Estelle says, ‘I had a very important job to do’. What was this job and why did she have to do it?

3. Summarise the Lebrun family’s role in the French Resistance.

4. Write two questions you would ask Estelle to find out more about her life in occupied France.

• • 5. Explain what you think a dead letter box is.

6. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) France was invaded by German troops in 1940.

Fact

Opinion

(b) Limousin is in central France.

Fact

Opinion

(c) The French Resistance made very high-quality identity papers.

Fact

Opinion

7. Why does the Lebrun family trust no-one?

8. Why would French men not want to join the German labour force?

9. What age do you think Estelle is? Give reasons for your answer.

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easy.

I found Q

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challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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Resistance – 3

Word knowledge

1. (a) Write four keywords that would help you describe the theme of the narrative.

(b) Describe the theme of the story.

2. Write a descriptive phrase from the narrative.

3. Write a meaning for each word or phrase that would fit the context of the text. (a) resistance (title) (b) on the surface (paragraph 1) (c) narrow escape (paragraph 7) 4. Find a synonym in the text for each word. (b) hide (paragraph 12)

(a) centre (paragraph 1) 5. Find adverbs from the text for the meanings below. (a) without raising awareness (paragraph 8) (b) not guilty (paragraph 11) (c) harshly or violently (paragraph 13) 6. Write the phrase that refers to: (a) an agreement to stop fighting; a truce.

(b) unofficial combat.

(c) working with the enemy.

7. Underline words and phrases that describe the oppressive setting of the story. Write three that help to make you really feel the oppression.

8. Separate each word into its morphemes. (a) emptying

(b) innocently

(c) unnoticed

(d) invaded

(e) enemies

(f) signing

(g) dangerous

(h) racing

I understand / need more practice on descriptive words and phrases.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t recognise adverbs.

I know / don’t know how to separate words into morphemes.

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77

Rick Riordan

Text

Rick Riordan Read the biography.

Rick Riordan, author of the popular Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, hails from Texas in the United States. He began his working life as a middle school teacher but, when it became clear that his books were in such great demand, he reluctantly gave up teaching to concentrate on his literary career.

Since childhood, Rick has been a great fan of fantasy fiction. He was introduced to the magnificent worlds of Greek and Norse mythology by a very special teacher when he was in middle school. He knew that when he became a teacher, he too would instil a love for the stories of different ancient mythologies in his students.

The first book Rick remembers choosing to read was The lord of the rings by JRR Tolkien, who was greatly influenced by Norse mythology. Stories from Greek mythology were the inspiration for the Percy Jackson fantasy series and its sequel, The heroes of Olympus.

Another Rick Riordan series that has become a bestseller is the Kane chronicles. If you have an interest in Ancient Egypt, you will quickly become engrossed in the adventures that befall the Kane family, including 12-year-old Sadie and her 14-yearold brother, Carter.

Encouraged by his teacher, Rick has been writing stories since he was in school, but it wasn’t until his early years of teaching that one of his stories was published. Big red tequila is the first in the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults, about a t’ai chi master and part-time private detective who lives in Rick’s home town in Texas. The idea for the Percy Jackson series came many years later, but once it began, it developed very quickly.

At his son’s bedtime, Rick often used to read him stories from Greek mythology. When Rick had exhausted his supply of wonderful tales, young Haley asked him to make up some new adventures, but with the same characters. In just three nights, Rick had created and told the story of Percy Jackson and the lightning thief. Delighted with his father’s story, Haley suggested that Rick write it as a book for other children to enjoy.

Taking his young son’s advice, Rick produced the manuscript for the story but, before sending it for

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publication, he allowed his toughest critics, his students, to read it. Their response was very positive and they even offered suggestions to make the book more appealing to young readers.

Rick decided the character of Percy Jackson would be troubled with the learning difficulties associated with dyslexia and ADHD, because his young son was suffering in this way. Rick knew that many children like Haley are very creative and able to solve problems in original ways, a perfect quality for his main character!

Before the success of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Rick was writing one book each year in the Tres Navarre series and working full-time as a teacher.

But once the Percy Jackson series took off, he realised that trying to write two books a year and teach fulltime would not be possible. Rick had a big decision to make.

Much as he loved it, Rick chose to give up teaching and concentrate on writing. Although he is sad that he no longer has direct contact with students, Rick hopes that through his books, he can still be the catalyst that encourages them to read and enjoy the stories of ancient mythologies.

He may not teach a class in school anymore, but the teacher in Rick lives on! All his adventure series include additional books to help the reader learn more about Greek and Egyptian mythology and get involved in the adventures. These books include The demigod files in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The demigod diaries in the Heroes of Olympus series and the Survival guide in the Kane chronicles series. Also, the official Rick Riordan website <www.rickriordan. com>, has many further resources for fans to enjoy.

Rick Riordan has certainly kept his childhood promise to himself; he has instilled in many children a love for the stories of different ancient mythologies.

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

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Name:

Class:

Date:

Rick Riordan

Assessment – Comprehension

1. Tick one. Rick Riordan is …

American.

Australian.

British.

Canadian.

1 mark

2. Write two things Rick Riordan has in common with JRR Tolkien.

1 mark

3. The three series Rick Riordan has written for children are …

.

4. Summarise the events that led to the publication of Percy Jackson and the lightning thief.

1 mark

3 marks

5. Rick Riordan asked the students in his class to read Percy Jackson and the lightning thief before he sent it to a publisher. Why did he do this?

3 marks

6. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) Rick Riordan is a brilliant author.

Fact

Opinion

(b) Big red tequila was the first of Rick’s books to be published.

Fact

Opinion

(c) People with learning difficulties are very creative.

Fact

Opinion

1 mark

7. Write the numbers 1, 2, 3 to show the order in which the events occurred. (a) Rick’s Tres Navarre series was published. (b) Rick became a teacher. (c) Rick read The lord of the rings.

1 mark

8. Explain how Rick Riordan felt about giving up teaching.

1 mark Total for this page

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79

Name:

Class:

Date:

Rick Riordan

Assessment – Word knowledge

1. Match a word to each meaning. (a) something that causes a reaction •

• literary

(b) establish, encourage or foster

•

• exhausted

(c) all used up or tired out

•

• manuscript

(d) to do with literature

•

• catalyst

(e) a piece of writing or music

•

• instil

1 mark

2. Write the meaning of each underlined word as it is in the text and an alternative meaning. (a) ‘ … great fan of fantasy fiction.’

(b) ‘… hails from Texas …’

2 marks

3. Find adverbs in the text with the following meanings. (a) with regret (paragraph 1) (b) very much; by a considerable amount (paragraph 3) (c) with speed (paragraph 4) 1 mark

4. Separate each word into its free morpheme and inflection. (a) toughest

(b) difficulties

(c) suggested

(d) teaching

5. Choose a suffix to add to each word to make a new one. (Each suffix can be used only once.)

-ation

-ly

-ful

(a) quick

(b) wonder

(c) concentrate

(d) inspire

1 mark

-ion

1 mark

6. Write a word from the text that is a synonym for the following words. (a) absorbed, immersed (paragraph 4) (b) document, book (paragraph 7)

1 mark

7. Write a word from the text that is an antonym for the following words. (a) modern, contemporary (paragraph 2) (b) awful, unsatisfactory (paragraph 6)

1 mark

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Assessment – Teacher information

Rick Riordan Genre: Biography Breakdown of question type/content and mark allocation Comprehension

Word knowledge

Q 1. Finding information

1 mark

Q 1. Word meanings

1 mark

Q 2. Finding information

1 mark

Q 2. Homonyms

2 marks

Q 3. Finding information

1 mark

Q 3. Adverbs

1 mark

Q 4. Summarising

3 marks

Q 4. Morphemes and inflections

1 mark

Q 5. Giving opinions

3 marks

Q 5. Suffixes

1 mark

Q 6. Sorting facts and opinions

1 mark

Q 6. Synonyms

1 mark

Q 7. Sequencing

1 mark

Q 7. Antonyms

1 mark

Q 8. Inferring

1 mark Subtotal

Subtotal Total for this assessment

Assessment answers Assessment – Rick Riordan Comprehension......................................................................Page 79 1.

American

2. Teacher check, answers may include: writers of fantasy novels, inspired by ancient mythology.

3. Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The heroes of Olympus, Kane chronicles

4.

Riordan read his son stories from Greek mythology at bedtime.

When he ran out of written tales, Riordan made up stories involving the same characters. Haley suggested he publish them.

Riordan wrote down the stories and gave them to his class to appraise. After including some of their suggestions, he sent the book for publishing.

5. He wanted their honest feedback. If the book appealed to them, it would appeal to others.

6. (a) Opinion

(b) Fact

(c) Opinion

7. (a) 3

(b) 2

(c) 1

8. Teacher check, answers may include: He was sad to give up teaching but he believed he could motivate more children to read by writing books and getting them published.

Word knowledge....................................................................Page 80 1. (a) catalyst (d) literary

(b) instil (c) exhausted (e) manuscript

2. (a) A person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular person or thing; A machine with rotating blades that creates a breeze.

(b) belonging to as the place of residence; pellets or small, usually rounded balls of ice falling from the clouds in a shower 3. (a) reluctantly

(b) greatly

(c) quickly 4. (a) tough-est

(c) suggest-ed

(b) difficulty-es (d) teach-ing

5. (a) quickly

(c) concentration

(b) wonderful (d) inspiration

6. (a) engrossed

(b) manuscript

7. (a) ancient

(b) wonderful

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81

The Hubble Space Telescope

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524)

• Uses informational retrieval strategies in cross-curricular settings • Reads and interprets technical text

• Investigate how complex sentences can be used in a variety of ways to elaborate, extend and explain ideas (ACELA1522)

Comprehension

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

• Supports arguments and opinions with evidence from the text • Summarises given text

• Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations, selecting and sequencing appropriate content and multimodal elements for defined audiences and purposes, making appropriate choices for modality and emphasis (ACELY1710)

• Writes fictional text based on factual sources

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Adds ‘-tion’ to words correctly • Identifies synonyms • Demonstrating understanding of word usage in a given text

• Understand how to use phonic knowledge and accumulated understandings about blending, letter-sound relationships, common and uncommon letter patterns and phonic generalisations to read and write increasingly complex words (ACELA1830)

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Introduction The first paragraph in which the topic is introduced or the scene of the narrative is set.

report author introduction conclusion similarity difference context synonym syllable paragraph

Conclusion The final paragraph in which a summarising statement of the whole text is stated.

Context The specific meaning of a word or phrase, or class of word, is dependent on the context in which it is used.

Suggested reading • Expanding universe: Photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope by Owen Edwards

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Teaching notes

Comprehension

Text Teacher information

Teacher information

• This text, in the form of a report, presents information on the Hubble Space Telescope. Some of the information is presented as a time line, while the rest is in standard paragraphs. The contribution of the Hubble Space Telescope to modern space exploration is the theme of the report.

• See the teacher information under ‘Text’.

Introduction • Ask students if they have heard of the Hubble Space Telescope. Use images from the internet to show and discuss.

Ask if they think it is useful to have space exploration telescopes. Why might such exploration be useful? Why might such exploration be wasteful? Discuss the pros and cons of space exploration.

Development • Read and discuss the report as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students summarise the main points of the text.

• In groups, students research more on topics discussed in the report; for example, NASA, COSTAR, Comet ShoemakerLevy 9, the European Space Agency, and astronaut training programs.

• Students need a dictionary to help them complete Question 2.

Introduction • Students take it in turn to present their summaries of the main points of the report. As they do, other students can question them on parts that require more detail. Ask them to recap the major points the groups discovered while researching the different topics in greater detail.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 86, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Question 5 requires students to offer their thoughts and opinions and go beyond the scope of the text. Students’ answers can be compared and discussed as a class.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write a diary entry from the point of view of one of the astronauts who had to install COSTAR during a space mission.

• More capable students use the information in the report to write an imaginative narrative about themselves as an astronaut preparing for their first space mission.

Review • Students share their stories or diary entries with the class.

Review • Have each group present its findings to the class.

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83

Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 87 focus on synonyms, word usage and ‘-tion’ words.

Answers Comprehension 1.

It allowed for more precise space exploration and is very versatile.

2.–3. Teacher check 4.

The universe is getting bigger as proved by Hubble’s measurement of the luminosity of stars.

5.

Teacher check

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the report, ask students to circle words containing ‘-tion’.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘synonym’. Give some examples of synonyms (strong/rigid, weak/fragile). Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms, to be written on the board; for example: The fragile glass vase broke when it fell./The weak tree couldn’t withstand the powerful gusts of wind.

• Ensure students have access to a dictionary for Question 3. The only word without a specific time duration is ‘generation’, though most dictionary definitions put this from 25 to 30 years.

6. The Hubble Space Telescope got its official name. _3_

The telescope observed an asteroid disintegrating. _6_

The idea of a space telescope was suggested by Spitzer. _1_

The telescope showed pieces of a comet fall into Jupiter’s atmosphere. _5_

The US Congress provided funding to build the telescope. _2_

The main mirror was discovered to be imperfect Word knowledge 1. (a) exploration (b) operation (c) invitation (d) observation

2. (a) remarkable (b) proposed (c) funding (d) completed (e) colliding (f) disintergrating 3. (a) 10 years (b) 100 years (c) 1000 years (d) 25–30 years

4. (a) Yes (b) Yes (c) No (d) Yes (e) No 5.–6. Teacher check 7. Answers will vary, but may include: technology, space, exploration, discovery 8. Teacher check

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 87, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write a list of words from the text with different number of syllables.

• Less capable students write at least two words for each syllable count: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

• More capable students aim for at least five words for each syllable count: 1, 2, 3 and 4.

They should also list words with more than four syllables and state how many syllables they have.

Review • As a class, compare word lists. Which word from the text has the most syllables?

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The Hubble Space Telescope – 1

Text

Read the report.

The Hubble space telescope was a remarkable technological advancement in the mid-to-late-1900s, which allowed for more precise space exploration. While it is not the first space telescope, it is one of the largest and most versatile still in operation. But how and when did it all begin?

1946

Lyman Spitzer, an American theoretical physicist, astronomer and mountaineer, first proposed the idea of a large space-based telescope.

1971

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) arranged a team called the Large Space Telescope Science Steering Group to being planning the feasibility of a large-scale telescope in space.

1975–1976

The European Space Agency accepted NASA’s invitation to be a partner in the program.

1977

Funding was officially approved by the US Congress to begin building.

1983

The Large Space Telescope was officially renamed the Hubble Space Telescope, after astronomer Edwin P Hubble.

1985

The building of Hubble was completed.

1990

Astronauts from the spacecraft STS-31 released the spacecraft into orbit.

1993

After discovering an aberration in the main mirror, astronauts installed Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) during several space walks.

1994

Hubble made its first clear observation. It revealed pieces of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9’s plunge into Jupiter’s atmosphere.

Between 1900 and 2000, Hubble’s observations allowed astronomers to make several discoveries which led to a better understanding of the cosmos. These discoveries included: the existence of black holes, the birth and death of stars, the effect of colliding galaxies, the home of quasars, and cosmic explosions of gamma ray bursts. In 1998, Hubble’s technology disproved theories that the universe’s expansion is slowing down by measuring the luminosities of stars, concluding that the cosmic expansion is in fact accelerating.

In the last two decades, the Hubble Telescope has shown that there are two moons orbiting Pluto, the dwarf planet Eris is bigger than Pluto and distant galaxies exist. It has also conducted a spectroscopic analysis of exoplanets. In 2014, it became the first telescope in history to observe an asteroid disintegrating. It is continuing to play a key role in astronomical research.

My learning log When I read these reports, I could read:

all of them.

most of them.

parts of them.

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85

The Hubble Space Telescope – 2

Comprehension

1. Why was the Hubble Space Telescope a remarkable advancement?

2. Use a dictionary to find the meaning of each word.

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

physicist feasibility versatile aberration cosmos luminosity

3. Summarise some of the findings of the Hubble’s observations.

4. Is the universe getting bigger or smaller? Find evidence from the text?

5. Is the time and money that goes into the Hubble Space Telescope worth it? Why? Why not?

6. Put the following sentences in the correct sequence by numbering the from one to six.

• The Hubble Space Telescope got its official name.

• The telescope observed an asteroid disintegrating.

• The idea of a space telescope was suggested by Spitzer.

• The telescope showed pieces of a comet fall into Jupiter’s atmosphere.

• The US Congress provided funding to build the telescope.

• The main mirror was discovered to be imperfect

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While doing these activities: I found Q

easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

R.I.C. Publications® 978-1-925431-85-8

The Hubble Space Telescope – 3

Word knowledge

1. Add ‘-tion’ to the following words. Make any changes that are needed. (a) explore

(c) invite

(b) operate

(d) observe

2. In the text, find the synonym for each word.

(a) amazing

b) suggested

(c) finance

(d) finished

(e) crashing

(f) falling apart

3. Find the length of years the following words usually refer to. (a) decade

(b) century

(c) millennium

(d) generation

4. Read these sentences. Have the words in bold been used correctly? Write Yes or No.

(a) The space shuttle orbited the planet.

(b) This building material is very versatile.

(c) The scientist had great feasibility and his experiment was a success.

(d) The analysis of the computer showed it had a virus.

(e) The luminosity of the sun can damage the human eye.

5. Pick one of the words used incorrectly in Question 4. Write a sentence showing its correct use.

6. Look up the meaning of ‘aberration’. Write this word in a sentence that shows its meaning.

7. Write four keywords that would help you describe the theme of this report.

8. Underline words and phrases that show the scientific focus of this report. Write three that best demonstrate this.

I know / don’t know how to change verbs into nouns and adjectives.

My learning log

Colour:

I recognise / don’t recognise the stressed syllables in words.

I understand / need more practice on pronouns and determiners.

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87

As war comes

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies a poem and its key features and discusses them

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) • Understand how ideas can be expanded and sharpened through careful choice of verbs, elaborated tenses and a range of adverb groups/phrases (ACELA1523) • Identify the relationship between words, sounds, imagery and language patterns in narratives and poetry such as ballads, limericks and free verse (ACELT1617) Comprehension

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts

• Determines whether text is fact or opinion

• Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

• Defines given words and phrases

(ACELY1713)

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517) • Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615) • Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709) Word knowledge

• Discusses the language features of a poem • Uses questioning to aid understanding

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Recognises base words

• Understand how to use phonic knowledge and accumulated understandings about blending, letter-sound relationships, common and uncommon letter patterns and phonic generalisations to read and write increasingly complex words (ACELA1830)

• Defines words using a dictionary

• Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)

• Understands similes and metaphors

• Identifies pronouns

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

poem phrase fact opinion language feature poetry prose syllable morpheme simile metaphor author pronoun determiner dictionary apostrophe

Metaphor A comparison between two unlikely things, identifying one as resembling the other; e.g. she is a delicate flower.

Poetry The use of unconventional written or spoken language features to achieve a given effect.

Prose The use of conventional written or spoken language features to communicate ideas and information.

Suggested reading • Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian • Carrie’s war by Nina Bawden

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Teaching notes

Comprehension

Text Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a poem about the onset of World War II and its effect on the lives of people in Britain.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 3.

• The rhythm and rhyme of the poem are irregular. It is a sombre poem, meant to be read in a slow, serious manner rather than brightly with the focus on the rhyming words.

Introduction

• The poem identifies planned procedures that were put in place as soon as war was declared. No-one expected the first nine months to be so quiet and uneventful.

• The ‘Welfare State’ which was established in Britain at the end of the war was a direct result of the differences observed between children evacuated from urban areas and their rural counterparts, who were far healthier and more robust.

• Children were evacuated from cities, where they were considered to be most a risk from bombers. While many went to country areas in Britain, thousands were also sent to Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America. Some of these children never went home again.

Introduction • Students discuss what they already know about World War II, focusing the discussion on the evacuees. How do they think the children felt, being sent to live far away with people they didn’t know? How would the children’s parents have felt? How might the people in the countryside have felt, having to give homes to children they didn’t know? How might the children being sent to foreign countries feel?

Development • Read and discuss the poem as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• Students tell what they know about the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

A copy of the poem is available on the following website: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/hameln.html#browning • After reading the poem, students discuss why the evacuation of the city children to the countryside in World War II was called ‘Operation Pied Piper’.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 92, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students discuss how the children felt to be sent to live far away. They didn’t know the people they would be living with, and most had never been to the countryside before. What do students think the mood was like amongst the children on the train?

• Students write an extra stanza for the poem, describing how the children felt and what happened on their journey to the countryside.

• Less capable students write a four-line stanza. More capable students write a longer stanza which reflects consideration of rhythm and rhyme.

Review • Students share their poems in small groups. Each group chooses its favourite poem to read to the class.

• The poem rhymes, but it rhymes in an irregular way. Students should identify the rhyming words, and discuss any pattern they can see in the rhyme.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students rewrite the poem as a nonfiction text.

• Less capable students write a short paragraph (two or three sentences) for each stanza of the poem. More capable students write longer paragraphs for each stanza, containing more information, which may be obtained through individual research.

Review • Students share their texts in small groups.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Answers Comprehension

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 93 focus on syllables, morphemes, similes, metaphors, phrases, pronouns, definitions of words and apostrophes.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the poem, ask students to circle words with apostrophes. Ask students whether each apostrophe has been used to show ownership or is a contraction.

Development • Ensure that students understand the difference between a morpheme, a free morpheme and a bound morpheme. Revise the explanations on page 47 and elicit further examples.

• Explain what a simile is; i.e. a comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, in order to make the comparison more vivid. For example: as brave as a lion.

• Explain what a metaphor is; i.e. a comparison between two unlikely things, identifying one as the other. For example, she is a delicate flower.

• Discuss the similarities and differences between similes and metaphors, to ensure students understand the difference between them.

• Ensure students understand what a pronoun is.

Explain that they are usually used like nouns; for example:

Kelly shouted at Simon. She shouted at him.

David’s cat is in the garden. His cat is in the garden.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 93, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

1.

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

a speech to the nation give in (to the dictator’s demands in the hope that war will be averted) war is declared and the machinery of war is activated air-raid shelters which were erected in residential gardens coils of barbed wire creating a barrier between the beaches and the land beyond (f) the first time and place air raids were used to cause destruction (g) although war had been declared, there was little conflict until May 1940

2. (a) Neville Chamberlain

(b) Adolf Hitler

3. (a) Opinion

(b) Fact

4. (a) evacuation

(b) After the story in which the children of Hamelin were led away by the Pied Piper.

5. preparing for war/evacuation of the children

6. rhyming, phrases, incomplete sentences, capital letters for each new line

7.–8. Teacher check Word knowledge 1. (a) ad-dress (d) di-stress

(b) ces-sa-tion (e) un-der-stood

(c) di-sease (f) va-ca-tion

2. (a) dictate-or-’s (d) lone-ly-ness (g) dead-ly (j) bomb-ing

(b) rally-ing (e) factory-es (h) wide-spread (k) un-heard

(c) blight-ed (f) beach-es (i) mis-trust (l) child-ren

3. like a cloud soon to burst

4. The evacuation of the children – the emotional trauma of widespread family separation.

5. Teacher check, may include: rallying his troops, the dogs of war are set free, rumblings of war, armed forces train without cessation, deadly cargo of enemy planes, air strikes take aim

6. (a) Adolf Hitler

(b) children

7. (a) The last statement to a person or group before action is taken against them.

(b) The ending of something (armed forces training).

(c) Take to (the country).

(d) Given to (the families) for a purpose.

8. (a) the rants of the dictator

(c) so they will not shatter

(b) his threat is understood (d) the concern of their parents

• Students re-read the text and create lists of words with one, two, three, four or five syllables.

• Less capable students write two words for each syllable count. More capable students write at least four words for each syllable count.

Note: There are only three words with four syllables (ultimatum, community, operation) and only one word with five syllables (communications).

Review • As a class, compare word lists.

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As war comes – 1

Text

Read the poem.

Britain, Sunday 3 September 1939, 11.15 am The PM delivers his national address; The tone of his voice tells the news is not good.

The dictator’s rants are cause for distress, Rallying his troops: his threat’s understood.

Neville Chamberlain proclaims, ‘We must appease’; ‘Give in to his demands for the sake of peace.’

But the demands, they grow like a blighted disease.

An ultimatum is given: the threats, they must cease But the dogs of war are set free, unleashed.

The rumblings of war have not gone unheard, Plans underway for the defence of the nation.

Armaments factories round the clock are spurred And the armed forces train without cessation.

Barbed wire slinkiesTM fence off mined beaches, A lethal barrier that invaders must batter.

Anderson shelters become garden features.

‘Tape all your windows, so they won’t shatter.’

‘Hang up black curtains, so no light remains To guide the deadly cargo of enemy planes.’

The bombing of Guernica, to destroy, kill and maim, Showed us destruction, thousands gone in a flash.

Now above us, the air strikes take aim To cripple our nation; our spirit to smash.

Communications, water supplies totally wrecked Community frameworks gone in one raid.

Operation Pied Piper comes into effect Thousands of children to the country conveyed This is no holiday, no carefree vacation.

But a knife to the heart of a grieving nation.

Each with a gas mask, to their families assigned.

Alone and confused, they step through new doors.

For some, life is good, the people are kind.

Not all are so lucky and their loneliness soars.

The locals are wary and show their mistrust.

It takes quite a while for both sides to adjust.

What joy!

The children come home; soothe their parents’ concern.

As the enemy turns east, now Poland faces the worst.

The ‘phoney’ war hangs on, like a cloud soon to burst; And back to the country, the children return.

My learning log When I read this poem, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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As war comes – 2

Comprehension

1. Discuss and write the meaning of each word or phrase from the text. (a) national address (b) appease (c) dogs of war, set free (d) Anderson shelters (e) barbed wire slinkiesTM (f) bombing of Guernica (g) phoney war

2. (a) Who was the British prime minister when World War II was declared?

(b) Who was the ‘dictator’?

3. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) The Allies were wrong to give in to the dictator’s demands.

Fact

Opinion

(b) The Allies gave in to the dictator’s demands.

Fact

Opinion

4. (a) Operation Pied Piper refers to the to country areas.

(eviction/evacuation) of children

(b) Why do you think the operation was given the code name ‘Pied Piper’?

5. What aspect of the war in Britain does this poem describe?

6. How do the language features of this text as poetry differ from how they would be as prose?

7. Write a question to ask about the poem that will help you understand it better.

8. Explain why you would or would not recommend this poem to a friend.

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easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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As war comes – 3

Word knowledge

1. Separate each word into its syllables and underline the one that is stressed when reading the word in the poem. (a) address

(b) cessation

(c) disease

(d) distress

(e) understood

(f) vacation

2. Separate each word into its morphemes. (a) dictator’s

(b) rallying

(c) blighted

(d) loneliness

(e) factories

(f) beaches

(g) deadly

(h) widespread

(i) mistrust

(j) bombing

(k) unheard

(l) children

3. Write the simile used to describe the ‘phoney’ war.

4. The metaphor ‘a knife to the heart’ refers to …

.

5. Write six phrases the author has used to create the feeling of war.

•

•

•

•

•

•

6. Write the word(s) the pronoun or determiner refer(s) to. (a) his threat’s understood (b) they step through 7. Use a dictionary to find the meaning of each word. (a) ultimatum (b) cessation (c) convey (d) assign 8. Rewrite each phrase without its apostrophe. (a) the dictator’s rants (b) his threat’s understood (c) so they won’t shatter (d) their parents’ concern I can / can’t separate words into their morphemes.

My learning log

Colour:

I understand / need more practice on similes and metaphors.

I can / can’t write definitions of words.

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On your bike!

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Experiment with text structures and language features and their effects in creating literary texts, for example, using imagery, sentence variation, metaphor and word choice (ACELT1800)

• Identifies a (Messenger™) conversation and its key features and discusses them

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) • Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) • Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts (ACELT1615) Comprehension

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709) • Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525) • Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• States whether a sentence is fact or opinion • Justifies points of view with evidence from a text • Defines given words and phrases • Summarises a text • Uses a map to find locations from the text • Understands and uses homophones, metaphors, similes, homonyms, morphemes and synonyms • Locates ’ou’ words with the ‘oo’ sound as in ‘group’

Additional teacher information Terminology for students

Definition of terms Fact Something that can be shown to be true or real.

Opinion A belief which may or may not be true.

Personification A way of describing non-human things using human terms; e.g. The trees danced and the wind raced through the trees.

Messenger™ conversation summary narrative report imaginative factual question fact opinion

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Metaphor A comparison between two unlikely things, identifying one as the other; e.g. she is a delicate flower.

comparison homophone formal language informal language metaphor simile personification morpheme synonym

Suggested reading • www.australia.com/en/places/great-ocean-road.html • Pedal it! How bicycles are changing the world by Michelle Mulder

Summary The identification of the main points of a text and the key details that support them.

Comparison Similarities and/or differences between two or more things.

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a fictional Messenger™ conversation between cousins. One is describing a recent cycling holiday and simultaneously providing the reader with factual information about the Great Ocean Road.

• Students will need to understand the difference between facts and opinions to answer Question 4.

• The text contains factual information but the characters and events of the text are fiction.

• Have students ever used a messaging app like Messenger™ or WhatsApp™? What kind of language is usually used, formal or informal? Why?

• Presenting the text in this way allows the reader to discover something new but through an informal conversation he or she ‘listens to’.

Introduction

• Students summarise each of Sienna’s conversations, as succinctly as possible.

Introduction

Development

• Students discuss cycling and bikes. Who owns a bike? Where do they go on their bikes? Have they ever cycled on a holiday?

• Discuss the comprehension activities on page 98, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

• Students should look at a map to see where the Great Ocean Road is.

Development • Read and discuss the text as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• Each question asked by Jaime is like a subheading of a more formal report, grouping information on the same topic.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write questions they would like to ask Sienna about her trip.

• More capable students write more questions and in greater depth.

Review • Students swap their list of questions with someone of similar ability. The partners write answers to the questions. Once finished, the pairs read their questions and answers aloud, as if having a conversation.

• Students could discuss how to present a research project of their own choosing as a conversation. What do they want to find out? What questions do they need to ask?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students write a Messenger™ conversation to tell a friend about something they have done; for example, a film they went to see, a birthday party, a trip to the beach. They should ensure that the conversation is informal.

• More capable students write a lengthier and more detailed conversation.

Review • Students share their texts in small groups.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Answers Comprehension

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 99 focus on homophones, formal and informal language, metaphors, similes, personification, words with ‘ou’ that have the ‘oo’ sound, homonyms, definitions of words, morphemes and synonyms.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle phrases that they think are examples of similes, metaphors and personification. Revise the meanings of these words.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homophone’. Give some examples of homophones (great/grate, heard/herd, principal/ principle). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homophones, to be written on the board; for example:

The car is stationary./The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

• Remind students what a metaphor is; i.e. a comparison between two unlikely things, identifying one as the other. For example, she is a delicate flower.

• Remind students what a simile is; i.e. a comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, in order to make the comparison more vivid. For example, as brave as a lion.

• Explain that personification is a way of describing non-human things using human terms; for example, The trees danced and the wind raced through the trees.

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homonym’ and know that it means two different words which are spelt and sound the same. Give some examples of homonyms (left, bark). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

1. (a) Sienna and her mother go on a cycling holiday, following the Great Ocean Road, between Warrnambool and Torquay. They cycle 244 kilometres in four days. The weather is perfect and they have such a wonderful time that they want to do another trip.

(b) The Great Ocean Road more or less follows the coast in Victoria, for 244 kilometres. It was built as a memorial to those lost in the war.

2.

Sienna’s father: he was browsing through maps of different routes with great interest. Jaime: He was interested in Sienna’s recount and said she might get back on her bike.

3. Teacher check 4. (a) Fact

(b) Opinion

5. (a) 61 km

(b) Teacher check 6. (a) He carried their luggage each day, was a backup if they had an accident or mechanical difficulties and booked the motels.

(b) Very valuable, as it meant Sienna and her mum could cycle without saddle bags or trying to find accommodation. If he went with them on the next trip, Sienna wondered who would replace him.

7. (a) No. She refers to her bike as ‘Rusty’.

(b) Perhaps. Although she has a bike, it appears to be neglected.

Word knowledge 1. (a) root

(b) whether

(c) weather

2. informal

(b) Teacher check; e.g. high five; well, gotta go, cuz; LOL, Heavens no!;

Wow! Sounds unreal; suss out

3. (a) Jaime’s bicycle

(b) a wild animal

(c) The rain clouds went off on holiday.

4. route, you

5. (a) a place for holidaymakers to stay at (b) a fright

6. (a) consecutive

(b) browsing

7. (a) achieve-ment (c) rail-way

(b) dis-use-ed (d) support-ive

8. (a) supportive (c) stuff

(b) determined (d) consecutive

(c) capable

That tree has beautiful bark./Charlie’s dog has a very loud bark.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 99, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students re-read the text and circle any words that are homophones or homonyms. Revise the difference between the two before starting the activity.

• More capable students could find more homophones and homonyms.

Review • As a class, compare word lists. Did the students find more homophones or homonyms?

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On your bike! – 1

Text

Read the Messenger™ conversation.

Sienna: High five, to Mum and me! We did it! Ever since we travelled along part of the Great Ocean Road by car last year, Mum and I have been promising ourselves we’d ride the whole distance—and now we have! I don’t think Dad expected us to complete it, although he was very supportive. We’re already talking about where we’re going to ride next!

Jaime: Great Ocean Road? Tell me.

Sienna: It’s an absolutely amazing road which more or less follows the coast from near Warrnambool in Victoria, all the way round to Torquay, south of Geelong. That’s 244 kilometres—but of course, we didn’t do it all in one day. W e were determined to enjoy the ride, so we spread it out over four consecutive days. The road was actually built by ex-soldiers after World War I, as a war memorial to all the other servicemen who never came back from the war.

Jaime: Wow! Sounds unreal! I’ll have to check it out on the internet. So which way did you and Aunt Jessie go?

Sienna: We started at Allansford, then cycled east to Torquay, through Port Campbell, Apollo Bay and my favourite town, Lorne. It was a great choice for our first ride together. It follows the coast pretty closely, and the views are unbelievable. There were a few hills, I must admit, but nothing too strenuous. We could have gone faster, but why bother?

Jaime: How was the weather? It can be a wild animal on the coast.

Sienna: We were so lucky! It looked like rain at first, but then the rain clouds went off on holiday somewhere.The next few days were cool but with the sun shining and blue skies. And the wind was just enough to keep us cool.

Jaime: Good weather makes all the difference! What were the best parts of your trip?

Sienna: It’s hard to choose, but I just loved the natural beauty. There’s everything from the water, to the 12 Apostles, to soaring oceanfront cliffs, to rainforest, to tree-covered hills, to sandy beaches. And at nights, it was so quiet and the sky full of stars … It’s easy to forget what that’s like when you live in the city.

Jaime: Did you camp at night?

Sienna: Heavens, no! Can you imagine Dad in a tent? LOL! No, we stayed in motels. Dad more or less followed us in the car with all our stuff. Then he would zoom ahead and suss out a nice place to stay. We knew we could phone him to come back as a very last resort. But it was all good. We had two punctures, but Mum and I were capable of fixing those.

Jaime: Is Uncle Ben keen on cycling, too?

Sienna: Hardly! He says unless it has an engine he’s not getting on it! But I noticed he’s started browsing through our maps and mumbling to himself, so who knows? The worry is, if he does decide to join us, who will be our ‘chase vehicle’?

Jaime: Sure you’d work that out! Well, gotta go, cuz. Who knows … I may have to drag my trusty old steed from the shed. Or maybe that’s ‘rusty’ old steed. :-D

My learning log When I read this Messenger conversation, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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97

On your bike! – 2

Comprehension

1. Write a summary of the text: (a) as an imaginative narrative about the holiday.

(b) as a factual report about the Great Ocean Road.

2. Who do you think might go on the next cycling trip? Give reasons for your answer.

3. Write a question to ask Sienna or her mother about their trip.

4. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) It did not rain during the cycling trip.

Fact

Opinion

(b) The weather during the cycling trip was fantastic.

Fact

Opinion

5. (a) On average, how far did Sienna and her mother cycle each day? (b) Make two comparisons between staying in a motel and camping out.

• • 6. (a) What role did Sienna’s father play in their cycling trip?

(b) How valuable was his role? Explain your answer, giving evidence from the text.

7. Use evidence from the text to support your answers. (a) Was Jaime a regular cyclist?

(b) Did Jaime like cycling?

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easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

R.I.C. Publications® 978-1-925431-85-8

On your bike! – 3

Word knowledge

1. Choose the correct homophone. (route/root) of the large oak tree extended deep into the ground.

(a) The

(weather/whether) it rained or not.

(b) The event would go ahead

(weather/wether) was excellent for the time of year.

(c) The

2. (a) The language of the text is

formal

informal

.

(b) Give examples to support your answer.

3. (a) The metaphor, ‘my trusty old steed’, refers to .

(b) Write the simile used to describe the weather on the coast.

(c) Write the example of personification from the text.

4. Circle the words in which the letters ‘ou’ have the ‘oo’ as in ‘zoo’ sound. although

couple

course

Plymouth

route

sounds

south

would

you

5. For each word, write a different definition from the one in the text. (a) resort (... only call him as a very last resort!)

(b) start (... he’s started browsing through our maps ...)

6. Write the word from the text that means: (a) one following after another. (b) looking through. (c) able to.

7. Separate each word into its morphemes. (a) achievement

(b) disused

(c) railway

(d) supportive

8. In the text, find a synonym of the following words. (a) encouraging

(b) resolute

(c) belongings

(d) successive

I understand / need more practice on homophones.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t recognise metaphors, similes and personification.

I know / don’t know about ‘ou’ words with the ‘oo’ sound.

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99

Battle of the Blues

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts

• Identifies a magazine article and its key features and discusses them

(ACELT1613)

• Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524) Comprehension

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)

• Justifies views and opinions with evidence from a text

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts

• Summarises a text

• Defines given words and phrases • Researches independently to find information

(ACELY1713)

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709) Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Breaks words into syllables • Finds antonyms and synonyms in a given text • Understands technical vocabulary

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Summarise Identify the main point of a text and key details that support it.

magazine article summary explanation similarity difference phrase paragraph syllable base word verb synonym antonym homophone morpheme technical vocabulary dictionary

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

Technical vocabulary Words related specifically to the subject of a text.

Suggested reading • <http://theboatrace.org/> for information about the famous race • The boys in the boat by Daniel James Brown • The secret supporters of the boat race by Hannah Gates

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a magazine article about the history of the world famous British University Boat Race.

• Students may need help to understand some of the terminology used in the text, to aid their understanding; for example, upstream, cox, bow, centre arch, oars, blades.

• A magazine article differs from a newspaper article in that it tends to have a much longer shelf life. Newspapers are printed every day with new stories making the headlines. This article would be most relevant as a magazine story in the weeks leading up to the race. After the event, it would still be interesting as the content does not age, but it would have to make way for another forthcoming event.

• The text includes a brief introduction to the famous race and a description of Championship Course. Like Wimbledon and the Grand National horse race, the University Boat Race is a key event in the UK annual sports calendar. Over 250 000 people watch the event on-site and millions around the world watch it on television.

Introduction • Students discuss what they know about the University Boat Race. Have they been to watch it on TV? Have they seen any other rowing events (e.g. the Olympic Games)?

• Students could also discuss anything they know about these two famous universities or research to find out some facts.

• On a large scale map of the course, or using Google Maps , students could identify the course and any interesting landmarks nearby. ™

Development • Read and discuss the magazine article as a whole class or in groups. Assist students to decode new words if necessary.

Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases. Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

Introduction • Students summarise the magazine article, paragraph by paragraph.

• Students discuss how they would feel if they were on the winning boat race team, and how they would feel if they lost.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 104, then allow Students to complete the page independently. Compare answers to questions with varying answers.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Question 3 asks students to describe similarities and differences between the two universities.

• More capable students could research information about the two universities, using their websites:

Oxford University: <http://www.ox.ac.uk/>

Cambridge University: <http://www.cam.ac.uk/>

• Less capable students could research information about the cities of Oxford and Cambridge; for example, the population, where the cities are in England, the names of the rivers that flow through each city and so on.

Review • Share the information about the two cities and universities with the class.

• If the students had to choose between studying at Oxford or Cambridge, which would they choose? Why?

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students work in mixed ability groups to collect information about the sport of rowing and discuss what to include in a magazine article. How much detail would a reader want to have? What would be the best way to present the information?

Review • The groups present their magazine articles to the class.

Display them in the classroom.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 105 focus on syllables, base words, synonyms, antonyms, homophones, morphemes and definitions of words.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining to students that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle any technical words that they think are to do with rowing. Discuss the meaning of the circled words.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the terms ‘synonym’ and ‘antonym’. Give some examples (overweight: a synonym is ‘obese’ and an antonym ‘underweight’). Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms and antonyms, to be written onto the board; for example:

Strong: The boxer has a powerful punch, but the referee looks weak.

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homophone’. Give some examples of homophones (great/grate, heard/herd, principal/principle). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homophones, to be written onto the board; for example:

The car is stationary./The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

• Discuss the word knowledge on page 105, then allow students to complete the page independently.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Provide students with the following list of words and ask them to find an antonym for each in the text:

youngest, disbanded, friendly, rare, minor, above, horizontal, different, light, unintentionally

Answers: oldest, founded, hostile, common, major, below, vertical, similar, dark, deliberately

Answers Comprehension 1. (a) Following a challenge between two school friends who attended the rival universities, the first boat race took place. From 1856, the race was held annually with the exception of the war years. Although each university has had its golden eras, neither has totally dominated the event. (b) To commemorate the year in which the first race was held.

2. Teacher check

3. Teacher check, answers may include: Similarity – They are both over 800 years old; Difference – The Oxford University Blue award is dark blue. The Cambridge University Award is light blue.

4. (a) Most likely as in the past, each having golden eras but neither totally dominating the race.

(b) Teacher check, answers may include: Oxford, as it was established over 100 years before Cambridge.

5. The people from the town and the people from the university (who wore gowns).

6. Teacher check; e.g. hotly contested match, every ounce of energy, absolutely exhausted, thoroughly deserving, euphoric, totally dejected Word knowledge

1. (a) con-di-tions

(b) de-ci-sion

(c) dom-i-nates

(d) of-fi-cial

(e) ref-uge

(f) ri-val-ry

2. (a) found

(b) seek

3. (a) yearly

(b) appalling

(c) obstruct

(d) well-known

(e) first

(f) esteemed

4. dejected 5. Teacher check 6. (a) 3

(b) 3

(c) 3

7. Teacher check; e.g. cox, crew, boat, bow, row, oars, blades

• More capable students could also write the pairs of antonyms in sentences.

8. (a) flooded

(b) strange

(c) to control

(d) beginning and growth

Review

(e) unfriendly

• As a class, compare lists of antonyms and sentences.

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Battle of the Blues – 1

Text

Read the magazine article.

The rivalry between the UK’s oldest universities, Oxford and Cambridge, has existed for over eight hundred years. Founded in 1096, Oxford is the older of the two places of learning. The development of Cambridge University began in 1209 when a group of Oxford students sought refuge in the town, having escaped from hostile Oxford residents. At that time, social conflict between ‘town and gown’ was common.

The most famous and hotly contested match between the two universities is the annual boat race, held in the spring.

The event takes place on ‘Championship Course’ on the River Thames in south-west London. The crews row upstream on the incoming flood tide between Putney and Mortlake. This allows them to row with the fastest possible current. For 6.8 kilometres, the sixteen men, guided by their coxes, put every ounce of energy into the race, which lasts between 15 and 20 minutes. The conditions on the day have a major effect on the overall time.

The race begins just below Putney Bridge. The bow of each boat must be in line with ‘University Stone’, a large vertical stone on the south side tow path. There is a similar stone, just below Chiswick bridge, to mark the finish line. This section of the river is S-shaped and subject to daily tides. It is the cox’s job to guide the crew as they navigate the Middlesex and Surrey bends. The side, or ‘station’, of the river a crew rows on can be a deciding factor in the outcome of the race.

The decision to take Middlesex or Surrey is taken by the president of the club that wins the toss. Official times are taken at four points on the course: Mile Post, one mile from the start; Chiswick Steps, a small set of steps on the bank just past Chiswick Eyot, an uninhabited nature reserve; Barnes Bridge, where crews must take the centre arch; and the finish.

Win or lose, by the time they cross the finish line, the two crews are absolutely exhausted and thoroughly deserving of their ‘University Blues’. The event which they have spent months training for is now over and the atmosphere in the two boats could not be more different. With oars resting in their laps, and blades trailing the water, the victors are euphoric; the losers, totally dejected.

A University Blue is a prestigious award presented to students who show excellence in sport and represent their university in inter-university matches at the highest level. The Oxford award is traditionally dark blue and the Cambridge award light blue.

The inaugural boat race was held in 1829 following a challenge between two friends from Harrow School who went on to study at the rival universities. Before 1856, the event had been held twelve times, but since then it has been held every year except during the two world wars. Neither university totally dominates the race but both have had golden eras in which they have won many years in succession.

A race held in the spring on a curving, tidal river is destined to have some dramas.

The sinking of boats has occurred at least six times and in this contest, Cambridge are the clear winners by 4:2. In 1912, both boats sank as crews battled to row in atrocious conditions with their boats being swamped with water. In an eerie coincidence, less than a fortnight later, the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic with the loss of more than 1500 lives.

One hundred years later, the race was interrupted in its final stages when a swimmer was spotted on the course. A 35-year-old man had deliberately intended to disrupt the race as a protest against elitism, opportunities for a small percentage of the population.

He was arrested for creating a public nuisance.

The choice of station is decided by the toss of an 1829 gold sovereign. In line with tradition, the president of the previous year’s losing club calls heads or tails.

The University Boat Race is watched by thousands who line the banks of the river and millions around the world who watch the event on television.

My learning log When I read this magazine article, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

............. www.ricpublications.com.au ......... Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6) ........... 103

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Battle of the Blues – 2

Comprehension

1. (a) Summarise the history of the boat race.

(b) Why is an 1829 gold sovereign used in the toss to decide which crew chooses its station?

2. How would you rate the text as a clear explanation of the boat race? Explain your answer.

3. Write one similarity and one difference between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Similarity

Difference

4. Give evidence from the text to support your answers. (a) Over the next fifty years, how might each university fare in the boat race?

(b) In the rivalry between the two universities, which might feel it is superior?

5. What is meant by the phrase from paragraph one, ‘town and gown’?

6. Write phrases from the text that show how much the boat race means to members of the crew.

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I found Q

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challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

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Battle of the Blues – 3

Word knowledge

1. Separate each word into its syllables and circle the one that is stressed when reading the word in the text. (a) conditions

(b) decision

(c) dominates

(d) official

(e) refuge

(f) rivalry

2. Circle the base word of each verb. (a) … founded in 1096 …

find found

(b) … sought refuge in the town …

seek sort

3. Match each word from the text with its synonym in the box. (a) annual

appalling

(b) atrocious

esteemed

(c) disrupt

first

(d) famous

obstruct well-known

(e) inaugural

yearly

(f) prestigious 4. The antonym of ‘euphoric’, found in paragraph 6, is

.

5. For each pair of homophones, write a sentence that includes both words. (a) eight, ate (b) current, currant (c) saw, sore (d) course, coarse (e) tide, tied 6. How many morphemes? (a) uninhabited

(b) incoming

(c) traditionally

7. Find four examples of technical vocabulary that are specifically related to rowing.

•

•

•

•

8. Use a dictionary to find the meaning of each word. (a) swamped (b) eerie (c) dominate (d) development (e) hostile

I can / can’t mark the syllables in words.

My learning log

Colour:

I understand / need more practice on synonyms and antonyms.

I can / can’t identify technical vocabulary related to rowing.

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A night at the Proms

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Understand how authors often innovate on text structures and play with language features to achieve particular aesthetic, humorous and persuasive purposes and effects (ACELA1518)

• Identifies a television transcript and its key features and discusses them

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613) • Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

• Justifies viewpoints with evidence from the text

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

• Creates a poster and blurb based on the text

• Asks questions to clarify points

• Identify and explain how analytical images like figures, tables, diagrams, maps and graphs contribute to our understanding of verbal information in factual and persuasive texts (ACELA1524) Word knowledge

• Investigate how vocabulary choices, including evaluative language can express shades of meaning, feeling and opinion (ACELA1525) • Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Summarises the text

• Demonstrates understanding of nouns, adjectives, adverbs, formal and informal speech, morphemes, synonyms and homophones • Writes definitions of words

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Morpheme The smallest unit of meaning in a word; e.g. ‘re-’ and ‘turn’ in ‘return’.

transcript broadcast verb phrase opinion question sentence similarity difference

Links to other curriculum areas • The Arts – Music – Explain how the elements of music communicate meaning by comparing music from different social, cultural and historical contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music (ACAMUR091)

noun adjective adverb participle verb formal language informal language near-homophone morpheme synonym

Suggested reading • <http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms> for information about the famous festival • An internet search will reveal a vast number of clips of the Proms, from the complete last night program to selected musical performances

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a fictional transcript of a live television broadcast which provides factual information about the annual BBC Proms Festival.

• Students may need help to understand some of the vocabulary and phrases used in the text; for example, promenade concert, pleasure gardens, gallery, patriotic spirit.

• Although the Proms are very much a British festival, they are extremely popular worldwide. In Australia, the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ is broadcast to air by the ABC. Recordings of the performances, plus video, can be purchased through the ABC shop.

Introduction

• The fictional conversation is between an outside television broadcast presenter and a presenter in the studio. The subject of the broadcast is a great social occasion for which the participants are in a party mood. The conversation between the two presenters is therefore very lighthearted and informal.

• From the studio, an introduction to the event is given. This is followed by divergent questions from the studio which encourage very informative answers from the Albert Hall.

• Informative text doesn’t have to be in the form of a narrative report. Varying the ways information is presented will create greater interest for the reader and give ideas for their own writing.

Introduction

• Students summarise each section of the transcript.

• Students discuss whether they think they would like to attend a BBC Proms concert or not, giving their reasons.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 110, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students think about reasons people might want to go to a BBC Proms concert. They design a poster that advertises the festival, and list reasons for going as part of the blurb.

• Less capable students list three reasons to attend the festival, whilst more capable students include at least five.

Review

• Students discuss what they know about the BBC Proms. Have they seen it on TV? Do their parents watch the ABC broadcast or perhaps buy the DVDs?

• Students present their posters to the class. Display them in the classroom.

Development • Read and discuss the text as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of,. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students work in mixed-ability groups of three to research and create a ‘live television broadcast’ about a school event; for example, swimming carnival, sports day, charity fete, interschool quiz, football match. One student is the presenter, one the principal and one a student. Broadcasts are time limited to, say, three or four minutes.

Review • Groups perform their broadcasts to the class.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 111 focus on nouns, adjectives, adverbs, formal and informal language, definitions of words, near-homophones, morphemes, synonyms and homonyms.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle any adjectives that describe the BBC Proms summer festival. Students define each adjective.

Development • Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homophone’.

Give some examples of homophones (great/grate, heard/herd, principal/principle). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homophones, to be written on the board; for example:

The car is stationary./The envelopes are in the stationery cupboard.

Answers Comprehension 1. to stroll 2. (a) A tradition that is seen by others as typical of the old-fashioned, upper-class, British way.

(b) To enjoy oneself without restraint, not concerned with etiquette or rules.

(c) exciting, holding one’s attention

(d) Affecting the participant in such a way that goosebumps form on the skin.

3. (a) Prommers are actively encouraged, the tickets are still very cheap and must be queued for.

(b) Very likely – his (Wood’s) vision is as strong today as it ever was; people ... prefer the novelty of promming

(c) Teacher check 4.

The Proms festival introduces people to a wide range of classical music; it is like an appetiser. From this, they can explore genres that appeal to them and develop their knowledge and appreciation.

5. Teacher check, answers may include: Similarity – both venues give the opportunity to stroll around and socialise while the orchestra is playing.

Difference – The Albert Hall is an indoor venue, the pleasure gardens were outdoors.

Word knowledge

• Ensure that students understand the difference between a morpheme, a free morpheme and a bound morpheme.

Revise the explanations on page 47 and elicit further examples.

1. (a) perfection, perfect, perfectly (b) desperation, desperate, desperately (c) normality, normal, normally (d) certainty, certain, certainly

• Ensure students are familiar with the terms ‘synonym’ and ‘antonym’. Give some examples (overweight: a synonym is ‘obese’ and an antonym ‘underweight’).

Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms and antonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

2. (a) to queue (d) to revel

Strong: The boxer has a powerful punch, but the referee looks weak.

(b) to socialise (c) to continue (e) to prepare (f) to balance

3. (a) informal

(b) Teacher check, answers may include: soaking up the … atmosphere; join the throng inside our iconic Victorian concert hall; it’s marvellous, simply marvellous; move around and mingle; less than a takeaway burger!

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homonym’ and know that it means two different words that are spelt and sound the same. Give some examples of homonyms (left, bark). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

4. (a) limited

(b) to take delight in

(c) of a recognised and admired person, place or thing

(d) within a budget

(e) to buy

(f) of the present day (current)

5. Teacher check

That tree has beautiful bark./Charlie’s dog has a very loud bark.

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 111, then allow students to complete the page independently.

6. (a) class-ic-al (b) delight-ed (c) un-use-ed

(d) icon-ic (e) afford-able (f) tele-vision 7. dream 8. Teacher check

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Provide students with the following list of words and ask them to find a synonym for each in the text:

fabulous, mix, originality, normal, yearly, stroll, ultimate, crowd, enjoyment, topical

Answers: marvellous, mingle, novelty, ordinary, annual, wander, final, throng, pleasure, current

• More capable students could write the pairs of synonyms in sentences.

Review • As a class, compare lists of synonyms and sentences.

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A night at the Proms – 1

Text

Read the transcript of a live television broadcast.

Angela Ford: (Directly to the camera) The BBC Proms is Angela Ford: And are people happy to have standing room only? an annual summer festival of classical music concerts held at the Albert Hall and other venues across London. Over eight weeks, 70 James Aston: They most certainly are, Angela! Plenty of people who could afford reserved seating promenade concerts are presented, in which prefer the novelty of promming. You can see delighted audiences are introduced to new them behind me now, queuing to buy their works and enjoy old favourites. tickets. Unless you buy a festival season ticket, Promenade concerts were popular in London’s the only way to purchase a prommer ticket is pleasure gardens in the 18th and 19th to stand in a queue like this! centuries. People were free to wander around the gardens and socialise while the orchestra Angela Ford: Now, James, it’s not just established composers who are represented at the festival, is it? continued to play. In the promenade concerts of today, ‘promenaders’ or ‘prommers’ as they are also known, are restricted to the arena and James Aston: Absolutely not, Angela! Imagine the current talent we would be missing if we only played gallery, the standing areas of the hall. and listened to the music of composers long The final concert of this year’s Proms festival past. takes place tonight. The Last Night of the Proms is a ‘terribly British’ institution in which people At the Proms, you will hear plenty of new work from many talented contemporary composers. revel in the pride of their nation.

But of course, there will always be the old Let’s cross over now to Kensington, where favourites too.

James Aston, our entertainment correspondent, is soaking up the ‘Last Night’ atmosphere. Angela Ford: James, there are over 70 concerts to attend during the eight-week festival. What is it that James, there certainly appears to be a party makes the last concert so special? mood at the Albert Hall tonight!

James Aston: Yes Angela, the revellers are definitely showing James Aston: Angela, do you remember having a party at the end of a school year or major exams? Well, their patriotic spirit as they prepare to join the it’s a bit like that. This is the final show and throng inside our iconic Victorian concert hall. tomorrow, everyone packs up and goes home.

Henry Wood would be so proud to see that his Although all the concerts have a relaxed feel to vision is as strong today as it ever was. them, this is the party concert. Everyone lets Angela Ford: I understand that way back in 1895, his dream his or her hair down and has a jolly good time. was to bring orchestral classical music, normally the reserve of the upper levels of society, to Even watching it on television with the volume turned up a notch, you can feel the electrifying the ordinary people. atmosphere, and experience the goosebumps, especially when the first strains of Parry’s James Aston: That’s exactly right, Angela. His knowledge of Jerusalem, Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance and music was so deep, he was able to arrange Arne’s Rule, Britannia are played. concert programs that included music from a wide range of composers and styles.They were perfectly balanced to suit those unaccustomed Angela Ford: Well James, we can see you’re desperate to join the party, so we’ll leave it there.Thank you to listening to classical music.The Proms festival and have a great night! is like a taster course that leads people on their own journey of classical music discovery. It’s James Aston: Oh, I’m sure I will, Angela! Thank you. marvellous, simply marvellous.

Angela Ford: I believe the tickets are quite affordable.

James Aston: Indeed they are, Angela! Henry Wood introduced the promenade tickets for the arena and gallery. As in the pleasure garden concerts, prommers were free to move around and mingle. They were much cheaper than tickets for reserved seats, so more people could afford to attend the concerts. And today, a prommer ticket will cost you less than a takeaway burger!

My learning log When I read this broadcast transcript, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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A night at the Proms – 2

Comprehension

1. The word ‘promenade’ comes from the French verb, se promener meaning to march

to run

to stride

to stroll

to trudge

2. Discuss and write the meaning of each phrase.

(a) a terribly British institution

(b) lets his or her hair down

(c) electrifying atmosphere

(d) experience the goosebumps

3. (a) How is Henry Wood’s legacy kept alive today?

(b) How likely is it that the Proms Festival will continue for many years to come? Give evidence from the text to support your opinion.

(c) Write a question you would ask Henry Wood to help you understand his vision. Discuss your question with the class.

4. What does James Aston mean in the sentence beginning, ‘The Proms festival is like a taster course ...’?

5. Write one similarity and one difference between a promenade concert at the Albert Hall and one held in the pleasure gardens of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Similarity

Difference

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I found Q

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challenging. I found Q

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interesting.

R.I.C. Publications® 978-1-925431-85-8

A night at the Proms – 3

Word knowledge

1. Complete the table.

Noun

Adjective

Adverb

perfection desperate normality

certainly

2. Write the verb that each participle comes from. (a) queuing – to

(b) socialising – to

(c) continuing – to

(d) revelling – to

(e) preparing – to

(f) balancing – to

3. (a) The language of the text is

formal

informal

.

(b) Give examples from the text to justify your answer.

4. Discuss and write the meaning of each word. (a) restricted (b) revel (c) iconic (d) affordable (e) purchase (f) contemporary 5. Write a sentence to include the near-homophones ‘wander’ and ‘wonder’.

6. Separate each word into its morphemes. (a) classical

(b) delighted

(c) unused

(d) iconic

(e) affordable

(f) television

7. What synonym does Angela Ford use for Henry Wood’s ‘vision’?

8. The word ‘strain’ has more than one meaning. Write a sentence that includes ‘strain’ in a different context from the one in the text.

I can / can’t identify formal and informal language.

My learning log

Colour:

I can / can’t write definitions of words.

I understand / need more practice on separating words into their morphemes.

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Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley

Teacher information

Curriculum links

Activity

Content description

Text

Elaboration

• Make connections between students’ own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1613)

• Identifies transcripts of an interview and identifies their key features and discusses them

• Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text (ACELY1711) Comprehension

• Understand the uses of objective and subjective language and bias (ACELA1517)

• Justifies viewpoints using evidence from the text

• Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

• Understands poverty as a relative term

• Analyse strategies authors use to influence readers (ACELY1801)

• Summarises the main features of Impressionism • Makes comparisons of artworks by various artists

• Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

Word knowledge

• Understand how to use knowledge of known words, word origins including some Latin and Greek roots, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns and spelling generalisations to spell new words including technical words (ACELA1526)

• Uses prefixes to form antonyms • Demonstrates understanding of homophones • Separates words into syllables

Additional teacher information Definition of terms

Terminology for students

Context The specific meaning of a word or phrase, or class of word, is dependent on the context in which it is used.

transcript interview similarity difference prefix antonym adjective sentence homophone synonym verb base word syllable phrase

Suggested reading • <http://www.alfredsisley.org/> for information about the famous artist • Monet and the Impressionists for kids by Carol Sabbeth

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Teaching notes

Text

Comprehension

Teacher information

Teacher information

• The text is a fictional transcript of an interview with Alfred Sisley, the 19th century British artist of the Impressionism school.

• To answer Question 7, students will need to consider poverty as a relative term. Someone who has lost most of his vast wealth and now considers himself poor may still be far wealthier than someone who has always struggled to earn enough money to provide for himself and his family.

• In addition to introducing Alfred Sisley, the text also gives a brief explanation of Impressionism and its reception by art critics of the time.

Introduction

Introduction • Students summarise each section of the transcript.

• Students should discuss what they know about Impressionism. Have they heard of it? Can they name any Impressionist artists or paintings?

• Do any of the students already know of Alfred Sisley? What do they know about him?

• Teachers should have some of Alfred Sisley’s paintings for students to view (paper or slideshow). Students say what they feel about the paintings, giving reasons for their opinions.

Development • Read and discuss the text, as a whole class or in groups.

Assist students to decode new words if necessary. Discuss the meaning of any new or unfamiliar words and phrases.

Question individual students to gauge their understanding of what they have listened to or read. Students should also be encouraged to ask questions about parts of the text they are unsure of. Students should pay attention to the punctuation, which will help them to read more fluently, pausing in the correct places, and using correct intonation.

• Students research and summarise the main features and techniques of Impressionist art.

Development • Discuss the comprehension activities on page 116, then allow students to complete the page independently. Compare their answers to questions with varying answers.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students look at the artwork of the painters that Sisley studied with (Bazille, Monet and Renoir). They choose one of these and compare his life and work with Sisley’s.

• Less capable students compare one artist with Sisley; more capable students compare all three with Sisley.

Review • Students discuss their work in small groups.

Differentiated individual/paired/group work • Students view a copy of Sisley’s The lane of poplars at Moret, which has been stolen three times. Images are available online at <http://www.wikiart.org>.

• Students critique the painting, writing what they like and dislike about it, and giving reasons for their opinions. They should mention the Impressionist style and the use of light and colour.

• More capable students produce a more detailed critique.

Review • Students discuss their critiques in small groups.

• The class votes on whether they like the painting or not.

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Teaching notes (continued)

Word knowledge Teacher information • The activities on page 117 focus on prefixes, antonyms, synonyms, homophones, homonyms, base words and syllables.

Answers Comprehension 1. capturing the effect of natural light and colour; short, thick brush strokes; applying fresh colour to wet paint to enhance the blurred effect 2. (a) Both his parents were born in England.

Introduction • Re-read the text, explaining that the focus will be on words. While reading the text, ask students to circle the two words that have had the prefix ‘im-’ added to make them negative (immature, impossible).

Development • Revise the prefixes ‘dis-’, ‘extra-’, ‘im-’, ‘in-’, ‘ir-’, ‘un-’ and ‘mis-’. Discuss how they can make words opposites, either positively or negatively.

• Ensure students are familiar with the terms ‘synonym’ and ‘antonym’. Give some examples (overweight: a synonym is ‘obese’ and an antonym ‘underweight’).

Students suggest sentences for pairs of synonyms and antonyms, to be written on the board; for example:

4. (a) producing many (paintings)

That tree has beautiful bark./Charlie’s dog has a very loud bark.

(b) His paintings numbered over 1000.

5. (a) Teacher check, answers may include: Maybe because he confined himself to landscape paintings or that he died before Impressionism was embraced by the art world at the World Exposition.

(b) He would have been able to live a grander lifestyle and afford to travel further and paint landscapes in different places.

6. As nature and light change throughout the days and seasons, they create a unique atmosphere to be captured, so a different image from the same location.

7. Teacher check, answers may include: He would have been poor compared to what he was used to, but not as poor as beggars on the street. If he had money for painting materials for his 1000+ paintings, he would also have had some for food and accommodation.

Strong: The boxer has a powerful punch, but the referee looks weak.

• Ensure students are familiar with the term ‘homonym’ and know that it means two different words that are spelt and sound the same. Give some examples of homonyms (left, bark). Students suggest sentences for pairs of homonyms, to be written onto the board; for example:

(b) Yes. He applied for French citizenship, but was refused.

3. Teacher check, answers may include: Similarity – They all painted in the open air. Difference – Sisley painted only landscapes; the others painted other subjects as well.

Word knowledge 1. (a) impersonal

(b) uncomfortable

(c) irregular

(d) disallowed

(e) independent

(f) extraordinary

2. Teacher check

3. (a) outcome

(b) productive

(c) sudden

(d) sustained

• Discuss the word knowledge activities on page 117, then allow students to complete the page independently.

4. (a) to put/add

Differentiated individual/paired/group work

6. (a) ped-es-tal

(b) cap-ture

(c) u-nique

(e) par-ti-ci-pate

(f) ap-pre-ci-a-ted

• Ask students to re-read the text and write lists of words with one, two, three, four and five syllables.

• Less capable students should write two words for each syllable count; more capable students at least six.

(b) to ask for

5. (a) find (d) at-mos-phere

(b) seek

7. Sisley did not reach his 60th birthday before he died but he was nearly there; from his years of birth and death, it can be calculated that he was in his 60th year.

Note: There are only two words in the text with five syllables: participated and appreciated.

Review • As a class, compare word lists.

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Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley – 1

Text

Read the transcript of an interview.

Ellen Winfrey: Tonight, we meet a man who, of all the Impressionist painters, remained the most faithful to its unique style.

Ellen Winfrey: Is that what you think?

Alfred Sisley: It was never our intention, but if that was the result, that’s wonderful. We loved to capture the Please welcome the celebrated English Impressionist, images of the great outdoors, which is available to Alfred Sisley, 1839–1899. everyone, not just those in the upper levels of society.

Alfred Sisley: Thank you and good evening to you all. I’m Ellen Winfrey: And you have personal experience of delighted to be up and about again.

the upper and lower levels of society ...

Ellen Winfrey: Alfred, please tell us something about your Alfred Sisley: Impressionism was so different; it was life as Britain’s most prolific Impressionist artist. hard to find galleries willing to exhibit our work. This made selling paintings almost impossible. I was lucky Alfred Sisley: Well, I’m honoured to be claimed by Britain, that my father was able to give me a regular allowance but I feel I must set the record straight. Although my parents so I could live comfortably. But this came to an abrupt were both English, I was born and spent most of my life in end when he lost all his money in the war of 1870. I France. My parents moved to Paris from England before I was 31 years old. From then until my death, I lived in was born. Father was in the silk business and Mother had poverty. I was the only one of our group not to achieve a great interest in music. I did travel to England when I fame in my lifetime. was 18. My father wanted me to study business and follow him into the family firm, but I’m afraid my heart wasn’t in it Ellen Winfrey: But you did sell some of your work? and I returned to Paris.

Alfred Sisley: In 1874, about 30 painters participated Ellen Winfrey: ... to begin your painting career? in an independent exhibition and from that, I actually found a patron, someone who was willing to finance Alfred Sisley: Yes. I studied at the workshop of Gleyre, me for a while. This allowed me to travel to London for the Swiss artist. It was there I met Frederic Bazille, Claude a few months, where I produced several paintings of Monet and Auguste Renoir. We would all paint together in the Thames, near Molesey. While the subject remained the open air. The purpose of this was to capture the true constant, nature around it did not. The atmosphere of effect of natural light and colour, for which our work became each piece is quite unique. so well known. I was exclusively a landscape painter, unlike the others.

Ellen Winfrey: It’s so sad that your work was not widely appreciated at the time. You could have been a rich Ellen Winfrey: This style was so man. Your paintings numbered over 1000 and they different from what had gone before. are much sought after.

How well was it received?

Alfred Sisley: Yes, the World Exposition came just Alfred Sisley: Not very well a little too late for me, but I’m happy my work was at all. Our short, thick brush appreciated eventually. I understand The lane of strokes were criticised as they poplars at Moret has been stolen three times, but didn’t give sharp edges; and thankfully, recovered each time! applying a fresh colour to wet paint increased this blurred Ellen Winfrey: So Alfred, you were the English artist effect. People were so used who was born, lived and died in France. to artwork that looked like a photograph, they thought our Alfred Sisley: That is correct. I spent 54 of my near style was very immature and 60 years living in France, but when I applied for French childlike. Also, we painted citizenship, I was refused! ordinary scenes that people would be familiar with, rather Ellen Winfrey: That remains France’s loss and Britain’s than grand portraits or battle gain! Alfred Sisley, thank you for joining us tonight. scenes.

Alfred Sisley: My pleasure ... and now I think I’ll lie The ‘art police’ thought our work was dragging the form down again. Goodnight. down: taking it off a pedestal and bringing it to the ordinary people.

My learning log When I read this interview transcript, I could read:

all of it.

most of it.

parts of it.

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Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley – 2

Comprehension

1. What are the main features and techniques of Impressionism?

2. (a) Why was Alfred Sisley considered to be English even though he was born, and spent most of his life, in France?

(b) Did he ever want to be considered French? Give evidence to support your answer.

3. Write one similarity and one difference between Alfred Sisley and the other Impressionist painters in his group.

Similarity

Difference

4. (a) What is meant by the word ‘prolific’ in ‘prolific Impressionist painter’?

(b) What evidence from the text supports this description of Alfred Sisley?

5. (a) Why do you think Sisley was alone in not achieving success in his lifetime?

(b) How might his later life have been different if he had been successful before his death?

6. What reason does Sisley give for painting the same scenes many times?

7. Describe the level of poverty you think Alfred Sisley endured. Explain why.

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easy.

I found Q

Developing comprehension skills and word knowledge (Year 6)

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interesting.

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Interview from the past – Alfred Sisley – 3

Word knowledge

1. Choose a prefix and write an antonym of each adjective. dis-

extra-

im-

in-

(a) personal

(b) comfortable

(c) regular

(d) allowed

(e) dependent

(f) ordinary

ir-

un-

2. Write a sentence that includes the word from the text and its homophone. (a) straight, strait (b) sought, sort (c) scene, seen (d) piece, peace 3. Rearrange the letters to find a synonym for each word from the text. (a) result

c e m o o t u

(b) prolific

c d e i o p r t u v

(c) abrupt

d d e n s u

(d) constant

u s a n e i s t d

4. In the text, Alfred Sisley uses two meanings of the verb ‘to apply’. Explain the meaning of the verb in each context. (a) … and applying a fresh colour to wet paint …

(b) … when I applied for French citizenship …

5. Circle the base word of each verb. (a) … I actually found a patron …

find

found

(b) … they are much sought after …

seek

sort

6. Separate each word into its syllables and circle the one that is stressed when reading the text. (a) pedestal

(b) capture

(c) unique

(d) atmosphere

(e) participate

(f) appreciated

7. In the phrase, ‘I spent 54 of my near 60 years …’, what does ‘near 60 years’ mean?

I can / can’t use prefixes to make antonyms of words.

My learning log

Colour:

I understand / need more practice on homophones.

I know / don’t know how to separate words into syllables.

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Fit for life

Text

Read the speech.

Keeping fit does not mean the same as playing sport.

Many people do not participate in sporting activities because they do not understand the rules or feel they are not good at them. Often, parents and sports coaches emphasise winning rather than playing for enjoyment or health. This attitude contributes to a dislike of sport in general and an unwillingness to play. Even though the idea of taking part in sport is abhorrent to many people, this does not mean they want to live, or should be destined to live, an unfit life.

Keeping fit refers to looking after your physical health.

In an age when modern technology has greatly reduced the need or desire for movement, keeping fit is more important than ever. As a paediatrician and a university professor of child health, I have discovered through research that a poor diet and lack of exercise in young children is increasing their risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. A recent study shows that today just over 30% of primary school students and 25% of preschoolers are overweight or obese.

The foundations of adult health are laid down in childhood.The habits you develop now will be with you for life. Take time to consider your current lifestyle.

Be honest with yourself. Is it healthy? Are you active during the day? Do you spend many hours a day using a computer or tablet? Can you see where you can make improvements?

A young animal’s natural inclination is to be active. Can you imagine any young animal choosing to sit for hours, crossed-legged, in front of a computer screen, instead of being active? When you reduce your activity, your metabolism slows down. But when you’re less active, you also have more time to snack on foods like potato chips and sweets. Think about it. You’re less active, you burn fewer calories, you eat more food. What do you think is going to happen? You don’t need to be a genius to work out the answer!

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We need to take a broader view of fitness.Team sports are not the only way to keep fit. People uninterested in group sports may find individual physical activity more appealing. Swimming, gymnastics, martial arts, bowling, diving, golf, running, ice-skating, tennis or dancing are all excellent forms of physical activity. Involvement in these types of physical activity contributes to a more active lifestyle.

There are many other ways to keep fit that don’t involve team or individual sports; for example, get around by walking, cycling, skating or riding your scooter; walking the dog; meeting friends to have fun at a local park or the beach instead of at each other’s homes; planning a picnic in a local park and walking around it after eating; helping your parents in the house or garden. Have you ever considered what great workouts hanging out the washing, weeding, washing windows or cars, vacuuming and ironing can be? Have you considered walking to a friend’s house nearby or to the local shops rather than asking a parent to drive you? Sometimes, being more active just requires a simple change in thinking.

Whatever you choose, it all adds up.

Keeping fit is easy. The difficult thing is the initial step, making the decision to change your ways. But this decision must come from within you. Others are important for motivation and support but without your commitment, it will always be an uphill struggle.

Make being active fun by varying the activities. That way you will never tire of being physical. Be consistent.

Stick with it and the results will show. Just try it! You may be surprised how easy it is to be fit! Being fit can be addictive. The more you do, the more you want to do. Life is easier when you feel fit. You can cope with life’s worries better and you feel good about yourself.

Your future is in your hands!

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Name:

Class:

Fit for life

Date:

Assessment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Comprehension

1. Which statement summarises the main idea of the text? (a) Many people are unfit. (b) Keep fit by playing sport. (c) Keep fit by being more active every day.

1 mark

2. What qualifications does the author have that tells you he or she is an expert on the topic?

1 mark

3. What evidence does the author use to support his or her opinion?

2 marks

4. Circle Fact or Opinion after each statement. (a) 25% of preschoolers are overweight or obese.

Fact

Opinion

(b) Coaches emphasise winning rather than playing sport for enjoyment.

Fact

Opinion 1 mark

5. What is the main idea of paragraph 6?

2 marks

6. Name one activity at home that can be used to increase physical fitness.

1 mark

7. Tick what the author includes in the speech to make it more effective. (a) Questions to make the reader think. (b) Exclamation marks to add emphasis. (c) Arguments for and against the topic.

2 marks

8. True or False?

The author believes that adult health is closely related to health habits established in childhood.

True False

1 mark

Total for this page

/11

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Name:

Class:

Date:

Fit for life

Assessment – Word knowledge

1. The word ‘abhorrent’ in paragraph 1 means: (a) hateful, disgusting.

(b) familiar, known.

(c) not normal, unusual.

1 mark

2. Separate each word into its morphemes. (a) unwillingness

(b) uninterested

(c) preschoolers

(d) involvement

1 mark

3. Find words in paragraph 7 that could be replaced with these words. (a) choice

(b) first

(c) dedication

(d) steady

1 mark

4. Rewrite each phrase without its apostrophe. (a) a friend’s house (b) you’re less active

1 mark

5. Use your dictionary to find and write a meaning for the adjective ‘addictive’.

1 mark

6. Separate each word into syllables and circle the stressed syllable. (a) emphasise

(b) contributes

(c) natural

(d) metabolism

1 mark

7. Complete the table by changing words from the text.

Noun

Adjective

Adverb

addictive activity easier

greatly

1 mark

8. Choose a prefix and write an antonym for each word.

dis-

un-

in-

(a) active

(b) willing

(c) like

(d) regular

ir-

1 mark

9. Choose the correct homophone. (a) I bought a (b) The

(current/currant) bun from the bakery. (beach/beech) tree in our garden is huge.

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Assessment – Teacher information

Fit for life Genre: Speech Breakdown of question type/content and mark allocation Comprehension

Word knowledge

Q 1. Summarising

1 mark

Q 1. Word meanings

1 mark

Q 2. Finding information

1 mark

Q 2. Morphemes

1 mark

Q 3. Finding information

2 marks

Q 3. Synonyms

1 mark

Q 4. Sorting facts and opinions

1 mark

Q 4. Apostrophes

1 mark

Q 5. Identifying main idea

2 marks

Q 5. Word meanings

1 mark

Q 6. Finding information

1 mark

Q 6. Syllables

1 mark

Q 7. Identifying effective writing

2 marks

Q 7. Nouns, adjectives and adverbs

1 mark

Q 8. Sorting true and false statements

1 mark

Q 8. Prefixes and antonyms

1 mark

Q 9. Homophones

1 mark

Subtotal

Subtotal Total for this assessment

Assessment answers Assessment – Fit for life Word knowledge ................................................................ Page 120

Comprehension .................................................................. Page 119 1. (c) Keep fit by being more active every day.

1. (a) hateful, disgusting

2. a paediatrician and university professor of child health

3. Research into diet and health of young children; Study showing that just over 30% of primary school students and 25% of preschoolers are overweight or obese.

(c) pre/school/er/s (d) involve/ment

4. (a) Fact

(b) Opinion

5.

There are many ways to keep fit besides being involved in team or individual sports.

6. Answers will vary but may include hanging out the washing, weeding, washing windows or cars, vacuuming and ironing.

2. (a) un/will/ing/ness (b) un/interest/ed 3. (a) decision

(c) commitment

(b) you are less active

5. Causing or likely to cause someone to become addicted.

6. Stressed syllable is in bold.

(c) nat/u/ral

8. True

(d) consistent

4. (a) house of a friend

7. (a) Questions to make the reader think for themselves. (b) Exclamation marks to add emphasis.

(b) initial

(a) em/pha/sise

(b) con/tri/butes (d) me/tab/o/lism

7.

Answers will be similar to those below. Teacher check.

Noun

Adjective

Adverb

addict, addiction

addictive

addictively

activity

active

actively

ease

easier

easily

greatness

great, greatest

greatly

8. (a) inactive

(b) unwilling

(c) dislike

(d) irregular

9. (a) currant

(b) beech

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