Integrated Unit of Work: Western Australias biodiversity, threatened species and their conservation.

Overarching Outcomes (CF):

1 English 5 Connections, Patterns & Relationships Thinking Laterally Science Understanding Australia 9 Global Community

Year Level: 5/6

13

Rights and Responsibilities

2 3 4

Mathematics Inquiry Learning Finding Technological Solutions

6 7 8

10 11 12

Creativity Growth & Wellbeing Collaboration & Independent Learning

These refer to the Overarching Learning Outcomes in the Curriculum Framework (1998:18-19)

English Program: Language

(ACELA1504) Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and topic as well as the degree of formality. Elaborations: becoming familiar with the typical stages and language features of such text types as explanation and informative text and how they can be composed and presented in written, digital and multimedia forms. (ACELA1797) Investigate how the organisation of texts into chapters, headings, subheadings, home pages and sub pages for online texts and according to chronology or topic can be used to predict content and assist navigation. (ACELA1524) 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. Elaborations: (1) observing how sequential events can be represented visually by a series of images, including comic strips, timelines, photo stories, procedure diagrams and flowcharts, lifecycle diagrams, and the flow of images in picture books (2) observing how concepts, information and relationships can be represented visually through such images as tables, maps, graphs, diagrams, and icons.

Literature
(ACELT1615) Identify and explain how choices in language, for example modality, emphasis, repetition and metaphor, influence personal response to different texts. Elaborations: noting how degrees of possibility are opened up through the use of modal verbs as well as through other resources such as adverbs, adjectives and nouns. (ACELT1613) Make connections between students own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts drawn from different historical, social and cultural contexts. Elaborations: recognising the influence our different historical, social and cultural experiences may have on the meaning we make from the text and the attitudes we may develop towards characters, actions and events. (ACELT1616) Identify, describe, and discuss similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator, and evaluate characteristics that define an authors individual style Elaborations: exploring two or more texts by the same author, drawing out the similarities, for example subject or theme and visual techniques in sophisticated picture books

Literacy
(ACELY1700)- Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and multimodal elements. Elaborations: planning a report on a topic, sequencing ideas logically and providing supporting detail, including graphics, sound and visuals to enhance audience engagement and understanding (ACELY1701) Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text. Elaborations: explaining how the features of a text advocating community action, for example action on a local area preservation issue, are used to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1704)Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience. Elaborations: using research from print and digital resources to gather and organise information for writing (2) selecting an appropriate text structure for the writing purpose and sequencing content according to that text structure, introducing the topic, and grouping related information in well-sequenced paragraphs with a concluding statement (3) using vocabulary, including technical vocabulary, appropriate to purpose and context (4) using paragraphs to present and sequence a text. (ACELY1709) Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions. Elaborations: (1) using strategies, for example pausing, questioning, rephrasing, repeating, summarising, reviewing and asking clarifying questions (2) recognising that closed questions ask for precise responses while open questions prompt a speaker to provide more information (ACELY1713)Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of textual sources including media and digital texts. Elaborations: (1) making connections between the text and students own experience or other texts (2) making

General capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities

Identify and describe the general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities that will be targeted in the unit. Delete those that do not apply.
Literacy Numeracy ICT capability Critical and creative thinking Ethical behaviour Personal and social capability Sustainability

connections between information in print and images (3) finding specific literal information (4) using prior knowledge and textual information to make inferences and predictions (5) asking and answering question (6) finding the main idea of a text (7) summarising a text or part of a text

Reading Groups

Spelling Groups

Group 1 2 3 4 5

Members Mark, Ursula, Zachary, Phoebe, Ivan Elizabeth, James, Fiona, Georgia, Adam, Harry Lucas, Alice, Christopher, Brendan, Oscar, Daniel Karen, Natasha, Robert, Sally, Wendy Chloe, Tristan, Jane, Vinnie, Yolanda

Focus vocabulary, informational comprehension decoding/word attack, informational comprehension vocabulary, informational comprehension fluency, informational comprehension informational comprehension

Group 1 2 3 4 5

Members Mark, Ursula, Zachary, Phoebe, Ivan Elizabeth, James, Fiona, Georgia, Adam, Harry Lucas, Alice, Christopher, Brendan, Oscar, Daniel Karen, Natasha, Robert, Sally, Wendy Chloe, Tristan, Jane, Vinnie, Yolanda

Focus WWP (mid)- S&A (late) LNA (late) S&A (mid) WWP(late)-S&A (early) DR (early)

There will be a class focus on comprehension of information/non-fiction texts.

Prior Knowledge
Students have focused on persuasive texts in earlier years and can identify the language features and structure of persuasive writing. Students understand that life on earth occurs in ecosystems which support each other.

Exemplar Texts
List the exemplar texts that will support this unit of work books, picture books, music, poetry, DVDs, etc. Lester, A., and Tulloch, C. (2011) One Small Island. Australia: The Penguin Group Baker, J. (1991) Window Australia: Greenwillow Books Baker, J (2004) Belonging. London: Walker Books Marsden, J., and Tan, S. (1998) The Rabbits. Sydney: Hachette Livre Australia Gunston, M (executive Producer) (2010) Life: episode 1, Challenges of Life. [Television Broadcast] BBC Worldwide. ozAtlas and Simple Minds ipad apps Healey, J. (Ed.). (2002). Endangered and Introduced Species: Issues in Society vol 174. Rozelle, NSW; The Spiney Press Burbridge, A. (2004) Threatened animals of western Australia. Kensington, WA: Department of Conservation and Land Management Pyers, G. (2000) Endangered Animals of Australias Deserts. Victoria: Echidna Books. Devil Island, Behind the new episode 31 (aired 30/10/2012) Crew, G. (2008) The cat on the Island. Australia: Harper Collins Publishing

Links to other learning areas

This unit links to Science and Mathematics.

Unit Overview (Forward Planning Document)

Context/Intent
WA is home to one of the 25 global biodiversity hotspots, the risk of extinction is become more and more important in the sixth mass extinction period. There are many threats to threatened species (many of which are caused by humans) But people are taking action- how are species conserved?

Deep Knowledge and Understandings

Identification and understanding of the threats Australian endangered and threatened species face. What methods can and are being used to conserve these species? (What can I do?)

Skills Processes/Values/Attitudes
Constructs a presentation using ICT to outline the conservation measures being taken to protect threatened species in Western Australia Investigates the local biodiversity of the school Reports findings in a written report including self-constructed tables and utilising structures of information texts (including graphs/diagrams/images).

Science Science as Understanding ACSSU 043 ACSSU 094 Science as a human endeavour ACSHE 217 Investigations in science ACSIS 086 ACSIS 090 ACSIS 093 Language ACELA 1504 ACELA 1797 ACELA 1524

English (Literacy)
Literature ACELT 1615 ACELT 1613 ACELT 1616 Literacy ACELY 1700 ACELY 1704 ACELY 1709 ACELY 1711 ACELY 1701 ACELY 1708 ACELY 1709 ACELY 1713 Number and Algebra ACMNA 098 ACMNA 105 ACMNA 131

Mathematics Measurement and geometry ACMMG 109 ACMMG 143 Statistics and Probability ACMSP 118 ACMSP 119 ACMSP 120

Animals have particular features or adaptations which help them to survive. Identify adaptations of particular animals Discuss why animals may want to have adaptations? Benefits vs. losses. Where do animals live? Why do they live in different places? View Life by David Attenborough (ep 1, the challenge of Life) and identify some of the adaptations in this video and how this benefits the animals. What Threats are posed to wildlife in Australia? Re-visit One Small Island and identify all of the threats to wildlife on Macquarie Island. Class session using the Carnabys Cockatoo as example- students create mind maps outlining the reason for their decline. Introduce the HIPPO Acronym habitat destruction, introduced species, population growth, pollution, and over-consumption. Research one of these threats and write a short newspaper-style article on how they affect native wildlife. Brainstorm and link all the threats that endangered species in Australia face.

Reading Comprehension of nonfiction and information texts. Using cues and images to aid in comprehension Developing fluency through repeated and modelled reading Reciprocal reading of nonfiction reports Structure of nonfiction texts. Viewing Exerts of David Attenboroughs Life series. Identify particular features/adaptations animals have to survive, and relate this to their choice of habitats (Science). Advertising- students design their own advert for a home for an endangered species. View a Behind the News story about the conservation measures taken to reintroduce the Tasmanian Devil. Speaking and Listening Retell of the story of one small island, voice over one page per student and compile a class story of the history of Macquarie Island. Present a story of a threatened species decline and conservation measure being taken to save it in Western Australia, using the story One Small Island as a model (as part of formative assessment). Use ICT to create a presentation. Writing Identify and list threatened species of Western Australia and why they are so. Short creative writing on a character from The Cat on the Island Write your own letter in support of an environmental cause to a local member or parliament Write a report outlining your scientific investigation into the species present in your school. Word Study Create a word wall of some of the technical terms which will be used across this unit, such as conservation, threatened, species, adaptations and habitat, distribution, biodiversity Spelling Each spelling group will do their daily Words Their Way word sorts, as well as their weekly spelling list for testing at the end of each week. Few thematic words added to each list per week to ensure correct spelling.

Looking at Species Decline Many threatened species around the world are in decline, more so than ever before Identify patterns in decreasing species numbers (investigate what percentage the species numbers decrease annually.) There are many threats to species One of the most important threats to endangered species is habitat loss due to land usage. Use tables provided in the Biodiversity Australia teachers resource pack (pp31) to see the uses for land in Australia. Convert these figures into percentages/decimals and arrange along a line from most to least Overlay a Cartesian plane onto distribution maps of threatened species and determine the points for where the historic and current distribution are now located. How much space should we conserve? Weve identified that endangered species have many threats and that conservation measures include setting aside reserves and parks for them to live in- but how much space do we actually need? 2 If a one numbat requires an area of at least 500m to live in, how many 2 numbats can an area of 5000m support? Calculate the perimeter of rectangles representing conservation areas by physically measuring them in the playground, representing them visually on paper, and comparing them to others (for example- twice/half the size).

Conducting Scientific Investigations Measures such as conservation require scientific fact to base decision upon. What conservation decisions are being made and why? Listen to a speaker from a conservation group to hear what they do to conserve species and why.

Wildlife in Your Local Area What species live in your local area? Discuss how scientific investigation can provide us with this information. Plan a survey of the different species that live in and around the school- what information will you collect? Why would you want to know this? How will you collect it? (In preparation for the final, summative assessment).

Investigating local biodiversity How many species are present in our local area/school? How can we find out? Conducting a field survey of the school grounds will enable us to find out. Asking the question, data collection and recording and representation of this data in appropriate tables and graphs will be required for this. If the area can be calculated that was surveyed then this investigation can 2 extend to calculate how many species/m are present at the school.

Mid:Program Activity: Assessment (Week 3) Students research and write their own story of an animal and their conservation- includes images and pictures. They present this at a forum for their peers- in groups they present, as there are choices of particular species (Western Swamp Tortoise, Numbats, Chudditch, Gilberts Potoroo, Noisy Scrub bird or Dibbler). The format for this presentation will be that of a non-fiction story, similar to that seen by the students in One Small Island.

End of Program/Culminating Activity: Assessment (Week 5) Students Design and undertake a scientific investigation in the form of a field survey in their school. They must report their findings in a written report, including their own calculated graphs and tables to illustrate their findings (also images if desired). Based upon these results and their knowledge of species threats and conservation what can they tell us about the wildlife in the area? Can they suggest a reason why this is? This report must also include why scientific inquiries such as this are important.

Unit Outline (Weekly, these are not lesson plans, BUT what you plan to cover throughout the week taken from your Unit Overview ):
KEY: Whole Class Week (when)

Small Group

Individual

Group Literacy Focus Structure (what and how) (classroom arrangement)

Listening and Viewing Picture book Reading Comprehension of non-fiction texts Structure of nonfiction texts

Selected Learning Outcomes (CF or AC) ACELA 1713

Teaching and Learning Activities (what and how)

Resources (teaching aids, student requirements)

Copy of the book One Small Island (big book if possible)

Assessment Type F Formative S-Summative D-Diagnostic

Introduce the topic and investigate the non-fiction text Read One Small Island by Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch Identify the themes of the book ( introduced species, human impact on animals and conservation) Why would the author chose this topic to write about? What sort of a text is it? Why would they design this book this way, and not in a more formal way, given that it is a non-fiction text? Introduce the topic vocabulary through a word wall Brainstorm in groups words associated with the topic of conservation and wildlife on the ipad Begin to create a word wall for the classroom with definitions of the technical scientific terminology that will be used in the unit of work, some of which were used in the book, some that will be used in unit (conservation, introduced, species, predator/prey, extinction, adaptation, habitat, biodiversity). One small island Retell. Retell and comprehension activity relating to the book. Students must cut out and paste parts of the story in the correct order into their workbooks, they may then illustrate this. Each student will make their own retell. Text Structure of Informational Texts (guided work with the teacher) Using the book Endangered Animals of Australias Deserts identify features of information texts. Identify why we use informational texts, clarify what we want to know or find out. How can we use this books structure (sub headings/glossaries) to help us comprehend the text? How can I find specific information in the text without having to read it all? What information can we get from the pictures and tables of the text? Students will answer questions relating to that text using non-fiction text features. Groups will select an Australian animal from ozAtlas app and read through the information provided for them. Write a brief Animal Profile using the information to create a piece of written work. The summary must be written in paragraphs, divided by subheadings. This can be written in students workbooks.

ACELA1704

Vocabulary Development Subject specific technical terminology

Simple minds ipad app Area set aside in classroom for word wall

ROTATION ONE ACTVTIES Activity one Activity two

ACELY 1713

Reading Comprehension (retell)

Copy of One Small Island Cut-out sheets with major story events on them. There can be different sheets for each group. Pages 6-11 of book photocopied for student use. Compile questions for students to answer using the book.

ACELY 1504 ACELA 1524

Reading Comprehension of nonfiction texts Structure of nonfiction texts Writing Answering comprehension questions

Activity three

ACELY 1713 ACELA 1504

Reading Comprehension of information text to create a written piece Writing Note-taking, summarising and organising information ICT Use of ipad app as information source- navigation through the app.

Ipad app Oz Atlas

Activity four

ACELA 1524 ACSIS 090 ACELY 1713 ACMSP 120

Activity five

ACELY 1713

Each student is given a copy of the table from On Borrowed Time (p41). Write what the relationship is between the figures next to the table. Interpret what is happening in the table and pose explanations why. Questions at the end- comment on which would be an easier way to show this information, the figure or the text? Why? Can you draw a picture of what the table is telling you on a map (distribution of species decline)? Download the Behind The News story Devil Island regarding threats to and conservation of the Tasmanian Devil onto the class laptops. Students will view this story using headphones. They will then provide written responses to the BTN questions relating to the story.

Viewing Observation of the visual elements of a text (table) and comprehension of the data within it. Writing Communicating the same information in a written form. Viewing Viewing and comprehending/remembering the content of the five-minute report. Writing Responding to the report in a written form

Copy of the table for each of the students, with space underneath to write.

Spelling Students are divided into their WTW spelling groups Word sorts Add in a few of the technical/topic words for students to have in spelling lists Investigating Adaptations and Habitats View excerpts of Life (episode 1; the Challenges of Life) by David Attenborough, focusing on survival in Antarctic conditions. What adaptations are required for harsh environments, such as the Australian desert or living in Antarctica? What requirements would a frog living in suburbia require in a habitat? Design a frog pond in a small group that would provide an adequate habitat for a frog living in the school, which will be refined and constructed later in the term. Introduce the formative assessment to the students Students select an animal they want to research Outline and create inquiry journals (adapted from Searfini., 2004) where they will be able to take notes and evaluate and organise their information, teacher to explicitly state how to use them. Outline expectations for assessment (research from 2 sources plus a website, needs pictures and/or tables) Modelled writing of an information text As a class, use the Carnabys Cockatoo as an example and read through its fact sheet. Identify the threats it faces by taking notes in the inquiry journals Then use this to construct a paragraph under a threats subheading- including a topic sentence, information and concluding sentence. Students each complete their own as the teacher models it. Class reads the picture book Window by Jeannie Baker. What is happening through the sequence of pictures? What message is the author trying to convey? How does that relate to our topic? Why has the author chosen to represent this change in a purely visual way? Draw your own narrative about the environmental changes that have occurred for a

Spelling Letter Name Alphabetic Within Word Pattern Syllables and Affixes Derivational Relations Viewing Watching and responding to non-fiction informational DVD. Writing Identifying and listing, based on the viewing, adaptations of particular animals.

Episode 36 of BTN (31/10/2012) available online. Copies of the questions (only use appropriate questions/create some of own) WTW spelling sorts designed for each group Selected 2-3 topic words for spelling this week Life disc one- has been previously watched to know where to skip to.

(s) Weekly spelling test on students words as well as topic words.

ASSU043 ASSU094

ACELA 1504

ACELA 1524

Reading Nonfiction (information) text structure Comprehension of nonfiction information Writing Note-taking Paragraph construction Text structure Reading Comprehension of a fiction text Identifying the meaning Viewing Responding to the purely visual nature of the

Copy of the Carnabys Cockatoo Fact Sheet Vanishing Carnabys Cockatoo (pdf).

Copy of Window for class to read. Construct storyboard type sheets for students to draw their sequential

threatened species

book- why is it like this? How does it get meaning across? Reading Text and author comparison between the two books- similarities and differences in structure/visuals, investigation into authors intentions Viewing Comparison of the images between two pieces of work by the same author- responding to similarities and differences.

illustrations in.

ACELT 1616

Comparing texts After reading window the class will new read Belonging by Jeannie Baker. Students will complete a think, pair, share activity on the similarities and differences between the two books.

Incursion

ACELY 1704

Talk by the school or a local librarian How to research non-fiction texts in the school or local library; where to look, how to use and where to start. What are the threats to our native species? Class read Cat on the Island by Gary Crew. What is the story about? How do you think the grandfather feels about his part in the story? How do you know this? What does it mean to be extinct? (add to words wall) Write a short story or poem about this book from the point of view of a character other than the grandfather. Reading group activities relating to non-fiction text comprehension. Guided Reading with Teacher. Each group will be provided with an article from the book Endangered and Introduced Species by Justin Healey (ed.) and have a guided reading session with the teacher focusing on areas of weakness. Group One: The Plight of our Species Guided reading focusing on comprehension of the text (looking at how we can make sense of words we do not understandglossary use, contextual reading, students will add any new words they did not know to a personal dictionary). Group Two: Australia is 5th on Extinction list Guided reading focusing on word attack (identify punctuation/paragraphs and spacing features) Group 3: Saving Bugs at Risk Guided reading focusing on vocabulary (highlight unknown words and use comprehension methods/dictionary skills to gain meaningwrite new words down in personal dictionary.) Group 4: How Do Species Become Endangered? Guided reading focusing on fluency (read a passage silently and read-aloud of familiar texts/modelled reading by teacher, choral reading of passages). Group 5: Facts of Life-Australia. Guided reading focusing on comprehension of the text (constructing a summary of what the text is about, where to get the information from, how to note-take and re-write). Research on their threatened species Recording in inquiry journals, Research using books, ozAtlas app and computer-based research into the species

ACELT 1609

Reading Comprehension of the text- themes/messages Character representation Point of view Writing Effectiveness of point of view as an author Creative writing/expressive piece Reading Comprehension strategies for nonfiction and information texts; context/text structure (glossary/sub-headings/visual information) Fluency through modelled and choral reading. Vocabulary Identifying new/unfamiliar words and adding them to personal dictionary Writing Note-taking

Copy of The Cat on the Island.

ROTATION ACELY 1713 TWO

Copy of each of the selected articles for students.

Activity one

(F) At the completion of each literacy rotation (i.e.- the end of the week) literacy books containing students work will be collected and checked for completion and areas where they may be struggling so that focus as a whole class/further group work may be identified.

Activity two

ACELY 1704

Reading Using methods such as skim-reading and looking at headings/navigating to correct area of an article. Writing Note-taking, organisation of ideas ICT Use of ipad app for information, navigation

Ipads with ozAtlas loaded onto them.

Activity three

ACSSU 043

Activity four

Create an advertisement for a home for an Australian desert species. Need to consider the requirements of a desert species (water, shade) Take into account any adaptations that animals have for desert life Illustrate and present as an advertisement poster (A4 size) to be displayed around the classroom Threats to Species. Using the books outlined below, students create brainstorms of all the threats to Australian animals using the Simple Minds app. If time categorise these threats into the HIPPO categories (pp47 Biodiversity worldwide). Groups 1,3,5; Threatened Species of Western Australia Groups 2,4; Endangered Desert Species

through the app to find and filter information. Writing Communicating ideas in the correct format (an advert), choice of language and amount of text used. Reading Skim reading, navigation of a nonfiction text to gain desired information. ICT Recording and oraganising information using an ipad app. Word attack Synonyms and antonyms Syllables and word construction Affixes and their meanings Etymology and word meaning/composition Reading Fluency Ipads with Simple Minds app loaded. Copy of each of the two books.

Activity five

Skills station for each group: Group 1: Synonyms and antonyms- What are they? (students will use the dictionary if unsure)- construct a synonym and antonym table in workbooks for common words/spelling words. Group 2: create syllable strips- breaking down words into syllables and writing these on concertina- folded paper. Group 3: Prefixes and suffixes- what do they mean? Students use prefix and suffix tables and write as many words as they can in their books, along with their new meaning. Group 4: read through a chapter of your silent reading book then read it aloud to yourself and record it on the ipad- listen back to it and re-record- send your best recording to your teacher. Group 5: what does that word mean? A game based upon balderdash where students select a card for an unfamiliar word and must all write a definition, students must decide what the real definition of the word is (use etymology). Activities adapted from Florida Learning Centre Spelling Students will complete their WTW word sorts Students will be given some new thematic words

Incursion

ACSHE 217

ACELA 1504 ACELA 1524

Speaker from a Conservation Group Visit from representatives from local wildlife/conservation groups, (such as Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise/ Friends of the Western Ground Parrot) outlining what they do to protect species and how students can get involved. Students encouraged to ask questions and participate Activity relating to text structure of information text Students take a highlighter and identify features of the text- and write what sort of text is it and why. They must circle the sub-headings, re-order paragraphs and note why any figures/images have been included. Investigate Cultural and background knowledge on how we interpret texts Read The Rabbits By John Marsden and Shaun Tan to class without showing the illustrations. What do we know about rabbits? What do you think this text will be about? Ask students for a written response to this- what is the book about? What themes are in the story? Is it related to our topic of threatened species? What does the term the rabbits relate to? Re-read the story again to the students so that they can see the illustrations- has it changed what you think this story is about? Why? Would it be different if you were unfamiliar with Australias history, would there then be a more environmental

Spelling Letter Name Alphabetic Within Word Pattern Syllables and Affixes Derivational Relations Viewing and Listening Listening to information presented and developing appropriate and relevant questions. Reading Identification of text type and structure

WTW spelling sorts designed for each group Selected 2-3 topic words for spelling this week

S) weekly spelling test

ACELT 1613

Reading Identifying themes and issues arising from a simple story. Viewing Responding to the same text with and without the visual representations- how do visual cues change meaning?

Select an article from Endangered and Introduced Species or Threatened species of WA for this task The Rabbits book

Excursion

reading? What are the implication of representing settlers as rabbits and Aboriginal Australians as native species such as numbats? Are they similar stories? Class Excursion to The Western Australian Museum or Perth Zoo for further education on threatened species of Western Australia and what is being done to conserve and protect them. (Going, going, gone program at the Zoo or Threatened or Thriving program at the Museum.) Students can take notes and fill out activity sheets whilst on the excursion Write a short recount of the day, involving visual elements when returning to school.

ACELA 1504

ROTATION THREE Activity one

ACELA 1713

Writing informational texts Students identify the features of text types (and language features) Look at paragraphs (using sub-headings to separate them)- a cut-out and paste activity to match up paragraphs with their correct sub headings and place them in a logical order. With teacher students will engage in reciprocal teaching task. Students will read the selected text and with the teacher will looks at it by predicting, questioning, clarifying and summarising and recording their responses in writing. Students will be given an article from Endangered and Introduced Species Group 1: Pests and Weeds to Dominate (p 20) Group 2: Frog Decline has scientists on hop (p 34) Group 3: The Plight of Our Species (p.30) Group 4: Land Clearing Wiping out Birds (p 34) Group 5: Invasive Species in Australia (p2) Composing letters in support of conservation measures Students write a letter to their local member of parliament in support of a WA threatened species to encourage them to take an interest in local conservation. Persuasive writing focus. Word attack/vocabulary games Students will play word games such as boggle, scrabble and complete crosswords individually or in pairs. They must pick one activity at the beginning of the lesson and stick to it. Any word lists/crosswords completed must be glued into workbook, other words formed in games must be recorded.

Listening and viewing Listening to the information presented through the education experience at the venue- asking questions and viewing material. Writing Note-taking and finding answers to questions at the venue Brief recount of the day at school. Writing Text structure identification Explicit teaching Reading Nonfiction text comprehension through the use of reciprocal reading strategies. Text selection to cater for needs of students

Example of a report to be cut and glued.

Reciprocal teaching cards with tasks printed on them. Copy of the selected articles for group members.

Activity two

ACELY 1701

Writing Selection of correct text type and language features for writing purpose. Use of paragraphs Vocabulary Creation of new words, developing meaning for words, use of familiar words in games Word attack Developing new words from particular letters/clues. Games will need to be provided

Activity three

Activity four

Repeated reading listening station A recorded copy of The Cat on the Island is provided for students to read along with in the book. Groups may try recording and listening to their own version once they have listened to the modelled reading

Reading Fluency developed through repeated reading and modelled reading

Record The Cat on the Island (if no commercial recording teacher to do). Copy of the book for students to follow.

Activity five

ACELY 1704

Extra research and computer time to prepare presentations. Final time outside of allocated computer time for students to work on their presentations on a threatened species and their conservation.

Reading Comprehension strategies for navigating through a nonfiction text and comprehending information Writing

Laptops for students.

Spelling WTW Word sorts Extra words relating to unit

ACSIS 086 ACSIS 090 ACMSP 118 ACMSP 119 ACELA 1504 ACELY 1704

Plan a Field study of the animals that live around the school. Class brainstorm on what animals/plants live in and around the school How could you test this? Students will begin to design a field survey of the wildlife in the school- planning stages; what do we already know? What do we want to know? How will we collect this information? What do our results mean? How can we share this with the rest of the school? This will be used as the summative assessment piece for the unit. And will be continued over the three subjects (Literacy/Science/Maths) across the remainder of the unit.

Note taking, structure and organisation of notes ICT Use of computers/digital technology to research. Spelling Letter Name Alphabetic Within Word Pattern Syllables and Affixes Derivational Relations Writing Select correct report format for results Organise information Paragraphs Interpretation and communication of results and visual elements.

WTW spelling sorts designed for each group Selected 2-3 topic words for spelling this week

(s) Weekly spelling test

(F) Students present their power point shows about the conservation of a Western Australian threatened species.

(s) Students hand in their written report about the species found in their area. Includes a table and a graph with their results Formatted in report-style with headings, sub-headings, graphs and images.

References:

Serafini, F. (2004). Lessons in Comprehension: Explicit Instruction in the Reading Workshop. Portsmouth, NH : Heinmann. (Enquiry tables adapted from here) Lindenmayer, D. (2007). On Borrowed Time: Australias Environmental Crisis and What we must do about it. Australia: CSIRO Publishing (tables of species decline) Florida Department of Education. (2007). Fourth and Fifth Grade Student Center Activities: Teachers Resource. Florida, USA: Florida Centre for Reading Research. (Adapted these ideas for literacy rotation activities) Watts, M., and Muir, M. (2010). Australian Biodiversity: A resource book of ideas for teachers 2010.Deakin West, ACT: Australian Science Teachers Association. (Table on land usage)