English Unit: Narratives

Year level/Class 6/7

Number of lessons 5

Topic Creative Writing – Narratives

& (Focus area from AC: HPE)
Students demonstrate knowledge of narrative structures
Student Outcomes (in own by including exposition, conflict, climax and resolution in
words) their narrative texts.

Students demonstrate an understanding of language

conventions by including correct grammar, punctuation
and dialogue in their narrative texts.

Students manipulate Information and Communication

Technologies to confidently create, edit and publish their
narrative texts.

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ACARA Year 6:

Strand: Language

Sub-strand: Text structure and organisation

Curriculum content descriptor: (ACELA1518)

Strand: Literature

Sub-strand: Creating Literature

Curriculum content descriptor: (ACELT1618)

Year 7:

Strand: Language

Sub-strand: Creating Literature

Curriculum content descriptor: (ACELT1625)

Achievement standards:
Year 6:
 Analyse and explain how language features, images
and vocabulary are used by different authors to
represent ideas, characters and events.
 Create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a
range of purposes and audiences.
 Demonstrate an understanding of grammar, and make
considered vocabulary choices to
enhance cohesion and structure in their writing.
 Use accurate spelling and punctuation for clarity.
Year 7:
 Demonstrate understanding of how the choice
of language features, images and vocabulary affects
meaning.
 Create structured and coherent texts for a range of
purposes and audiences.
 Demonstrate understanding of grammar; use a variety
of more specialised vocabulary and accurate spelling
and punctuation.

General capabilities:
 Literacy – Students express thoughts, present ideas,
interact with others and use language confidently for
learning and communicating.
 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Capability – Students use ICT to create and
communicate information and ideas.
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  Personal and Social Capability – Develop personal
and social capability as they learn and understand
themselves and others.
 Critical and Creative Thinking – Students generate
ideas and apply new ideas in specific contexts.

Cross curricular perspectives:

 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and
Cultures – Indigenous Dreaming stories.

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Activity/Topic Analysis Lesson 1 – Planning/Sizzling starts
Scope of topic
Student prior learning  Students work individually to brainstorm multiple
ideas (concept map) before settling on one to inform
their narrative.
- Characters, setting and title.
- Beginning/exposition.
- Problems/complications.
- Resolutions/endings.
- Climax.
 Students work individually to begin their narrative
expositions in their English workbooks.
- “Begin with a moment of change”.
 Include an example of a concept map/good narrative
start.
 Reminders – dynamic dialogue/show, don’t tell/ban
the boring (prior learning).

Lesson 2 – Tightening tension

 Students work individually to begin writing their
narrative complications in their English workbooks.
- Focus on one major complication.
- What are the characters doing?
- Does it make sense?
- Know your ending/resolution!
 Include example of a good narrative complication.
- Long and strong (characters should almost fall).

Lesson 3 – Dynamic dialogue/Show, don’t tell/Ban the

boring
 Students work individually to begin writing their
narrative endings/resolutions in their English
workbooks.
- Climax and resolution.
- How have the characters changed?
- Does it make sense?
- Include example of a good narrative
resolution/ending.
 Individual reflection task:
- What aspects of your narrative are you most
pleased about?
- What improvements can you make to your
narrative?
- How are you going to make these improvements?

Lesson 4 – Final draft

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  Students work individually to finish their narrative
drafts. Must be at least a page and a half.
 Students receive constructive peer-feedback from the
person next to them about their narrative drafts.
- What was good/interesting?
- What can be improved?

Lesson 5 – Good copy/Editing

 Students chose a format to create their narrative good
copies.
- Microsoft word.
- Handwritten.
- Screenplay/script.
- PowerPoint.
- Narration/Illustrations.
 Students work individually to create, edit and publish
their narrative good copies.
- Add/omit content.
 Apply what has been practiced.
- Dynamic dialogue.
- Show, don’t tell.
- Ban the boring.

Lesson 6 – Finishing off lesson

 Students have a free lesson to finish off their
narratives, making final edits in preparation for
submission.
 Narratives must include:
- Title.
- Author.
- Paragraphs.
- Correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Back-up activity – Indigenous Dreaming stories

 Students engage in reading Indigenous Dreaming
stories.
- Tiddalik the Frog.
- Rainbow Serpent.
- Emu and the Jabiru.
 Students form small discussion groups and compare
the language features, structures and content observed
in Indigenous Dreaming stories with that of the 7 steps
model.

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Specific skills, Knowledge,
Understandings to be
developed through the
topic
What MUST you teach this particular group of students?
· Students must create a concept map demonstrating
their ideas for their narrative texts.
· Students must create a narrative draft, which includes
an exposition, complication, climax and resolution.
· Students must create, edit and publish a narrative good
copy, which includes a title and author.

What SHOULD you teach this particular group of

students?

· Students should include visual texts

(images/illustrations) in their narrative texts.
· Students should include correct language conventions
(grammar, punctuation, paragraphs, etc.) in their
narrative texts.

What COULD you teach this particular group of

students?
 Students could investigate Indigenous Dreaming
stories and compare their language features, structures
and content to the 7 steps model.

 Building relationships with students in order to

Implications for Teaching develop trust and discover their specific needs, interest
and abilities.
 Establish classroom norms and expectations that
students adhere to consistently.
 Ensure emotional safety by promoting inclusivity,
empathy and sensitivity towards others.
 Use open-ended questions to gauge student
understandings of key information, cues and other
content.
 Always speak clearly and concisely, ensuring you are
not speaking too fast, or too slow. Avoid monotone
expression and stagnant body language.

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  Provide visual and audial aids for students to refer to
throughout the learning experiences.
 Encourage peer-assessment and communication
through partner work and small group exercises.
 Provide specific feedback and praise where applicable.
 Provide multiple entry and exit points for students to
work through the activities at their own pace.
 Provide progressions and extensions for more capable
students to ensure they are challenged and have the
opportunity to reach their full learning potential.
 Adapt the learning activities to suit the learning needs
of all students.

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Assessment Formative Assessment:
· Observation and note taking of student
engagement, effort, behaviour and interactions
with peers.
· Peer-assessment task following narrative draft
completion.
· Individual reflection task halfway through learning
unit.

Summative Assessment:
 Multimodal summative assessment – Students
chose how they would like to present their
narrative texts from the following options:
- Microsoft Word.
- Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Handwritten.
- Booklet.
- Screenplay/script.
- Students can also chose include narration,
illustration.
 Teacher observations and note taking (journal)
Moments for evidence throughout the unit in relation to behaviour,
collection (identify three, engagement, effort and interactions with peers.
provide overview of what  Student work samples including rough drafts, good
each involves) copies and concept maps.
 Peer/self-assessment – Written feedback.

· Laptops.
Resources
· IPads.
· PowerPoint.
· English workbooks.
· Pens/Pencils.
· Erasers.
· Rulers.
· Coloured pencils/textas.

Links to other Learning The Arts – Students engage in visual arts by incorporating
Areas illustrations and images into their narrative texts.

AWrench: 2017 EDUC 4209