English Unit Planner

EDF3306 Assignment Two Jessica Kelb & Emma Wearne
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Planning Assignment: Where the Forest Meets the Sea

This plan outlines the implementation of a unit of work based around the book Where the Forest Meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker
(1987). Primarily focusing on literacy learning outcomes, it also serves learning outcomes in the curriculum areas of history, science
and mathematics. It is designed to be integrated into the regular curriculum of a Grade Five or composite 4/5 or 5/6 classroom
over a number of weeks, addressing a range of topics and developing relevant skills. The final two weeks of the unit are dedicated
to students completing a culminating project during allocated class time and also as homework for that period.

AusVELS Standards

AusVELS standards (VCAA, 2013) provide the framework within which we planned our learning outcomes. While we aimed for
broad learning experiences incorporating elements from across the curriculum, the following specific learning standards are the
ones we focused on through the lessons and culminating project. These standards correspond with the learning outcomes
specified in the second column of our planner, with a concentration on Level Five standards for this particular unit of work.

These Literacy standards relate to all parts of this unit both the final project and the unit of work:

Understand how to use banks of known words, as well as word origins, prefixes and suffixes, to learn and spell new words
(ACELA1513)
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Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and topic as well as the degree of formality (ACELA1504)
Understand that the pronunciation, spelling and meanings of words have histories and change over time (ACELA1500)
Understand how to move beyond making bare assertions and take account of differing perspectives and points of view
(ACELA1502)
Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal
effects appropriate for different audiences and purposes (ACELY1796)
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and
multimodal elements (ACELY1700)
Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources
(ACELY1703)

These History standards relate to week 3,4 and 5 of this unit and the final projects about endangered animals, family history and
environmental change:

Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS099)
Identify questions to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS100)
Identify and locate a range of relevant sources (ACHHS101)
Locate information related to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102)
Identify points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104)
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Develop texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source materials (ACHHS105)
Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS106)

These Science standards relate to week 2 and 3,of this unit and the final projects about endangered animals, and environmental
change:

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena
(ACSHE081)
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples lives (ACSHE083)
Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE217)
With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an
investigation might be (ACSIS231)
With guidance, plan appropriate investigation methods to answer questions or solve problems (ACSIS086)
Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS218)
Suggest improvements to the methods used to investigate a question or solve a problem (ACSIS091)
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)

These Mathematics standards relate to week 1 and 3,of this unit and the final projects about endangered animals, and family
history:
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Interpret and use timetables (ACMMG139)
Interpret and compare a range of data displays, including side-by-side column graphs for two categorical variables (ACMSP147)

Unit of Work: Lessons

The picture book Where the Forest Meets the Sea (Baker, 1987) serves as inspiration and foundation for this unit of work. The
text was selected for what it does not explicitly say, the way it uses illustration to suggest a meaning but is always wide open to
interpretation. In contrast to the looseness of the text, the location is tight, real and specific laying an ideal foundation for studies
of the natural environment and how people live in and affect it.

This unit of work is planned in a sequence that maximizes opportunities for students to become engaged with the text through a
range of topics and curriculum areas. Maintaining a focus on literacy learning outcomes, the first four weeks incorporate thematic
spelling words and dictation examples to use in regular literacy programs and rotations building oral language listening skills,
spelling skill, and comprehension skills while providing further stimulus on the weekly topic. Each lesson week comprises a longer
lesson incorporating tuning in, discussion, planning and commencement of publishing a small-scale text response to the topic. This
not only offers a balanced development towards the three literacy learning outcomes, with both formal and informal opportunities to
read, write, listen and speak, but allows for a substantive introduction to each topic with time to reach back into the inspirational
picture book text.

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The literacy outcomes we identified for Level Five were situation diverse, that is, we designed a range of repeated activities to
develop student competence and confidence in formal public speaking and informal debate and discussion; making effective notes
when researching and writing for purpose, audience and effect; reading analysis of data and reading narrative prose. In selecting
History and Science learning outcomes, along with some Mathematics, we sought to provide a variety of applications for these
developing skills that would also enhance learning outcomes for those complementary curriculum areas.

Week One
Two lessons comprise week one, including a double introductory session. We have included a recommended time based on
predicted energy and engagement of students.

Relevant Learning
Outcomes
Integrated Literacy
Activities
Assessment
Lesson 1 Tuesday 9am 11am (including a fruit break)
Introducing the book
Teacher to read book without pictures (5 mins)
Discussion of some of the imagery conjured by the
words/story. Open up the questions raised by the book: What
kind of place is this set in? What kind of flora/fauna do you
see? What was there one hundred million years ago? How
has it changed and what will be there in the future? What has
caused the changes? (Whole group discussion facilitated by
teacher) (15 mins)
Oral language -
listening and
responding;
Writing narrative
development;
Reading
comprehension
and interpretation.
Spelling Words:
students to select 5.

Ancient
Aboriginal
Forest
Watch
Listen
Informal: Discussion
participation,
confidence of oral
presentation

Formal: Meeting of
criteria for the
individual response
'
Introduce individual response to text activity: Students
roughly illustrate their vision of the setting of the story, and
caption with a paragraph explaining where it is, who is telling
the story, what the place used to be like, what has caused it
to change, and how it might look in the future. The illustration
can be of the setting in past, present, or future (40 mins)
Circle share to present work and small oral explanation (30
mins)
Read story from book with pictures (10 mins)
Discuss what the author told us with her pictures, compare
with what we conveyed with ours/compare our interpretation
(10 mins)
Because
Twisted
Past
Present
Future

Guided reading:
guided reading mini-
lessons should utilize
a factual text about
rainforests or similar.
activity; spelling test
Lesson 2 Thursday 2:30pm 3:30pm
Locating the story
Flick through the book again as a class, taking time to enjoy
and observe the illustrations. Chat about the physical setting
and environment as you go. Read the final page which
explains the factual basis for the book and introduces the
area (10 mins)
Look at a map of the area on a projector or EWB (5 mins)
Make our own maps of Far North Queensland using an A3
piece of card or cover paper, using a template or stencil.
Name, title and scale. Use a piece of tracing paper to make
an overlay showing the location and area of the Daintree
Reading
researching
information;
Writing
handwriting and
synthesising;
Mathematics
mapping and
scale; Science
Dictation: In 1988,
Queensland
rainforests were
made a World
Heritage Site
Informal: Observation
of student work and
quality of result
(
Rainforest (15 mins)
As a class research the major flora and fauna and climate of
the region, reviewing and discussing research strategies and
writing things in your own words (10 mins)
In the remaining time students can add their own annotations
to the Daintree overlay describing things we have found out
through our research (15 mins)

Week Two
Week two focuses on the natural environment of Australia and how it has changed over time, focusing on humans and how they
influence the environment why and how do humans have the greatest impact of all animals? The week comprises two lessons,
again including a longer one early in the week to re-access and re-interpret the text through this lens.

Relevant Learning
Outcomes
Integrated Literacy
Activities
Assessment
Lesson 3 Tuesday 9am 10:30am (including a fruit break)
The Problems of Human Impact on Australia
Discuss what we remember from last time, to recap and
refresh our memories. Discuss the pictures we drew (which
will be now up around the classroom) and the book with a
particular focus on how the world has changed and why. Use
questions to prompt student thinking: How has the world
changed? What effect does the weather have on the
Oral language -
listening and
responding;
Writing writing
for a defined
audience, using
Spelling Words:

Change
Century
Hunting
participation; effective
commencement on
mini-project

Formal: Spelling test
)
environment? What effect have humans had on the
environment? (15 mins)
Discuss some endangered and extinct animals native to
Australia and brainstorm ideas for conservation. Link this
back to the animals in the book that are shadowy and ghost-
like - discuss what the author was trying to represent by
doing this (15 mins)
Students create a text to inspire others to help save our
environment, this can be a poster, letter, ad, poem, song etc,
in groups or individually. Students must include 5 of the
words from our spelling list in their work, they must also
identify the problem, what caused it and their solution (30
mins)
pictures to support
words; Reading
comprehension
and assessing
relevance of
research; Science;
Early History
Deforestation
Extinct
Endangered
Human
Destruction
Preserve
Protect
Habitat

Guided reading:
a factual text about
the colonization of
Australia.
Hopeful Human Impact on Australia
Finishing off mini-project to save our environment (15 mins)
Students to present ideas to the class by reading, performing,
acting and so on (30 - 45 mins)
Time permitting, facilitate a discussion about how our ideas
compared and why.
Writing
handwriting and
synthesising; Oral
language public
speaking, listening
and responding;
Science; History
Dictation:
Cassowaries live in
the Daintree
Rainforest. They
belong to a group of
birds called ratites,
also known as
Informal: discussion
participation

Formal: Completion
of the text and the
degree to which it
meets AusVELS
*
Dinosaur Birds standards; Quality of
oral presentation
clearness of voice,
confidence, relevance
of information

Week Three
Week three narrows our focus onto endangered fauna of Australia, including those previously endangered but now extinct. The
importance of visual connection to the ideas behind words continues, fostering personal engagement through observation.

Relevant Learning
Outcomes
Integrated Literacy
Activities
Assessment
Lesson 5 Tuesday 9am 11am (including a fruit break)
Endangerment and Extinction
A discussion on animals from Australia's past and present
with a particular focus on extinct and endangered animals
with an emphasis on how they came to be this way. Use
pictures of these animals to help the students connect with
the discussion. After ensuring students understand the
differences between, endangered and extinct the discussion
will be guided to how they came to be this way and the effect
humans had on this decline of numbers in animal and plant
species. How did they end up this way? What can we do to
help? We can encourage a deeper meaning for the students
Oral language -
listening and
responding;
Writing
handwriting and
word processing,
using pictures to
support words,
editing for
efficiency and
Spelling Words:
Australia
Endangered
Human
Quoll
Numbat
Flying fox
Koala
Bilby
participation; effective
commencement on
mini-project

!+
creating a desire for students to make a change in the world
around them. (15-30 mins dependent on how much prior
knowledge students have)
Students will then be instructed to undertake and complete a
project about an endangered animal following the guidelines
of the project. Build a list of endangered animals of Australia
together and then students to choose one animal to research
for a mini project. Introduce the guidelines and expectations
for this project. (15 mins)
This mini project will encourage students to learn as much as
they can about the habits of their chosen animal and come up
with a way they think is best to help save these animals.
Guiding aspects of this project:
1. Must be an endangered animal from Australia
2. They need to be able to report on the habitat in which
the animals lives, giving a basic summary of what its
habitat looks like, where it can be found and why the
animal lives there.
3. Find out five interesting facts about their chosen
animal with an explanation as to why they find it
interesting
4. Offer an idea in which to overcome the animals current
predicament, and attempt to encourage others to
participate in this solution.
meaning; Reading
comprehension
and assessing
relevance of
research; Science
Goanna
Wombat

Guided reading:
a narrative text about
a human-animal
relationship, e.g.
animal resuce
!!
5. Be able to present this information in front of the class
with a clear voice, present valid information and
answer any questions peers might have about their
project
Students will be allowed to take their posters home to work
on them. (~1.5 hours)
Todays Endangered Animals and Us
Add any finishing touches to posters (15 mins)
Students to display posters to rest of class in an allocated
gallery area, each student has a brief question and answer
time about their posters (45 mins)

Writing
handwriting and
synthesising; Oral
language public
speaking, listening
and responding;
Science; History
Dictation: Formal: Completion
of the text and the
degree to which it
meets AusVELS
standards; Readiness
and confidence to
discuss their poster
and topic.

Week Four
The final week of whole class activities turns to human relationships taking place in the previously studied environment. Exploring
student understandings of early contact between indigenous people and Europeans, particularly those based on popular depictions
of history, and seeking out the tools which can offer more insight and truth.

Relevant Learning
Outcomes
Integrated Literacy
Activities
Assessment
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Lesson 7 Tuesday 9am 10:45am (including a fruit break)
Human on Human Impact
Look at the illustrations from the book where indigenous
people are depicted as ghosts. Compare with the similar
depictions of extinct animals, and consider what is actually
extinct about those people shown. What do we know about
how people lived in Australia before Europeans started
settling here? (20 mins)
Small groups develop a short play or skit depicting how they
envision and understand early contact between indigenous
Australians and Europeans. They should go for no more than
2 minutes, and can be from any perspective as long as it
serves the story. Workshop with support from teacher (40
mins)
Student groups perform for each other. After each skit, the
audience can give feedback particularly including any
perceived inaccuracies or offensive depictions. The teacher
should tabulate the disputed information and who the
disagreement is between. Do not reveal why you are
recording this, but stimulate the contention and debate
probing for evidence. (45 mins)
Oral language -
listening and
responding;
Writing writing
for a defined
audience, using
pictures to support
words; Reading
comprehension
and assessing
relevance of
research; Science;
Early History
Spelling Words:

Indigenous
Empire
England
Holland
Indonesia
Endeavour
European
Settlement
Exploration
Colony

Guided reading:
a narrative with
themes of difference
and acceptance
participation; strength
of viewpoint
communication and
performance

Resolving Misconceptions
!$
Teacher presents the summary of disputed information from
the skits, and allocates individuals or pairs to each side of
each debate. (5 mins)
Explain the research objective for the next 20 minutes: to
produce quality evidence that your assertion is correct.
Revise what is quality evidence and where you could begin to
look for it (20 mins)
Both sides of each dispute stand side by side and offer their
evidence to the teacher and class, concessions are welcome
from those who could not find any evidence for their
viewpoint. Discuss and assess provided evidence orally and
take votes where any doubt remains (30 mins)
Reading
researching;
Writing preparing
notes, persuasive
language use; Oral
language public
speaking, listening
and responding;
History
understanding
historical sources
Dictation: English
colonisation of
Australia in 1788
affected many
people, and sparked
constant conflict
between different
groups of people.
Informal: discussion
participation; use of
quality evidence;
confidence and clarity
of oral argument

Unit of Work: Culminating Project

These assignments have been based around our previous work on the book, Where the Forest Meets the Sea (Baker, 1987). By
giving students a basic foundation for each option of the project we were able to give students a taste of each topic and then allow
them to take charge of their own learning, finally choosing a project that interests them most. This helps to cement the previous
learning in the unit by touching on each topic we have giving students an opportunity to broaden their general knowledge and by
offering them a choice in their culminating project they have the choice of which field the wish to become an expert in, although
teaching in this way required extra effort on the teachers behalf, it offers a most enriching experience for the students.

!%
The following project instructions and assessment rubric (pages 15-17) are to be distributed to students during week four, and will
serve as homework over the following two weeks class time should also be allocated in the form of two single lessons through
each week. The final text in each option reflects the learning outcomes across the three literacy aspects, as well as at least one of
the other curriculum areas. All of these projects relate in some way to the text Where the Forest Meets the Sea (Baker, 2013), and
the previous work in the unit offer students the foundations on which to build their project and knowledge on.

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Choose CnL of Lhe followlng pro[ecLs Lo compleLe as we flnlsh our work wlLh Lhls wonderful
book.

resenL a pro[ecL proposal and rough deslgn brlef Lo your Leacher by Lhe end of Lhls week
for approval.

!"# %&'# ()* '+# ,)-./#'#% .*)0#,' 12// 3#4
56%&67#*#% 862-&/9 (1 person)
llnd more ln depLh lnformaLlon abouL your prevlously chosen anlmal.
Answer Lhese quesLlons: Pow many of Lhese anlmals are lefL (or esLlmaLed
Lo be lefL)? Were Lhey endangered before humans found Lhem? Why or why
noL? WhaL has lead Lo Lhe desLrucLlon of Lhe hablLaL and whaL could sLop lL?
bulld a Llmellne of Lhe anlmal decllne over Lhe years/ lncludlng
lncrease ln populaLlon lf LhaL has occurred
draw a plcLure of your hablLaL and anlmal
lnclude 8 (new!) lnLeresLlng facLs abouL your anlmal ln your pro[ecL
presenL lL ln a way LhaL ls easy Lo undersLand
:29')*2,&/ ;/&< (1-2 people)
1hls can be puppeLs, or acLors.
WrlLe a sLory abouL colonlsaLlon. ?our play can be from elLher
perspecLlve, Luropean or lndlgenous. 1hese represenLaLlons
musL be researched, lnoffenslve and falr.
ScrlpL musL be produced ln a flnal copy before play.
CreaLe Lhe puppeLs, props & cosLumes you need.
1he play should go for 3-3 mlnuLes.
56=2*)6-#6'&/ >+&67# ?')*< (1 person)
8ased a sLory on a place you know well and how you Lhlnk lL wlll change
over Lhe years. 1hls could be a descrlpLlve sLory abouL change of a
flcLlonal sLory, such as a sLory abouL you growlng old and how Lhe world
around you changes.
your sLory musL be aL leasL 13 pages long
lllusLraLe and publlsh a flnal copy you can read Lo Lhe class
you musL lnclude Lhe words, change, Llme, dlfference, hablLaL,
growLh, desLrucLlon and AusLralla
sLory musL be properly puncLuaLed and spelllng musL be checked
@&-2/< :29')*< (1 person)
CreaLe a famlly Lree, researchlng back as far as you can.
wrlLe a leLLer Lo one of your ancesLors Lelllng Lhem abouL llfe Loday
research Lhe counLry your famlly orlglnaLed from (lf you don'L know
use AusLralla) & draw a map of your counLry, wlLh 3 lnLeresLlng
Lhlngs abouL LhaL counLry
draw Lhe flag of Lhls counLry
presenL your flnlshed leLLer and famlly Lree Lo Lhe class
!'
Marking Rubric for Where the Forest Meets the Sea Final Project

Student Name/s: .. Project type: ..

Unsatisfactory/
incomplete
Fair Good Great Excellent
Overall presentation of
the project including
appearance and
presentation to the class.
Work has not been
completed.
No effort has been given
to any part of the
presentation

Students spoke in an
unclear voice and lacked
understanding in their
topic
Work has been completed but
not to the best of the students
abilities.

The student spoke in an
understandable voice but
lacked clarity and did not
show a confidence in the
information they were
relaying.
Work was handed in on time
and completed to a
satisfactory level.

Students were clear in their
presentation and showed
some understanding of their
topic. The presentation
clearly shows research and
some understanding of the
topic
Work was handed in on time
and was completed to a high
standard.

Clear and accurate
representation of
information. Student spoke
clearly and with confidence
showing a clear
understanding of the topic
the were presenting.
Work was handed in a time and
completed to an exemplary standard
and was presented well.
Work is presented to the best of the
child's abilities, thought and effort
have been given to create and
interesting presentation on their
chosen topic.
Students spoke clearly and relayed
information confidently and showed
a clear understanding of their topic
Writing, vocabulary,
punctuation, spelling and
clear understandable
writing.
Work was incomplete,
or not handed in on time.
Writing is present but more of
an effort could be made to
create a flowing context.

Punctuation and spelling are
present but at a low standard.
Handwriting is legible.
Writing is understandable
and structured.
Punctuation and spelling is at
an acceptable standard.
Handwriting is legible and is
easy to read.
Writing is consistent and
structured. Punctuation and
spelling are at a good level
showing clear indications the
work has been proofread.
Handwriting is clear and
easy to read.
Writing is flowing and well
structured. Punctuation and spelling
are at an exemplary level showing
clear evidence work has been proof
read. Handwriting is clear and easy
to read.
Relevant/ correct
information.
Work was incomplete,
or not handed in on time.
Information has been
collected but it has not been
interpreted (copy pasted) or
the information is not correct
collected and an attempt has
been made to interpret it
showing the student does
have some understanding of
the topic.
collected and interpreted to
a high level showing a good
understanding of the topic
and information provided.
Students show enough
understanding they could
relay this information to
others effectively.
Information has been collected and
interpreted to an exemplary level
showing clear understanding of the
topic and can relay information in a
manner the educates others
!(

Unsatisfactory/
incomplete
Fair Good Great
Family history Incomplete or not
handed in.
An attempt has been made to
collect relevant data and it has
been presented.
An attempt has been made to collect
relevant data and it has been presented
in a way that informs others.

Research has been conducted to collect relevant
data and it has been presented in a way that
informs others and is engaging and interesting.

Environmental
change
Incomplete or not
handed in.
been presented.


Endangered
animals
Incomplete or not
handed in.
been presented.


Historical play Incomplete or not
handed in.
been presented.


!)
Culminating Project Rationale and Relationship to Where the Forest Meets the Sea:

Historical play: we chose this as one of the options for our project because of the book introduces the idea that people were living in
Australia prior to colonisation of Europeans. This was a fantastic lead in to Australias history particularly the settlement and conflict
between Aboriginal people and Europeans, in which students can explore our past in an objective and understanding way and
display their interpretations of history through a play.

Endangered animals: The book shows representations of shadowy animals and people indicate things that were there and aren't
now, which offers an excellent lead in to endangered and extinct animals. While this may be an area of interest for students, many
may not have had the chance to explore this interest in detail, and this project offers students that chance.

Environmental change: The very last page in this book depicts a picture of the island in a few years time, offering shadowy images
of things that are likely to happen in the future, with this information students are asked to create a story of how they think the world
will change over time and why they think this will happen, some students are more creative in their interpretations and creating a
picture book gives students a chance to share their opinions in a safe and creative way.

Family tree: Whilst discovering your family tree and what your family did before you can be riveting and fascinating, it also offers
students a chance to objectively look at life and how it has changed over the years (with particular emphasis on environments).
This project is another one relating to the last page in the book Where the Forest Meets the Sea, but this project does not prompt
!*
students to think about how the world will change. It encourages them to focus on how it has changed and the way that is affecting
or has affected the world we live in today.

#+

References
Baker, J. (1987). Where the Forest Meets the Sea. Australia: Walker Books
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2013). Level 5. Retrieved from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Level5

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EDF3306 Assignment Two Jessica Kelb & Emma Wearne

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