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Part 2: Anh Do. (2011) The Happiest Refugee. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin

SECONDARY LESSON PLAN

YEAR LEVEL & SUBJECT: Year 9 English DATE:

Where this lesson fits in the bigger unit: Introduction of novel to
LESSON DURATION: 75 minutes
Identityunit.
TOPIC/FOCUS: Cultural Understanding of Identity Comparing Cover Pages
VIC CURRICULUM STATEMENTS:
(VCELA431) READING AND VIEWING Language Expressing and developing ideas
(VCELA432) READING AND VIEWING Language Expressing and developing ideas
(VCELT435) READING AND VIEWING Literature Literature and Context
(VCELT435) READING AND VIEWING Literature Responding to literature
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (INCLUDE LINK TO VIC CURRICULUM in brackets next to each objective):
The students will be able to:
- Identify and analyse the authors choice of words and symbols on covers (VCELA431) (VCELA432).
- Compare cultural context of identity between to similar texts covers (VCELT435).
- Formulate judgements of how this book may fit into the unit of Identity (VCELT435).
SUMMARY OF RESOURCES REQUIRED:
Laptop
Student Work books
Students creative writing piece
LESSON PROCEDURE
GOALS & METHODS OF EVALUATION
STEPS OF THE LESSON
TIMING RESOURCES (including specific informal and/or formal
(key activities and key questions)
assessment links to Vic Curr)
Opening (links to previous lesson/s or new topic, purpose of lesson):

10 Class: Build a mind map deconstructing the meaning/contradictions of

the title The Happiest Refugee.
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Lesson Development:

15 Groups: Jigsaw activity Discuss The Happiest Refugees covers

visual and textual aspects. (see Appendix A)

15 Groups: Compare Growing up Asian in Australias covers visual and

textual features in comparison to The Happiest Refugees (see
Appendix B)

Class: Discuss - How do you think these novels cultural contexts fit
with the idea of identity?

Closure (Options include summarising or reflecting on the learning

achievements/analysing errors; preparation for future lessons etc):

20 Individual: Design individual cover page for students personal Personal memoir Formal formative
memoir creative piece from previous lessons (refer to Appendix C) assessment (VCELT448) (VCELY449)

SECONDARY LESSON PLAN

YEAR LEVEL & SUBJECT: Year 9 English DATE:

Where this lesson fits in the bigger unit: Chapter 3 reading and discussion LESSON DURATION: 75 minutes
TOPIC/FOCUS: The Role of Language
VIC CURRICULUM STATEMENTS:
(VCELA452) SPEAKING AND LISTENING Language Language variation and change
(VCELT454) READING AND VIEWING Literature Examining Literature
(VCELT437) READING AND VIEWING Literature Responding to Literature
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (INCLUDE LINK TO VIC CURRICULUM in brackets next to each objective):
The students will be able to:
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- Identify various groups that language allows you to belong to (VCELA452).

- Compare the theme of language and belonging in similar texts (VCELT438).
- Examine own role of language on students sense of belonging (VCELT437).
SUMMARY OF RESOURCES REQUIRED:
- Growing up Asian in Australia The Beat of a Different Drum
- Student work books
- Students Chapter Analysis Booklet
LESSON PROCEDURE
GOALS & METHODS OF EVALUATION
STEPS OF THE LESSON
TIMING RESOURCES (including specific informal and/or formal
(key activities and key questions)
assessment links to Vic Curr)
Opening (links to previous lesson/s or new topic, purpose of lesson):

5 Groups: Students construct lotus diagram showing various groups

students belong to that have their own language i.e. Teenagers,
online communities How does language reinforce membership of
10 these groups?

Lesson Development:

20 Class: Read The Beat of a Different Drum as a class. Analyse how the
story demonstrates the role of language in a community.

Group: Read extract from Anh Dos chapter 3. Compare how the
10 stories represent the role of language and discuss the difficulties
around language in the contexts for refugees in both books.

15 Groups: The tuckshop lingo - Critical problem solving (Appendix D) Informal formative assessment
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Closure (Options include summarising or reflecting on the learning

achievements/analysing errors; preparation for future lessons etc):

10 Individual: Answer critical question in Chapter Analysis Booklet -

How does language effect peoples construction of identity?
(Appendix E)

SECONDARY LESSON PLAN

YEAR LEVEL & SUBJECT: Year 9 English DATE:

Where this lesson fits in the bigger unit: Chapter 4 reading and discussion. LESSON DURATION: 75 minutes
TOPIC/FOCUS: Humours Uses
VIC CURRICULUM STATEMENTS:
(VCELA431) READING AND VIEWING Language Expressing and developing ideas
(VCELA432) READING AND VIEWING Language Expressing and developing ideas
(VCELA429) READING AND VIEWING Language Text structure on organisation
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (INCLUDE LINK TO VIC CURRICULUM in brackets next to each objective):
The students will be able to:
- Identify and explain the use of humour and imagery (VCELA432).
- Explain how Do has used humour when talking about confronting topics (VCELA431).
- Argue humour as a useful technique for conveying the authors intentions (VCELA429).
SUMMARY OF RESOURCES REQUIRED:
- Laptop
- Abstract The Happiest Refugee (pg. 86-8)
- Student work books
LESSON PROCEDURE
GOALS & METHODS OF EVALUATION
STEPS OF THE LESSON
TIMING RESOURCES (including specific informal and/or formal
(key activities and key questions)
assessment links to Vic Curr)
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Opening (links to previous lesson/s or new topic, purpose of lesson):

Individual: Ticket into class student shares a quote from home

5 reading that represents a struggle for newly arrived refugees in
Australia.

10 Class: Discuss humour as a literary techniques.

Lesson Development:

15 Groups: Skim, Scan, Compare Activity critical reading of the text and
responding to critical questions (see Appendix F)

20 Pair: Rewrite the extract as a recount and respond to critical

questions (refer to Appendix G)

Groups Discussion: Is humour a useful way to expose readers to Informal formative assessment
10 confronting issues or does it take attention away from the issue itself? (VCELA429)

Closure (Options include summarising or reflecting on the learning

achievements/analysing errors; preparation for future lessons etc):

5 Individual: Students list the keys ideas from the lesson and why they Informal formative assessment
were important.

SECONDARY LESSON PLAN

YEAR LEVEL & SUBJECT: Year 9 English DATE:

Where this lesson fits in the bigger unit: Consolidating understanding of book
LESSON DURATION: 75 minutes
after finished reading
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TOPIC/FOCUS: Interview with the author

VIC CURRICULUM STATEMENTS:
(VCELT437) READING AND VIEWING Literature Responding to literature
(VCELT435) READING AND VIEWING Literature Literature and content
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (INCLUDE LINK TO VIC CURRICULUM in brackets next to each objective):
The students will be able to:
- Reflect on why the genre of memoir is gaining popularity(VCELT437)
- Pose critical cultural questions to the author (VCELT435)
- Construct answers to own questions based on judgements of material in novel (VCELT435)
SUMMARY OF RESOURCES REQUIRED:
- Laptop
- Students own devices
LESSON PROCEDURE
GOALS & METHODS OF EVALUATION
STEPS OF THE LESSON
TIMING RESOURCES (including specific informal and/or formal
(key activities and key questions)
assessment links to Vic Curr)
Opening (links to previous lesson/s or new topic, purpose of lesson):

15 Individual: Students visit Goodreads website/ to search for a type of

memoir of potential interest.
http://www.goodreads.com/genres/biography

Whip around class: Each share one memoir students may be

interested in reading later

10 Discuss The rising popularity of reality and memoir.

Lesson Development:

10 Class: Watch Leigh Sales interview Do for ABC Televisions 7.30 2011.
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3278641.htm
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10 Groups: In groups develop three more interview questions for Anh

Do. Refine questions as a class. Teacher to ensure there are a range of
critical questions related to cultural contexts.

Pairs: Students answer questions responding as Do using evidence

20 from The Happiest Refugee to best answer his question. Informal formative assessment
(VCELT435)
Closure (Options include summarising or reflecting on the learning
achievements/analysing errors; preparation for future lessons etc):

5 Class: Reflect on anything that you may have missed while reading the Informal formative assessment
novel that this activity highlighted for you.

SECONDARY LESSON PLAN

YEAR LEVEL & SUBJECT: Year 9 English DATE:

Where this lesson fits in the bigger unit: Second lesson of essay writing skills
LESSON DURATION: 75 minutes
Body Paragraphs
TOPIC/FOCUS: Gathering and explaining evidence
VIC CURRICULUM STATEMENTS:
(VCELT447) WRITING Creating literature
(VCELT448) WRITING Creating literature
(VCELY450) WRITING Interpreting, analysing, evaluating
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (INCLUDE LINK TO VIC CURRICULUM in brackets next to each objective):
The students will be able to:
- Create a way to visually represent that theme without words (VCELT447)
- Explain using students own words how that evidence relates to the theme and evidence (VCELT454)
- Review and edit students own texts (VCELY450)
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SUMMARY OF RESOURCES REQUIRED:

Laptop
Student Work books
LESSON PROCEDURE
GOALS & METHODS OF EVALUATION
STEPS OF THE LESSON
TIMING RESOURCES (including specific informal and/or formal
(key activities and key questions)
assessment links to Vic Curr)
Opening (links to previous lesson/s or new topic, purpose of lesson):

Class: Timed activity - students create a contention from example Informal formative assessment
5 essay question find three examples from text to support their
contention (Appendix H)

10 Individual: Write a TEEL paragraph focusing on the first example.

Lesson Development:

Groups: Recreate the example visually in freeze frame. Provide a one

15 sentence ONLY explanation of how the scene evidence fits with the
contention.

Class: Students receive freeze frame feedback and explanation from

30 peers and teacher after performance of each.
Closure (Options include summarising or reflecting on the learning
achievements/analysing errors; preparation for future lessons etc):

10 Pairs: Return to paragraph and edit it after group task and feedback Informal individual formative assessment
(scaffolding in Appendix 1)
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Appendix List

Appendix A

Text:

1. What can you see?

2. Identify key words. Do they tell us what the novel is

about?

3. What do the words tell us about the content of this novel?

Images

1. Identify key images within the text.

2. Do the images reveal what the novel is about?

3. Can you tell what sort of genre this book belongs looking
at the images only.

First Image to be projected onto screen as is and teacher pose and write critical questions on
board. Photo from https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/biography-
autobiography/The-Happiest-Refugee-Anh-Do-9781742372389
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Appendix B

Photos from https://www.penguin.com.au/jpg-large/9781863951913.jpg

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Appendix C - Year 9: Building you own memoir ideas

Build your own cover page to your identity reflection piece using words and images that capture
your identity. Reflect on the choices your making when creating the page and provide a paragraph
explaining them below it.

Title:
How would you describe your reflective piece?
What will it say? How will you say it? (title/subtitles)
(words/phrases/adjectives/nouns)
What type of font will you use? Will you use colour?
Where will it be positioned on the page?

Images:

What sort of image(s) relate to my reflective piece?

How does it relate to how I see my own identity?
Will there be one central image or many?
How will colour be used in my cover?
Will there be more images than words?

Reflection:

In what way does this cover reflect your

identity?
How will the words and images work on your
page together to portray this identity?
Does this a completely accurate interpretation
of your identity? WHY/WHY NOT?

Appendix D
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Critical Problem Solving Task

Language unites people with a sense of belonging and identity. But what
happens if you dont know the language in the country you live in yet?

Consider your own canteen at school and design a tuckshop bag that
could help students like Simon to communicate easily what they want to
order for lunch.

Consider things such as:

- The use of symbols/tables/words/charts/boxes

- Different style of language
- What sort of things do they need to communicate?
- Will they need to write on the order or not?
- How will this effect choice of food?

Appendix E

From the Year 9 The Happiest Refugee Chapter Analysis Booklet

Activity 3.1.2Reflective Task:

Reflect on the question How does language effect the construction of identity? Answer the
question considering how language effects minority groups such as refugees in Australia and
reflecting on your own experiences (3-5 sentence paragraphs).

Appendix F

Skim, Scan, Compare, Contrast Task - Steps

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1. Students skim the extract (pg 86-88) highlighting key words, images that help them
understand the passage.
2. Students to provide a quick idea about what the paragraph is about.
3. Students to scan through the reading again focusing on humour within text and discuss
this as a class.
4. Discuss how you as the audience is positioned by the humour in the text.

Appendix G

Appendix H

Example Essay Question:

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Appendix I
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