AC English – Literacy: Comprehension and Writing - Year 5

ENGLISH

Literacy Comprehension and Writing

INTERPRETING ANALYSING EVALUATING CREATING TEXTS

Written for the

Australian curriculum RIC-6678 4.2/638

Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension • Writing (Year 5) Published by R.I.C. Publications® 2015 Copyright© R.I.C. Publications® 2015 ISBN 978-1-925201-05-5 RIC–6678 Titles available in this series: Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Foundation) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 1) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 2) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 3) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 4) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 5) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 6) • Writing

Copyright Notice A number of pages in this book are worksheets. The publisher licenses the individual teacher who purchased this book to photocopy these pages to hand out to students in their own classes.

Except as allowed under the Copyright Act 1968, any other use (including digital and online uses and the creation of overhead transparencies or posters) or any use by or for other people (including by or for other teachers, students or institutions) is prohibited. If you want a licence to do anything outside the scope of the BLM licence above, please contact the Publisher.

This information is provided to clarify the limits of this licence and its interaction with the Copyright Act. For your added protection in the case of copyright inspection, please complete the form below. Retain this form, the complete original document and the invoice or receipt as proof of purchase.

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All material identified by is material subject to copyright under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and is owned by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2015.

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.

Date of Purchase:

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Internet websites In some cases, websites or specific URLs may be recommended. While these are checked and rechecked at the time of publication, the publisher has no control over any subsequent changes which may be made to webpages. It is strongly recommended that the class teacher checks all URLs before allowing students to access them.

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Foreword Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: Comprehension and Writing is one of a series of seven books that support teaching and learning activities in Australian Curriculum English. The books focus on the sub-strands of Interpreting, analysing, evaluating and Creating texts within the Literacy strand of the English curriculum.

Where appropriate, the books include interrelated links to other English strands and sub-strands.

Titles in this series are: Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Foundation) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 1) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 2) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 3) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 4) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 5) • Writing Australian Curriculum English – Literacy: • Comprehension (Year 6) • Writing

Contents Format of this book ...................................... iv – v

Please, please, let me!..................................38–41 (persuasive)

Australian Curriculum English links .......... vi – viii

Marium .........................................................42–45

Comprehension strategies ..................................ix

(imaginative)

Text types ..............................................................x

Buy my house ..............................................46–49

Supporting Australian English resources ...........xi

(persuasive)

The world’s worst sister ...................................2–5

Hang-gliding.................................................50–53

(imaginative)

(informative)

Surf Life Saving Australia.................................6–9

Flight .............................................................54–57

(informative)

(imaginative)

Young hero, a lifesaver! ..............................10–13

Travel with us ...............................................58–61

(informative)

(persuasive)

Everyone has to eat, right?..........................14–17

Exotic pets.....................................................62–65

(imaginative)

(informative)

Alligator or crocodile? .................................18–21

Naming the game ........................................66–69

(informative)

(persuasive)

Love ice-cream ..............................................22–25

Indian folklore .............................................70–73

(persuasive)

(imaginative)

A new heart ..................................................26–29 (informative)

The legend of Lasseter’s reef .......................30–33 (informative)

Stuck on the moors .....................................34–37 (informative)

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Teachers notes Format of the book This book includes supporting material for teaching and learning of: • Comprehension strategies and • Creating texts as part of the Literacy strand.

The two sub-strands, on which this series of books focuses, includes the following components: Purpose and audience, Reading processes, Comprehension strategies (Interpreting, analysing, evaluating) and Creating texts, Editing, Handwriting and Use of software (Creating texts). Many of these are included, where possible, in the teaching and learning activities, as well as others within the strands of Language and Literature.

There are eighteen (18) sets of four pages within each book. Each set of four pages relates to a specific imaginative, informative or persuasive text and follows a similar format:

Teachers page The title of the text which the students are reading, comprehending and using as a support for creating their own text(s) is given.

The world’s worst sister • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Uses contextual information to determine the meaning of phrases and idiomatic expressions used in the text and infers cause and effect.

• Identifies language features, such as informal subjective language, the first person voice, writer’s point of view and narrative text structures such as title, complication and resolution.

• Identifies characters’ conflicting points of view in a text.

• Expresses a personal perspective and opinion about characters and reflects on how it changes as the narrative unfolds.

Teaching notes

T

Elaborations are given which state the specific focus of the set of four pages. These are the writer’s own elaborations based on those in the Australian Curriculum English.

• This unit relates to the Literacy, Language and Literature content descriptions:

• • • • •

+

Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context (ACELY1698) Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and topic as well as degree of formality (ACELY1504) Recognise that ideas in literary texts can be conveyed from different view points, which can lead to different kinds of interpretations and responses (ACELY1610) The text is about two sisters and two conflicting points of view. This subjective text is written in the first person using informal language and idiomatic expressions.

As the text evolves, students should begin to understand that their initial understanding of the characters and events may need to be revised.

The questions on page 4 require students to respond to the text by stating their opinions and by drawing conclusions. Idiomatic expressions also need to be explained.

There are also some questions which relate to the text structure which should help them to complete the writing activities on page 5.

The writing tasks on page 5 focus on the presentation of a different perspective and point of view. Students make a personal response, giving their opinions about the idea of having the ‘world’s worst sister’ as their own.

Additional activities • Students make a list of suitable descriptive words that could be used about some family members. (Creating texts) • Students write a text similar to ‘The world’s worst sister’ describing one family member. They should plan the paragraphs of their text, expressing their own view. So their text will be subjective. They should try to make their text entertaining by using their imagination, in exaggerating and bending the truth. A photo or an illustration should also be added. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page 4.

1. She has a loud voice and likes giving orders.

2. (a) She was in a hurry and left it home because she was watching television. (b) Her sister ran home and got her bag for her.

3. Teacher check

Teaching points provides a list of the main teaching points relating to the elaboration and content description.

4. (a) Yelling orders in a rough, loud voice (b) Very important (c) Be very angry and really growl at me (d) Lucky or fortunate 5. (a) informal

(b) first

(d) different

(c) the writer who is the younger sister

(e) teacher check

Page 5.

1.–2. Teacher check

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The literacy content descriptions that form the basis of the set of pages is provided.

They will predominantly be those relating to comprehension strategies and creating texts but others of importance may be included.

Additional activities are provided that extend the activity.

These may focus on another, or the same, teaching focus, or include literacy content descriptions unable to be covered on a blackline master page. The focus of the additional activity is indicated in brackets.

Answers are provided for the questions on student pages 2 and 3.

Student page 1 – Reading the text The world’s worst sister – 1

Reading Imaginative text

Read the story.

The title of the text which the students are reading is given.

The type of imaginative, informative or persuasive text the students are reading is provided.

Artwork, to show the use of illustrations to support print, is provided, especially in lower levels.

Have you got a sister? If you have, I’m absolutely certain that she’s not as terrible as mine. I know that some sisters are bad, but mine really is the very, very worst. Just because she’s three years older than I am, she thinks she can boss me around and tell me what to do all the time. She has this really loud voice and she screams angrily and waves her arms in the air when she’s barking out orders at me. I think she should seriously consider a career as an Army officer.

Last Friday our school was competing in the inter-school swimming carnival. It was a really big deal and we were both swimming for our school. She was in the relay, because she really isn’t that fast, but I was in five championship events. We were just about at school when she bellowed, ‘Where’s your swimming bag?’ I told you she is bossy and loud! Well, I told her that she really didn’t need to yell so loudly; I didn’t leave it at home on purpose. I was in a rush because I had to see the end of a television program and I just ran out of time. And of course I knew, she’d be waiting to tell Mum and Dad about it when they got home from work. She is not a good person. How lucky are you she’s my sister, not yours!

Then, there was the incident involving the huge cooking disaster last weekend. Boy did she yell at me and embarrass me in front of my two best friends. But then that’s what she’s like. We were just trying to make some toffee and it boiled over a bit while we were getting ourselves some ice-cream out of the freezer. It was a good job we got that ice-cream because the toffee was too burnt, black and sticky to eat. We took our icecreams and went to play on the trampoline to get away from her. Then she came out and yelled again because our ice-cream had melted a bit and was all over the tramp. My friends couldn’t stand it so they went home. I went inside to play on the computer while I cooled down from another one of Miss Bossy Boot’s nasty attacks.

Then she came after me and really let me have it. She accused me of being lazy, selfish and irresponsible. She screamed about how she’d had to run all the way home to get my bag. Then she raved on about how long it took her to scrape all the toffee off the floor and the stove. She even complained about having to wipe the ice-cream off the trampoline to get rid of all the ants.

The text type is provided. It will be imaginative, informative or persuasive, or a combination of all three depending on the Year level focus. Levels that require students to compare text types will have two short texts. The focus of the page ‘Reading’ is also indicated.

Then she bellowed at me and said that I was stupid and that she was sick of covering up and cleaning up after me. She even threatened to tell Mum about the toffee saucepan she’d spent ages scrubbing clean while I played on the computer. Then she carried on about how she made my bed, tidied up my room and did my homework for me to keep me out of trouble.

Of course, she only does these things because she enjoys doing them. But I know that one day she’ll be really, really mean and she’ll stop doing things for me. Then she’ll boss and yell at me and make me do them myself, because she really is the worst sister in the world. I bet you’re very glad she’s not your sister.

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Teachers notes Student page 2 – Understanding the text The world’s worst sister – 2

Understanding Imaginative text

1. Why does the writer think her sister should join the army?

The title of the text which the students are comprehending is given. This is repeated from Student page 1.

2. (a) Why didn’t the writer have her swimming bag for the school carnival?

(b) How was this problem solved?

3. (a) Did you agree with the writer’s opinion of her sister at the beginning of the story? (b) Did you change your opinion about her after you finished reading? (c) Explain why.

Questions relating to the text on Student page 1 are provided.

Comprehension questions may relate to text structure or language features as well as text meaning.

4. Explain what the writer meant when she used each expression. (a) ‘barking out orders’

(b) ‘a really big deal’

The text type— imaginative, informative or persuasive or a combination—is repeated.

The focus of the page ‘Understanding’ is also indicated.

Artwork to support the text is provided where possible.

(c) ‘let me have it’

(d) ‘a good job’

5. (a) Has the writer used formal or informal language? (b) Is it written in the first, second or third person? (c) Whose point of view is presented in the text? (d) Do you think her sister’s point of view would be different from or the same as the writer’s? (e) Do you think the title of the story is an appropriate one?

Why/Why not?

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Student page 3 – Creating text The world’s worst sister – 3

Creating Imaginative text

1. Write a paragraph from the sister’s point of view giving her version of each event trying to persuade your readers that she is not the world’s worst sister.

The title of the text which the students are creating is given. This may be the same as, or different to, the original text on Student page 1.

Students will be using text structures and/or language features from the original text on Student page 1 to support their writing.

Include these text features:

The text type— imaginative, informative or persuasive, or a combination—is provided.

The focus of the page ‘Creating’ is also indicated.

t First person narrative t Informal language t Persuasive language (a) The swimming bag

(b) The cooking disaster

Artwork to support the text is provided where possible.

2. Write a paragraph explaining why you would or would not like to have the writer as your little sister.

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Australian Curriculum English Literacy (Year 5)

Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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 (ACELY1704) Reread and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)

Develop a handwriting style that is becoming legible, fluent and automatic (ACELY1706)

Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency to construct, edit and publish written text, and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1707) Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context (ACELY1698) Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds in formal and informal situations, connecting ideas to students’ own experiences and present and justify a point of view (ACELY1699) 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)

2–5

– – – ✓ – – – ✓ – – –

6–9

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10–13

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14–17

– ✓ – ✓ – – ✓ ✓ – – ✓

18–21

– ✓ – ✓ – – – – – – –

22–25

✓ – ✓ ✓ – – – – – – ✓

26–29

✓

–

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–

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30–33

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34–37

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38–41

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(ACELY1702)

Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning

Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701)

Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703)

PAGES

Australian Curriculum English links

Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

FOCUS ADDITIONAL

Literacy – 1 Literacy—2

Interpreting, analysing, evaluating Creating texts

vi

Texts in context

Interacting with others

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Understand that patterns of language interaction vary across social contexts and types of texts and that they help to signal social roles and relationships (ACELA1501)

Understand how to move beyond making bare assertions and take account of differing perspectives and points of view (ACELA1502)

Understand that the starting point of a sentence gives prominence to the message in the text and allows for prediction of how the text will unfold (ACELA1505)

Understand how the grammatical category of possessives is signalled through apostrophes and how to use apostrophes with common and proper nouns (ACELA1506) 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 (ACELA1797) Understand the difference between main and subordinate clauses and that a complex sentence involves at least one subordinate clause (ACELA1507)

Understand how noun groups/phrases and adjective groups/phrases can be expanded in a variety of ways to provide a fuller description of the person, place, thing or idea (ACELA1508)

Explain sequences of images in print texts and compare these to the ways hyperlinked digital texts are organised, explaining their effect on viewers’ interpretations (ACELA1511)

Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different meanings in different contexts (ACELA1512)

– – – ✓ – – – – – – – 2–5

– – – – – – – – – – – 6–9

– – – – – – – – – – – 10–13

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30–33

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34–37

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38–41

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42–45

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46–49

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54–57

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58–61

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62–65

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66–69

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70–73

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Language for interaction Text structure and organisation

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PAGES

Language variation and change

Understand how texts vary in purpose, structure and topic as well as the degree of formality

Understand that the pronunciation, spelling and meanings of words have histories and change over time (ACELA1500)

Australian Curriculum English links ADDITIONAL Language Expressing and developing ideas

50–53

Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Understand how to use banks of known words, as well as word origins, prefixes and suffixes, to learn and spell new words (ACELA1513)

Recognise uncommon plurals, for example ‘foci’ (ACELA1514)

Identify aspects of literary texts that convey details or information about particular social, cultural and historical contexts (ACELT1608)

Present a point of view about particular literary texts using appropriate metalanguage, and reflecting on the viewpoints of others (ACELT1609)

Use metalanguage to describe the effects of ideas, text structures and language features on particular audiences (ACELT1795)

Recognise that ideas in literary texts can be conveyed from different viewpoints, which can lead to different kinds of interpretations and responses (ACELT1610)

Understand, interpret and experiment with sound devices and imagery, including simile, metaphor and personification, in narratives, shape poetry, songs, anthems and odes (ACELT1611)

Create literary texts using realistic and fantasy settings and characters that draw on the worlds represented in texts students have experienced (ACELT1612)

Create literary texts that experiment with structures, ideas and stylistic features of selected authors (ACELT1798)

PAGES

Australian Curriculum English links ADDITIONAL

Language (cont.)

Expressing and developing ideas

Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Literature

Literature and context

Responding to literature

viii

Examining literature Creating literature

2–5

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6–9

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10–13

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14–17

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18–21

– – – – – – – – –

22–25

– – – – – – – – –

26–29

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30–33

–

–

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–

✓

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34–37

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38–41

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42–45

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46–49

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50–53

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54–57

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58–61

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62–65

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66–69

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70–73

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–

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10–13

14–17

18–21

22–25

26–29

30–33

34–37

38–41

42–45

46–49

50–53

54–57

58–61

62–65

66–69

70–73

Posing and answering questions about the text

6–9

* The comprehension strategies provided in this table are those identified in the glossary of the Australian Curriculum English

2–5

Comprehension strategies *

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Visualising the text Understanding words

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Finding literal information

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Skimming to get a general idea of text

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Scanning text to find specific information

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Inferring understanding from text

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Using prior knowledge

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Identifying main idea

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Finding similarities and differences

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Concluding outcomes

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Summarising

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Paraphrasing text

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Identifying cause and effect

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Identifying fact and opinion

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Identifying purpose of text

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Identifying reader’s perspective or opinion

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Identifying character’s perspective or opinion

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Identifying author’s perspective or opinion

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Sequencing events in text

Predicting outcomes

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Identifying cohesive links in text Making connections with the text

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Critically reflecting on the text

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Text types Australian Curriculum English identifies three categories of texts. They are classified according to the purpose of the text which, in turn, influences the structure and language features of the text.

The three categories of text types identified are:

Imaginative texts The purpose of imaginative texts is, primarily, to entertain. Imaginative texts include traditional tales such as fairytales, folktales, myths and legends; poetry; other stories such as adventure stories, horror or supernatural stories, mysteries, fantasies and humorous tales; plays; young adult fiction; picture books; and multimodal texts including films. Imaginative texts often employ elements such as imagery.

Language features include: • rich descriptive language • character development • narrated in first or third person (most commonly)

• dialogue • usually past tense • rhyme/rhythm

• setting a mood • connectives relating to time

• use of humour • many action verbs

Informative texts The purpose of informative texts is to provide information. Informative texts include explanations, descriptions, recounts, instructions such as a procedure, rules, laws, news bulletins, reports, biographies, reviews, letters, diary entries, timetables or visual posters advertising events.

Language features include: • technical vocabulary • graphics and diagrams • formal, impersonal language • evaluative language (recounts) • facts and figures • bullet points, lists, steps

• headings and subheadings • imperative verbs (procedures) • past tense or continuous present tense

• captions • dates and times • passive voice

Persuasive texts The purpose of persuasive texts is to present a point of view and try to persuade readers to this point of view. They include advertising, opinions, debates, arguments, discussions, essays or articles. Persuasive texts are informative since they provide information to support a point of view or argument.

Language features include: • conjunctions (to sequence) • informal language • facts and figures

• evaluative language • first or second person (I, we) (you) • modal verbs (should, must)

Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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• rhetorical questions • verbs of belief and opinion • emotive language

• cause and effect • diagrams • visual images

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Supporting Australian English resources Comprehension •

RIC–6257

Primary comprehension (Book E)

•

RIC–6300

Teaching comprehension strategies (Book E)

•

RIC–6947

The comprehension box — Box 2 (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–6325

Prime-time comprehension (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–0627

Comprehending informational text (Book E)

•

RIC–0122

Comprehension (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–0240

Comprehension detective (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–6352

Comprehension for independent readers (Ages 10+)

•

RIC–0221

Comprehending fiction (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–2082

Multiple-choice comprehension (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–0218

Comprehending the newspaper (Ages 8–11+)

•

RIC–6435

Comprehending our world (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–0228

Viewing: Comprehending visual texts (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–0115

Reading comprehension — Tales for a dark night (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–0225

Reading for detail (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–7067

Comprehension skills (Set of 12 posters)

•

PR–2024

Listening comprehension (Ages 8–10)

Writing •

RIC–6264

Primary writing (Book E)

•

RIC–6279

The English workbook (Book D)

•

RIC–6280

The English workbook (Book E)

•

RIC–0267

Writing frameworks (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–7013

Introducing text types (Set of 6 posters or interactive)

•

RIC–7005

Understanding text types (Set of 6 posters or interactive)

•

RIC–0659

60 writing topics (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–6238

Another 60 writing topics (Ages 8–10)

•

RIC–7089

Persuasive texts (Set of 6 posters)

•

RIC–6362

Australian Curriculum English – Language: text structure and organisation (Year 5)

General •

RIC–6931

The literacy box — Box 2 (Ages 8–10+)

•

RIC–0782

New Wave literacy workbooks Book E (Ages 9–10)

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

The world’s worst sister • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Uses contextual information to determine the meaning of phrases and idiomatic expressions used in the text and infers cause and effect.

• Identifies language features, such as informal subjective language, the first person voice, writer’s point of view and narrative text structures such as title, complication and resolution.

• Identifies characters’ conflicting points of view in a text.

• Expresses a personal perspective and opinion about characters and reflects on how it changes as the narrative unfolds.

T

Teaching notes • The text is about two sisters and two conflicting points of view. This subjective text is written in the first person using informal language and idiomatic expressions.

• As the text evolves, students should begin to understand that their initial understanding of the characters and events may need to be revised.

• The questions on page 4 require students to respond to the text by stating their opinions and by drawing conclusions. Idiomatic expressions also need to be explained.

• There are also some questions which relate to the text structure which should help them to complete the writing activities on page 5.

• The writing tasks on page 5 focus on the presentation of a different perspective and point of view. Students make a personal response, giving their opinions about the idea of having ‘The world’s worst sister’ as their own.

+

Additional activities • Students make a list of suitable descriptive words that could be used about some family members. (Creating texts) • Students write a text similar to The world’s worst sister describing one family member. They should plan the paragraphs of their text, expressing their own view. So their text will be subjective. They should try to make their text entertaining by using their imagination, in exaggerating and bending the truth. A photo or an illustration should also be added. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page 4.

1. She has a loud voice and likes giving orders.

2. (a) She was in a hurry and left it home because she was watching television. (b) Her sister ran home and got her bag for her.

3. Teacher check 4. (a) Yelling orders in a rough, loud voice (b) Very important (c) Be very angry and really growl at me (d) Lucky or fortunate 5. (a) informal (d) different

(b) first

(c) the writer who is the younger sister

(e) teacher check

Page 5.

1.–2. Teacher check

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The world’s worst sister – 1

Reading Imaginative text

Read the story.

Have you got a sister? If you have, I’m absolutely certain that she’s not as terrible as mine. I know that some sisters are bad, but mine really is the very, very worst. Just because she’s three years older than I am, she thinks she can boss me around and tell me what to do all the time. She has this really loud voice and she screams angrily and waves her arms in the air when she’s barking out orders at me. I think she should seriously consider a career as an Army officer.

Last Friday our school was competing in the inter-school swimming carnival. It was a really big deal and we were both swimming for our school. She was in the relay, because she really isn’t that fast, but I was in five championship events. We were just about at school when she bellowed, ‘Where’s your swimming bag?’ I told you she is bossy and loud! Well, I told her that she really didn’t need to yell so loudly; I didn’t leave it at home on purpose. I was in a rush because I had to see the end of a television program and I just ran out of time. And of course I knew, she’d be waiting to tell Mum and Dad about it when they got home from work. She is not a good person. How lucky are you she’s my sister, not yours!

Then, there was the incident involving the huge cooking disaster last weekend. Boy did she yell at me and embarrass me in front of my two best friends. But then that’s what she’s like. We were just trying to make some toffee and it boiled over a bit while we were getting ourselves some ice-cream out of the freezer. It was a good job we got that ice-cream because the toffee was too burnt, black and sticky to eat. We took our icecreams and went to play on the trampoline to get away from her. Then she came out and yelled again because our ice-cream had melted a bit and was all over the tramp. My friends couldn’t stand it so they went home. I went inside to play on the computer while I cooled down from another one of Miss Bossy Boot’s nasty attacks.

Then she came after me and really let me have it. She accused me of being lazy, selfish and irresponsible. She screamed about how she’d had to run all the way home to get my bag. Then she raved on about how long it took her to scrape all the toffee off the floor and the stove. She even complained about having to wipe the ice-cream off the trampoline to get rid of all the ants.

Then she bellowed at me and said that I was stupid and that she was sick of covering up and cleaning up after me. She even threatened to tell Mum about the toffee saucepan she’d spent ages scrubbing clean while I played on the computer. Then she carried on about how she made my bed, tidied up my room and did my homework for me to keep me out of trouble.

Of course, she only does these things because she enjoys doing them. But I know that one day she’ll be really, really mean and she’ll stop doing things for me. Then she’ll boss and yell at me and make me do them myself, because she really is the worst sister in the world. I bet you’re very glad she’s not your sister.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

The world’s worst sister – 2

Understanding Imaginative text

1. Why does the writer think her sister should join the army?

2. (a) Why didn’t the writer have her swimming bag for the school carnival?

(b) How was this problem solved?

3. (a) Did you agree with the writer’s opinion of her sister at the beginning of the story? (b) Did you change your opinion about her after you finished reading? (c) Explain why.

4. Explain what the writer meant when she used each expression. (a) ‘barking out orders’

(b) ‘a really big deal’

(c) ‘let me have it’

(d) ‘a good job’

5. (a) Has the writer used formal or informal language? (b) Is it written in the first, second or third person? (c) Whose point of view is presented in the text? (d) Do you think her sister’s point of view would be different from or the same as the writer’s? (e) Do you think the title of the story is an appropriate one?

Why/Why not?

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The world’s worst sister – 3

Creating Imaginative text

1. Write a paragraph from the sister’s point of view giving her version of each event, trying to persuade your readers that she is not the world’s worst sister.

Include these text features: • First person narrative • Informal language • Persuasive language (a) The swimming bag

(b) The cooking disaster

2. Write a paragraph explaining why you would or would not like to have the writer as your little sister.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Surf Life Saving Australia • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Interpreting and analysing characteristics of informative text: its structure, including its purpose, title, subheadings and conclusion; and its language features, including the use of formal, factual, impersonal and concise language.

• Researching, planning, drafting and publishing text about the use of helicopters by Surf Life Saving Australia.

T

Teaching notes • The informative report on page 7 provides factual information presented in paragraphs with subheadings. Ask students to suggest possible reasons for setting out text in this way and to decide if this structure makes text easier to navigate in order to locate specific information.

• On page 8 students are required to interpret written text to produce an accurate visual representation.

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Additional activities • Students research the logo of Surf Life Saving Australia and download it. They evaluate it for appropriateness and visual appeal and suggest any improvements. Some students may enjoy the challenge of creating a new logo. (Purpose and audience) • After finding out some further details about the Nippers program, student write persuasive text to support or reject the statement that, ‘Surf Life Saving Australia’s Nippers program is a waste of time’. (Creating text) • Student can view the photographic history of SLSA at <http://sls.com.au/our-history/history-slideshow> (Use of software)

A

Answers Page 8 1. (a) The law banning swimming during the day was changed. (b) There had been many swimmers and rescuers drowned and the swimmers and the community were very concerned about beach safety.

2. Their uniforms identify them and they are easy to see.

3. Teacher check. Answers may include: They want to help others./ They enjoy being on the beach./ They like learning new things.

4. Teacher check. Answers may include: It provides the opportunity for Australians to help each other, learn about water safety and first aid, and to become healthier and fitter.

5. (a) to give information (b) factual (c) formal (d) impersonal (e)–(f) Teacher check (g) so information is clear and easy to find Page 9 1.–2. Teacher check

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Reading

Surf Life Saving Australia – 1

Informative text

Read the report.

Introduction Surf lifesavers, dressed in their bright yellow shirts, red shorts and distinctive red and yellow caps, are a familiar sight on beaches through out Australia. Most of these men and women are volunteers from Surf Life Saving Australia, which is believed to be the largest volunteer organisation of its kind in the world. They patrol beaches, educate and train people, run safety campaigns and promote health and fitness.

The vision and mission statements of Surf Life Saving Australia • ‘To save lives, create great Australians and build better communities’ • ‘To provide a safe beach and aquatic environment throughout Australia’

History In 1907, the first volunteer lifesaving clubs appeared on Sydney’s beaches. This was just a few years after the laws that banned ‘bathing’ during daylight hours were changed. Swimming at beaches became more and more popular, but it was dangerous. Many swimmers and the people who tried to rescue those who got into trouble, drowned. All these beach deaths frightened swimmers and made the community very anxious about beach safety, too. In October that year, the Sydney clubs met and formed the Surf Bathing Association of New South Wales, which later became known as Surf Life Saving Australia.

Some of the significant events in Surf Life Saving’s past include: 1907

First surf belt and reels seen on Sydney beaches

1923/24

Blue and white signs used to mark safe swimming areas

1935

Red and yellow flags introduced

1960

‘Mouth-to-mouth’ resuscitation introduced

1974

Rescue helicopters introduced in Sydney

1980

Women are patrolling lifesavers for the first time

2007

Year of the lifesaver

Surf Life Saving Australia today This organisation wants Australians to give, be involved and to be safe. It now has almost 170 000 members in more than 300 clubs in every state of Australia. They have saved many lives with over 11 500 rescues in 2013 and over 64 500 first aid treatments. They also have the very popular Nippers program in which they train young girls and boys to become future lifesavers.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Surf Life Saving Australia – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. (a) Why was swimming becoming popular in Sydney in 1907?

(b) Why did men start patrolling the Sydney beaches?

2. Why do lifesavers today wear red and yellow clothes?

3. Why do you think so many people want to be lifesavers?

4. Read Surf Life Saving Australia’s vision statement. It says it wants to ‘create great Australians’. How do you think it tries to do this?

5. (a) Was this text written to entertain, persuade or to give information?

(b) Does the text give factual or imaginative information? (c) Is the language more formal or informal? (d) Does the writer present a personal or an impersonal view? (e) Write two interesting facts from the text.

• • (f) What is something you would like to know about this organisation? (g) Why is the information in the text organised under subheadings?

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Surf Life Saving Australia – 3

Creating Informative text

1. (a) Draw a picture of the clothing worn by surf lifesavers in Australia. Add labels to describe the different features of this uniform.

(b) Write an informative text to briefly describe Surf Life Saving Australia’s uniform.

2. Plan, draft, write, edit and publish an informative text about the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter service. (a) Use the internet to research information about this service and make clear, concise notes about it. (b) Working with a partner, discuss the information each of you has found and check any facts that you are unsure about. (c) Organise your information under subheadings for four paragraphs. (d) Decide on the title then write two draft paragraphs each. (e) Share and discuss what each person has written, suggesting changes to improve the texts. (f) Enter your improved texts in a word processing program and write a concluding comment together. (g) Download a suitable image to add to your text. (h) Print out a copy of your text to edit and proofread together. (i)

Make the changes, check them, then print out your final copy to share with other students in your class.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Young hero, a lifesaver!

• Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Reread and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Interpreting and analysing characteristics of an informative text as in a newspaper report and a personal recount, including text structures such as setting, paragraphs for events and concluding comments, and language features such as verb tense, impersonal/personal voice to express feelings and the use of first/third person.

• Editing student’s own writing using criteria including paragraphing, sequencing, verb tense, personal voice and expressing feelings.

T

Teaching notes • Students should understand that although the structure of informative texts is often formal and may be organised under subheadings as in the previous text, Surf Live Saving Australia (pp 6–9), this is not always the case. The structure of a text relates to its purpose and can differ significantly as in a newspaper report and a personal recount of a real event.

• In determining if the statements in Question 2, page 12, are facts or opinions, students need to consider that although some are stated in the text to be true, this doesn’t mean that they are facts. For example: James was hailed as a hero, but that is an opinion and not a fact.

Someone else may consider that he did what anyone else would have done in those circumstances. This distinction is a subtle one and debating it can lead to some interesting discussion.

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Additional activities • Students create an award certificate from Surf Life Saving Australia to be presented to James to acknowledge his heroic rescue. (Creating text) • Students write a letter from the rescued man thanking James, Murray and other members of the family for saving his life. (Creating text)

A

Answers Page 12 1. (a) They were snorkelling from a boat. (b) His mother signalled him frantically and James was aware of the danger of sharks.

2. (a) O, (b) O, (c) F, (d) F, (e) F, (f) (O) 3. • James swam back to the boat. (2) • The man’s boat followed them to the medical centre. (3) • Murray towed the man to their boat. (1) • The man’s lips returned to their normal colour. (4) • They discovered which hospital the man was in. (5) 4. Teacher check. Answers may include: I think he: may receive an award, be interviewed for television, become an official office bearer for Surf Life Saving Australia.

5. Teacher check 6. (a) third (b) past (c) impersonal (d) to inform (e) Yes Page 13 1. (a) I, our, I (b) I found out later that my younger cousin Murray (14) had found the man floating in the water face down and lifeless.

2.–4. Teacher check

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Young hero, a lifesaver! – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the newspaper report.

Young hero, a lifesaver!

The boat trip seemed to take for ever, but as they pulled into Phi Phi Bay, 15 minutes later, the man’s lips changed from pale blue to a normal colour, he was groaning and had a pulse. ‘He was conscious and breathing by himself. It was the best feeling I have had in my life’, James later reported.

James Blair, 15, was snorkelling in Thailand, where his family was holidaying, when he noticed his mother frantically signalling him.

His first thought was ... shark! He hurtled over the hundred metres back to the boat in what he was sure was a personal best time!

But as he reached their boat, he saw a man in a life jacket was being hauled aboard.

He found out later that his younger cousin Murray (14) had found the man floating in the water face down and lifeless. Murray had courageously towed him back to their boat.

They carried the victim to the medical centre where the man’s friends and family took over. After leaving for a cool drink and a brief chat about their dramatic rescue, James and his family returned to find that the man had already been transferred to a hospital.

His dad greeted him with, ‘Take a breath, you know what to do’. James, who’d only completed his bronze lifesaving medallion the week before, realised then that he’d have to resuscitate this man. Dad then asked their driver to signal the man’s boat to follow them and both boats sped towards the medical centre.

The next day they found out which hospital he’d been taken to. But before they set off to see him, they were told he was well and had already been discharged.

James later said it all seemed like a dream and that he’d just acted on instinct. ‘Surf life saving trains you so well, that it becomes part of your instinct’, he said.

Swinging into action, James directed other family members to help him. They provided water for washing out the man’s mouth as well as his own, counted the resuscitation cycles, kept the man’s body in the right position and cleaned his airway. He and his father worked together to revive the man.

His surf life saving club president said they were all very proud of James and the rescue was a tribute to those members who had helped equip him with all the skills he’d needed during a moment of crises.

Source: The West Australian March 24, 2014

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Young hero, a lifesaver! – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. (a) Why were James and his family at Phi Phi Island?

(b) Why did James think there was a shark in the water?

2. Write ‘F’ for fact or ‘O’ for opinion after each statement. (a) James was a hero.

(b) The man is lucky to be alive.

(c) James is a surf lifesaver.

(d) Murray is James’s cousin.

(e) The man was wearing a life jacket.

(f) Lifesavers are well trained.

3. Sequence the events by numbering them from 1 to 5.

James swam back to the boat.

The man’s boat followed them to the medical centre.

Murray towed the man to their boat.

The man’s lips returned to their normal colour.

They discovered which hospital the man was in.

4. Predict something you think is likely to happen to James in the future as a result of this event and explain why you think this.

I think because

5. Do you think the president of James’s surf club was right to pay tribute to other people at the surf club as well as to James? Yes No Explain why you think this.

6. (a) Is the newspaper report written in the first, second or third person? (b) Are the verbs in the present, future or past tense? (c) Does the reporter use personal or impersonal language? (d) Was this report written to entertain, to persuade or to inform? (e) Is there any quoted speech in this report? Yes No Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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Young hero, a lifesaver! – 3

Creating Informative text

1. (a) This sentence from Paragraph 2 is written in the third person. Change the highlighted word so that it is in the first person.

‘But as he ( ) reached their ( was being hauled aboard.’

) boat, he ( ) saw a man in a life jacket

(b) Write the next sentence in Paragraph 2 in the first person.

2. Imagine you are James and tell this story in your own words as a personal recount. Read the points below before you start to plan your story. You do not have to include every detail from the newspaper report.

•

A personal recount is usually written: ✦

in the first person (e.g. I, my, our)

✦

in the past tense (e.g. was, did, went)

✦

using personal language (I, we, our, us)

✦

to express the writer’s feelings about people and events (e.g. frightening)

•

The first paragraph explains who the writer is and where and when the events happened.

•

The events are written in separate paragraphs telling about each event and the sequence in which they happened.

•

Try to give your reader an idea about how you (James) were feeling as each event happened.

•

The last paragraph is usually a personal comment about what has happened or the writer thinks is likely to happen next.

3. Edit your work to check that: •

you have left a space between your paragraphs.

•

your paragraphs are in the right order.

•

your verbs are in the right tense.

•

you have used the personal voice.

•

you have explained how you (James) were feeling.

4. What is the main difference between your personal recount of this story and the newspaper report?

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Everyone has to eat, right?

• Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Reads narrative text to identify main idea, similarities and differences, to predict and conclude, and to explain the meaning of phrases and similes.

• Identifies words used to express shades of meaning and adds and replaces words to enrich descriptions.

• Predicts resolutions and conclusions to prepare a presentation enhanced by sound affects.

T

Teaching notes • The focus is on word selection and similes in order to influence a reader’s thoughts and feelings and assist in visualisation.

• This narrative presents students with a complication but no resolution. Working with a partner, they have the option to develop the story into a horror tale or to find a rational and positive explanation and solution.

• Students prepare a presentation of their resolution to the class with sound effects.

+

Additional activities • Students share their ideas about what could have happened next in this story. They discuss the probability of their different predictions and any complications involved in them. (Responding to literature) • Having had the opportunity to evaluate, clarify and moderate their predictions about ‘what happens next’ by sharing their ideas with others, students write a plausible conclusion to this story. They should be encouraged to select their words carefully and aim to make it easy for readers to visualise what is happening. (Creating texts) • Students read their conclusions to the class with some prerecorded music or other sound effects to create atmosphere and enhance their stories. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page16

Page 17

1. They didn’t buy food from the local shop and had not been seen leaving town to go shopping somewhere else.

1. (a) The words ‘caught a brief glimpse of’ should be underlined.

2. (a) Mia wanted to solve the mystery.

2. Teacher check

3. (c) The were similar because they both lived in Victoria.

3. Answers may include: heart pounding loudly, scrambling to his feet, raced to the door, hammering desperately, screaming Mia’s name.

(b) The words ‘was launching (himself)’ should be underlined.

4. (a) Seb was very concerned about Mia. 5. (a) Teacher check. Answers may include: Her eyes looked strange./They weren’t moving./She looked stunned and puzzled.

4. Teacher check

(b) It was very quiet./It was so quiet it seemed noisy.

6. Teacher check. Answers may include: (a) It was as white as a sheet/as snow. (b) She was as busy as a bee. (c) I am as cold as ice. (d) He was as sick as a dog.

7. (a) a country town in Victoria (b) Mia, Seb, Mrs Fraser and her sister, the strange family (c) They didn’t know anything about the strange family, particularly what they ate. (d) No (e) Answers will vary. (f) The writer probably wanted to frighten readers.

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Everyone has to eat, right? – 1

Reading Imaginative text

Read the narrative.

No! Wrong! They don’t! ... Well the family who turned up one day in the small town in north-east Victoria didn’t. There were four of them and everyone in the town was pretty sure they were really very strange.

There was only one small supermarket in the town. Everyone shopped there … but not them. Mrs Fraser, the owner of the supermarket, knew absolutely everything that happened in the town; almost before it happened. And she had never even seen any of them near her shop. She had a sister who lived on the edge of town. Her house was quite close to the main road and nothing came along that road, either day or night, that she didn’t know about. She said they’d never gone past. So, if they were eating food, where were they getting it?

Mia and her friend Seb had once caught a brief glimpse of two children inside, roughly their own age. But they didn’t attend school and never came outside.

‘Perhaps they’re vampires who only go out to feed on blood at night’, Seb suggested with an evil grin. ‘That’d explain why they avoid sunlight, wouldn’t it?’

Mia shuddered,‘You read too many horror stories, but it’s a mystery I’d love to solve. Perhaps we should just knock on the door and ask if they’d like to play. I could invite them home to have some of mum’s marvellous mud cake, then we’d know if they eat. No-one on this planet can resist that cake!’

Seb agreed to this with just one very important condition; that no matter what happened, he’d get to have some of her mum’s mud cake.

Their footsteps slowed as did their breathing as they approached the house. The curtains were all closed, everything seemed very still and the silence was deafening. They had turned and were about to rush back down the path when the door slowly opened. They turned around again, but they couldn’t see anyone there. Mia was about to take a step forward to peer inside when Seb yanked her arm, whispering, ‘Are you mad? Let’s go home and get some mud cake’. But Mia had a glazed look in her eyes, she just ignored him and seemed to be gliding forward into the house.

‘No, Mia, no!’ screamed Seb, but Mia didn’t seem to hear him. As he was launching himself forward in an attempt to grab her, the door slammed shut and he found he was sitting on the path at least a metre from the closed door.

Scrambling to his feet, he raced to the door and started hammering desperately on it, screaming Mia’s name.

Nothing happened; it was as quiet as a graveyard.

Nothing stirred and standing there alone, he could hear nothing but his heart pounding loudly in his chest.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Everyone has to eat, right? – 2

Understanding Imaginative text

1. Why did people think the strangers didn’t eat anything?

2. Tick the main idea in Paragraph 5. (a) Mia wanted to solve the mystery.

(b) Seb wanted mud cake.

(c) They knocked on the door.

(d) Mia’s mum made mud cake.

3. Seb and Mia were similar because they both: (a) had a mother who made mud cake. (b) had very good imaginations. (c) lived in Victoria.

4. You could conclude from reading the text that Seb: (a) was very concerned about Mia. (b) ate mud cake all the time. (c) was an excellent reader.

5. Explain what the writer meant by the words: (a) ‘had a glazed look’.

(b) ‘The silence was deafening’.

6. ‘It was as quiet as a graveyard’ is a simile. Complete these similes. (a) It was as white as

(b) She was as busy as a

(c) I am as cold as

(d) He was as sick as a

7. (a) Where did this narrative take place? (b) Who were the characters?

(c) What was the problem? (d) Was it solved? Yes No (e) Do you think this story will have a happy ending? Yes No (f) Do you think the writer wanted to: amuse, inform or frighten?

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Everyone has to eat, right? – 3

Creating Imaginative text

1. Read the sentence parts from the text and underline all of the words that could be replaced with: (a) seen Mia and her friend Seb had once caught a brief glimpse of two children inside ... (b) moved As he was launching himself forwards in an attempt to grab her ...

2. Good writers carefully select words to inform and interest readers and to make their ideas clearer. Improve these sentences by thinking of descriptive words and phrases to add so your reader can visualise the scene from the text.

The two

children with down the

walked path towards the

house feeling The

.

house with its

was

, but they kept walking

towards the

door.

3. After Mia disappeared, Seb was very frightened. Write some of the words and phrases the writer used to tell you this.

4. Think of an occasion when you were frightened. (a) Where were you? (b) What had happened?

(c) Write a short paragraph describing how you felt. Think very carefully about your opening sentence; it is often the most important one.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Alligator or crocodile?

• Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Scan paragraphs of an informative text to find words to match definitions.

• Interpret and analyse information in a paragraph of informative text to select an appropriate subheading.

• Organise researched information on a topic into paragraphs with appropriate subheadings as part of the preparation for writing a report.

T

Teaching notes • The focus of this unit is on the use of paragraphs and subheadings to organise related information. Students should understand the purposes of this particular text structure and how they are achieved.

• Scanning in reading is defined as: ‘moving the eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases’.

• Skimming is used to quickly determine the main ideas in a text; often to be found in the first or topic sentences of paragraphs.

• When writing information under their identified subheadings on page 21, students may chose to exclude some facts and to only select those they believe are the most relevant and interesting.

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Additional activities • Students watch the video about crocodiles and alligators at <http://natgeotv.com.au/videos/animal-encounters-with-ben-britton/crocodilesand-alligators-C88430F3.aspx> and discuss it with a partner. They then evaluate it using a ‘Plus, Minus, Interesting’ graphic organiser.

(Listening and speaking interactions/Use of software) • The paragraphs students have prepared in this unit will assist them to create and publish a report on lions and tigers using a word processing program. They should edit their text and select and place appropriate visual and audio elements. (Creating text)

A

Answers Page 20 1. (a)–(b) Teacher check 2. (a) bigger (b) The text states that unlike a crocodile, an alligator’s fourth teeth can’t be seen because it has an overbite; its top jaw is bigger and hides them.

3. (a) protrude (b) hind (c) aggressive (d) to filter 4. Teacher check. Answers may include: Introduction, Habitat, Appearance, Food, Life cycle, Conclusion.

5. (a) true (b) false (c) true (d) false (e) false Page 21 1.–5. Teacher check

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Alligator or crocodile? – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the informative text.

It is believed that alligators and crocodiles have inhabited Earth for about 150 million years. These reptiles, from the same order, crocodylia, are similar in many ways, but there are many significant differences too.

Crocodiles are found around the world mainly in Australia, Africa and in the Americas, but alligators only live in the United States and China. While alligators live in fresh water, most crocodiles can live in fresh or salt water environments. It is believed that they both had salt glands to filter salt from water, but alligators and some crocodiles seem to have lost the ability to use theirs.

Crocodiles are generally larger animals, growing up to 1000 kg in weight and 5.8 m in length, compared to alligators at 453 kg and 4.3 m. Crocodiles are lighter in colour and are a greenish brown, while alligators are a darker blackish grey. Crocodiles have a longer, thinner v-shaped snout.

Their two jaws are the same size so when they close their mouths their large fourth teeth protrude and are clearly visible. Alligators have wider u-shaped jaws with an overbite, so their teeth are hidden. Alligators have webbed feet; crocodiles don’t, but they have a jagged fringe over their hind legs and feet.

Both reptiles are carnivores, eating small mammals, snakes and fish. They can survive for weeks without food, but when hungry they’ll eat almost anything, including humans. Crocodiles are much more aggressive. They grab their prey, crushing it with their strong jaws. Although their jaws are extremely powerful when closing, a rubber band or human hands can easily prevent these reptiles from opening their jaws. They can move very fast to catch their prey, and their hearing and sense of smell are both very good. They can leap high, swim at up to 32 km/h and can run at about 18 km/h, but only over a very short distance because they get tired very quickly.

Alligators can live about 50 years and crocodiles about 70 years. Female alligators lay eggs in mud or sand, while crocodiles’ eggs are found around fresh water in nests made from vegetation. They lay about 60 eggs and usually guard their nest and later their hatchlings.

There are many species of alligators and crocodiles, each with its own distinctive features. However, it is the shape of its snout, whether its fourth teeth are visible and where it is located which provide the best indication of whether the animal you’re looking at is a crocodile or an alligator.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Alligator or crocodile? – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. (a) Write two similarities between alligators and crocodiles.

• • (b) Write two differences.

• • 2. (a) Is an alligator’s top jaw bigger, smaller or the same size as its bottom jaw?

(b) Explain how you worked this out from the text.

3. When you scan text you look through it quickly to search for something in it. (a) Scan Paragraph 3 for a word meaning ‘sticking out’ (b) Scan Paragraph 3 for a word meaning ‘back’ (c) Scan Paragraph 4 for a word meaning ‘hostile’ (d) Scan Paragraph 2 for a word meaning ‘to separate’ 4. Write a suitable subheading for each of the six paragraphs in the text.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

5. Tick ‘true’ or ‘false’.

The paragraphs in an informative text: (a) make it easier to read. True False (b) must always have subheadings. True False (c) will make the information in it easier to find. True False (d) are a total waste of time. True False (e) make it harder to organise and write. True False Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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Alligator or crocodile? – 3

Creating Informative text

1. Research information about lions and tigers to plan the paragraphs for a report about their similarities and differences. Write brief notes in the chart below.

Both lions and tigers

Lions

Tigers

2. Make a list on a separate piece of paper of any technical or interesting words you found and could use to give accurate and interesting information about these animals.

3. Look carefully at your notes to work out some suitable subheadings you could use to organise information into paragraphs. Your subheadings will depend on what you found information about.

1. Introduction 2.

3.

4.

5.

4. Write your introductory paragraph telling some of the things these two big cats have in common.

5. Write each of your paragraph subheadings on a separate piece of paper or use a word processing program. Organise and write your information under one of these headings. You may need to add other subheadings if your information doesn’t fit into one of the ones you have prepared.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Love ice-cream • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Identify persuasive text structures and language features including sequencing of arguments in paragraphs introduced with a topic sentence.

• Skim and scan texts from a variety of sources to select information on a topic, identifying facts and opinions.

• Plan and write a persuasive text.

T

Teaching notes • The focus of this unit is on persuasive texts and how facts and opinions are presented.

• Scanning in reading is defined as: ’moving the eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases’.

• Skimming is used to quickly determine the main ideas in a text; often to be found in the first or topic sentences of paragraphs.

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Additional activities • Students complete their persuasive text by planning and preparing additional paragraphs to add to the introduction and first paragraph they wrote. They will also need to write a brief concluding paragraph restating their position on the issue. (Creating texts) • Students debate in teams the topic ‘Ice-cream is healthy’. (Listening and speaking interactions)

A

Answers Page 24 1. (c) her great grandfather 2. (a) fact (b) opinion (c) fact (d) opinion 3. (a) her mother (b) teeth (c) milk 4. (a) to persuade people to eat ice-cream because it’s healthy (b) Teacher check 5. Teacher check 6. (a) 6 (b) Teacher check 7. (a) Teacher check (b) Calcium is also needed for healthy bones. (c)–(d) Teacher check 8. present tense Page 25 1.–4. Teacher check

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Love ice-cream – 1

Reading Persuasive text

Read the persuasive text.

Ice-cream is a really healthy food! You don’t believe me ... well you must and I’ll tell you why.

Ice-cream is made from milk and everyone knows how healthy milk is. Babies drink milk and it helps them to develop and grow.

But milk is not only drunk by human babies; other mammal babies, like cats and even elephants have milk until they’re able to find food for themselves. Milk and ice-cream are very easy for babies to digest and can be eaten before they have any teeth.

My mother is a very health conscious person who is very fussy about our diet. She will only let us eat cake, biscuits and chocolate on very special occasions and the only drinks we’re allowed to have are water and some milk.

But she let’s us have ice-cream. She says it’s because it’s healthier than many other sweet foods and because of her grandfather. He loves it. He buys an ice-cream almost everyday and he always has a plate of ice-cream after his dinner at night. He is very fit and active, he walks or drives himself everywhere, he travels overseas too, he still has most of his own teeth ... and he is 92 years old. So ice-cream has obviously kept him healthy for many years and has become a family tradition.

Teeth need calcium to grow strong and healthy. The milk in ice-cream makes it a very good source of calcium. We need to grow lots of teeth when we are babies. Then, children need to keep growing more teeth to replace the ones that fall out. They even grow teeth while they are teenagers. And of course healthy teeth mean fewer visits to the dentist for everyone, too.

Calcium is also needed for healthy bones.

Babies’ bones grow very quickly and they keep on growing until they are adults. Bones also need to be strong. If children’s bones aren’t strong they will break very easily and everyone knows how often children fall over or jump off things. Think about all the sports played by children and adults too, and how necessary it is for these people to have strong, healthy bones. Everyone should eat more ice-cream.

Perhaps you think that just because ice-cream tastes so wonderful, it has to be bad for you.

But, this just isn’t true. There are lots of other foods that taste great, like peaches and cherries that everyone says are good for you.

I know there is a bit of sugar in ice-cream and that’s not totally healthy. But because ice-cream contains milk, it must be high in calcium too. And as everyone knows, calcium is essential for bones and teeth, especially children’s.

So, take advice from a girl who knows. Ice-cream is healthy. You should think of your bones and teeth while you eat and enjoy ice-cream. It’s good for you.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Love ice-cream – 2

Understanding Persuasive text

1. Circle the person who buys an ice-cream every day. (a) her father

(b) her grandfather

(c) her great grandfather

2. Write ‘fact’ or ‘opinion’ after each statement. (a) Babies drink milk.

(b) Ice-cream tastes wonderful.

(c) There is calcium in milk.

(d) Mother is fussy about my diet.

3. Scan the text to find out who or what the writer is referring to when she writes: (a) a very health conscious person (b) the ones that fall out (c) a very good source of calcium 4. (a) What was the writer’s purpose for writing this text?

(b) How could someone work out how well she achieved her purpose?

5. (a) Do you think ice-cream is healthy? Yes No (b) What is the main reason you think this?

6. (a) Read the text again and underline all the ‘everyone’ words. How many times did you find it? (b) Why do you think the writer used it so often?

7. (a) Underline the first sentence in every paragraph of the text. This is the topic sentence. It should help the reader to predict what the paragraph is about. (b) Write the topic sentence that tells you one paragraph is about bones.

(c) How well do you think the eight topic sentences helped you to predict what each paragraph was about? very well / well / quite well / poorly

(d) Write the first four or five words of the best topic sentence.

8. Are the verbs used in the text in the: past, present or future tense?

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Love ice-cream – 3

Creating Persuasive text

1. (a) Research information about the health value of ice-cream. Skim read each text to get a general idea about what is in it, then scan it to find specific information. Some information you find will be factual and some will be opinion, and you may find that not all of the opinions you read will agree. (b) Use the information chart to record information. You will need to decide what is a fact and what is an opinion. Be very careful, because in persuasive texts writers often state an opinion in a way that makes the reader think it is a fact.

How healthy is ice-cream?

Facts

Opinions

2. You will be writing a persuasive text to convince people ice-cream is unhealthy.

List four good reasons why people shouldn’t eat ice-cream, then number them from 1 to 4, starting with your strongest one.

3. Write an introductory paragraph stating what people should believe and do.

4. (a) Choose one of your arguments. Write some ideas in note form to support it.

(b) Use your notes to write this paragraph and read it to a partner.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

A new heart • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read text to identify purpose, main ideas, facts and opinions, and word meanings.

• Identify the starting point of a sentence and its prominence to the message.

• Organise researched information by writing notes under sections appropriate for the characteristic structure of a biography, before writing an introduction.

T

Teaching notes • The focus of this unit is on the structure of biographies.

• On page 28 students are required to underline the beginning of sentences in a paragraph and to then determine if this beginning signals to the reader how the sentence will unfold. This concept may be challenging for some students and should be modelled. Linking it to the concept of topic sentences may be helpful. Students could work with a partner to change the sentence beginning and decide if this changes the emphasis, e.g. ‘After ground-breaking surgery, many treatments and painful procedures, she survived.’ This new sentence is more about the treatment than the fact that she survived.

+

Additional activities • Students conduct some research to assist them to make a list of advantages and disadvantages of implanting artificial hearts instead of transplanting human ones. (Comprehension strategies) • Students make a prediction about doing something in the future that would make them famous. They then write an imaginary biography of their past and future life. They can search for an image of someone they think resembles what they could look like, download it and place it in their text. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page 28 1. (c) 2. (a) the person who receives another person’s organ (b) an operation that is very new (c) an awful experience (d) an organisation that helps other people 3. (a) tonsillitis (b) a surgeon (c) heart transplant recipient, Fiona Coote 4. inspire 5. Teacher check 6. yes 7. A biography is the story of another person’s life.

Page 29 1.–5. Teacher check

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A new heart – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the biography.

In April 1984, history was made at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney when Fiona Coote became the country’s second heart transplant recipient. What was so remarkable about the famous patient was that she was only 14 years old.

This desperately ill young girl, from a farm in New South Wales, had been transferred to the hospital in the city only days before. She had become very sick with tonsillitis caused by a virus. Unfortunately, this recent illness had weakened her heart so badly that she was not expected to survive.

The head of the newly established transplant unit at the hospital was a surgeon called Victor Chang.

As a last resort, he decided to operate on Fiona to try and save her life. Fiona remembers hearing her medical team discussing her operation and saying that they thought the very best they could hope for was that the operation would give her five more years of life.

Fiona survived the ground-breaking surgery and the many treatments and painful procedures that followed. Her smiling face captured the hearts and minds of Australians all around the country. People from many parts of the world also watched her progress with great interest. After 100 days in hospital, she was finally allowed to leave. Continued treatment with many strong drugs and regular testing was needed to make sure her body didn’t reject its new heart.

But in 1986, disaster struck again when it became obvious her body was rejecting her new heart. Once again she faced the terrible ordeal of another transplant and a lengthy recovery. But this time, because she’d done it before, she knew how terrible it would be. Despite all of this and at only 16 years of age, she bravely decided to try again.

Victor Chang and his team operated and transplanted another heart and her long recovery began. This time Fiona’s battle was followed even more closely by millions of people. Again she struggled through many weeks of worry about whether her body would accept or reject its new organ. However, in photos taken of Fiona during this time, she continued to smile, despite the pain and difficulties she faced every day.

Fiona has lived for more than 30 amazing years since her first transplant by cooperating with her medical team and looking after her health. She has worked with charitable organisations to help others and was made a member of the Order of Australian (AM) in 1999 for this work. Her life has not been easy, but by doing yoga, walking daily, healthy eating, plenty of rest and taking lots of different medication she has survived ... and amazingly, this remarkable woman is still smiling.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

A new heart – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. What is the main idea of Paragraph 6? (a) They were concerned that the second heart would be rejected. (b) Her battle was followed by millions. (c) Fiona had a second heart transplant.

2. Explain the meaning of: (a) transplant recipient (b) ground-breaking surgery (c) the terrible ordeal (d) charitable organisation 3. Find another word or phrase used in the text instead of: (a) this recent illness (b) Victor Chang (c) this desperately ill young girl 4. Do you think the purpose of this text was to: inform, amuse, inspire or persuade?

5. Write one fact and one opinion from the text.

• Fact: • Opinion: 6. The first words in a sentence often tell readers what the sentence is mainly about and what is the most important part in it.

Underline the first few words of each sentence in Paragraph 4. Read the sentences carefully. Do the beginnings tell what is important in each sentence?

Sentence 1. • Fiona survived ... Yes No Sentence 2. • Her smiling face ... Yes No Sentence 3. • People from many parts of the world ... Yes No Sentence 4. • After 100 days in hospital ... Yes No Sentence 5. • Continued treatment ... was needed

Yes No

7. What is a biography?

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A new heart – 3

Creating Informative text

You will be researching and planning a biography about the surgeon, Victor Chang.

It should be similar to the one about Fiona Coote.

Write some brief notes in the boxes to help you with each section.

1. Introduction This can be quite short. It names the person and tells why he is famous.

2. Events They are usually written in order, starting with the person’s early life (if they are connected to choices he made or things he did). The major events or stages in his life or his career may be organised into separate paragraphs.

3. Ending Tell what happened or is happening to him now and what you think.

4. Write the introduction to this biography.

5. Write one sentence giving your personal opinion of this man.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

The legend of Lasseter’s reef • Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read text to answer literal and inferential questions, to identify cause and effect and main ideas, and to sequence events.

• Research information by skimming and scanning, and make notes.

T

Teaching notes • The focus of this unit is on research and note taking.

• Scanning in reading is defined as: ‘moving the eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases’.

• Skimming is used to quickly determine the main ideas in a text; often to be found in the first or topic sentences of paragraphs.

• Students are provided with an opportunity to practise writing notes in the activity on page 32. For some students it is a challenge to do this as they may be reluctant to use incomplete sentences. It is suggested that this process in modelled and they have opportunities to compare note and delete unnecessary words.

+

Additional activities • Students research the life of Lasseter’s son Bob and his lengthy search for his father’s reef. As part of this research they can watch the 7.30 Report video of an interview with Bob Lasseter: http://tinyurl.com/l8886lu (The article with this video gives some information about other searchers using Google Earth™ which students may find interesting.) (Comprehension strategies) • Students write persuasive text supporting one point of view in the debate about the existence of Lasseter’s reef. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page 32 1. (a) lived and worked in New South Wales 2. He submitted plans for a bridge and a disc plough.

He claimed he’d found a gold reef.

3. (a) He wanted to be paid to survey a pipeline from the Gascoyne River to his mine site. (b) He needed water at the mine and there wasn’t any there.

4. The sequence is: 3, 1, 2, 5 and 4 5. (a) 1930 (b) 2 months (c) The terrain was difficult, there had been some accidents and Lasseter hadn’t found the reef.

6. Teacher check Page 33 1.–3. Teacher check

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The legend of Lasseter’s reef – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the report.

The legend of Australia’s lost gold mine is considered by many people to be our country’s greatest outback mystery. Central to this story is an interesting character called Harold Bell Lasseter and the question of whether or not he told the truth about finding a huge reef of gold in Central Australia.

There are a number of different stories about Lasseter’s early life. It is true that he was born in Victoria in 1880, but his name then was Lewis Hubert Lasseter. Not a lot is known about his early life; his mother died when he was young. He claimed to have left Australia to serve in the Royal Navy for four years. He did, however, spend some time in the United States and was married there in 1903.

Lasseter returned to New South Wales in about 1908, where he took up a small farm and worked as a maintenance man. During this time he also wrote for a local newspaper, and in 1913 he submitted plans for a design of an arched bridge over Sydney Harbour and for a disc plough. He married again in Melbourne in 1924, then moved to Sydney and worked as a carpenter on Sydney Harbour Bridge.

He later unsuccessfully claimed for payment as the original designer of the bridge.

Interestingly, it wasn’t until 1929 that he wrote to a politician in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, claiming to have found ‘a vast gold-bearing reef in Central Australia’ eighteen years before (in 1913). He wanted the government to employ him to survey a pipeline from the Gascoyne River to this mine site. The government interviewed him and decided not to take any action.

The next year he approached the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) telling them about a gold reef he had found 33 years earlier, in 1897, west of the MacDonnell Ranges. He said after his horses died, he was rescued by a surveyor called Harding who took him to Carnarvon. They both returned three years later and found the reef, but their watches were incorrect so the location they recorded was wrong. The AWU were suspicious because some details in Lasseter’s story varied, but they still decided to send out an expedition to search for the reef.

The expedition of seven men was well equipped with trucks and an aircraft. Lasseter was not a good guide and they didn’t find the reef. After two months, accidents and difficult terrain caused them to abandon their search. Lasseter decided to continue with a man called Paul Johns who had a string of camels. They quarrelled and Lasseter decided to continue on with two camels. But the camels bolted and Lasseter was on his own until he met and lived with some Aboriginals. The searchers who found his body and his diaries reported that he had died of starvation. His diaries recorded that he had rediscovered his reef.

The legend of this reef continues to tempt many searchers, including his son Bob and entrepreneur Dick Smith. Many expeditions have failed to find a trace of Lasseter’s reef.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

The legend of Lasseter’s reef – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. The main idea of Paragraph 3 is that Lasseter: (a) lived and worked in New South Wales. (b) had a small farm. (c) worked on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

2. Which two events happened in 1913?

• • 3. (a) Why did Lasseter approach a Kalgoorlie politician?

(b) Explain why he would have wanted to have a pipeline built to his mine site.

4. Write the numbers 1–5 to sequence these events.

Lasseter wrote to a Kalgoorlie politician.

He lived in the United States.

He worked on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

His diaries were found.

His two camels bolted.

5. (a) In which year did Lasseter approach the Australian Workers’ Union? (b) How long did this expedition last? (c) Why did they stop their search?

6. Read the second last paragraph. Write brief notes about the six most important bits of information you learnt from reading it.

• • • • • • Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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The legend of Lasseter’s reef – 3

Creating Informative text

1. Follow these steps to search the internet for information about Lasseter’s death in the Gibson desert.

•

Enter ‘legend of Lasseter’s reef’.

•

Select some sites to look at.

•

Skim-read them looking for references to his death.

•

Read these parts more carefully.

•

Make notes in bullet points about additional or interesting information about his death.

2. Write a paragraph about Lasseter’s death using information from the text and your notes.

3. Write a personal comment about the legend. Include your opinion about the truth of the legend and explain why you think this.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Stuck on the moors • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures and language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read text to make connections and inferences, to conclude, to identify main ideas and cause and effect, and to visualise information from the text in order to produce a simple map.

• Identify and reference first person pronouns.

• Identify verb tense and evaluate some verb groups and adverbials to determine if they are descriptive and/or expressive, and make changes and improvements.

T

Teaching notes

+

Additional activities

• The focus of this unit is on the structure of a personal recount, which includes an orientation, sequence of events and a re-orientation or summary, and language features such as the use of personal pronouns, past tense verbs/verb groups, descriptive verbs and adverbials to further describe and enhance verb meaning.

• Students sequence the major events in the story in chronological order. They compare their list with that of another student to check they are correctly sequenced. Any omitted events can then be added to their lists in the appropriate places.

• Students discuss the story and the part Julie played in it with a partner. They then work together to orally retell the story from her perspective.

A

Answers Page 36

3. No, they didn’t know much about the moors as they hadn’t been there before.

1. (a) 4 or 5 months

4. Possible answers: They were too far away to be heard. Their parents were too busy talking to hear them.

(b) spring 2.

5. She had to sit all day in her undies.

6. To tell where they went exploring.

main road

7. Teacher check

k ac

tr

8. (a) I was heading for the main road which I could see in front of us; Julie was following me. Suddenly my front leg started to sink. I tried to step back but by then both my legs were stuck and I couldn’t move them.

Car

(b) past tense (c) in front of us

route walked

(d) Suddenly (e) Teacher check. Examples could include: totally, horribly, firmly, tightly.

Page 37 1.–3 Teacher check

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Stuck on the moors – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the personal recount.

Since we arrived in England in December, my sister and I had spent months exploring museums, beautiful old homes and crumbling castles. Dad hated the cold, so he looked for warm, comfortable places to visit every weekend.

We were both surprised one Sunday when he said we were going out on the moors. We weren’t too sure what a moor was, but it was April, a bit warmer and a picnic outside seemed a good idea. It took us about an hour to drive there. On the way, Mum explained these moors were a large national park where people went walking, cycling and horse riding. We both looked enthusiastic until she said we wouldn’t be doing any of those things because the family coming with us had a toddler. We were going to sit and enjoy the fresh air with a picnic lunch.

The moors were fairly flat with some low hills. The limestone roads were narrow and we didn’t see any other cars. It wasn’t what I’d call an interesting drive; except when Dad stopped suddenly to let sheep wander across the road. Finally he turned off sharply to the right onto an even narrower track.

For a few minutes, we went back in the direction we’d come, then we stopped on the left.

While the adults were supposed to be organising lunch, my sister Julie and I begged to be allowed to go for a walk. They were all talking, drinking tea and enjoying some peace while the baby was asleep, so they said we could go.

We decided to explore further along the track. After walking for about 15 minutes, it was a bit boring. Then, I had a brilliant idea! Instead of turning around and walking back, we’d cut across to the main road and come back on the track we drove in on. That way we’d return from the opposite direction and surprise them.

Julie agreed and we set off across the purple and brown heather. At first it was easy, then it started to get a bit muddy. I was heading for the main road which I could see not far in front of us; Julie was following me. Suddenly my front leg started to sink. I tried to step back but by then both my legs were stuck and I couldn’t move them. I yelled a warning to Julie not to follow me into the bog.

We were both laughing, then we realised I was still sinking. I remembered stories about people being swallowed by quicksand and I really was scared. Julie said she’d run back and get Dad ... but then I thought I might have completely disappeared by the time they got back. I was terrified; the mud was well past my knees and it was still rising. I didn’t want Julie to go and leave me all alone.

Julie just leant forwards, grabbed the back of my jeans at the waist and pulled and pulled. I don’t know how she did it, but somehow she managed to haul me to the edge and I scrambled out, with my jeans covered in mud.

I spent the rest of the day sitting on our picnic rug trying to hide my red and white spotted undies ... but they were clearly visible in the photo Dad took of me feeding some sheep. How embarrassing!

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Stuck on the moors – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. (a) How long had the family been living in England? (b) Which season was it when they went to the moors?

2. Draw a map showing: the main road, the track, where the car was parked, where the girls walked to the bog.

3. Do you think the girls knew that there were bogs on the moor? Yes No Explain why you think this.

4. Why didn’t the girls yell for help when they got into trouble?

5. Why was the writer embarrassed?

6. Tick the main idea of Paragraph 5. (a) The girls were bored. (b) They wanted to surprise people. (c) To tell where they went exploring.

7. This recount is written in the first person using the pronouns ‘I’ and ‘me’ to represent the writer and ‘we’ and ‘us’ for the writer and her sister/family. (a) Find and circle three ‘I’ and three ‘me’ pronouns in the text. (b) Underline a sentence with the pronoun ‘we’ refers to the writer and her sister. (c) Circle a sentence with the pronoun ‘we’ refers to the writer and her family.

8. (a) Underline all the verb groups.

I was heading for the main road which I could see in front of us; Julie was following me. Suddenly my front leg started to sink. I tried to step back but by then both my legs were stuck and I couldn’t move them. (b) Are these verbs in the past or present tense? (c) The adverbial of place for the first verb group is ‘for the main road’. Write the adverbial of place for the second verb group. (d) What adverb of manner is used with ‘started to sink’? (e) Add a descriptive adverb of manner to ‘were stuck’.

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Stuck on the moors – 3

Creating Informative text

1. Think of a scary experience you’ve had yourself or read about. (a) Where did it happen? (b) Who was there? (c) When did it happen? (d) List four events in order.

• • • • (e) What happened in the end?

(f) How did you feel about it?

2. (a) Choose one event and describe what happened.

(b) Underline the verbs and verb groups you used. (c) Are they all in the past tense?

Yes No

(d) Think about how descriptive each of the underlined verbs/verb groups are and change some to make them more descriptive. (e) Read your paragraph again and circle any adverbials you used to tell how, when or where each of your verbs happened. (f) Add or change the adverbials you used to make your verb/verb groups more descriptive.

3. Write your new paragraph on a separate page and ask a partner to read it and to discuss the verbs/verb groups and adverbials in it.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Please, please, let me!

• Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • 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 (ACELY1704) • Reread and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read a persuasive text to understand the conventions used in expository texts and to identify its purpose and audience.

• Understand the organisation of ideas in text, including the use of topic sentences in paragraphs, connect and sequence information, and predict and determine cause and effect.

• Create well-structured persuasive texts presenting a particular point of view and edit it to improve its evaluative language, making it stronger and more expressive.

T

Teaching notes • The focus of this unit is on the structure, organisation, purpose and language features of persuasive texts and on how opinions and points of view are expressed in them to persuade others. It relates to these Language and Literature content descriptions: • Some students may find it helpful to complete Question 5 on page 41 with a partner, or they could edit their paragraphs themselves and then discuss and review their changes with a partner.

+

Additional activities • Students work in pairs to write a persuasive text in the form of an email from Jane’s parents to Jane. They should carefully consider and discuss each of her arguments and decide if Jane’s parents would be likely to allow her to have her ears pierced. Then each student chooses one paragraph and writes a response to it. They may either agree or disagree with Jane’s arguments. After reading their paragraphs, they work together to write an introductory paragraph for their email, stating the issue and their position on it as well as a concluding paragraph summarising their arguments and restating their position. (Creating text) ‘Ear piercing is not safe’ is a topic that can be debated by teams from the class. Students should do some internet research to provide ideas on the topic as well as some authoritative sources to quote in support of their arguments during their class debates. (Interacting with others)

A

Answers Page 40 1. (a) She wanted to persuade her parents to allow her to have her ears pierced. (b) her parents 2. (a)–(b) Teacher check (c) She though her first argument was the strongest because she stated with it. (d)–(e) Teacher check 3. (a) Ear piercing is safe. (b) She will be acting responsibly.

4.

Cause

Effect

She hasn’t got pierced ears.

Jane’s friends think she’s weird.

Jane has the money to pay to have her ears pierced.

It won’t cost her parents any money.

She wants her ears pierced so much.

Jane is prepared to have needles which she hates.

Modern ear piercing people are very Her ears won’t become infected. concerned with cleanliness.

Jane was angry and upset.

Jane yelled at her parents.

5. (a) Teacher check (b) Answer should indicate that most paragraphs start with a topic sentence.

6. Yes Page 41 1.–5. Teacher check

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Please, please, let me! – 1

Reading Persuasive text

Read the persuasive email.

Mum and Dad I’m sorry I was angry and upset and that I yelled at you. I only did it because I thought you were being really unfair, very old-fashioned and extremely strict. Please read this email. I hope it will make you change your minds and that you’ll let me have my ears pierced now, and not have to wait until I’m 18.

You keep telling me that I should be more responsible. Well I’m nearly 12 and I need to make some decisions for myself; that’s being responsible, isn’t it? I know after it’s been done, I’ll have to be responsible and look after my ears carefully so they don’t become infected like that girl who went to school with you, Mum. But that was years ago; now there are antiseptic sprays to stop infections.

You won’t have to worry about the cost. I know how much it is and I still have the birthday money Auntie Jen gave me. I’ll use it—and they give you a pair of earrings when you get it done, so I won’t have to buy any. And next year, people won’t need to worry about what to buy me for my birthday, will they?

Ear piercing is very safe these days. Hairdressers do it with a special kind of gun. They’re always fussy about making sure everything is perfectly clean and sterile and they wash their hands carefully. It is very different from using a hot needle and a cork like your old uncle used to do. I also know earrings can sometimes be ripped out when you’re playing sport and that some people have lost part of their ear in this way. But we have to take ours out or cover them up with tape or we’re not allowed to play.

So that won’t happen to me, I’ll be very safe.

I know that I will feel and look great with pierced ears. At the moment every girl in my class has her ears pierced except for one other girl and me. Everyone thinks we’re weird and that makes me feel bad.

Some of the girls were lucky and had theirs done when they were babies. I just want to feel good and be like everyone else. Some girls even have extra piercing ... but I’ll be happy with one in each ear.

In my whole life I don’t think I’ve wanted anything more than I want this. You know how I feel about having needles, I hate it. The fact that I’m begging you to let me have two big needles must tell you how important this is for me.

Waiting until I’m 18 doesn’t make any sense because I’m not going to change my mind about having it done. So I can’t see why putting it off for years and years will make any difference to anyone but poor me.

Please reconsider your decision, which I think is unfair. I’m trying to make a responsible decision. You won’t need to worry about the cost, it’s safe and it will make me feel good and be part of my group.

And what’s more, I’m prepared to put up with the pain, which proves I really want this. Everyone who wants to should be allowed to have pierced ears. Please, please, please let me!

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Please, please, let me! – 2

Understanding Persuasive text

1. (a) What was Jane’s purpose in writing this email?

(b) Who was her audience?

2. (a) Do you think that Jane identified the issue and stated her position on it clearly in the first paragraph? Yes No (b) Did she present her arguments in a logical, well sequenced way? Yes No (c) Which of her arguments did she think was her strongest?

(d) Which argument do you think is the most persuasive? (e) Do you think Jane’s parents will change their minds? Yes No Explain why you think this.

3. Circle the argument Jane wrote first. (a) Ear piercing is safe. or (b) She will be acting responsibly.

She will look great with pierced ears. or Her parents won’t have to pay for it.

4. Complete the table.

Cause

Effect Jane’s friends think she’s weird.

Jane has the money to pay to have her ears pierced.

Jane is prepared to have needles which she hates.

Modern ear piercing people are very concerned with cleanliness.

Jane yelled at her parents.

5. A topic sentence is usually the first sentence of a paragraph and it tells the reader what the paragraph is about. (a) Underline the first sentence in each paragraph of the text. (b) How many of the eight paragraphs start with a topic sentence?

6. Has Jane summarised her main points in the last paragraph? Yes No Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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Please, please, let me! – 3

Creating Persuasive text

1. What is something you would like your parents or some other adults to do for you or allow you to do?

2. (a) What is the best argument you can think of to persuade them to do what you want them to do?

(b) What is another good argument you could use to persuade them?

3. Write the first paragraph of an email about this issue. Remember to say what the issue is, how you feel about it and what you want them to do.

4. (a) What do you think is the main reason they don’t want to do what you want?

(b) Write a paragraph dealing with this argument. Remember to think carefully about your first sentence and to make sure it tells what your paragraph is about.

5. Persuasive texts use evaluative language to give personal opinions about how good or bad something is. Examples from Jane’s email include the words: really unfair, very old-fashioned, extremely strict, more responsible, very safe and weird. (a) Read the two paragraphs you wrote and underline some of the evaluative language you used. (b) Make the words you underlined stronger and more evaluative. You can do this in two ways, by: • replacing the word with a more expressive one, e.g. ‘begging’, not ‘asking’ or • adding an evaluative word to intensify a word’s meaning, e.g. adding ‘extremely’ to ‘strict’. (c) Write some of the new more expressive words you used in the box below.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Marium • Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) • Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multi-modal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Understand the conventions of setting, characters, complication, resolution, verb tense and the use of third person pronouns in narratives.

• Create a well-structured text innovation of a simple narrative. The setting, characters and resolution will need to change in order to deal a the new, specified complication.

T

Teaching notes • Students should locate Kenya on a map and discuss what the climate and living conditions there would be like.

• The comprehension questions on page 44 require students to make connections, infer, visualise, conclude and determine cause and effect and fact or opinion.

• The concept of fact or opinion is sometimes confused with true or false. For example, it is true the text states ‘Marium’s mother worked hard’’; however, this is an opinion not a fact. It is a fact she worked but it is a value judgement/an opinion as to how hard she worked; someone could think she should have done even more work.

• Before beginning the writing task, discuss verb tense with the students and ask them to find past tense verbs in the text. They should also look for and underline third person pronouns.

• The spaces on page 45 will be sufficient for some students to write their paragraphs. Others may prefer to use these spaces for notes and to write their paragraphs on paper or to use a word processing program. They should read each paragraph of the text before writing their own.

• Students will benefit from opportunities to discuss their proposed resolution with a partner to refine and clarify their ideas before writing the paragraph out in full.

+

Additional activities • Students write a letter from Marium to her sponsors in Australia telling them how hard it was for her starting to learn to read and write at school, what she thinks of school now and thanking them. (Creating texts) • As a class, students discuss some of the effects Marium going to school would be likely to have on the family and record this information on a PMI (plus, minus, interesting) chart. (Listening and speaking interactions)

A

Answers Page 44 1. (a) pocket money (b) to speak or write to someone (c) needles (d) to get or collect someone or something (e) A person who provides something like money or goods to help another person.

2. Teacher check. Answers may include: She was so excited./She was too busy thinking about her future.

3. Her mother is responsible for the family so he has possibly died or left his family.

4. (a) fact (b) opinion (c) opinion (d) fact 5. (a) Her legs were shaking and wobbling like jelly. (b) Teacher check 6. Answers may include: She was excited/scared.

7. Answers may include: She didn’t want to hear any bad news.

8. Teacher check Page 45 Teacher check

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Marium – 1

Reading Imaginative text

Read the narrative.

Marium was sitting on the ground outside her brown mud hut in a small village near Mombasa in Kenya.

She bounced her baby brother on her knee as she watched some children walking past, proudly wearing their uniforms and their new shoes. They were chattering excitedly as they made their way to the school two ladies from Australia had built outside their village. Marium sighed as she thought how lucky they were and how much she would like to be going with them, but they didn’t have any money to buy uniforms, shoes and books.

Her mother heard her sigh and looked up from the mat she was trying to finish weaving to sell at the market for money to buy food for her family. ‘I know how much you want to go to school and learn,’ she said softly, ‘and perhaps the boss lady from Australia will have some good news for us when she arrives next week. She said she would try to find a family from her church to sponsor you’.

Marium knew life would be even more difficult for her mother if she was going to school. There were so many jobs she did to help her mother. But if she did go to school, she promised herself she would get up very early to fetch water and she would go to the grain store on her way home from school. It would be hard for her mother, but they both knew her own future and her family’s future would be much better if she could read and write. So it would be worth it.

It was a long week, but finally Marium saw that one of the boss ladies was back in their village. But ... she didn’t come to talk to her mother. Marium waited and watched all the next day and the next. Then finally, she saw the lady coming towards their hut. She ran inside and hid as her mother greeted the lady and they sat together speaking in quiet voices. When her mother called for her to come out and join them, her hands were shaking and her legs felt like jelly.

The lady took her hands, smiled at her and said kindly, ‘I know you really want to go to our school and I have some good news for you. There is a family who will help you. They have a daughter about your age and she wants to help you too. She is going to share some of her pocket money with you so you can go to school. First you will need to see the nurse and have a health check and some inoculations too, and then we’ll see about your uniform, shoes and your books’.

Marium couldn’t believe her ears. She was so excited. She was going to school and she was going to learn to read and write and she would be wearing shoes for the first time in her life. She sat very still as big tears ran down her face and dripped off her nose. Her mother and the lady went on talking, but she didn’t hear a word. She was thinking about how much she wanted to be able to correspond with the family so she could tell them how very special their gift to her would be.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Marium – 2

Understanding Imaginative text

1. (a) Which word in Paragraph 5 can mean ‘allowance’? (b) The word ‘correspond’ in Paragraph 6 means (c) Does the word ‘inoculations’ in Paragraph 5 mean ‘treatments’, ‘illnesses’ or ‘needles’? (d) The word ‘fetch’ in Paragraph 3 means (e) Explain what a ‘sponsor’ is.

2. Explain why Marium didn’t hear a word after her mother and the lady from Australia told her she had a sponsor.

3. The story doesn’t tell you, but what could you conclude about Marium’s father?

4. Write ‘fact’ or ‘opinion’ after each statement. (a) The students wore uniforms to school. (b) Marium’s mother worked very hard. (c) The family in Australia were very generous. (d) Marium hid inside her house.

5. (a) Explain what is meant by the simile ‘her legs felt like jelly’. (b) Write a simile.

Her hands were shaking like

.

6. Why do you think Marium was shaking?

7. Why do you think Marium hid inside her house?

8. Try to visualise Marium. Write some words you could use to describe her appearance, character and what she does.

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Marium – 3

Creating Imaginative text

The setting for this story is a small village in Kenya.

The main characters are Marium, her mother and the lady from Australia.

The complication is that Marium wants to go to school, but she can’t.

It is resolved when the lady from Australia tells her she has a sponsor.

The story is told in the past tense using third person pronouns: he, she, it, they.

1. (a) You’re going to use this story to help you to plan and write a similar one.

You can choose any setting and any characters. Your main character is refusing to go to school (complication). You will need to think of a suitable resolution.

Paragraph 1 (introducing the setting and characters)

Paragraph 2 (the complication with some details about it)

Paragraph 3 (the resolution)

(b) Give your story a title.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Buy my house • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Show how ideas and points of view in texts are conveyed through the use of vocabulary, including idiomatic expression, objective and subjective language, and that these can change according to context (ACELY1698) • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read and understand the purpose, format and language features of an internet real estate advertisement.

• Create an advertisement using appropriate structure and language features to present information relevant to its purpose.

T

Teaching notes • Students will benefit from having opportunities to look at a number of different real estate advertisements and noting some of their similarities and differences.

• A common language feature of this form of expository text expounding the virtues of a product is to embroider or exaggerate the truth with extremely positive descriptions and excessive superlatives. Descriptive adjective and noun groups feature prominently.

• Some examples of another language feature often found in advertising texts such as this are given in Question 2 on page 49. Students may enjoy finding further examples and ‘translating’ them, and conversely trying to put a positive spin on a negative feature. For example: compact (small), looking for a keen gardener (neglected garden), has potential (needs work).

+

Additional activities • Students look in the housing section of a newspaper to find a well-located house they would like to live in. They write a letter to their parents trying to persuade them to purchase this house. (Creating texts).

• Working with a partner, children read newspaper housing advertisements, recording any abbreviations used in them and working out their meaning. They then try to complete the same activity with internet housing advertisements, where they should find fewer abbreviations are used. They can discuss possible reasons to explain this difference. (Listening and speaking interactions)

A

Answers Page 48 1. (a) Kim Su (b) Sun Realty (c) Phone 0402 715 394 2. (a) Property Sales (b) propertysales.com.au (c) advertising 3. (a) 27 Windy Lane, Kennington (b) a short stroll (c) So people can drive past it and look at it and decide if they like the street, house and garden. (d) Brian Brown Homes 4. (a) The workshop is separate from the house. (b) The bathrooms are big.

5. (a) They want to sell the house and believe lots of people will go to the website and see it. (b) home buyers (c) Teacher check 6. (a) Teacher check (b) Answers may include: There are lots of descriptive words.

7. Teacher check Page 49 1.–2. Teacher check

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Buy my house – 1

Reading Persuasive text

Read the internet real estate advertisement.

FOR SALE PROPERTY SALES

propertysales.com.au

27 Windy Lane Kennington PA 5999 From $825 000 PHOTO GALLERY

1 Stunning! ‘The Mediterranean’

by Brian Brown Homes This immaculately presented quality single-level family home is in a fantastic whisper-quiet location, looking out over the beautiful, lush green Flinders Park and only a short stroll to the clean turquoise waters of Sandford Beach.

Family friendly residence offers 4 stylish double bedrooms all with built-in robes, 2 generous bathrooms with sleek fittings, plus a separate secluded study. Living consists of a large, elegant formal lounge and dining, a spacious and bright kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances and flawless-quality Tasmanian Oak cabinetry with granite benchtops. There is also a big, open-plan family room, which can double as a second meals area. Minor bedrooms are in a separate wing, with a comfortable, relaxing activity/theatre/media room.

There is a stand-alone studio/workshop in the back corner of the yard that would ideal for a number of uses.

A double garage with a large driveway gives you plenty of room to park the cars.

Homes available in prestigious Sandford Beach Estate are few and far between, making them very sought after; be sure you act quickly on this opportunity.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Understanding

Buy my house – 2

Persuasive text

1. (a) What is the name of the real estate agent selling this house? (b) Which real estate company does she work for? (c) How can you contact her?

2. (a) Which internet company placed the advertisement on its website? (b) What is their web address? (c) Does this company sell people houses or advertising?

3. (a) Where is the house located? (b) How far from the beach is it? (c) Explain why there is a map. (d) Which building company built the house?

4. (a) There is a stand-alone workshop on this property. Explain what this means. (b) Explain what they mean by saying it has 2 generous bathrooms.

5. (a) What was the purpose of placing this advertisement on the internet?

(b) Explain the audience it is intended for. (c) Do you think it is an effective advertisement that will be successful? Yes No Give reasons for your answer.

6. Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns. (a) Read the description of the house and underline some of the adjectives used to describe features of this property. (b) What did you notice about the type and number of adjectives used in the text?

7. Go to an online real estate site for your suburb and look at some properties advertised on it. Write some of the most descriptive adjectives they have used.

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Buy my house – 3

Creating Persuasive text

1. Your task is to plan an advertisement to sell your own home. Write dot point notes about its features in the boxes provided. Think about how you can make your property sound so fantastic that everyone will want it. You can exaggerate.

Consider information about: Location, description and map

Price and selling agent with his/her contact information, photo/drawing, company name and logo

Number of bedrooms, bathrooms and garage spaces

Features, including some adjectives from page 48

2. Preparing your advertisement: • • • •

•

You may like to make a computer page advertisement or to prepare a paper one.

Look at real advertisements for ideas you can use.

Include a map and photographs if they are available or draw pictures.

Add even more adjectives to your text description to increase and exaggerate the appeal of this property, e.g. fantastic, prestigious, quality, elegant, perfect, impressive, stunning, flawless, spacious, whisper quiet and immaculate.

Be very positive but don’t lie. For example, say that it is ‘a renovator’s delight’, not that ‘it needs painting’ and situated ‘close to buses and shopping’ not ‘on a busy, noisy road’.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Hang-gliding • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read informative text and consider its structure and the purpose for using subheadings.

• Write informative and imaginative text paragraphs on a topic and identify similarities and differences in the language features used in each of them.

T

Teaching notes • Students will need to do some research about hang-gliding in order to complete Question 1 on page 53. They are required to write an additional paragraph with a subheading that would fit within the text. They should be reminded to think carefully about their first sentence, which should introduce the reader to the content of their paragraph. They should also be mindful of verb tense and ensure that this is consistent throughout their text.

• After listing words and phrases describing an imagined tandem hang-gliding experience, student write a paragraph. They are then required to establish similarities and difference between the structure, purpose and language features of the two different types of text texts.

+

Additional activities • Students research the history of unpowered flight from different sources and compile a timeline to make connections and to summarise this information. (Comprehension strategies).

• After researching information about the construction and features of a hang-glider, students produce a visual image and attach labels to describe the function of each feature. (Purpose and audience) • Student complete a ‘Before’, ‘During’ and ‘After’ chart to describe an imaginary hang-glider flight. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page 56 1. (b) triangle 2. (a) one (b) strong, light plastic (c) Teacher check. Answers may include: It needs to be light to launch or carry it.

3. Teacher check. Answers may include: Hang-gliders are better designed./There are safety rules to follow./Pilots are better trained./There are more rules and regulations.

4. (a) look for swooping birds 5. Teacher check. Answers may include: It makes it easier to find information./It helps to organise information./It tells the reader what the text will be about. (b) Teacher check 6. Teacher check Page 53 1.–3. Teacher check

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Hang-gliding – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the report about hang-gliding.

A hang-glider looks like a large kite with a delta-shaped wing. It is an unpowered aircraft which requires air movement to stay aloft.

History There have been many stories about men trying to fly by leaping from towers with cloth wings attached to their bodies for at least one thousand years. One late 19th century inventor was an American engineer, Octave Chanute. He and his team made more than 2000 unpowered flights. It is believed their successes influenced the famous Wright brothers, who invented powered flight in 1903.

It wasn’t until after World War that interest shifted back from powered to unpowered flight. By then, a hang-glider wing could be made with strong plastic. The American Hang Gliding Association was formed in 1971 and the sport of hang-gliding spread quickly around the world.

Construction A hang-glider consists of a metal frame with a horizontal bar for the pilot to hold, cables and a wing made of extremely light, strong plastic with aluminium struts. It weighs about 29 kilograms and can be folded up and stored when not in use.

Training and safety Initially hang-gliding was considered a very dangerous activity. But better equipment and training have resulted in a significant improvement from the 40 fatalities in 1974 to seven in 1995. However, these lightweight aircraft can be easily damaged in unsafe wind and weather conditions.

Launch There are a number of ways to launch a hang-glider. The simplest are jumping from a high point or by running down a slope into the wind until the sail fills with air and the aircraft lifts off. Other methods involve being pulled by a winch or being towed by a boat or an ultralight aircraft.

Flight Pilots, wearing a harness, are suspended from the airframe. They change direction by shifting their body weight, to the right to move left or to the left to move to the right. To go faster they pull the horizontal bar they’re holding towards them and they slow down by pushing it away from them.

Hang-gliders slowly return to Earth unless their pilots are able to locate upwards moving air currents, called thermals. Birds often chase insects in thermals and this sometimes helps pilots to locate them.

These invisible thermals have enabled hang-gliders to stay up for hours and to fly as high as about 6000 metres and distances of about 300 kilometres. Rising air from ridges and mountains also provides ‘lift’ for hang-gliders.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Hang-gliding – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. Delta-shaped means shaped like a: (a) river

(b) triangle

(c) bird

2. (a) How many wings does a hang-glider have? (b) What material is used to make wings for hang-gliders? (c) Why do you think light materials are used in hang-glider construction?

3. Give reasons why hang-gliding is now a much safer activity.

4. To find thermals pilots: (a) look for swooping birds.

(b) see them moving.

(c) listen for a noise.

5. (a) Give reasons why some writers organise informative text into paragraphs with subheadings.

(b) Do you think subheadings are helpful? Yes No Explain why you think this.

6. Write some phrases to describe what you think hang-gliding would: (a) look like

(b) sound like

(c) feel like

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Hang-gliding – 3

Creating Informative text

1. (a) Write an extra paragraph to add to this text. You will need to think of an interesting topic and a suitable subheading. Search the internet for information.

(b) Is your first sentence a topic sentence telling what it is about? Yes No (c) Which tense have you used? present/past/future 2. Think about what going on a tandem hang-glider flight with an instructor would be like. Use information from the text and your imagination. (a) Write descriptive words and phrases to tell about this experience.

(b) Write a paragraph describing this imagined experience.

3. Compare your informative and imaginative paragraphs using the chart below.

Similarities

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Differences

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Flight • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read and understand a poem and identify some of its structural and language features.

• Plan and write a poem following a series of outlined steps.

T

Teaching notes • In order to understand, appreciate and write poetry, students need to read and listen a lot of poetry.

• Students will benefit from listening to the poem Flight first and by reading alternate verses with a partner before reading it themselves and answering questions about it.

• They should be encouraged to identify and discuss the features of this text form and to visualise as they read.

• The Y chart on page 57 is used to record senses and emotions evoked by the significant event in each student’s life. Sharing these ideas with others may provide further ideas for students to add to their Y charts.

• The words and phrases they write are then used as a starting point and a source of ideas in their poems.

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Additional activities • Students research the internet for poems written by other students their age. They select and download one poem they like in each of the following four categories: a very short poem, one using repetition, one that rhymes and one that doesn’t. They read one of their selected poems to a small group of students and explain why they selected it. (Expressing preferences and evaluating texts) • The class investigates Verses 5 and 6 of Flight to identify and record phrases used in these verses to describe a sunset. For example: ‘The sunlight turns golden’, ‘Shadows come racing’, ‘As the sun slides away’ and ‘As the world turns black’. They should try to visualise and describe each of these images and to suggest and record some other similar ones. (Personal responses to the ideas, characters and viewpoints in texts)

A

Answers Page 56 1. (a) Verse 2 (b) Teacher check. Answers may include: held aloft by one wing, my hang-glider and I, my feet touch the ground, clambering free of my harness, I pack up my wing 2. (a) in the afternoon (b) Teacher check. Answers should refer to sunset 3. (a) yes (b) Teacher check. Answers may include: The pilot can wheel, turn, swoop, soar, loop, bank and dive 4. He carries it on the roof rack of his car.

5. Teacher check 6. (a) reluctant (b) alone (c) aloft 7. (a) clambering, look, slides, pack up, tie, head, turns (b)–(c) Teacher check 8. Teacher check. Answers may include: It rhymes./It’s in verses./It uses poetic language./It creates visual images.

Page 57 1.–3. Teacher check

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Flight – 1

Reading Imaginative

Read the poem.

It’s so quiet up here, there’s barely a sound Just a sigh of warm air, rising up from the ground I see people below, beetles scurrying around Not one of them knows the peace that I’ve found I pull on the bar, swing my weight to the right And I circle and climb, a soaring eagle in flight Alone in a world, with no worry or care Held aloft by one wing, on invisible air Finally I slow; the air has grown chill No longer climbing the face of the hill Off to one side, birds ride an updraft And I wheel and I turn my own little craft To soar with them then, so free and alive To swoop and to loop, to bank and to dive To look down on the earth from so far on high To see the world through a raptor’s eye The sunlight turns golden, then pink and then red And my hang-glider and I back to earth we head Shadows come racing, darkness gathers around And with a reluctant skip, my feet touch the ground Clambering free of the harness I look to the west As the sun slides away for its nightly rest And I pack up my wing, tie it tight to its rack And slowly head home, as the world turns black I’m earthbound now, trapped on four wheels But I’ve soared in the heavens and know how it feels And I’ll be back soon, and once more delight In the unending freedom and sheer joy of flight

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Flight – 2

Understanding Imaginative text

1. (a) In which verse is the first clue that the poem is about hang-gliding? (b) Write some of the words and phrases used later in the poem to tell you this.

2. (a) You can conclude that this flight took place.

• in the morning.

• in the afternoon.

• at night.

(b) What information helped you to reach this conclusion?

3. (a) Do you think the pilot has been hang-gliding many times before? Yes No (b) Explain why you think this.

4. How does the pilot transport his hang-glider?

5. Explain the line: ‘I’m earthbound now, trapped on four wheels.’

6. Which word in: (a) verse 5 tells that the pilot didn’t want this flight to end? (b) verse 2 tells that this wasn’t a tandem flight? (c) verse 2 means ‘in the air’?

7. (a) Underline seven verbs in Paragraph 6. (b) Which two do you think are the most expressive? (c) Write a more expressive verb to replace ‘look’ in line 1.

8. Read the poem again. What are some of the features that make it a poem?

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Flight – 3

Creating Imaginative text

1. You are going to prepare and write a poem about something exciting and special you’ve done. Did it make you feel really good or absolutely terrible? (a) Draw a picture or find a photo of you or someone else doing it. (b) Show the picture to a partner. Tell your partner where and when it happened, who was there, what you did and describe how you felt.

2. Complete the Y chart. Write the activity in the box in the middle. Add expressive words and phrases describing how doing this activity looked, sounded and felt.

Looks like

Feels like

Sounds like Here are a six things to remember when you write poems.

• They do not have to rhyme.

• They can be short.

• It’s good to leave out any unnecessary words. • Poets love words and choose them carefully.

• Poets often compare things using similes.

• Poets keep changing words to improve their poems.

3. The hardest thing about writing a poem is getting started. So let’s start.

Step 1. Look at some of the ideas you wrote on the Y chart.

Step 2. Write down one of these ideas. (It can be in a sentence if you like.)

Step 3. Add some other ideas, starting each one on a new line.

Step 4. Read your poem.

Cross out any unneeded words, like ‘It is’ or ‘there are’.

Do you need to change verbs to make them vital and interesting?

Try to visualise. Make your ‘word pictures’ clearer by changing words.

Write out your poem and share it with a friend.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Travel with us • Identify and explain characteristic text structures and language features used in imaginative, informative and persuasive texts to meet the purpose of the text (ACELY1701) • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read a travel promotion to identify structure and language features of this type of persuasive texts.

• Prepare, write and present text to promote travel to a destination of choice, using descriptive language to exaggerate and promote its attractions.

T

Teaching notes • The focus of the writing activity on page 61 is on promotion and persuasion. Students will need to select the destination they want to promote with this in mind and to be aware of their intended audience (their class members).

• After each student has presented his/her travel promotion, the class may choose to vote to determine the most appealing.

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Additional activities • Students read the text to identify examples of alliteration and discuss possible reasons for using it in this type of persuasive text. They can then look for any example used in their own travel promotion text, adding some if appropriate. (Creating texts) • Students investigate and discuss the different ways in which the travel industry can market its product, such as advertisements in magazines and newspapers, on television and on the internet, and on posters. (Expressing and developing ideas)

A

Answers Page 60 1. (c) persuade 2. (a) Answers may include: swirling snowflakes, warm fires, snow-covered mountains, snow-dusted destinations, snow-topped winter wonderland, snow drifts, firelight. (b) Teacher check. Answers make include: freezing cold, wet snow, biting wind, fog, traffic delays, icy roads, poor visibility. (c) No, they only tell about the good things so people will want to go there.

3. (a) places covered with a thin layer of snow (b) towns that look like postcard pictures with cobblestone roads (c) something so ideal, it hardly looks real (d) your large roomy cabin on the ship 4. (a) snow-covered mountains, irresistible aromas, majestic castles, marvellous waterways, spectacular scenery, medieval buildings (b) Teacher check. Answers may include: They want you to be able to visualise what it is like and want to make it sound great.

5. Location: Europe Things to see include: snow, scenery, castles, waterways, medieval buildings, decorations, markets, cobblestones, fairy lights Things to do include: relax, eat, have fun on the ship, meet new friends, travel on a bus Your personal opinion: Teacher check Page 61 1.–9. Teacher check

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Travel with us

Reading Persuasive text

Read the travel promotion email.

Home

> River cruising

> Europe river cruising

> A white Christmas

Christmas in Europe

Hi James

Check out our latest deals for European Christmas river cruises.

Experience the excitement of the European Christmas everyone dreams about: snowflakes swirling, warm fires crackling, chestnuts roasting, and spectacular scenery topped with snow-covered mountains.

All this and more is yours as you relax aboard one of our luxury ships, while it drifts peacefully down rivers, past majestic castles to snowdusted destinations.

Join us and feel the joy of Christmas on one of Europe’s many marvellous waterways. Visit medieval buildings adorned with festive decorations and Christmas markets in picturesque old cobblestoned town squares.

Christmas markets These traditional markets date back hundreds of years and are a highlight for any visitor fortunate enough to be in Europe at this magical time of year. The colourful stalls and irresistible aromas of their spice treats will linger in your memory for years.

Special festive dinners Join us on tour for Christmas Day and New Year and we’ll delight you with our delectable dinners and evenings of fun, all shared with many new friends.

A white Christmas Christmas in a snow-topped winter wonderland is uniquely appealing, especially from the warmth of your spacious suite aboard one of our sleek new river ships. Enjoy an idyllic European fairytale, with its fairy lights, snow drifts, firelight and hot chocolate. Then venture out on one of the many escorted tours, available for your selection. You will be travelling in one of our warm, comfortable, modern tour buses with a charming, experienced, English-speaking tour guide.

Winter wonderland 2016 Discover Europe this Christmas on a wonderland Christmas journey.

View online Post me a brochure

Travel the Planet Making dreams come true

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Travel with us – 2

Understanding Persuasive text

1. The main purpose for writing this text was to: (a) give information

(b) entertain

(c) persuade

2. (a) List some positive things about winter weather mentioned in the text.

(b) Think about winter weather in cold places. List some negative things about it.

(c) Has Travel the Planet mentioned any of the things in your negative list?

Yes No

Explain this.

3. Explain the meaning of each noun group from the text. (a) snow-dusted destinations

(b) picturesque cobblestoned towns

(c) an idyllic European fairytale

(d) your spacious suite 4. (a) Write an adjective used in the text to describe each noun. mountains

aromas

castles

waterways

scenery

buildings

(b) Explain why so many descriptive adjectives have been used in the text.

5. Complete the information chart about this travel destination.

Location Things to see Things to do Your personal opinion Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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Travel with us – 3

Creating Persuasive text

You will be preparing, planning and writing some persuasive text about a fantastic destination you think other people would like to visit.

Your task is to persuade them to pay you money to travel to this wonderful place.

1. Tell a partner about this place and why you think people should go there.

2. Ask your partner if he/she has any questions to ask you about this place 3. Find out any extra information you need, so you can answer your partner’s questions. You could also download any good photographs or audio you could use in preparing, writing and presenting your persuasive text.

4. Complete the information table.

Place Location Best time to visit Things to see Things to do 5. Re-read the text on page 59. Underline some of the best and most descriptive noun groups used to persuade people these attractions are so wonderful that it’s worth spending lots of money going to see them.

6. Write some exaggerated noun groups about your destination you could use in your text to persuade people this is the very best place for them to visit. For example: many marvellous waterways, delectable dinners.

7. Think about how you can make some of the things people do at your destination sound really interesting, and write some phrases you could use. For example: while it drifts peacefully, we’ll delight you, then venture out.

8. Write some text and decide how you will organise it and what photos, art, maps, audio etc. you want to include.

9. Print copies of your text and present it to your class. Ask them to comment on it.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Exotic pets • Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ALCELY1703) • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read four informative texts to understand, compare and contrast information, to answer literal and inferential questions, and to differentiate between facts and opinions.

• Research a number of sources, skimming and scanning to find relevant information, compiling notes and using them to write paragraphs for an informational report.

T

Teaching notes • In determining if a statement is a fact or an opinion and true or false (Question 4, page 64), students should be made aware that something stated as a fact can be verified as true or established not to be a true fact, and therefore is false. But opinions can be considered either true or false because they are, by definition, subjective.

• A simple activity on page 64 provides practice in making notes. Students may need to be reminded that notes provide relevant information in an abbreviated form using dot points and they are usually not in complete sentences.

• Before students research different sources to compile notes for the activity on page 65, revise and provide opportunities for them to practise the techniques of skimming for a general idea of what a text is about and scanning to seek specific words or phrases.

• Students may encounter conflicting information in different sources. If this occurs, they need to: consider how authoritative the source they are referring to is, find other sources to collaborate the information, state that it is an approximation or increasing a quoted range; for example, expanding a 6-9 years life expectancy to 5–10 years to be inclusive of conflicting information.

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Additional activities • Students work in pairs to prepare a question about each exotic pet described in the text for a class quiz. (Creating texts).

• Students list ten good reasons why they wouldn’t want a brother or another family member to have a boa constrictor as a pet. Encourage imaginative use of humour and exaggeration. (Creating texts)

A

Answers Page 64 1. (a) boa constrictor (b) pot-bellied pigs (c) boa constrictor (d) alpacas (e) Hedgehogs because they sleep during the day and are only active at night.

2. Teacher check. Answers may include: (a) alpacas (b) They need to be shorn and their wool is very valuable.

3. Teacher check. Answers may include: Pot-bellied pigs, because they need training to make them easier to live with.

4. (a) true, fact (b) true/false, opinion (c) true/false, opinion (d) true, fact (e) false, fact 5. Teacher check Page 65 Teacher check

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Exotic pets – 1

Reading Informative text

Read the report.

Animals are kept as pets by millions of people around the world. But some people choose to keep a pet that is a little different. Read about four more exotic pets.

Alpacas

Pot-bellied pigs

Alpacas, members of the camel family, originated in South America. They are like llamas but quite a bit smaller. An adult alpaca is about 90 centimetres tall at the shoulder, weighs about 45 kilograms and will live for 15–20+ years.

These highly intelligent animals are affectionate, clean, quiet and odour free.

They are smaller than most other pigs, but grow to about 56 kilograms and live for 12–18 years.

These playful pets are easily bored and can be quite demanding and possibly destructive. They need firm discipline and to be taught to respect their owners so they can have a good relationship with them. A well-mannered pig can be very entertaining. Some are trained by police as drug sniffers because of their sense of smell.

They have a calm, gentle disposition towards humans but will sometimes spit at other alpacas.

It is better to have more than one alpaca as they are very sociable. They are best suited to farms; a fenced paddock with a shelter is recommended.

They are fairly easy to look after, but need to be shorn. Their highly valued wool is light, fine and soft. It is five times warmer than sheep wool.

They are constantly hungry, searching or begging for food. They can open fridge and cupboard doors and may try to take food from children.

These interesting animals make a charming humming sound with different tones for different situations.

They like to dig (root) and explore with their snouts, so an area of soft sand should be provided for them in the yard.

Hedgehogs

Boa constrictors

Hedgehogs look like porcupines, but are not related to them. These smaller, docile animals only weigh about 0.5 kilograms and are about 19 centimetres in length. They live for 5–7 years.

Many people choose to keep reptiles as pets, but very few of them would have the strength to handle a thick, very muscular boa constrictor.

They grow to about three metres in length, weigh up to 22 kilograms and live for 25–30 years.

If handled often when young, they become used to humans and can be very friendly.

Although generally docile, boa constrictors are capable of inflicting serious injuries. It is always advisable to have second person present when handling a big boa constrictor.

They are quite easy to look after. They are not social animals so are happy by themselves in a cage about 75 x 60 cm and about 40 cm high.

They eat insects, some fruit and the specially prepared food, available from pet shops. It is important to weigh adult animals weekly to check they are not eating too much or too little food.

It is necessary to provide large, secure housing for them and to provide suitable food. They eat rats and mice and are known to even eat rabbits.

Although endangered in their natural habitats, these animals breed fairly well in captivity and are usually healthier and more docile.

Hedgehogs sleep all day and are awake at night.

They can purr, whistle and snuffle.

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Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

Exotic pets – 2

Understanding Informative text

1. (a) Which pet would you expect to have for the longest time? (b) Which one is the heaviest? (c) Which is the only one that is endangered in the wild? (d) Which pet likes to be with others of its species? (e) Explain which pet would you need to handle at night and why.

2. (a) Which animal would you be most likely to make money from? (b) Give reasons.

3. Explain which animal you would need to spend the most time with and why.

4. Read each statement in the table and tick ‘true’ or ‘false’ and ‘fact’ or ‘opinion’.

Statement

Fact

Opinion

True

False

(a) Boa constrictors can cause injuries to people. (b) Pot-bellied pigs are entertaining. (c) Alpaca wool is soft and beautiful. (d) Hedgehogs sleep during the day. (e) A boa constrictor has never eaten a rabbit.

5. Use information from the text to practise writing notes about one pet using the information given in the text.

Pet: • • • • • Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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Creating

Exotic pets – 3

Informative text

You will be: • Researching information from a number of different sources about an exotic pet, perhaps one you would like to have.

• Record information by writing notes in each of the boxes on this page.

• Use the notes you have written in one of the boxes to plan and write the paragraph about this pet.

Exotic pet: Food requirements

Living space required (cage, tank, hygiene etc.)

Habits/behaviour

Description (size, colour etc.)

Care and equipment required

Human contact (training, patting, cuddling etc.)

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Naming the game • Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702) • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1703) • 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 (ACELY1704)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read persuasive texts arguing for or against name changes for two Australian football codes, focusing on purpose, similarities and differences, facts and opinions and summarising.

• Consider the effect of persuasive texts on their personal opinions and some of the ways this is achieved.

T

Teaching notes • In both texts on page 67, the writers have described and praised their own football code and have criticised the other. They have done this to justify either changing the name ‘soccer’ to ‘football’ or for keeping the name ‘football’ for Australian Rules.

• In determining if a statement is a fact or an opinion, students should be made aware that something stated as a fact can be verified as true or established not to be a true fact and therefore false, but that opinions can be considered either true or false because they are, by definition, subjective.

• The concept of summarising is a challenging one for some students. Making a list of the main points and attempting to link them in some coherent way is often a useful strategy. Students should realise that not all the main points can or should form part of a brief summary; they need to prioritise them.

+

Additional activities • Students prepare a 2-minute persuasive talk to present to the class on ‘Australian Rules Football is a better game to watch than soccer’. They should use information from the text, personal knowledge and that provided by people they have interviewed.

They should be encouraged to use downloaded images and recorded sound effects to add interest to their presentation. (Oral presentations) • Students work with a partner to expand some of the nouns phrases they have used in the letter they wrote in Question 3 on page 69 to make it more informative and interesting. (Word level grammar)

A

Answers Page 68 1. The texts were written to persuade people that soccer should be called football in Australia or that Australian rules should be the only code to be called football.

2. Teacher check 3. Teacher check 4. (a) Teacher check. Answers may include: Everywhere else in the world calls it football./It has had that name for hundreds of years./ The word ‘football’ was made up because in soccer players mainly use their feet./It deserves the name because it is a better, more skilful game. (b) Teacher check 5. Teacher check Page 69 1.–3. Teacher check

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Naming the game – 1

Reading Persuasive text

Read the two sides of Australia’s debate about football.

Soccer

Football

The game Australians call soccer is known all over the world as football. It has been called football for hundreds of years, so it should be the only game that is allowed to use this name.

Australia is justifiably very proud of its own unique game it calls football. Its national game is an important part of Australia’s history and culture. This game, which involves kicking a ball with the foot, has been played for over 150 years and Australians have every right to call it football.

It was called football because a player uses his foot to kick the ball (foot + ball) around the pitch. Players are permitted to touch the round ball with their heads, chests and knees, but not with their hands.

Football is a fast game, full of action and played with passion by two teams of eleven players. It requires team work, skill, grace, finesse, agility, athleticism Australian Rules football is played, watched, and coordination. discussed and argued about with great enthusiasm This truly international game is played in almost by millions of passionate followers, who, unlike every country of the world. This means there are soccer fans, are more interested in watching the many opportunities available for the best Australian game than in fighting and rioting. players to join one of the world’s very famous and fabulously wealthy teams ... and to be paid millions Football is a fast, tough, contact sport played by teams of 18 players on a large football field. In order of dollars for doing so. to take possession of the ball, strong athletic players Another advantage for players of this game is that jump high to mark any ball kicked towards them they are able to continue playing until they are or tackle an opposition player who has it. The ball older. This is because their teams rely on the well- can then be kicked or handballed to another team developed skills of their more experienced players. member.

Also, as their games are shorter and their playing pitches are smaller than those used for AFL games, Players are not permitted to run with the ball unless players don’t need to be as fit and strong. Football they bounce it every 15 steps. To do this at speed, is also less physical, so smaller, less muscular players while avoiding being tackled by an opposition player, requires great speed and coordination. The are able to excel. unpredictable and inconsistent bounce of the oval Although it is a low scoring game, every goal scored ball makes this even more difficult and adds to the is hard fought and exciting. A team’s success also spectators’ excitement. depends on whether its defence can prevent the In this mainly offensive game, the emphasis is on opposing side from scoring a goal. scoring quick goals, worth six points. Single points How can a game of this stature ever be compared are awarded when the ball is kicked between a goal with, or have its name stolen by the AFL; a game post and a point post or if the opposition forces the only played in Australia and one which was started ball over the goal line. so Australia’s cricketers could do something to retain It is not unusual for the ball to be taken from one end their fitness during winter. of the ground to the other in seconds and for many goals to be scored in quick succession.

Unlike soccer players, Aussie Rules players deal with their on-field injuries without diving to the ground and displaying the theatrics so often seen at soccer games. Australian Rules football, a tough game for strong, brave players, is superior.

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Naming the game – 2

Understanding Persuasive text

1. The main purpose both these texts were written was 2. Write two similarities and two differences between the two games.

Similarities Differences

1

2

1

2

3. Complete the chart by writing some facts and opinions about each game from the information given in the text.

Code

Facts

Opinion

Soccer

Australian Rules

4. (a) Three arguments given for why Australians should call ‘soccer’ football are: • • • (b) Do you agree with this writer? Yes No

Give reasons for your answer.

5. A summary is a brief description of the most important point made in a text.

Write a short summary of the arguments for using ‘football’ to name Australian Rules Football.

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Creating

Naming the game – 3

Persuasive text

Expositions are written to change people’s minds about something and often to persuade them to take some action.

1. (a) Tick the boxes that describe how you felt before you read the two texts.

I thought soccer should be called football in Australia instead of soccer.

I didn’t know much about the issue.

I didn’t care what soccer was called.

I wanted everyone in Australia to keep using the word ‘soccer’.

I wanted people to change and call Australian football ‘Aussie Rules’. (b) Did your feeling change after you read the two texts? Yes No (c) Explain why or why not.

2. Choose one side and write an additional paragraph to make that side’s argument more persuasive. Remember to start with a topic sentence telling what the paragraph is about and to use strong persuasive language.

3. (a) If you could change your name what would you like it to be? (b) Write three arguments you could use to be allowed to change your name.

• • • (c) Write a letter to your parents asking for permission to change your name.

Remember: • Write five paragraphs (one to state what you want to happen, one for each argument and one for a concluding statement).

• Introduce the paragraphs with a topic sentence, explain and add details.

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Indian folklore • Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital sources (ACELY1702) • 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 (ACELY1704) • Reread and edit student’s own and others’ work using agreed criteria for text structures and language features (ACELY1705)

Teacher information

E

Elaborations • Read narrative text to clarify vocabulary, sequence events and determine main idea and cause and effect.

• Analyse some of the features of narrative text and uses this information to write a resolution to a similar scenario.

T

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Teaching notes • After analysing the narrative structure of the text, students work on a modern Aboriginal story. They are required to plan a sequence of events to resolve a complication. They should be encouraged to review and expand their texts by adding more expressive verbs, as well as enriching noun groups.

Additional activities • Students work with a partner to sequence the main events in this story and use this list of events to help them plan an oral retelling of the story, alternatively, they may prefer to plan how to dramatise it. They then present this work to the class. (Oral presentations).

• The question of whether or not Cheyenne today would still throw food into the rivers they crossed can be discussed in small groups. Each student then decides his/her position on the issue and compiles a list of four reasons to support this position. (Personal responses to the ideas, characters and viewpoints in texts)

A

Answers Page 72 1. (a) Answers may include: trudging, struggle, plodding, struggled (b) The words are more descriptive and give more information than ‘walked’.

2. (a) devour (b) sibling (c) piercing (d) dehydration (e) serpent (f) prominent 3. (a) You should listen to the advice of others.

4. The brothers came across a river. (3) The egg was all eaten. (1) Fish were found on the river bank. (4) The younger brother felt sick. (2) He realised his brother had changed into a serpent. (5) 5. Teacher check. Answers may include: The younger brother was stubborn when he saw his brother gave him a disapproving look.

6. They were confused due to hunger and thirst.

7. Title: Indian folklore Characters: two brothers Setting: The great Plains of America Resolution: They found an egg, came to a river, one brother turned into a serpent and gave the other one fish.

Conclusion: The younger brother had to stay in the river as a serpent.

Page 73 1.–2. Teacher check

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Indian folklore – 1

Reading Imaginative text

Read the Cheyenne folktale.

This story explains why traditionally, Cheyenne people stopped and threw food into rivers before they crossed them; even if they were fleeing from their enemies.

Many years ago, two Cheyenne Indian brothers, who were trudging across the Great Plains of America, realised they were hopelessly lost. All they could see was grass, grass and more grass, stretching endlessly in all directions. Desperately hungry and thirsty, and in a very confused state caused by dehydration, they continued to struggle slowly along, hoping to see a familiar landmark and to find some food and water.

Suddenly the younger brother shouted in excitement.

He’d found a very strange, giant, green egg with red spots, just lying on the ground in front of him.

‘Stop, hold on!’, warned his older brother. ‘There’s something weird about that egg. I wouldn’t even think about eating it. Let’s keep walking, it will be dark soon.’

The younger brother dismissed his warning and started to devour the egg. It tasted horrible and made him feel quite sick. He began to regret his decision, but when he saw the disapproving way his older brother was looking at him, he stubbornly continued eating it and even offered some to his brother.

‘No, that green yolk and the pinkish-coloured white look revolting. There’s no way I’m having any of it.’

His sibling finished the egg and they both finally fell asleep.

When they woke up, the younger one’s skin looked a bit green and had some tiny pink spots on it. As they continued plodding along, his skin became noticeably greener and his spots bigger and darker.

He complained constantly about how thirsty he was as he struggled on.

At nightfall, when they finally came across a river, the younger brother’s skin was bright green with prominent red spots all over it. He shrieked with delight and dived into the water. His older brother, after grabbing a quick drink, was so exhausted he fell asleep on the river bank.

When he woke up, there on the bank next to him was a large pile of fish. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, he stared at the river in amazement. A giant serpent with green scales and red spots was in the water piercing fish with his forked tail and flinging them on to the river bank. Then, with great sadness he realised this snake-like serpent was his younger brother.

‘I have caught all these fish for you brother,’ he hissed. ‘But you must bring me some other kind of food every day, because there’s no way I want to be eating nothing but fish for the rest of my life.’

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Understanding

Indian folklore – 2

Imaginative text

1. (a) Three words used in the text to mean ‘walking’ or ‘walked’ are:

(b) Explain why the writer chose these words instead of ‘walking’ or ‘walked’.

2. Find a word in the text which has a similar meaning to each of these. (a) eat

(b) brother

(c) stabbing

(d) dryness

(e) snake

(f) easily seen

3. Tick the sentence that best describes the main idea of this tale. (a) You should listen to the advice of others. (b) Some rivers have serpents in them. (c) You should always carry water when you travel.

4. List the events from 1 to 5 in the order in which they happened in the story.

The brothers came across a river.

The egg was all eaten.

Fish were found on the river bank.

The younger brother felt sick.

He realised his brother had changed into a serpent.

5. Explain why the brother continued eating an egg that tasted so awful.

6. It would have been unusual for local Indians to have become lost crossing the Great Plain of America. Explain why this happened?

7. Complete the table about this tale.

Title Characters Setting Complication

They were lost and thirsty.

Resolution Conclusion Australian Curriculum English – Literacy (Year 5)

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Creating

Indian folklore – 3

Imaginative text

1. Write the introductory paragraph of a story using the information in the table below. You should tell who the story is about and describe where they are and perhaps how they got there. Try to make the start of this story interesting and tell the reader a bit about the boys—perhaps their names, what they look like and their personalities.

Write in the third person and in the past tense.

Title Characters Setting Complication Resolution Conclusion

The lost boomerang Two 10-year-old boys Some bush land just outside a country town One of the boys threw their grandfather’s special old boomerang, it didn’t come back and now they can’t find it. ?

The boys decided never to take something again without asking for permission.

2. Think about how the complication could be solved. What did they say to each other, how did they try to find it, what happened and how did they feel about it? (a) List some events (in order) that could be used in a resolution paragraph.

• • • • (b) Write a paragraph explaining the resolution. Think about how you start each sentence in your paragraph and try to avoid using the word ‘then’. (c) Read the paragraph to check your spelling and punctuation. (d) Change some of the verbs to make them more descriptive. (e) Write the two best verbs you used. (f) Read through your paragraph with a friend. Ask him/her make a positive comment about it.

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