BLM 15
The
John’s catch
of the day
ohn Medlow won the annual fishing
competition at Noal Bay yesterday
with a jewfish weighing 14 kilograms.
The fish put up quite a fight but John,
with an enormous grin on his face,
easily managed to pull it in.
J
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All the spectators admired the
impressive catch.They were kept
amused by a pelican trying to reach the
fish as it was being weighed.
The other competitors congratulated
John when he received the trophy.They
promised to give a tougher competition
next year.
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
BLM 16
champion
Only just
pulled it in
John Medlow only just won the annual
fishing competition at Noal Bay with a
14 kilo jewfish.Although he pulled in
the largest fish, John struggled for some
time and with a lot of effort.At the end
of the contest he looked exhausted.
He was lucky to have won as there
had been some large catches already
that day. Many spectators became
irritated by a pelican that was trying
to steal the fish.
When the trophy was awarded, the
other competitors looked disheartened
and found it hard to show their
congratulations.
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
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Teaching notes for
The Fishing Champion
Text form:
Medium:
Field:
Tenor:
Mode:
OTHER
Newspaper article
Newspaper
The winner of a fishing contest
Witness to general audience
Written
Remind students that they are only to list the facts:
• John Medlow won the Noal Bay fishing Competition.
• He caught a jewfish.
• It weighed fourteen kilograms.
• There were spectators and other competitors nearby.
• A pelican was trying to steal the fish.
• A trophy was awarded.
Allow groups to compare their fact lists. Discuss reasons why it
is difficult to establish these facts; for example, the reporters
have different points of view, and therefore the facts have been
recorded quite differently.
AT LANGUAGE
Discuss the use of tense in different text types. For example,
past tense is used in recounts to tell about something that has
already happened. Some words indicating this tense are won,
managed, admired, amused, congratulated, struggled, looked,
irritated. Have students rewrite their examples in the present or
future tense.
If necessary revise nouns, verbs and adverbs.Tell students that
common grammatical patterns of recounts include nouns
telling who or what is involved, action verbs and adverbs,
adverbial phrases or prepositional phrases of time and place
telling when and where it happened. Look for these patterns in
other recounts, for example the students’ own journal writing.
Possible responses in the table include:
Nouns
John Medlow
the annual fishing
competition
the fish
spectators
trophy
the other competitors
Adverbs, adverbial
28
phrases or
prepositional phrases
Yesterday
At Noal Bay
As it was being weighed
When he received
Verbs
won
put up a fight
admired
trying to reach
congratulated
TIME!
Ensure that students’ cartoons retell the events in the correct
sequence and highlight the difference in point of view.Allow
students to share and discuss their work with the rest of the
class.
IT
TALK ABOUT IT!
LOOKING
YOUR POINT OF VIEW?
Only just pulled it in
1. John struggled for some time.
2. He looked exhausted.
3. Many spectators became irritated by a pelican.
4.The other competitors looked disheartened.
CARTOON
RESOURCES
A variety of newspapers containing recounts for display.
Other recount texts for students to explore such as letters,
diaries, tape recordings of current affairs programmes.
Writing materials.
LET’S
WHAT’S
HAPPENED TO ME
Give students time to discuss possible topics with a partner or a
group. Remind students to include the main features of a
recount, for example, the nouns (the people or things
involved), adverbs (time and place), verbs (actions) and past
tense. Encourage students to share their recounts with the rest
of the class. Did anyone write about the same incident? Was
there a difference in point of view?
DIFFERING
POINTS OF VIEW
Discuss articles that would be suitable to publish in different
magazines. Encourage students to research to find details and to
create a timeline of events before they begin writing.They
should focus on the point of view and tone that they wish to
communicate in each article and the emotive language that
would be suitable.The events do not have to be recounted in a
strictly sequential order, but time connectives, evaluative
comments and justifications must be included. Encourage
students to draft their articles, editing carefully and critically
before publishing.
FOLLOW-UP/EXTENSION
• Have students collect examples of newspaper recounts
written on the same topic and compare their points of view.
• Have students rewrite the activity It happened to me from a
different point of view. Start a bulletin board where students
can post notes recounting the most interesting things that
happened or the most unusual thing they learn each day.
• Have students take on the role of different characters in
literary texts and recount events from their point of view.
This could be done as an oral diary, with students speaking
instead of writing.
Name _________________________________________ Date _______________
BLM 17
The Fishing Champion
Let’s talk about it!
Read the two articles with a partner. What do you think happened at the fishing
competition? Talk with your partner and decide what you think are the facts. List
them in the box. Do you both agree?
How does the point of view of the reporter influence the way the reader sees the event?
Looking at language
What tense is used in these two recounts?___________________________________
List some words that show this tense.
Fill the table with nouns, verbs and adverbs from the two recounts.
The first line has been completed for you.
Who or what is involved
in the action?
nouns
John Medlow
How, when, where, or why
is it happening?
adverbs
yesterday
What is the action?
verbs
won
NA 4.4 NSW 3.2 Interacts in different sized groups using effective communication skills and strategies and listening attentively.
NA 4.6 NSW 3.7 Analyses and explains techniques to position the reader and to interpret experiences differently in texts.
NA 4.9 NSW 3.9 Writes well structured literary and factual texts using challenging topics, ideas and issues for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
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BLM 18
Name _________________________________________ Date _______________
The Fishing Champion
What’s your point of view?
Listed below are four clauses from the first newspaper recount. Find matching
clauses in the second recount which show that writer’s different point of view. Write
them on the lines. Now, imagine that you were at the fishing contest. Write a list of
matching clauses giving a different point of view.
John’s catch of the day
1
2
3
4
Easily managed to pull it in
With an enormous grin on his face
They were kept amused by a pelican
The other competitors congratulated John
Only just pulled it in
1
2
3
4
My Point Of View
1
2
3
4
NA 4.7 NSW 3.8 Identifies the structures of different texts and with assistance discusses the grammatical structures and features that shape readers’ and listeners’
understanding of texts.
NA 4.11 NSW 3.14 Discusses and evaluates how texts have been constructed to achieve their purpose and shape readers’ and viewers’ understandings using
grammatical features and structures.
NA 4.12b NSW 3.11 Uses a range of strategies to spell unfamiliar words.
NSW 3.12 Writes using a fluent and legible style.
30
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
Name _________________________________________ Date _______________
BLM 19
The Fishing Champion
Cartoon time!
Create a cartoon strip for each of the recounts. Make sure that each cartoon
reflects the point of view of the reporter!
John’s catch of the day
Only just pulled it in
NA 4.1 NSW 3.1 Communicates and interacts confidently for a range of purposes and a variety of audiences to express well developed, well organised ideas
dealing with more challenging topics.
NA 4.5 NSW 3.5 Reads an extensive range of texts with fairly complex structures and features, justifying own interpretation of ideas, information and events in
the response to themes and issues.
NA 4.6 NSW 3.7 Analyses and explains techniques to position the reader and to interpret experiences differently in texts.
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
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BLM 20
Name _________________________________________ Date _______________
The Fishing Champion
It happened to me
Write a recount of something that happened recently in your class or in
the playground.
Make sure you write in the past tense and include:
– a heading
– the people or things involved
– when and where it happened
– the action that took place.
Draft your work on a piece of paper, then use your best handwriting to publish it on
the lines below.
NA 4.9 NSW 3.9 Writes well structured literary and factual texts using challenging topics, ideas and issues for a variety of purposes and audiences.
NA 4.12a NSW 3.10 Uses a range of strategies to plan, edit and proofread own writing.
NSW 3.12 Writes using a fluent and legible style.
32
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
Name _________________________________________ Date _______________
BLM 21
The Fishing Champion
Differing points of view
Imagine you are a journalist for a magazine. Write two recounts of one event so
that the editor can select the point of view to be published. Remember to include
evaluative language and justifications, time connectives and details of time, place and
manner. Draft on scrap paper and publish the articles below.
Point of view 1
Point of view 2
NA 4.9 NSW 3.9 Writes well structured literary and factual texts using challenging topics, ideas and issues for a variety of purposes and audiences.
NA 4.10 NSW 3.13 Evaluates writing in terms of effectiveness of presentation of subject matter and adjusts to focus on context, purpose and audience.
NA 4.11 NSW 3.14 Discusses and evaluates how texts have been constructed to achieve their purpose and shape readers’ and viewers’ understandings using
grammatical features and structures.
NA 4.12a NSW 3.10 Uses a range of strategies to plan, edit and proofread own writing.
Blake Education Fully Reproducible
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