English Unit of Work (10 weeks)
Stage 1 / Year 2
Term 2, 2015
Unit Overview
Key Concepts:
Exploring how authors develop characters.
Focus/Summary:
Students will explore how authors use descriptive language to create different monsters. They read and
respond to a variety of imaginative and persuasive texts on the topic of monsters and compare how
different authors have developed their characters. Students will compose and create a variety of texts,
including multimodal texts, with the purpose of engaging their audience.
English Syllabus
Objectives:
Assessment/Evidence:
Focus Texts:
Other Resources
(Fruit break texts
etc.):
A: Communicate through speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing and representing.
B: Use language to shape and make meaning according to purpose, audience and context.
C: Think in ways that are imaginative, creative, interpretive and critical.
D: Express themselves and their relationships with others and their world.
E: Learn and reflect on their learning through their study of English.
Visual
Monster Box short film
http://safeshare.tv/w/lp
HiZosDEQ
Cross-curriculum
priorities
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander
histories and cultures
Asia and Australia's
engagement with Asia
Sustainability
General capabilities
Critical and creative
thinking
Plotting students on the Literacy Continuum
Assessment for Learning / Assessment as Learning / Assessment of Learning
Student Self-Assessment / Teacher Feedback
Written
‘The Gruffalo’ – Julia Donaldson
‘Tashi and the Mixed-up
Monster’ Anna Fienberg
‘Pog’ Lyn Lee
‘A monster wrote me a letter’ –
Nick Bland
‘The Three Wallabies Gruff’
Yvonne Morrison
Cross-Curriculum
Priorities:
Ethical understanding
Multimodal
I need my Monster
http://safeshare.tv/w/ptQTNlTkFO
Information and
communication
technology capability
Intercultural
understanding
Literacy*
Numeracy
Personal and social
capability
Other learning across the
curriculum areas
Civics and citizenship
Difference and
diversity
Work and enterprise
K. Dunbar
Content Overview
Speaking & Listening
Writing & Representing
EN1-1A Communicates with a range of people in informal and guided activities demonstrating
interaction skills and considers how own communication is adjusted in different situations
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 understand that language is used in combination with other means of communication,
for example facial expressions and gestures to interact with others
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
EN1-2A Plans, composes and reviews a small range of simple texts for a variety of purposes on
familiar topics for known readers and viewers
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 understand how planning, composing and reviewing contribute to effective imaginative,
informative and persuasive texts.
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features

create short imaginative, informative and persuasive texts using growing knowledge
of text structures and language features for familiar and some less familiar audiences,
selecting print and multimodal elements appropriate to the audience and purpose
Respond to and compose texts
 plan, compose and review simple imaginative, informative and persuasive texts on
familiar topics
 compose texts supported by visual information (e.g. diagrams and maps)
 use effective strategies to plan ideas for writing, e.g. making notes, drawing, using
diagrams,
EN1-7B Identifies how language use in their own writing differs according to their purpose,
audience and subject matter
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 identify the audience of imaginative, informative and persuasive texts
 discuss some of the different purposes for written and visual texts
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 describe some differences between imaginative and informative texts.
 Understand the use of vocabulary about familiar and new topics and experiment with
and begin to make conscious choices of vocabulary to suit audience and purpose.

explore different ways of expressing emotions, including verbal, visual, body
language and facial expressions
Respond to and compose texts
 engage in conversations and discussions, using active listening behaviours, showing
interest, and contributing ideas, information and questions
EN1-6B Recognises a range of purposes and audiences for spoken language and recognises
organisational patterns and features of predictable spoken texts.
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 understand that people use different systems of communication to cater to different
needs and purposes and that many people may use sign systems to communicate with
others
Respond to and compose texts
 retell familiar stories and events in logical sequence, including in home language
 explain personal opinions orally using supporting reasons, simple inferences and
reasonable prediction
Reading & Viewing 1
EN1-4A Draws on an increasing range of skills and strategies to fluently read, view and
comprehend a range of texts on less familiar topics in different media and technologies
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 discuss different texts on a similar topic, identifying similarities and differences between
the texts
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 recognise grammatical patterns to enhance comprehension, e.g. action verbs, words
or groups of words that ell who, what, when, where and how
Respond to, read and view texts
 compare opinions about characters, events and settings in and between texts
 use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning and begin to
analyse texts by drawing on growing knowledge of context, language and visual
features and print and multimodal text structures
 predict author intent, series of events and possible endings in imaginative and
informative texts.
 use background knowledge of a topic to make inferences about the ideas in a text.
 Sequence a summary of events and identify key facts or key arguments in imaginative,
informative and persuasive texts.
Reading & Viewing 2
EN1-8B Recognises that there are different kinds of texts when reading and viewing and shows an
awareness of purpose, audience and subject matter
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 recognise a range of purposes and audiences for imaginative, informative and
persuasive print and visual texts
 discuss possible author intent and intended audience of a range of texts
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 understand concepts about print and screen, including how different types of texts are
organised using page numbering, tables of content, headings and titles, navigation
buttons, bars and links
 understand how text structure contributes to the meaning of texts
 know some features of text organisation including page and screen layouts,
alphabetical order, and different types of diagrams, for example timelines
Respond to, read and view texts

respond to a range of literature and discuss purpose and audience
K. Dunbar
Content Overview
Handwriting and Digital technologies
EN1-3A Composes texts using letters of consistent size and slope and uses digital technologies
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 understand that handwriting and presentation of work needs to reflect audience
and purpose in order to communicate effectively
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 write legibly and with growing fluency using unjoined upper case and lower case letters
use appropriate strategies when writing, e.g. maintaining correct body position,
holding/using writing tools or using assistive digital technologies
Respond to and compose texts
 construct texts featuring print, visual and audio elements using software, including word
processing programs
Grammar, Punctuation & Vocabulary
EN1-9B Uses basic grammatical features, punctuation conventions and vocabulary
appropriate to the type of text when responding to and composing texts
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 begin to understand that choice of vocabulary adds to the effectiveness of text
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 explore differences in words that represent people, places and things (nouns, including
pronouns), happenings and states (verbs), qualities (adjectives) and details such as
when, where and how (adverbs)
Respond to and compose texts
 demonstrate the use of more precise vocabulary to describe emotions and
experiences.
 compose sentences effectively using basic grammatical features and punctuation
conventions
Thinking Imaginatively, Creatively, Interpretively & Critically
EN1-10C Thinks imaginatively and creatively about familiar topics, ideas and texts
when responding to and composing texts
Engage personally with texts
 engage in wide reading of self-selected and teacher-selected texts, including digital
texts, for enjoyment, and share responses
 recognise the way that different texts create different personal responses
 respond to a wide range of texts through discussing, writing and representing
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 recognise and begin to understand how composers use creative features to engage
their audience
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 identify creative language features in imaginative texts that enhance enjoyment, e.g.
illustrations, repetition
Respond to and compose texts
 recreate texts imaginatively using drawing, writing, performance and digital forms of
communication
 express a range of feelings in response to a text
Expressing Themselves
EN1-11D Responds to and composes a range of texts about familiar aspects of the
Reflecting on Learning
EN1-12E Identifies and discusses aspects of their own and others’ learning
world and their own experiences
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 develop an awareness of criteria for the successful completion of tasks
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and features
 discuss some of the ways that story can be reflected in a variety of media, e.g. film,
music and dance
Respond to and compose texts
 jointly develop criteria for assessing their own and others' presentations or compositions
with teacher guidance
Engage personally with texts
 identify aspects of different types of literary texts that entertain, and give reasons for
personal preferences
Develop and apply contextual knowledge
 discuss how depictions of characters in print, sound and images reflect the contexts in
which they were created
Respond to and compose texts
 compose simple print, visual and digital texts that depict aspects of their own
experience
 discuss characters and events in a range of literary texts and share personal responses
to these texts, making connections with students' own experiences
K. Dunbar
Lesson
1
2
Learning
Intention
Modelled Teaching
 Students think-pair-share their knowledge of
WALT: use our
monsters. Create a mind map of some of their
prior
ideas.
knowledge to
 Look at the front cover of ‘The Gruffalo’.
predict what
Discuss if they think/know if this monster is scary
characters
and how do we know? What types of words
look and act
and language might we find in the book that
like.
tell us what the Gruffalo is like?
 Discuss features of imaginative texts – structure,
orientation/problem/solution
WALT: to
create an
informative
text on the
Gruffalo.
 Read the book ‘The Gruffalo’.
 Discuss language features used by Julia
Donaldson that help readers create an image
of the Gruffalo in their minds. Revisit their
drawings from the previous lesson
 Students think pair share which words are
important in describing the Gruffalo as
something to be scared of.
 Discuss how Axel Scheffler has used small
images to highlight different physical features
of the Gruffalo.
Guided/Independent learning
Core Task:
 Students look at the front cover and make a
prediction about what they think the Gruffalo
will be like (scary, timid, friendly)
 Read the first 2 pages after initial predictions,
students think, pair share about their
predictions, were they right?
 Read the description of the Gruffalo without
showing the illustrations.
 Students ‘sketch to stretch’ what the Gruffalo
looks like.
 Share and discuss students’ work.
 Discuss other adjectives that may be used to
describe the Gruffalo and create a class
mind map.
Support
Extension
Word bank
Label and write why
they drew the image as
they did.
Core Task:
 Think pair share- how was the Gruffalo
represented in the book (as something scary
but he is actually quite meek)
 Students write a short descriptive text about
the Gruffalo. Using ‘making inferences’
scaffold.
Support
Word bank and
scaffold.
Extension
Students include
complex sentences
Students draw their
interpretation of the
Gruffalo and animate
using ChatterPix.
Assessment
Registration
WILF: Can
students identify
descriptive
language?
FoR Predicting
Monitoring
WILF: Can
students write
using simple
sentence
punctuation and
complex
sentences.
FoR – Visualising
K. Dunbar
Lesson
3
4
5
Learning
Intention
Modelled Teaching
 Revisit the features of imaginative texts and
WALT: I can
how this assists the reader in developing an
make links
opinion of a character.
between
 What else tells the reader what a character is
direct speech
like?
and how the
 Discuss how direct and indirect speech may be
Author
used to build a character.
describes
 Look at the front cover of ‘Tashi and the Mixed
characters
–up Monster’, students predict what the story is
about and what the monster will be like.
 Read the story to the class, stopping to ask
students what the Author and characters are
telling us about the monster.
WALT: retell
the story
using the five
finger
summarising
method.
WALT: Identify
adjectives
that show a
character is
scary
Guided/Independent learning
Core Task:
 Jointly fill in a Character profile of the
Chimera from the text, identifying features
and dialogue that support the development
of the character.
 Students write a response explaining their
opinion of the Monster.
 Using an enlarged page of the text, students
identify and discuss how the characters
conversation has been used to assist in the
characterisation of the Chimera.
Support
Extension
Sentence starters
 Finish reading the story
 Show students the five finger retell notebook
and jointly fill in all five fingers.
 As a class jointly construct a basic retell of the
story ‘Tashi and the Mixed-up Monster’
Core Task:
 Students write a recount of the story using
correct punctuation.
 Show students the front cover of the book
‘Pog’ by Ln Lee.
 Ask students:
o What is the story about?
o Is the monster scary?
o Are the monster and boy, friends?
 Students make connections discussing how
Pog felt through different stages of the text.
 Discuss how Lyn Lee made the child the
character to be scared of. How did we know?
Identify adjectives and language features used.
Core Task:
 Using a passage from the text, students
change adjectives. Discuss how this changes
the feel of the passage.
Support
Sentence starters
Draw a picture for
each part of the
story.
Support
Word bank of
adjectives
Extension
Illustrate their work.
Assessment
Registration
WILF: Can
students use
speech
appropriately in
texts?
FoR Making
Connections
WILF: Can
sequence the
events of the
story effectively
summarising
events.
FoR summarising
Extension
Students write a
sentence from the text
making Pog the scary
character.
WILF: Can
students
recognise
importance of
adjectives to
show character
traits?
FoR Questioning
K. Dunbar
Lesson
Learning
Intention
6
WALT: Predict
story events
using the title
and
illustrations.
7-8
9
WALT: identify
character
traits
WALT: infer
what
characters
are like in
short films.
Modelled Teaching
Guided/Independent learning
 Write ‘A monster wrote me a letter’ on the
board. Students think pair share what they
think the story is about.
 Read the text to the students stopping to ask I
wonder questions.
 Discuss what each character is like. How does
the monster in this text compare to the one in
‘Pog’?
 Using a venn diagram compare of both
characters.
Core Task:
 Students complete a venn diagram
comparing ‘Pog’ and the monster from this
book
 Students write two sentences comparing the
characters.
 Re read ‘A monster wrote me a letter’ and
discuss features that indicate the nature of the
characters. E.g. ‘He must be polite’
 Discuss how the boy would have felt knowing
a monster was coming to visit.
 Make a list or terms and word groups that
can be used to describe the feelings of the little
boy.
 Jointly write sentences that describe how the
boy would have been feeling e.g ‘I was nervous
and a little scared thinking about the monster
coming to visit’
Core Task:
 Students write a letter to the little boy telling
him how they would’ve felt and what they
would’ve done to prepare for the visit using
the model on the board.
 Introduce and watch ‘Monster Box’
 What are the monsters like?(friendly, kind,
funny, nice, curious
 How do we know?
 Create a word bank or character traits of
monsters.
Core Task:
 Students write a short story with the sentence
starter ‘If I met a monster’ to create a class
book.
Support
Sentence starters
Joint construction
Support
Sentence starters,
scaffold
Extension
Extension
Write to the monster
and ask him what
monsters like.
Assessment
Registration
WILF:
Complex
sentences
Correct
punctuation
FoR making
connections
WILF: descriptive
language,
expressive
language.
FoR making
connections
WILF: Can
students write a
short imaginative
text?
K. Dunbar
Lesson
10
11
12
13
Learning
Intention
WALT: identify
features of an
imaginative
text
WALT: use
specific
vocabulary
to describe a
character
WALT:
develop our
own
character for
an
imaginative
text
WALT: to
develop their
own
Modelled Teaching
Guided/Independent learning
 Brainstorm how they would feel if they met a
monster.
 Model writing a short paragraph on what you
would do if you met a monster.
Support
Sentence starters if
needed, scaffold for
description.
 Display the book ‘Monster Chef’
 Predict what the story will be about using visual
cues on the front cover.
 Do a picture walk, students think pair share
what they think the book will be about.
 Discuss and identify the features of an
imaginative text and jointly fill in the five finger
retell.
Core Task:
 Students create a comic strip summary of key
events of the story.
 Revisit different traits of monsters and how they
have interacted with different characters.
Discuss and record on the smart board some of
the students’ ideas.
 Create a profile of the monster describing
what the monster looks like and if they are scary,
mean, nice, scared etc.

Core Task:
 As a class jointly plan a short imaginative story
about a monster that comes to visit the
classroom.
 Re read joint story from previous lesson,
identifying the vocabulary used to describe the
class monster.
 Model how to use other adjectives and nouns
to develop a different character.
 Students start to create/ develop their own
monster and three scenarios they can write
about.
 Students revisit their monsters from the previous
lesson.
 Model how to plan an imaginative text using
the five finger retell model in reverse.
Core Task:
 Students write a plan for their own imaginative
text.

Support
Sentence starters if
needed, scaffold
Support
Scaffold
Support
Sentence starters,
Word bank, visual cues
Extension
Students illustrate their
text.
Extension
Students use pic collage
to publish their comics.
Extension
Start to draw out a story
plan
Assessment
Registration
FoR Making
Connections
WILF: Can
students write a
short imaginative
text?
FoR: Summarising
WILF: Can
students create
an engaging
character?
FoR Making
Connections
WILF: interesting
use of vocabulary
to develop a
character
Extension
WILF: Can
students use
K. Dunbar
Lesson
Learning
Intention
engaging
character.
14 - 15
WALT: write a
short
imaginative
text
Modelled Teaching
 Fill in the characters, setting, complication and
solution.
 Model how to turn a plan into full sentences to
write an imaginative text.
 Show students a model on the board of a
narrative text, ask students how they can
structure their text.
 Model how to write an introduction and
sequence events.
Guided/Independent learning
Support
Come up with an
‘idea bank’ on the
whiteboard for
students to choose
from
Core Task:
Extension
Illustrate their work
Registration
images to tell a
story?
FoR Summarising
 Students write their own imaginative story
using their plan.
 Take photos of their play dough monster
and use pic collage to tell the story.
 Students use play dough to make a visual
representation of their monster.
Support
Scaffold.
Assessment
WILF: can
students write an
imaginative text?
FoR Monitoring
Extension
More detail in their
stories with complex
sentences
K. Dunbar