Teaching Sequence

Building
knowledge of
the field

Modelling the
genre

Teaching Program (F-2)

As a class, brainstorm what students know about trees and
caring for the environment.
Conduct a shared reading of the story Last Tree in the City.
The class engages in a discussion about the features of the
story, for example:
o Who was the main character?
o What was the story about?
o How does the story make you feel?
o Who do you think is telling the story?
As a class, students will recall what occurred throughout the
story. This information will be written on the whiteboard.
Using pre-prepared sequence cards of what occurred in the
story for support, the class works together to reconstruct
the story in sequence.
Conduct a second shared reading of Last Tree in the City to
the class.
Introduce recount language to the students:
o Who?
o What?
o When?
o Where?
o Why?
Ask some volunteers to share what they did the day/night
before, in sequence. For example, a child may share that
they:
o Left school, went home, had a snack, played outside
and went to bed.
Using the examples the students have shared, together, the
class will apply the recount language to each anecdote
using colour coding.
In pairs, students are provided with pre-prepared cards of
the main aspects of the story, which they sequence
(Appendix 1). Colour coded cards which identify the
previously discussed recount language (who, what, why,
when, where) will also be provided and students can apply
this knowledge to the story sequence (Appendix 2).
o Teacher support will be provided to students as
required.
Students visit the library to peruse the recount book
section. Students are encouraged to look through, read, and
analyse pictures within these texts. These recounts can be
on a topic of interest to the student.
Teacher reads aloud a variety of texts (fiction and nonfiction) about how trees are beneficial to the environment
during shared reading time.

Joint
construction

Independent
construction

As a class, students read a procedure of how to plant a tree.

A flexible discussion on sustainability follows this.
On School Tree Day (Friday 29th July 2016), students take
part in a school-wide tree-planting initiative for
sustainability. They are placed into groups of 3 to 4 and are
allocated a parent-helper. Students are given materials and
they plant trees using their prior learning and guidance.
As a class, we reflect on this event. During this, we identify
who, what, why, when and where in order to prepare for
writing a recount.
As a class, we decide on the sentences we will use as part
of our recount and apply who, what, why, when and where
using colour codes. The teacher writes the recount text on
butchers paper to display in the class.
o Students, who are more advanced in their reading
and writing, will be extended by completing this task
in pairs or small groups, rather than participating with
the whole class.
Referring back to the final page of the Last Tree in the City
book, students are asked to imagine that they live in a city
where there are little or no plants around. They need to
create a place in which a tree can grow using Lego or Legotechnics.
Throughout this process, students will take pictures with
iPads. These pictures will be used to support the creation of
a recount.
Students draft a recount of how they made their creation.
Students are given the option to use the pictures taken on
iPads or draw pictures in the box provided. A template will
be provided to scaffold students that require additional
support (Appendix 3). Once the draft has been completed,
students participate in a one-on-one teacher conference.
Using the feedback provided, students will edit their draft.
Students will publish a final draft of their recount, which will
be displayed in the classroom.

Appendix 1: Story sequence cards

Edward lived in the city.

Edward found a tree.

The tree was gone.

Edward finds a branch.

Edward grows a new tree.

Something wonderful happens.

Appendix 2: Colour-coded recount cards

WHAT WHERE
WHEN WHY
WHO