Backward Design

Title: Patterns in literature and language

Year Level: Foundation

Teacher: Kylie Parry

Focus Curriculum Areas: English

Duration: 4 Weeks
STAGE 1: Curriculum Links

General

Literacy

Numeracy

ICT

Capabilities (GP)

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

Intercultural Understanding

Aboriginal and TSI

Asia and Australias

Cross-curriculum
Priorities (CCP)
Year Level
Content

Histories and Culture

Engagement with Asia

Critical and Creative Thinking

Sustainability

English
-

Understand that texts can take many forms, can be very short (for example an exit sign) or quite long (for example an

information book or a film) and that stories and informative texts have different purposes (ACELA1430)
Understand that punctuation is a feature of written text different from letters; recognise how capital letters are used for names,

and that capital letters and full stops signal the beginning and end of sentences (ACELA1432)
Recognise that sentences are key units for expressing ideas (ACELA1435)
Explore the different contribution of words and images to meaning in stories and informative texts (ACELA1786)
Recognise and generate rhyming words, alliteration patterns, syllables and sounds (phonemes) in spoken words (ACELA1439)
Recognise and name all upper and lower case letters (graphemes) and know the most common sound that each letter

represents (ACELA1440)
Understand how to use knowledge of letters and sounds including onset and rime to spell words (ACELA1438)
Recognise that texts are created by authors who tell stories and share experiences that may be similar or different to students

own experiences (ACELT1575)

Share feelings and thoughts about the events and characters in texts (ACELT1783)
Identify some features of texts including events and characters and retell events from a text (ACELT1578)
Listen to and respond orally to texts and to the communication of others in informal and structured classroom situations

(ACELY1646)
Identify some differences between imaginative and informative texts (ACELY1648)
Read decodable and predictable texts, practising phrasing and fluency, and monitor meaning using concepts about print and

emerging contextual, semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge (ACELY1649)

Use comprehension strategies to understand and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read independently (ACELY1650)

Descriptors

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Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using familiar words and beginning writing knowledge

(ACELY1651)
Produce some lower case and upper case letters using learned letter formations (ACELY1653)

Mathematics
-

Use direct and indirect comparisons to decide which is longer, heavier or holds more, and explain reasoning in everyday

Year Level

language (ACMMG006)
- Connect number names, numerals and quantities, including zero, initially up to 10 and then beyond (ACMNA002)
English

Achievement

By the end of the Foundation year, students use predicting and questioning strategies to make meaning from texts. They recall one or

Standards

two events from texts with familiar topics. They understand that there are different types of texts and that these can have similar
characteristics. They identify connections between texts and their personal experience.
They read short, decodable and predictable texts with familiar vocabulary and supportive images, drawing on their developing
knowledge of concepts of print, sounds and letters and decoding and self-monitoring strategies. They recognise the letters of the
English alphabet, in upper and lower case and know and use the most common sounds represented by most letters. They read highfrequency words and blend sounds orally to read consonant-vowel-consonant words. They use appropriate interaction skills to listen
and respond to others in a familiar environment. They listen for rhyme, letter patterns and sounds in words.
Productive modes (speaking, writing and creating)
Students understand that their texts can reflect their own experiences. They identify and describe likes and dislikes about familiar texts,
objects, characters and events.
In informal group and whole class settings, students communicate clearly. They retell events and experiences with peers and known
adults. They identify and use rhyme, and orally blend and segment sounds in words. When writing, students use familiar words and
phrases and images to convey ideas. Their writing shows evidence of letter and sound knowledge, beginning writing behaviours and
experimentation with capital letters and full stops. They correctly form known upper- and lower-case letters.
Mathematics
By the end of the Foundation year, students make connections between number names, numerals and quantities up to 10. They
compare objects using mass, length and capacity. Students connect events and the days of the week. They explain the order and
duration of events. They use appropriate language to describe location.
Students count to and from 20 and order small collections. They group objects based on common characteristics and sort shapes and
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objects. Students answer simple questions to collect information and make simple inferences.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
English
In the Australian Curriculum: English, students begin to engage with the priority as they develop an awareness and appreciation of, and
respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literature. This includes storytelling traditions (oral narrative) and contemporary
literature. Students will learn to develop respectful, critical understandings of the social, historical and cultural contexts associated with
different uses of language features and text structures including images and visual language.
Mathematics
Students can explore connections between representations of number and pattern and how they relate to aspects of counting and
relationships of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Students can investigate time, place, relationships and measurement
concepts within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts. Through the application and evaluation of statistical data, students can
deepen their understanding of the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Knowledge

Capital letters
Full stops
What informative and imaginative text are, and the difference

between the two.

That sentences are used to expressed meaning
Rhyming words
Word sounds
Uppercase and lowercase letters
Reading
Writing
Numeracy
Patterns in Aboriginal Culture
Patterns in language and literature

Skills

Understand that their name starts with a capital letter.

Understand that the days of the week start with capital letters.
Understand that sentences start with capital letters and end with full

stops.
Demonstrate the difference between informative books and imaginative

books
Identify rhyming words
Identify and write some uppercase and lower case letters
How to read books
The ability to write short sentences
Count up to ten
Identify the days of the week
Identify patterns in art
Identify patterns in stories

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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this unit the student will be able to write and identify some uppercase and lowercase letters. Write capital letters for their names, days of the
week and the start of the sentence. Signal the end of a sentence with a full stop. Understand and distinguish the difference between informative and
imaginative books. Demonstrate comprehension strategies when write and talking about books they have read. Discuss their thoughts and feelings about
different texts.
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Task description:
The Early Stage One students will produce a written and illustrated diagnostic assessment that will demonstrate any misconception they might have from
the first and second learning experience sequence after they have completed the second learning experience sequence. Students will be given a white A4
piece of paper and the following instructions:
-

Write your name on the paper

Think about what The Very Hungry Caterpillar likes to eat
Draw a picture that shows this idea
Write a sentence that describes what the caterpillar is doing.

(See mock work sample appendix I).

The diagnostic assessment was designed for the diverse needs for the students in the foundational year of primary school. This assessment also caters to
the diverse needs of an English as a second language student by assess his knowledge through drawing. It demonstrates authentic assessment design
practices by assess students after they have received diagnostic assessments. The target audience for the diagnostic assessment is the Kindergarten class
I will be teaching during my professional practice placement. This assessment could also be used as evidence to demonstrate student knowledge in an end
of year report.
Assessment Criteria:
This diagnostic assessment contains the following Content Descriptors:

Understand that punctuation is a feature of written text different from letters; recognise how capital letters are used for names, and that capital letters

and full stops signal the beginning and end of sentences (ACELA1432)
Recognise that sentences are key units for expressing ideas (ACELA1435)
Identify some features of texts including events and characters and retell events from a text (ACELT1578)
Use comprehension strategies to understand and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read independently (ACELY1650)
Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using familiar words and beginning writing knowledge (ACELY1651)
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Assessment recording template: Students formative work sample will be assessed using a rubric (see appendix I)
Feedback: Students will receive feedback using a child friendly rubric as a group. For example, sitting on the mat students will be asked Who would like to
share their Very Hungry Caterpillar stories using an interactive whiteboard I will display the child friendly rubric and work through it with the children. I will
ask for more children to share their stories until everyone has shared their story.
Self-assessment: Students will reflect on their stories during the feedback process. If any child chose not to share their story, then a one-on-one interview
can be arranged so the child can self-assess their story using the child friendly rubric.
Independent Writing - Task description:
This formal formative assessment is for kindergarten students to determine their writing abilities. The students write about their patterns (from learning
experience sequence five, activity four) for example, My pattern has straight lines and dots. Students are allowed to use words from the reading wall to
create their sentences. The students are also expected to write their own names on the paper. The formative assessment was designed for the diverse
needs for the students in Kindergarten. It demonstrates authentic assessment design practices by assessing the students after they have received informal
formative assessments. The target audience for the formative assessment is the Kindergarten class I will be teaching during my professional practice
placement. This assessment could also be used as evidence to demonstrate student knowledge in an end of year report.
Assessment Criteria:
This formative assessment contains the following Content Descriptors:

Understand that punctuation is a feature of written text different from letters; recognise how capital letters are used for names, and that capital letters
and full stops signal the beginning and end of sentences (ACELA1432)

Recognise that sentences are key units for expressing ideas (ACELA1435)

Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using familiar words and beginning writing knowledge (ACELY1651)

Produce some lower case and upper case letters using learned letter formations (ACELY1653)

Assessment recording template: Students will be assessed using their work samples and a rubric (see appendix VI).
Feedback: The student will receive feedback about their work during an evaluation conference where the teacher goes over the features of their work
samples.
Self-assessment: Students will reflect on the feedback and set goals with the teacher to improve their writing skills.
Planned Conference - Task description:

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This summative assessment is for kindergarten students to determine their reading abilities. The teacher will conduct a planned conference with the
students who will produce an oral demonstration about their understanding of literacy skills after they complete the seventh activity in the second sequence.
This assessment caters to the diverse needs of the Kindergarten students by being based on the general procedures for assessing reading for emergent
and beginner readers. It demonstrates authentic assessment design practices by assess students after they have received formative assessments. The
target audience for the summative assessment is the Kindergarten class I will be teaching during my professional practice placement. This assessment
could also be used as evidence to demonstrate student knowledge in an end of year report.
Assessment Criteria:
This summative assessment contains the following Content Descriptors:

Share feelings and thoughts about the events and characters in texts (ACELT1783)

Understand that texts can take many forms, can be very short (for example an exit sign) or quite long (for example an information book or a film) and
that stories and informative texts have different purposes (ACELA1430)

Identify some differences between imaginative and informative texts (ACELY1648)

Identify some features of texts including events and characters and retell events from a text (ACELT1578)

Use comprehension strategies to understand and discuss texts listened to, viewed or read independently (ACELY1650)

Read decodable and predictable texts, practising phrasing and fluency, and monitor meaning using concepts about print and emerging contextual,
semantic, grammatical and phonic knowledge (ACELY1649)

Understand that punctuation is a feature of written text different from letters; recognise how capital letters are used for names, and that capital letters
and full stops signal the beginning and end of sentences (ACELA1432)

Recognise and generate rhyming words, alliteration patterns, syllables and sounds (phonemes) in spoken words (ACELA1439)

Assessment recording template: Students will be interviewed and their responses will be recorded using a Teacher Recording Sheet (see appendix IV)
this will then be assessed using the reading rubric (See appendix V).
Feedback: Students will receive feedback during another planned conference. The teacher will point out the students strengths and weaknesses.
Self-assessment: Students will self-assess their abilities during the second planned conference and have the ability to demonstrate how they can improve
by reading another book.
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION
Learning Experience Sequence 1
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Resources
Days of the Week song
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Letter cards with Velcro sticky dots on the back

Premade Student name cards with Velcro sticky dots
Individual whiteboards (x11)

Premade sentences for reading wall

Learning Experiences

Assessment For/As Learning

(adapted from Education Services Australian, 2013)

Activity 1: Modelled reading and writing

(Formative Assessment)
During my lead up visit I was told the children were learning how to

1. Model to students the writing of the days of the week on the whiteboard,
emphasising the onset and rime of each word, writing them in sequence
and reading it out loud to the students as it is written.
2. Sing the days of the week song (see appendix IV) and point to each word
as you sing.
3. Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
4. Refer back to the written days of the week and emphasise the pattern of

spell words (ACELA1438). This therefore, becomes my starting

point. I model reading and writing to the students during activity 1.1
and note if anyone seems to struggle. If this occurs I will write an
anecdotal observation at the end of the lesson. This forms a
diagnostic assessment of the students assessment for learning.

the days of the week as a way of predicting which word will come next

Activity 1.3 not only reinforces the units big idea about the pattern in

when reading the text.

the story but it also provides the students with information on how to

Activity 2: Responding to literature

1. When the book is finish provide the students with the opportunity to
respond to the text on a personal level by sharing their thoughts and
feelings and examining the events and characters.
2. Ask the students to read aloud and point to the days of the week as you
display the relevant pages of the book.
3. Use the display of the days of the week to assist in recounting the events
of the story, asking the students to supply details they remember from the
reading.
Activity 3: Responding to literature
1.

use knowledge of letters and sounds including onset and rime to

As a class jointly construct sentences on the whiteboard that states what

the class does on different days of the week. For example, On Monday we
have Art, On Tuesday we have Dancing lessons, On Wednesday we

read decodable and predictable texts as I demonstrate how to

navigate a text correctly. Using my finger to point to the words so the
children understand where the right place is to start and how to read
in the right direction (ACELY1649). I will later ask the students in
activity 2.2 to read aloud the days of the week and point to them in
the book. This also links with (ACELA1438).
By allowing the children to respond to the literature at the end of the
book in activity 2.1 the students can demonstrate their understanding
of comprehension strategies as they talk about the meanings in text
(ACELY1650). Furthermore, comprehension strategies are practiced
during activity 1.3.
When the students discuss how they feel about what happens in
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have sport. Display these sentences (premade) to create a reading wall to

stories they are demonstrating (ACELT1783). Both of these

be read as part of the daily routine. For example, Today is Monday. On

outcomes can be written as anecdotal observations at the end of the

Monday we have Art.

2. Have the students independently write sentences about what they do on
different days of the week. Supply a sentence starter such as, On
Saturday I and ask the students to write or draw to complete the
sentence. They can then read their sentences to the other students in their
table groups.
Activity 4: Patterns in handwriting and punctuation
1. Display the letters cards with sticky dots on the felt wall of the alphabet in
upper and lower case format. Ask individual students to point out the
capital letters.
2. Demonstrate the formation of each capital letter as it is located and talk
about the patterns that are used to write each letter.
3. Students air write the letters following your directions.
4. Display the students names on cards (premade) and ask each student to
locate their name and copy it onto their individual whiteboards.
5. Draw each students attention to the capital letter at the beginning of his or
her name. Draw their attention to the names of the days of the week and
the way they also start with capital letters. Explain that this is a pattern we
follow when we write names:
- the first letter is a capital and the rest are in lower case.
6. Have the students read their names written their on individual whiteboards
and ask them to circle the capital letter at the start of their name.

class. Based on these notes the teacher will know where to help
student in their progression of knowledge during the next learning
sequences.
In activity 3.1 the students develop an understanding of that
sentences are key units for expressing ideas as they create
sentences (short texts) with the teacher which shows the importance
of word order in sentences and as they read aloud the sentences
they have co-constructed and independently constructed in activity
3.2 (ACELA1435 & ACELY1651).
In Activity 4 the students demonstrate their understanding that
punctuation is a feature of written text and recognise how capital
letters are used for names such as their own and in the days of the
week. Students will also demonstrate an understanding about upper
and lower case letters and their formations and they read and write
their letters during this activity (ACELA1440). The teacher will
photograph each child individual whiteboards with the circle around
their names as part of her observation notes.
All of these experiences forms formative assessment. The teacher
will provide the students with assessment for learning as the
progress through the tasks and she provides valuable feedback.
Furthermore, the teacher will help the students use assessment as
learning as during group times and through feedback allowing the
students to self-assess their achievements

Learning Experience Sequence 2

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Resources
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A collection of imaginative books that have been read in previous units
A collection informative books about caterpillars and butterflies

For All Creatures by Glenda Millard and Rebecca Cool

Letter (upper and lower case) cards
Premade large sheet of paper with sentences with no capitals
Student handouts with sentences with no capital letters

Learning Experiences

Assessment For/As Learning

(adapted from Education Services Australian, 2013)

Activity 1: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

(Formative Assessment)
Activity one focus on teaching the students that text can take many

1. Re-read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Explain to the students that in this

forms and have different purposes by looking at the illustrations

lesson they will look closely at the illustrations in a number of books and

(ACELA1430). It also teaches the children about imaginative and

talk about how illustrations can be very different, and how they can tell us

informative text (ACELY1648). The concept of imaginative and

about whether a book is informative or imaginative.

2. Explain that informative means to get information from and imaginative
means created or pretend. Show the students examples such as The Very
Hungry Caterpillar and other such imaginative books that have already
been read (in previous units) and a collection of nonfiction books on

informative text is taught throughout this learning experience

sequence. Throughout activity one the teacher takes note of the
students involvement and what they say. At the end of this
experience the teacher makes anecdotal notes that form her
diagnostic assessment.

butterflies and caterpillars.

Activity 2: Pre-reading
1. Compare and contrast the illustrations in one of the informative texts with
-

those of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Ask the students:

Do the illustrations in the informative text look like the real thing?
Can you see how the illustrator has used bright colours and shading to
draw the caterpillar in The Very Hungry Caterpillar?
When a photograph is used, does it look like the real creature or does it

look imaginary?
2. Use the students answers to define and explain the differences between
-

informative and imaginative texts and ask questions such as:

Do the pictures in The Very Hungry Caterpillar look like real caterpillars

and real fruit or can we tell that an artist has made them?
Can you see where Eric Carle has used paint and brushes to colour the
illustrations?

Furthermore, formative assessment will be used as the students ask

and answer questions in activity two. The students also will
demonstrate any prior knowledge they may have of being able to
explore and contribute to words and meaning in stories
(ACELA1786) and by responding to the literature the students will
demonstrate their understanding of how to respond orally to texts in
classroom situations (ACELY1646).
By explicitly teaching the children about the differences between
imaginative and informative text make the formative assessment
authentic. Additionally, activity three provides teachers with the
opportunity to use assessment as learning on the children
comprehension strategies (ACELY1650) as they share their feelings
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Does food really look like these illustrations or has Eric Carle used his
imagination?

Activity 3: Modelled reading

1. Choose one of the informative texts to read to the class. As you read,
predict the content of each page using the images or headings and subheadings.
2. Compare this to the way The Very Hungry Caterpillar was read.
3. Explain that the patterns of reading will change between informative texts

and thought about the books (ACELT1783).

Activity five reinforces the students ability to listen and respond
orally to texts (ACELY1646). Providing the teacher with opportunities
to use formative assessment strategies. Such as on-the-spot
conferences. During this time the teacher can take running records
of what the children are saying to inform her teaching practices.

and imaginative texts because they are written in different ways and for

Additional feedback can be given to the students at this time as they

different purposes.

demonstrate their knowledge of informative and imaginative books

Activity 4: Responding to literature

and on their comprehension strategies.

1. Allow the students to reflect and respond to the reading of the informative

In the model reading activity punctuation is explicitly taught as

text at a personal level.

2. Ask them to recall facts that interested them from the text.

feature of written text in the form of full stops. The children are taught

Activity 5: Independent reading

1. Divide the students into small groups and give them a collection of
both informative and imaginative texts with the theme of butterflies and

that full stops signal the beginning and end of sentences

(ACELA1432). During this activity the teacher will conduct diagnostic
assessments to determine if there are any misconceptions about this
concept.

caterpillars.
2. Ask them to group the books according to whether they think they are

Activity seven provides the student with another opportunity to

informative or imaginative.
3. Listen to the students discussions as they classify the books and

and feelings about this text (ACELT1783). The teacher will be able to

record some of the reasons and justifications for groupings, to be

revisited during whole-class discussion.
4. Bring the class back together and share the process of grouping.

respond to literature and practice their ability to share their thought

provide the students with feedback on their thought and feelings and
if it is an appropriate reference to the features of the text
(ACELT1578).

Revisit the reasons and justifications in order to reinforce the concepts

In the activity eight teachers are given the opportunity to hear

of informative and imaginative texts.

student practice generating sounds in spoken words (ACELA1439)

Activity 6: Modelled reading

1. Conduct a modelled reading of For All Creatures. Use the front cover and
title to predict the content of the book and whether it is going to be

and their knowledge of letter and sounds (ACELA1439) as well as

their ability to recognise and name the upper and lower case
letters (ACELY1653). Teachers can provide students with formative
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imaginative or informative.
2. Refer back to the discoveries made about informative and imaginative
texts in the previous sequence.
3. Ask the students to look and listen out for patterns in the language used.
4. Make explicit the fact that readers attend to full stops by pausing when

assessment in the form of feedback and hear other students use

assessment as learning. This is reinforced in activity nine so that
students can self-assess. Furthermore, in activity nine students
can produce lower case and upper case letters and obtain

they read. As you read, students can make a stop signal with their hands

feedback as to what they are doing right and how they can achieve

as you pause at the full stops

better results.

Activity 7: Responding to literature

1. Allow students to respond to For All Creatures on a personal level.
2. Ask the students to recall animals or words from the book that were new to
them and discuss.
Activity 8: Language focus: Pattern of repeated sounds
1. Draw the students attention to the way initial sounds are repeated.
2. Read some pages or ask students to read them aloud.
3. Ask them to identify the sound that is repeated on each page or supply a

Activity ten reinforces students confirms for the teacher and the
student their knowledge of written language features such as
punctuation in the form of full stops. It also provides teachers with
formative evidence that the teacher can use to provide the
students with feedback on their written work.

sound that students need to listen for.

Activity 9: Close reading and viewing
1. In a feely bag place the letters of the alphabet on laminated cards.
2. Have the students select a letter and work through the book For all
creatures looking for all the creatures, plants, flowers, colours, patterns
and parts of the landscape that begin with that letter.
3. Repeat the process until all letter of the alphabet have been discovered.
4. Reinforce the sound of the letter and how it begins the word discovered.
For example, James has the letter B. B says //b//. //b// for bat.
Activity 10: Writing
1. On a large sheets of paper, display some (premade) sentences without
capital letters.
2. As a whole class or in small groups ask the students to add capital letters
to the beginning of sentences, reinforcing placement of capitals and
correct letter formation. They may refer to the capital and lower case letter
Page 11 of 23

cards for support, if necessary.

3. Provide the students with some sentences without capital letters.
7. Ask them to write capital letters at the beginning of each sentence in red
pencil.
Learning Experience Sequence 3
Resources
One Hungry Spider by Jeannie Baker
Cards with number words
Cards with number digits
Learning Experiences

Assessment For/As Learning

(adapted from Education Services Australian, 2013)

Activity 1: Modelled reading

(Formative Assessment)
The third learning experience continues to reinforce learning

1. Read One Hungry Spider to the class, asking the students to look out for
patterns in the book.
2. Remind them of the patterns discovered in previous picture books they have

that has continued throughout the unit. Using a new imaginative

book. No new ideas are introduced in regards to literacy the
teacher will continue to provide the student with ongoing

read for this unit and ask them to look out for new patterns. Patterns

feedback to how they are progressing in this outcome and what

identified may include:

they can do to improve as part of assessment for learning. The

ascending numbers

units big idea about patterns in language and literature also

capital letters at the start of names

continues in the third sequence.

capital letters at the beginning of sentences and full stops at the end

life cycle patterns

Numeracy concepts are introduced in this learning sequence,

shape patterns in the environment

however the focus remains on the English Curriculum.

language/literary pattern of repetition,

Activity 2: Responding to literature

1. Allow the students to respond to the book at a personal level. For example,
ask them to recall the insects they noticed in the book.
2. Encourage them to comment on the insects and spiders they have seen in
previously read books, their own gardens, or the school playground and
share their knowledge and experience of spiders and insects.

In the first two learning sequences the numeracy focus was on

the measurement strand where the students had to
demonstrate knowledge and identify the days of the week
(ACMMG007). The students participated in formative and
summative assessment to demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of this concept. In this sequence the numeracy
aspect of this unit of work focused on the number strand. The
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Activity 3: Language focus

1. Draw the students attention to the pattern of ascending numbers in the

students had to demonstrate that they could connect number

names, and numerals up to 10 (ACMNA002).

picture book. Ask them to locate the digit and corresponding number word on
each page opening.
2. Count the insects that are the focus of each page. Point out the way that the
numbers increase by one on each page. Compare this book to The Very

Students also provide each other with opportunity to use

assessment as learning as they self-assess their work via the
teachers feedback

Hungry Caterpillar and how the amount of fruit eaten by the caterpillar
increases as the week progresses.
Activity 4: Close reading capital letters and full stops revision
1. Draw the students attention to the capital letters on each page and comment
on their location at the beginning of sentences. Explain that the location of
these words means they are written with capital letters.
2. Compare this to the cards with the number words written on them. Practise
the correct letter formation of the capital letters and lower case letters by air
writing.
3. Ask the students to locate the end of each sentence and discuss the purpose
of full stops as indicating that a complete message or idea has been written
Activity 5: Modelled and jointly constructed writing sentence construction
1. Display the digit and number word cards and model how to write a sentence
to include one of the numbers.
2. Use student contributions to jointly construct further sentences and display
them for the class to see.
3. Demonstrate correct punctuation and use of onset and rime to spell
unfamiliar words.
Activity 6: Scaffolded writing independent sentence construction
1. Instruct the student to construct their own sentences about spiders.
2. Sentences can be paraphrased from the book or invented by the students,
depending on the level of scaffolding needed.
3. The students may work in small groups, with teacher support or
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independently, depending on individual needs. Encourage the students to

articulate their thinking as they work.
Activity 7: Independent reading
Ask the students to read their sentences to the class, independently or with
assistance from you. Demonstrate to the other students when the child has used
capital letters and full stops.
Learning Experience Sequence 4
Resources
Incy Wincy Spider by Kate Toms
Drawing paper
Learning Experiences
(adapted from Education Services Australian, 2013)
Modelled reading
1. Display the cover of Incy Wincy Spider and ask the students to predict what

Assessment For/As Learning

(Formative Assessment)
The students continue to build on their knowledge about the
concepts discussed in the first three learning sequences. The

the story will be about. Remind them of the song, if necessary. Sing the song

children are introduced to the concept that text is made up of

together. Display the first double page and sing the song together again while

words and groups of words that make meaning (ACELA1434).

pointing to the words.

2. Read the rest of the book to the class, using the rhyming pattern and pictures
to predict the part of the text that innovates on the original song. Choose a
few pages to look at the text and its layout on the page.
3. Trace the line of the text and discuss with students why the text is written this
way and not in straight lines on the page. Highlight that the pattern of the
written text mirrors what is occurring in the story and pictures.
Activity 1: Responding to literature

The teacher continues to provide students with ongoing

formative assessment throughout this learning sequence as
assessment for learning. This is achieved as the teacher uses
both formal and informal activities.
I will also have my mentor teacher involved throughout the unit
to help me reflect on my formative assessment methods.

1. Ask the students to respond to the book on a personal level. Ask if they can
remember singing this song at home or preschool, and whether they know
actions to go with the song.
2. Students who are familiar with the actions can teach these to the class and
Page 14 of 23

the whole class can then perform the song with actions while following the
text.
3. Allow them to respond to the innovated part of the book also. Ask them to
recall events from the innovated part of the text, asking what they liked and
why.
Activity 2: Close reading
1. Display the first page opening again. Ask the students to look and listen
closely for any patterns as you read the text aloud and point to the words.
2. Encourage them to notice the rhyming pattern. Ask individual students to
come to the front and point to the words that rhyme.
3. Write spout on the white board. Model how to make out by removing sp
from the word. Repeat this process with rain and again, this time taking
away r and adding ag.
4. Ask some other students to have a turn. Talk about the way that these
particular words contain the same letters and sound the same on the end,
which means they rhyme.
Activity 3: Re-reading
1. Re-read the book and ask the students to listen closely for rhyme.
2. Ask them to tap their knees when they hear rhyming sentences. Isolate the
rhyming words and repeat the rhyming pairs as a class.
Activity 4: Modelled and jointly constructed writing
1. Ask the students to recall some events from the book. Firstly, model and then
jointly construct some sentences, retelling these remembered events (for
example, The spider wore swimming goggles).
2. Highlight the words that tell us what is happening: The spider wore
3.

swimming goggles.
Have the students draw pictures to go with the sentences to produce a
class-made book.

Add the class-made book and Incy Wincy Spider to the class library for use during
Page 15 of 23

independent reading.
Learning Experience Sequence 5
Resources
An Australian 1, 2, 3 of Animals by Bronwyn Bancroft
Digit and number word cards
Drawing materials
Learning Experiences

Assessment For/As Learning

(adapted from Education Services Australian, 2013)

Activity 1: Modelled reading

(Formative Assessment)
Again the learning that occurs in this sequence supports the four

1. Read An Australian 1, 2, 3 of Animals to the class.

2. Display the Digit and number word cards and assist the students to locate
the number words in the written text.
Activity 2: Responding to literature
1. Allow students to respond to the book on a personal level.
2. Ask them to recall the animals depicted in the book and encourage them to
think of where they have seen the depicted animals in other books, on
television programs, in a wildlife park or in the local environment.
Activity 3: Language focus patterns in sounds
1. Draw the students attention to the rhyme in An Australian 1, 2, 3 of Animals
and note the words that create the rhyme.
2. Highlight the patterns of sound that echo the patterns in the illustrations.
Activity 4: Close reading and viewing looking for patterns

prior sequences. Throughout the unit the students explored that

texts are created by authors who tell stories and share
experiences that may be similar or different to students own
experiences (ACELT1575). In this learning sequence the students
are introduced to Aboriginal cultural through the units big idea. As
they began to develop an awareness of Aboriginal culture through
contemporary literature and explored the connections between
representations of number and pattern and how they relate to
aspects of counting and relationships of Aboriginal cultures.
The students were also reintroduced to the number strand
concept of connect number names, and numerals up to 10
(ACMNA002).

1. Look closely at the illustrations and note the patterns that can be seen in the

Throughout this learning experience sequence the teacher

images.
2. Discuss the patterns found. Some patterns that can be found in the

continued to provide familiar formative assessment. This makes

illustrations include dots, circles, curved lines, straight lines, squares and
rectangles.
3. Have students draw their own patterns
4. Share the drawing done by the students

the assessment for and as learning authentic. This sequence

concludes the unit plan and the formal formative assessment
occur after the last activity in this sequence.

Page 16 of 23

Appendices
Appendix I Mock Student Work Sample

Figure 1: just in case of was not descriptive enough

Appendix II Teachers Rubric

The Very Hungry
Caterpillar
The student
demonstrated an
understanding that
punctuation is a feature of
written text. Recognising
that capital letters are
used for names such as
their own and in the day
of the week.
The student
demonstrated that they
could create short texts
using familiar word
knowledge and an
understanding that
sentences are key units
for expressing ideas and
could retell the event in
which the caterpillar ate
some food.
The student
demonstrated
comprehension strategies

The student used a capital letter for their name and for
the day of the week.

The student did not

to use a capital
letter.

The student wrote a sentence about The Very Hungry

Caterpillar using the Phrase On
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Sunday
he ate an apple/pears/plums/strawberries/oranges/ a
leaf

The student did not

write a sentence
about The Very
Hungry Caterpillar.

The student draw a picture from The Very Hungry

Caterpillar describing an event where he ate some
food.

The did not draw

The Very Hungry
Caterpillar
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by drawing a picture of
the discussed text and
recall the event in which
the caterpillar ate food.
Appendix III Child Friendly Rubric
THE VERY HUNGRY
CATERPILLAR

MY NAME

I remembered to write my name with a capital

I forgot to write my name

MY PICTURE

letter
I remembered that The Very Hungry Caterpillar

with a capital letter

I forgot what The Very

liked to eat

Hungry Caterpillar likes to

apples/pears/plums/strawberries/oranges/ a leaf
I remembered to use a capital for the days of

eat
I forgot to use a capital for

MY SENTENCE

the week
Appendix IV Days of the Week Song (resource)

the days of the week

Days of the Week

To the tune of the Adams family

Days of the week (clap, clap)

Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week, days of the week, days of the week (clap, clap)
Theres Sunday and theres Monday
Theres Tuesday and theres Wednesday
Theres Thursday and there Friday
And then there Saturday
Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week (clap, clap)
Days of the week, days of the week, days of the week

Appendix IV Planned Conference

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Teacher Recording Sheet

Name:________________

Date:

________________
Display a range of books from the patterns in language and literature unit.
Discuss with the student:
What is your favourite book?
Is it an informative or imaginative book?
Can you point to an imaginative/informative book? (depending on the book they have already
chosen).
Can you read the story? If student indicates that they are unsure ask: Can you tell me what happens
in this story?
Can you show me where in the book you start reading?
Can you show me where there is a capital letter in this book?
Can you show me where there is a full stop?
Pick a word in the book. Ask the student if they can think of a rhyming word

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Appendix V Reading Rubric

Planned Conference
Share feelings and thoughts

A
Student selects a book and

B
Student selects a book and

C
Student selects a book after

about the events and characters

describes why it is their favourite.

describes why it is their favourite.

much prompting.

in texts

If it is an imaginative text, the

If it is an imaginative text, the

If it is an imaginative text, the

student can discuss how they

student can discuss how they

student cannot discuss how they

feel about what happens in

feel about what happens in

feel about what happens in

stories. Talks about people, and

stories. If it is an informative text,

stories. If it is an informative text,

events. If it is an informative text,

the student discusses ideas in

the student cannot discuss ideas

the student discusses ideas in

the texts.

in the texts.

the texts. The student is then

able to connect to their own
experiences and to express their
own opinions about what is
Can tell the difference between

depicted.
The student discusses the

The student can identify the

The student cannot identify the

informative text and imaginative

purpose of texts, for example

difference between the

difference between the

text and understands the

This text will give information

informative and imaginative text

informative and imaginative text

purpose of informative texts

and can Identify some

but cannot explain why.

but cannot explain why.

differences between imaginative

and informative texts such as
talking about what is real and
Identify some features of texts

what is imagined in texts

The student talks about the

The student identifies only one

The student cannot identify any

including events and characters

meanings in texts selected and

feature of the text

features of the text.

and retell events from a text

reads providing a simple,

correctly-sequenced retelling of
narrative texts. Or relating one or
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two key facts from informative

texts making links between
events in a text and students
own experiences
Use comprehension strategies to

The student can talk about the

The student can make links

The student uses no

understand and discuss texts

meanings in texts selected. The

between the events in a text and

comprehension strategies.

listened to, viewed or read

student can provide a simple,

their own experiences.

independently

correctly-sequenced retelling of
narrative texts, or relating one or
two key facts from informative
texts, and making links between
events in a text and students

Reads decodable and

own experiences.
The student demonstrates that

The student navigates the text

The student cannot navigate the

predictable texts, practising

they can navigate a text correctly,

correctly, starting at the right

text.

phrasing and fluency, and

starting at the right place and

place and reading in the right

monitor meaning using concepts

reading in the right direction,

direction, returning to the next

about print and emerging

returning to the next line as

line as needed.

contextual, semantic,

needed, matching one spoken

grammatical and phonic

word to one written word, or

knowledge

reading aloud with attempts at

fluency and intonation predicting
what might happen on the basis
of experience of this kind of text;
at the sentence level, or predict
the meaning on the basis of
syntax and word meaning.
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Recognise and generate rhyming

The student recognises and can

Attempts to rhyme but is

Does not attempt to rhyme.

words

produce rhyming words from the

incorrect

Understand that punctuation is a

story
The student can point to the

The student can only point to

The student cannot point to

feature of written text different

capital letters and the full stops in

capital letter or full stops.

capital letters or full stops.

from letters; recognise how

the book.

capital letters are used for

names, and that capital letters
and full stops signal the
beginning and end of sentences

Page 22 of 23

Appendix VI Teacher Rubric

Patterns
The student
demonstrated an
understanding that
punctuation is a feature
of written text

A
The student used a
capital letter for their
name and at the start of
their sentence. They also
used a full stop to signal
the end of their sentence.

Recognise that
sentences are key units
for expressing ideas
Can produce some case
and upper case letters
using learned letter
formations
(some information
obtained from anecdotal
notes)

The student wrote a

sentence about their
pattern.
The student
demonstrated that they
can produce simple
handwriting movements,
and construct lower case
letters combining these
into words. Demonstrates
that they can construct
some upper case letters.

Create short texts to

explore, record and
report ideas and events
using familiar words and
beginning writing
knowledge

The student
demonstrated that they
could create short texts
using familiar word
knowledge about their
pattern

B
The student only
identified one feature.
Either capital letters or
full stops. Or only used a
capital letter for their
name or the start of their
sentence.
The student wrote a
sentence about their
pattern.
The student
demonstrated that they
can produce simple
handwriting movements,
and construct lower case
letters combining these
into words.

C
The student identified not
punctuation features.

The student writes a

sentence but does not
describe their pattern.

The student does not

write a sentence.

The student did not write

a sentence about their
pattern.
The student cannot
produce simple
handwriting movements,
and construct lower case
letters and to combine
these into words or
construct some upper
case letters

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