Rationale:

The below unit of work has been designed for a stage five, year nine English class.

The class is one of the lower performing classes, with a diverse range of mixed

ability students, who have been catered for through differentiated options for class

activities and assessment. The unit has been structured with close connection to the

New South Wales English K-10 syllabus, to ensure the structure and activities within

the unit appropriately challenge the students to enable them to develop their

understanding and skills to apply in new contexts (NESA, 2012). This aspect of the

syllabus has been addressed through the unit’s thematic concern of survival. This

theme has been chosen as it is recognisable and often relatable to the students,

something which Harris (2010) asserts increases students’ engagement. The overall

theme has been further broken down into sub-themes of, physical, mental and

cultural survival to allow for a more in-depth understanding into the multi-faceted

element of human experiences.

Core to the syllabus is the notion of students engaging with a wide variety of texts

which range in degree of difficulty and modes (NESA, 2012). This notion has been

addressed within the unit through the analysis of five texts which all explore at least

one element of survival. These texts include video clips, novels, short stories and

interactive online books. The diverse range of texts has been chosen to differentiate

the text styles so that the interests and needs of every student should be

encompassed by at least one text (Blackburn, 2018). The main text which was used

for a close study is the novel Then by Morris Gleitzman, this novel was chosen as it

appropriately explores the three elements of survival from the units focus, and

importantly is suitable for the year nine class and their abilities. The resources,

activities and assessments within the unit all feature differentiated and extension
options to cater to every student as the Understanding by Design (UbD) model and

student-centred pedagogy have been drawn upon to develop and structure a

meaningful unit.

UbD outlines that when designing a unit of work the first step should be to

identify the desired results, simply, what the students should learn and achieve by

the end of the unit (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). This concept has been employed

within the unit, firstly by carefully selecting syllabus outcomes and identifying the key

concepts within each. Once this was completed elements were identified which

included, critical analysis, critical response, ability to compose texts and importantly

enjoyment (NESA, 2012). After this element was addressed the final summative

PowToon and review assessment was created. This task enables students’ abilities

to critically analyse, respond to and compose a survival story, and ultimately uses

ICT elements which are engaging and enjoyable for students. The second and third

guidelines of UbD addresses determining acceptable evidence of learning and

planning appropriate activities to enables students to achieve the final results

(Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). These principles have been developed within the unit,

importantly with the formative assessments throughout, including the notice and note

activities, one-minute stories and importantly the group class discussions, all of

which enable the teacher to view areas of student understanding and areas where

they need further support (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Importantly the activities

support the final assessment task as they regularly draw on the critical analysis skills

of students whilst also asking them to be creative, both essential skills which need to

be developed for the final assessment, and demonstrates how UbD has shaped the

unit.
 Additionally, the unit of work has been further developed through the lens of

visible learning (Hattie, 2012). Visible learning involves the idea that learning should

be visible to the teacher and teaching should be visible to the students to enable

them to further educate themselves (Hattie, 2012). This concept has been employed

most visibly through the weekly learning intentions and success criteria, which

explicitly outlines what the students are going to learn and how to achieve this.

Through the use of elements of visible learning, the principles of UbD are further

supported, as students explicitly understand that they will need to develop strong

critical understanding into survival texts and how to compose their own creatively.
 STAGE/YEAR
UNIT OF WORK DURATION
GROUP
I AM A SURVIVOR Stage 5/Year 9 6 Weeks

RATIONALE
Throughout this unit, students will explore the nature of survival and how it is
represented in a diverse range of texts. Students will analyse different types of
survival and identify types of survival which include, physical, cultural and mental
survival. Through analysis of key texts students will develop an understanding of
how survival impacts different individuals, their journey to survive, and the key
characteristics which are involved in survival. Students will also be required to
closely study the novel Then, to develop an understanding into the overlapping
nature of the three survival elements, and to explore how characterisation, narrative
voice and specific language features explore survival. Students will strengthen their
knowledge of survival through a PowToon activity, where they will engage with the
process of writing a survival story as they use visual and literary techniques to help
shape a story about survival.
OUTCOMES
EN5-1A responds to and composes increasingly sophisticated and sustained texts for understanding,
interpretation, critical analysis, imaginative expression and pleasure
EN5-2A effectively uses and critically assesses a wide range of processes, skills, strategies and knowledge for
responding to and composing a wide range of texts in different media and technologies
EN5-5C thinks imaginatively, creatively, interpretively and critically about information and increasingly
complex ideas and arguments to respond to and compose texts in a range of contexts
EN5-7D understands and evaluates the diverse ways texts can represent personal and public worlds
EN5-8D questions, challenges and evaluates cultural assumptions in texts and their effects on meaning
EN5-9E purposefully reflects on, assesses and adapts their individual and collaborative skills with increasing
independence and effectiveness
Related Life Skills outcomes: ENLS-1A, ENLS-2A, ENLS-3A, ENLS-4A, ENLS-8A ENLS-5A, ENLS-6A, ENLS-
7A, ENLS-9A, ENLS-12C, ENLS-13C, ENLS-14D, ENLS-15D, ENLS-16D, ENLS-17E

CROSS CURRICULAR GENERAL CAPABILITIES

PERSPECTIVES
compare ways in which spoken, written,
visual, multimodal and digital texts are shaped
according to personal, historical, cultural,
social, technological and workplace contexts
identify, explain and challenge cultural values,
purposes and assumptions in texts, including
representations of gender, ethnicity, religion,
youth, age, disability, sexuality and social class
 compare and evaluate a range of
representations of individuals and groups in
different historical, social and cultural contexts
analyse and explain the ways language forms and
features, ideas, perspectives and originality are
used to shape meaning
identify and explore the purposes and effects of
different text structures and language features of
spoken texts, and use this knowledge to create
purposeful texts that inform, persuade and
engage (ACELY1740, ACELY1750)
create sustained texts, including texts that combine
specific digital or media content, for imaginative,
informative, or persuasive purposes that reflect
upon challenging and complex issues
(ACELY1746, ACELY1756)
 interpret, analyse and evaluate how
 (ACELT1633, ACELT1639)
 analyse how the construction and
interpretation of texts, including media texts,
can be influenced by cultural perspectives and
other texts (ACELY1739)
explain and analyse cultural assumptions in texts,
including texts by and about Aboriginal
Australians
FOCUS QUESTION(S):
Why are stories about survival captivating to read?
What similarities exist between characters who survive
something?
How does narrative point of view persuade the responder
to feel a certain way about the situations represented in
stories?
Why is evidence important in composing and maintaining
a strong argument?
Why is the context of a book important?
How do our experiences and culture influence our
different perspectives of issue, event, situation,
individuals or groups are constructed to serve
specific purposes in texts (ACELY1742)
evaluate the ways film, websites and
other multimedia texts use technology for
different purposes, audiences and contexts to
convey ideas and points of view
understand the nature, scope and ethical use of digital
technologies and apply this knowledge in their
own composing and responding in digital media
investigate the ways different modes, subject
areas, media and cultural representation affect
their personal and critical responses to texts
critically respond to texts by drawing on knowledge
of the historical context in which texts were
composed through a program of wide reading
and viewing
 understand how language use can have
inclusive and exclusive social effects, and can
empower or disempower people (ACELA1551,
ACELA1564)
reflect on personal experience and broadening views
of the world by responding to the ideas
and arguments of others with increasingly
complex ideas and arguments of their own
 explore and reflect on personal
understanding of the world and significant
human experience gained from interpreting
various representations of life matters in texts
(ACELT1635)
purposefully reflect on and value the learning
strengths and learning needs of themselves and
others
KEY CONCEPTS (Students will better understand that:)
How survival is represented through various stories to
either enable or hinder characters.
How authors draw upon human experiences of survival
to connect to the audience.
The importance of narrative voice at informing the
responder who survives and their journey to do so.
The significance of narrative voice to shape meaning and
to present the responder with information.
The importance of purpose, perspective and point of view
in storytelling and narratives.
The universality of the theme of surviving and its impact
on different cultures and society.
interpretation of stories?
What type of survival is being represented within the text?
What is the role of the storyteller in discussing the theme
of survival?
Who survives in the story?
What is the importance of their survival?
Is survival sometimes a choice?
What can we learn about survival from narratives?
STUDENTS WILL KNOW:
 The significance of the literary theme of survival
as represented in various narratives.
 How to identify and demonstrate elements of
survival within texts.
 How to analyse a text for relevance and
importance.
 LOOKING BACK (PRIOR LEARNING)
 Students will draw upon their prior knowledge of
narrative structures.
 Students will draw upon their knowledge of
survival and what it entails.
 Students will draw upon their ideas of narrative
voice and structure.
 Students will draw upon any previous cultural and
social knowledge they have.
LEARNING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander
histories and cultures
Asia and Australia’s engagement with
Asia
Sustainability
Civics and citizenship
Difference and diversity
Work and enterprise
The impact that their personal, cultural and social
backgrounds have on their interpretation and creation of
texts.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
 Identify, explore and respond to representations
of survival in narratives.
 To critically analyse who/what the survival
impacts.
 The significance of narrative voice in
demonstrating survival and the struggles/triumphs
of doing so.
 Compose their own narratives using the theme of
survival and demonstrate how narrative voice
provides insight into the process of survival .
 LOOKING FORWARD (FUTURE
LEARNING)
 Students will develop their previous
understanding of survival.
 Students will build upon their prior knowledge of
narration and storytelling to strengthen their ability
to understand its significance in presenting key
information.
 Students will strengthen their cultural and social
understandings of survival and how it impacts
them.
 Students will develop their writing skills and
storytelling abilities.
Critical and creative thinking
Ethical understanding
Intercultural understanding
Literacy
Numeracy
Personal and social capability
ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
 Introduction to unit Menti task
 Entry and exit slip tasks
including Today’s tweet
 Socratic Circle(s)
 Strategic questioning –
higher-order questions to
gauge student
understanding.
 Brief summary activities on
each text.
 Recap activities (whole class)
ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING
 Think, pair, share tasks
 Mind-maps
 Menti task
 Socratic circles
 Weekly writing tasks where
students write about what
they have learned from the
week, each week this is
added to.
 One-minute writing activities
where they summarise the
text in a minute
 Google classroom docs to
log their weekly reflections to
track their own progress
 Notice and Note tasks
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
 Formal assessment:
POWTOON STORY 10%
(weight)
 Students are to create their
own survival story using the
website aid PowToon.
 Students must write a
survival story about either
cultural, physical or mental
survival.
 Students must use a clear
narrative voice and clear
point of view.
 The student’s stories must
include visual, written and
aural attributes.
 This task develops their ICT
skills and ability to produce
quality work through the use
of ICT.

SUBJECT SPECIFIC LANGUAGE/TERMS

Narrative voice
Narrative structure
Thematic concern
Audience
Narrative style
Purpose
Perspective
Point of view
Context
Genre
Critical analysis
Critical response
Book review
Protagonist
Imagery
Metaphor
Symbolism
Motif
Juxtaposition
Literary devices

TEACHING AND LEARNING

CONTENT TEACHING & LEARNING STRATEGIES DIFFERENTIATION/
(SYLLABUS EXTENSION
OUTCOMES) (INCLUDE DIFFERENTIATION & RESOURCES) ACTIVITIES
WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE UNIT
EN5-1A
responds to
and composes LEARNING INTENTIONS/SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR THE WEEK:
increasingly  Inform students of the learning intentions and success criteria for
sophisticated the week which are:
and sustained LI: To introduce the thematic concern of SURVIVAL as it is represented
texts for through stories.
understanding SC: Students should be able to:
, - Describe what survival is
 - Understand the different forms of survival
interpretation,
- Identify different types of survival
critical
analysis,
PRE-TEST – MENTI TASK:
imaginative
 Students are to use devices to log into menti.com and complete the
expression
word cloud as a class which is projected on screen.
and pleasure
 Question for response is: WHAT IS SURVIVAL? Differentiation:
EN5-2A  Students given appropriate time to complete, explain answers can for students who need
effectively be subjective/objective more assistance they
uses and  Once finished go through the answers as a class, allow students to can have some
critically contribute. vocabulary lists and
assesses a  Answers are kept to use later on too reflect on development of access to research
wide range of student growth in understanding. some words on their
processes, devices to help them
skills, SURVIVAL DEFINITIONS AND SYNONYMS: create and answer.
strategies and  Students are to create a space at the front of their books, google
knowledge for
doc/ google slides in google classroom where they can add to and
responding to Differentiation:
refer back to throughout the unit.
and Students who need
 Students are to title this SURVIVAL and leave room to add to the
composing a assistance can use
page/s
wide range of the vocabulary lists to
 Students are to work as a class to come up with a class description
texts in help them in the
different of the word SURVIVAL
process.
media and  Once the class has created their definition they are to use the Students who are
technologies dictionaries to look up the term survival. unable to write can
 Students are to collaborate. record their answers in
EN5-5C thinks  Once the definition process has occurred students are to use their an audio log for them
imaginatively, devices, previous knowledge and peers to label all of the synonyms to use.
creatively, of survival. Extension: Students
interpretively  Explain that this will be their guide throughout the unit. who are advance
and critically
learners once
about
completed can
information DIFFERENT TYPES OF SURIVAL: Word-bank Worksheet Appendix A research some
and  Students are to consider survival as a physical, cultural or mental. famous books about
increasingly  Section the board into three sections each labelled: Cultural, survival, including The
complex ideas
physical and mental. Hunger Games series,
and
 Ask open ended questions to the class which include: what is Divergent series and
arguments to
survival? how are the different types of survival different? What are The Lord of the Flies.
respond to
the defining traits of each?
and compose
 Have prepared definitions of each which you can read out for the
texts in a
range of students to copy in their books.
 Give them the word-bank worksheet and ask them to read through Differentiation:
contexts
the words. Students who need
EN5-7D  Have whiteboard markers for the students to come up and place additional help are
understands the words from the word-bank under the type of survival that they able to use devices to
and evaluates think each one belongs to. look up words in word-
the diverse  All students to take photo or copy the board work in books. banks.
ways texts can Extension: Students
represent SURVIVING IN SPRINGFIELD (Hook activity): Appendix B: who would like to are
personal and  Show clip of the Zombie apocalypse episode from Simpsons. able to add to their
public worlds own lists their own
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2-gv8KM3Rk
EN5-8D examples of physical,
 Students are to complete the Surviving Springfield Worksheet while
questions, mental or cultural
watching. survival.
challenges  Students are to consider the type of survival and the manner in
and evaluates which is represented throughout the scene.
cultural
assumptions
in texts and
their effects on
meaning Differentiation:
 Students can work
EN5-9E
purposefully collaboratively if they
reflects on, need the support of
assesses and peers. Access given to
adapts their ‘I AM THOMAS’ – MENTAL SURVIVAL: a soft-copy of the
individual and  Teacher led reading of the book I Am Thomas by Armin Greder. worksheet so students
collaborative  After the first reading ask the students what kind of survival was can write on devices if
skills with seen in the text. they are unable to
increasing  Ask the students to write a brief paragraph describing how the write.
independence protagonist Thomas’s story of mental survival, prompt students with Extension: Students
and the concept of his conformity in order to survive, how Thomas is who finish complete
effectiveness isolated so he has to make certain choices for his survival. work early or need
 Ask the students if they can draw connections between themselves more challenging work
and Thomas or his society, if so what are they or how. can find similar clips
 Instruct them to use evidence from within the texts, that represent which relate to the
survival. Simpson’s clip and
answer the same
questions.
CULTURAL SURVIVAL: ‘MY GRANDMA’S LINGO’:
https://www.sbs.com.au/mygrandmotherslingo/ Differentiation:
 All students are to have individual access to device and Students who need
headphones. further support are
 Students are to log on and read the SBS story My Grandma’s given sentence
Lingo. starters to help them.
 Students are to consider the attributes of cultural survival, why Further scaffolding
cultural survival is significant and how it connects to other forms of can be produced to
survival. assist.
 Students once complete should complete a micro book review. Extension: Advance
 Students are to review the text and the representation of cultural students can discuss
survival in the text. the other themes of
 Students are importantly to comment on the narrative voice and its survival in the text
significance. also, including
 Students to see if they can relate to the story or its characters. physical and cultural
survival.
SUMMARY OF THEMES:
 To strengthen students understanding of the theme of survival and
the three different types they are to write three half page Differentiation:
summaries about each of the three survival themes. Students who are
 Students are given access to devices to assist them. unable to use
 Once they have their summaries complete they are to add to their headphones can listen
guide. to the text in a quiet
 Students are to also complete this table at the bottom of each space outside of the
summary to strengthen their understanding. room. Transcript of the
text also to be
Example of WHAT type of WHO is provided to students to
survival survival is it? involved? aid them in their book
review.

Differentiation: For
students who keep
audio log they are able
to add recordings to
audio log.