English / Year 6 / Literature / Responding to literature

Curriculum content descriptions

Analyse and evaluate similarities and differences in texts on similar topics, themes or plots (ACELT1614)

Elaborations
  • exploring texts on a similar topic by authors with very different styles, for example comparing fantasy quest novels or realistic novels on a specific theme, identifying differences in the use of narrator, narrative structure and voice and language style and register
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Literature,  Personal responses

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Strange faces

Students explore the artworks of Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, who lived four hundred years ago. He loved creating artworks out of other objects. He used objects like fruit, vegetables, sea creatures, flowers, bowls, barrels and books. Students create their own artwork in his style.

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What is spec fic? Rebecca Lim explains

Have you heard of the term 'spec fic'? What is speculative fiction? If you're interested in reading some, why not find out more about the books that Rebecca Lim refers to.

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Why is it useful to have a big bad wolf character in stories?

Watch this clip to hear Andy Griffiths explain why it's good to have villains in stories. How can the "big bad wolf" character help to move the story along? Think about some of the stories you've read lately. Which characters were the "big bad wolf" characters and what did they add to the stories? 

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How to Build Stories, Ch 3: Understanding story plots

There are a million ways to get from the beginning to the end of a story. Watch this entertaining video to learn about different story types and how to move your characters through a story in satisfying ways.

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Syllabus bites: Visual literacy

A resource with information, study guides and resources on visual literacy to support the English K-10 Australian Curriculum in English. It provides a series of activities, guidelines and tasks about visual texts from a variety of sources. Contains writing scaffolds, templates and proformas for responding and composing ...

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Syllabus bites – responding to literature

A web page with information, teacher guides and resources on responding to texts. This resource supports the NSW English K-10 syllabus.

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Writing Folktales

In this activity, students will analyse the characteristics of traditional folktales to write an original tale. They will use elements of folktales to develop their story and strengthen work through the writing process. Templates support students to structure their knowledge and skill development in this area.

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Writing Creation Myths

In this teaching activity students will explore how creation myths provide explanations for nature and science. They engage in an exercise writing adjectives and listen to digital creation myth stories. They then write original myths with support from a template, then retell them through a form of media.

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Writing Fables

How do the events in a fable relate to the moral of the story? In this lesson, students will engage in the writing process to create original fables and perform a skit. They will review the elements of a fable and develop an understanding of how to create a centralized focus in a narrative.

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Elements of Myth

In this lesson, students will read myths, discuss the elements of this literary form, and dramatize a myth of their choice. They will write scientific, research-based reports, as well as fantastical stories to explain the natural phenomena of the world.

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How can a traditional folktale be adapted to a play?

In this lesson, students will read and compare Russian folktales. Students will be introduced to the elements of a plot, then become playwrights to write a play about a traditional Russian folktale

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Sci-Fi and Fantasy Worldbuilding

In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of science fiction and fantasy from the works of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time Trilogy. Students will create an original character, thing, ability, and/or place using worldbuilding elements. Students will choose between dramatizing, making a book trailer, or ...

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Bindi: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the story Bindi. The novel explores explore themes of climate, bushfires, Aboriginal history and healing. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, suggestions about how students might respond creatively to the text and assessment opportunities.

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Invictus Games Sydney 2018 – Stage 3 – Adaptivity and Invictus

This Stage 3 unit explores the idea of ‘adaptivity’ and identity across a number of KLAs. Students will answer the question ‘What is adaptivity?’ and will develop an understanding of how adaptivity serves inclusivity, especially in relation to adaptive sport. Students will explore the history and future of prosthetics. ...

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Hologram poetry lesson

In this lesson, students are asked to present a poem as a visual illusion. They explore holograms and visual illusions, and then delve into the mechanics of poetry construction by exploring the poetry of Banjo Paterson. They write their own poem or recite a poem and create a hologram illusion of themselves reciting a poem. ...

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Film it! Screenwriting

Screenwriting is the act of writing what's known as a script or screenplay for film, television and web series. It involves a special set of rules that makes it different from a book or play. This module of Film It covers formatting, scene writing, script structure, themes, and character. Writing the script is part of ...

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Secondary English: collaboration

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'collaboration' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers provide students with opportunities ...

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Secondary English: presentation

These seven learning activities, which focus on 'presentation' using a variety of tools (software) and devices (hardware), illustrate the ways in which content, pedagogy and technology can be successfully and effectively integrated in order to promote learning. In the activities, teachers present students with models of ...

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Sustainability of a historic community garden

Discover the history of a local community garden and find out about some of its new sustainable features. View this clip called 'Sustainability in Edinburgh', created by young reporters from North Fitzroy Primary School, Victoria. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured ...

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Preserving the flathead of Tasmania

Discover how people who like to fish can help preserve one of Tasmania's favourite catches, the flathead. View this clip created by young reporters from Circular Head Christian School, Tasmania. The clip was developed as part of the ABC Splash Live 'Making the news!' project, which featured local sustainability stories ...