English / Year 3 / Language / Language variation and change

Curriculum content descriptions

Understand that languages have different written and visual communication systems, different oral traditions and different ways of constructing meaning (ACELA1475)

Elaborations
  • learning that a word or sign can carry different weight in different cultural contexts, for example that particular respect is due to some people and creatures and that stories can be passed on to teach us how to live appropriately
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Intercultural understanding Intercultural understanding
ScOT terms

Word meanings,  Language conventions

Online

Whose Country: exploring First Nations peoples languages map (7-13yrs)

Learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages can help children build their understanding of land, water and people. This activity helps to assist the identification of the language group/s on which the school, youth group or home is situated. To understand local perspectives and support these activities, ...

Interactive

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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Sea Country: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Sea Country. In this picture book, Aunty Patsy Cameron shares the stories and traditions from her family’s seasonal life on Flinders Island in Tasmania. Find out when to pick ripe wild cherries, when the moon (mutton) birds fly home and how the nautilus shells smell ...

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The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Emu Who Ran Through the Sky. The book is part of a series of books about the Bush Mob, a group of animals who work together to solve problems. These stories emphasise the value of respect for First Nations culture and country, as well as the importance of courage, ...

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The Mark of the Wagarl: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Mark of the Wagarl. The book tells the story of Maadjit Walken, the Sacred Rainbow Serpent, mother spirit and creator of the Nyoongar Country of south west Western Australia. The story shares how a young boy receives the Maadjit Wagarl for his totem. This unit includes ...

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Character Sketches

What techniques do storytellers use to create characters? In this lesson, students will analyse how a character's personality traits, actions and motives influence the plot of a story. They will use their senses to create character sketches, then dramatize the character for an audience.

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Grey Whales Newscast

In this 3-5 lesson, students will research information about grey whales and work in groups to write, produce, and perform a newscast about grey whales using the essential qualities of a news anchor.

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Silly Birds: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Silly Birds. This is a modern reinterpretation of a traditional story that was previously handed down to children from their parents and elders to highlight behaviour and to teach the consequences of good and bad choices. This unit includes practical ideas for using ...

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Baby Business: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the story 'Baby Business' that tells the story of a Darug baby smoking ceremony welcoming baby to country. Themes include Aboriginal history and culture, child-rearing practices, connection to place, and Indigenous knowledge. This unit provides practical teaching ideas, assessment ...

Online

MoneySmart: The house of needs and wants

This is a unit of work integrating aspects of the mathematics, English and science curriculums around planning a school breakfast. The unit was written for year 3 and is intended to take about 12 hours. It consists of 11 student activities supported by teacher notes on curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Student activities ...

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Mountain Creation

In this lesson, students will dramatize the ways a mountain can be formed. They will analyse poems about mountain creation from the perspective of the Tohono O’odham indigenous people of Arizona and Mexico. Students will compare the poems to science-based descriptions of mountain formation.

Video

Andy Griffiths' advice for becoming a brave writer

Are you sometimes a bit scared to share your writing with other people? Find out what Andy Griffiths recommends. If you don't have a journal or a diary, why not get your hands on an exercise book and start writing a little bit every day to practise. As Andy says, you can write about any crazy thing you like! It's only for ...

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Focus on Indonesia: Cross Curriculum Connections in Primary Schools

Ideas and resources that connect the learning of Indonesian language with other learning areas.

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Shirley Purdie: Ngaginybe Jarragbe, My Story: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book Shirley Purdie: Ngaginybe Jarragbe, My Story. The narrative of the book is told in English and Gija. It is about Shirley Purdie’s life story, told alongside her paintings. This unit includes practical ideas for using this book in your classroom.

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Work sample Year 3 English: My favourite thing to do

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 3 English . The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

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Fairy Tale

How does culture influence fairy tales from storyteller to storyteller? Students will compare and contrast culturally distinct variations of the fairy tale, Cinderella. Students will also research the cultures represented in the fairy tales and create a visual art piece.

Video

Feathers, Fur and Fins: A song about 'Aussie sharks'

Do you know any songs about Australian animals? Listen to this song about sharks performed by Don Spencer. Watch some sharks as they roam the ocean.

Video

ABC Open: Using descriptive language to evoke mood and feeling

Is there a particular place or time of day that you love? How would you describe this place and time to someone to convey how you feel? What sort of mood would you want to create? The narrator in this video tells us she loves sunrise. How does she communicate this through the language she uses? What is the mood created?

Video

Developing characters with Leigh Hobbs

How can drawings of characters give readers clues about who they are? What are some of the clues Leigh Hobbs gives us about Old Tom's character through his drawings of him? Do you have a character in your head that you've been thinking about for a while? As you draw or write about your character, remember what Leigh says ...

Video

How to Build Stories, Ch 5: Using language to flavour your story

Language is like the flavour of a story. It helps relate your imagination to readers in a way they'll understand. But you have to add the right flavours; otherwise your story will be like a bad meal. Learn how to write what you want your readers to imagine and feel.